RB Scott bigger, but carrying weight well

Posted Aug 4, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 4, 2011 at 10:44 PM

USF junior running back Darrell Scott showed up for fall camp with some added mass to his 6-foot-1 frame, checking in at 239 pounds, nine pounds heavier than where he was listed in the spring.

While Scott, who sat out last season after transferring from Colorado, was noticeably bigger to Bulls coaches, they didn’t see any concern after watching him go through the opening day of practice Thursday and felt Scott carried the extra weight well.

“The way he’s carrying his weight right now … the first thing I told him was watching his weight is like watching gas prices, the way it’s going up,” USF coach Skip Holtz said. “But you watch him come out here and run, he’s not missing a beat, he’s not putting his hands over his head, he’s not sucking wind, he’s not bent over and taking himself out. I think he’s in great shape.

“He’s just a very large, muscular young man that is really responding when you put some weights on his shoulders and then send him over to that dining hall. His body is really responding to it.”

USF offensive coordinator Todd Fitch echoed those sentiments regarding Scott, who Holtz said at Big East Media Day is viewed as a co-starter at tailback with junior Demetris Murray.

“Some guys, genetically, are just big people,” Fitch said. “He did a great job in the weight room this summer, according to (strength) coach (Mike) Golden. He worked hard in there and he just blows up.

“It’s not bad weight. He probably has five pounds of water weight that you want him to get rid of, but he made his times and he’s running well. I watched him out here in our individual stuff just to see how he carried his feet and it wasn’t bad.”

Bulls sophomore running back Dontae Aycock, who also sat out last season after transferring from Auburn, also reported to camp nine pounds heavier than he was listed in the spring (he’s now at 233), and both Holtz and Fitch said Aycock needs to shed a few pounds from his 5-foot-10 frame.

“He has great athletic ability, light on his feet, nice hands. He’s just got to get his body back in condition to play the game,” Fitch said. “That layoff of a year, he had a little knee procedure done, it set him back. Once he gets himself in shape, he has a lot of talent, but you’ve got to get yourself to that point too. He knows where he’s at, he knows what he has to do, and if he can do those things I think he’ll be a great addition for us.”

POZNIAK GETTING LOOK AT DE: Freshman Antoine Pozniak, who enrolled in January and worked at linebacker in the spring, started fall camp working at defensive end.

Holtz said he doesn’t see Pozniak, listed at 6-foot-2 and 220 pounds, as an every-down lineman because of his size, but is hoping he could provide some versatility to the defense by being able to play both positions.