Former Clemson Assistant Jeff Scott Enjoying Special Moments at USF
For Jeff Scott, last Saturday marked a special moment for the new head coach at USF.
Not only was it the first time that he took his new team into Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., for their first scrimmage of fall camp, but it also brought back memories to the 2016 national championship game in the same venue, where he was the co-offensive coordinator and an integral part in Clemson's second title in school history with the historic win over Alabama.
"I remember (how special the stadium is) from the time we were here at Clemson, and I felt that today," Scott said last week on a Zoom call with Tampa reporters. "For me, it goes even further than that. With Hunter Renfrow catching the game-winning touchdown in Tampa, and then my wife and I were coming up with a name for our son that we had last week, we wanted something that reminded us of Clemson but also something that would bridge our time coming down here to Tampa. So we felt like Hunter was a great way to do that."
It's been a week full of special moments for the Scott family, and something that his former boss, Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney, was happy to enjoy from afar.
"Really, really happy for Jeff and (wife) Sarah," Swinney said last Saturday.
The two head coaches, one in his first collegiate year in the driver's seat and another entering his 12th full season at the helm, have remained in constant contact since Scott took the USF job in December. He remained on staff through Clemson's two-game run in the College Football Playoff, which ended in a loss to LSU in New Orleans, and it's been whirlwind beginning for Scott and the Bulls since.
"He called me early on when all this (COVID-19) stuff was getting going and said, 'Hey, Coach, I've spent all this time with you. I've got all these books. I can't find pandemic section anywhere in the book,'" Swinney said. "I told him that's because I had it in a drawer in glass that said 'only break when necessary.' We got a little laugh out of that and I've got glass all over my office."
While Swinney has worked hard to make sure he has Clemson ready to make a run at a sixth consecutive CFP appearance, Scott is just getting off the ground. USF got one spring practice in, and Scott has had to spend most of his time getting to know his players during the offseason through Zoom calls.
"It was tough at first because you're excited to get your team," Swinney said about Scott's experience. "You're ready to go. As a first-time head coach, everything is the first time. So no one knows your culture or vision. And then you have new coaches. Now you can't get everyone together. You can't see anybody. You don't get to really know your players.
"So it was tough in the beginning for him, but I think he's settled in and they're doing a great job so hopefully they'll be able to get to the field and have some type of season this year and accomplish some of those things as a first-year head coach you'd like to get in place."
USF is scheduled to begin its 2020 season Sept. 26 at Florida Atlantic.
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