TAMPA, Fla.- With Xavier Weaver and Jimmy Horn having transferred to Colorado, Sean Atkins was USF’s leading returning receiver a year ago with 19 receptions for 238 yards. While there were a few familiar faces in the receivers’ room, there were a number of new ones, and many questions.
This year, Atkins is coming off a record-breaking season and is the centerpiece of a deep and experienced group.
“The whole room is super competitive and we kind of push one another to get the best out of each other,” said Atkins, who is on the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) watch list after setting USF single-season records for most receptions (92) and receiving yards (1,054) while also leading the team with seven touchdown catches. “All of us have different skill sets and it just kind of keeps the defense guessing.”
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Naiem Simmons (39 rec., 637 yards, 5 TDs), Michael-Brown Stephens (27/350/2) and Jaden Alexis (23/280/2), currently sidelined with a knee injury, transferred in last year and are the next three returning receivers behind Atkins. Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen arrived this year from Purdue, where he battled through injuries to catch 34 passes for 456 yards in 18 games over parts of four seasons. Josh Hardeman, formerly known as Josh Cobbs, caught 60 passes in his last two of three seasons at Wyoming before transferring to Houston last year.
“There are a lot of guys that go out there and get the job done,” said Stephens. “That is what I am most excited about this year. It is not just about one person. Everyone is going out there and doing their thing.”
Coach Alex Golesh likes what he sees out of the group, and how receivers coach L’Damian Washington and offensive coordinator Joel Gordon have worked to get the most out of it.
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“That room is really interesting because ‘LD’ has challenged that crew at such a high level, so has coach Gordon,” he said. “We have attacked that room (to the point) that we are going to go as they go in terms of explosive plays.”
Golesh also noted the nice preseason camps some of the younger receivers have had. Among them are sophomores Tyree Kelly and Keshaun Singleton and freshman Jonathan Porter, who he praised.
“He’s a local guy from Polk County that we (recruited) with the hope he would develop into a really good wideout,” he said of the Fort Meade High product. “He is going to factor himself into playing a bunch of football for us. He has been quite impressive.”
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It is a group that has become close and one that comes to work.
“Everything is about the details,” said Atkins. “You have to come in every day and focus on everything the coaches want you to work on, and you want to be able to perfect your craft in whatever way.”
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