South Florida hires Clemson assistant Jeff Scott as head coach
Clemson is losing a key part of its coaching staff.
After multiple reports emerged earlier Monday, South Florida confirmed that it is hiring Clemson co-offensive coordinator Jeff Scott as its next head coach, replacing Charlie Strong. He will be introduced at USF on Wednesday.
"Jeff is a very bright, enthusiastic and driven leader for our program and we are thrilled to welcome him to USF and back to Florida, where he was born and where he has recruited so well for Clemson for many years," USF athletic director Michael Kelly said. "He is a young and extremely gifted offensive mind, a developer of high-level talent and an elite national recruiter who brings the experience of having played an integral role from the beginning in helping to build one of the most successful programs in college football.”
Scott has been on Clemson’s staff for over 10 years and is the first major assistant coach to leave the school in the middle of its five-year College Football Playoff streak. As Alabama has had numerous assistants come and go throughout its run at the top of college football in the CFP era, Clemson’s staff has remained extremely consistent with Scott, fellow co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott and defensive coordinator Brent Venables all staying with Dabo Swinney.
Scott is a Florida native and started out as Clemson’s wide receivers coach in 2008 and soon became the team’s recruiting coordinator. He’s been the co-offensive coordinator since Chad Morris left after the 2014 season to become the head coach at SMU.
"I have great respect for the USF football program and what has been accomplished in a very short time and can't wait to get to work building on that foundation to produce a championship program," Scott said.
"I am thankful to President Currall and Michael Kelly for this tremendous opportunity and their support and belief in me. It is difficult to leave my alma mater and the great program we have built at Clemson, but I believe we can do great things at USF. I am thankful to Coach Swinney and all the Clemson players and staff for the great experiences and lessons that have prepared me to lead USF football. Go Bulls!"
Scott will stay with Clemson through the College Football Playoff and juggle his new job and his current job until Clemson’s season is over.
“Jeff has been with me since day one when I became interim [coach],” Swinney said in a statement. “He’s somebody I trust immensely and he’s extremely loyal. He’s been patient for the right opportunity and I think this is that right opportunity.”
Strong was 21-16 at USF
The former Texas coach took over at USF after Willie Taggart left the school for Oregon following the 2016 season. The 2017 season was a rousing success with a 10-2 record and a win in the Birmingham Bowl.
Things went south after that. USF finished 7-6 in 2018 and lost six-straight games to end the season. The Bulls were then 4-8 in 2019.
USF has proven to be a place where winning seasons can regularly happen. Since joining the top level of college football in 2000, USF has won eight or more games in 10 of those 20 seasons.
If Scott does indeed take over as the team’s head coach, the school will be counting on him to try to replicate some of the success Clemson has had over the last half-decade. While asking for playoff berths and undefeated seasons is an impossible task, South Florida certainly expects to be one of the better teams in the ACC and regularly rivaling UCF. The Knights have won the last three games in the annual rivalry series and five of the last seven matchups.
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
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