'Great Scott': USF formally introduces fans to new head football coach
TAMPA, Fla. - The University of South Florida’s new head coach, Jeff Scott arrived in Tampa Tuesday – getting off the plane with his wife and daughter.
By Wednesday, Scott received a formal welcome with his introductory press conference in the Alumni Center on the Tampa campus, where he recognized those in the past who paved the way for the school's football program. He gave thanks to Lee Roy Selmon and his vision, as well as the past four head coaches: Jim Leavitt, Skip Holtz, Willie Taggart, and Charlie Strong.
"This is a job that I really had circled in my book for a long time," he said during the press conference.
Earlier, Scott said he met with the 30 current football players -- and said they were "hungry."
"I saw a group of young men that were hungry," he described. "A group of young men that wanted to win. A group of young men that wanted to go to work.”
Details of Scott’s contract has since been revealed. The first-year head coach will make $12.5 over the next five years – with 1.8 million coming his way in the first year. There’s a $2.5 million buyout after the first year – and it progressively gets less.
Scott is the fifth head coach in USF’s football history, following Jim Leavitt, Skip Holtz, Willie Taggart and Charlie Strong.
He was born in Arcadia, Florida, and grew up around football. His father, Brad was a long-time assistant coach at Florida State before taking the helm at South Carolina from 1994-1998. Now he's a top official with Clemson University's sports program.
With Jeff Scott being named head coach at USF, the father-son story comes full-circle. Brad Scott says he plans to leave Clemson and be his son's assistant coach.
Jeff, meanwhile, has been the co-offensive coordinator at Clemson since 2015. He helped lead the team to their fifth straight College Football Playoff appearance in 2019. Back in 2017 – at Raymond James Stadium – he claimed the program’s first national title in 35 years.
At Raymond James Stadium this week, perhaps for the first time since winning a national championship on that field back in 2017, he recorded a quick ‘hello’ to fans.
“Great to be back in Raymond James Stadium,” he wrote in the Twitter post. “This time as a USF Bull.”
At the end of the video, he formed the iconic Bull horns sign with his hands.
“Go Bulls.”