TAMPA, AUG. 7, 2024 – South Florida football saw its national award watch list tally grow to five on Wednesday when senior wide receiver Sean Atkins(Viera, Fla.) was named to the Biletnikoff Award Watch List. The Biletnikoff Award recognizes FBS football's most outstanding receiver at any position and has been awarded since 1994.
Atkins, who was a 2023 semifinalist for the Burlsworth Trophy awarded to the nation's top current or former walk-on college football player, is returning after a record-breaking season in which he became the first Bulls' receiver to post a 1,000-yard season. Atkins set program records with 92 catches for 1,054 yards and added seven touchdown catches, which rank second all-time in a season at USF.
Atkins earned Second Team All-AAC honors after posting seven straight games with at least seven catches and two 100-yard receiving games on the year. He posted two catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-0 Boca Raton Bowl rout of Syracuse and posted a career-best 10 catches at UTSA and 169 receiving yards in a win over Temple.
Atkins was named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele as well as First Team All-AAC by Steel and Athlon Sports and Second Team All-AAC by Lindy's.
Ohio State's Marvin Harrison, Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award in 2023.
USF returns 19 starters in 2024 (nine on offense, eight on defense, and two specialists) from a team that set 12 team and 16 individual program records while going 7-6 (a program-best six-game turnaround) and claiming a 45-0 Boca Raton Bowl victory over Syracuse in 2023.
The Bulls return record-setting starting quarterback Byrum Brown, 85 percent of their rushing yards, 84 percent of their receiving yards and four primary starters on the offensive line. On defense, USF returns nine of its top 11 tacklers led by Shuler, who logged a team-best 97 stops to go with 8.5 tackles for loss in 2023.
The Bulls open the season Aug. 31 vs. Bethune-Cookman in Raymond James Stadium before road games at Alabama (Sept. 7) and Southern Mississippi (Sept. 14) and a home clash with Miami (Sept. 21).
BULLS ON PRESEASON NATIONAL AWARD WATCH LISTS (5)
Maxwell Award Byrum Brown, QB
Walter Camp Award Byrum Brown, QB
Biletnikoff Award Sean Atkins, WR
Doak Walker Award Nay'Quan Wright, RB
Outland Trophy Zane Herring, OG
Atkins earned Second Team All-AAC honors after posting seven straight games with at least seven catches and two 100-yard receiving games on the year. He posted two catches for 93 yards and two touchdowns in a 45-0 Boca Raton Bowl rout of Syracuse and posted a career-best 10 catches at UTSA and 169 receiving yards in a win over Temple.
Atkins was named a preseason All-American by Phil Steele as well as First Team All-AAC by Steel and Athlon Sports and Second Team All-AAC by Lindy's.
Ohio State's Marvin Harrison, Jr. won the Biletnikoff Award in 2023.
USF returns 19 starters in 2024 (nine on offense, eight on defense, and two specialists) from a team that set 12 team and 16 individual program records while going 7-6 (a program-best six-game turnaround) and claiming a 45-0 Boca Raton Bowl victory over Syracuse in 2023.
The Bulls return record-setting starting quarterback Byrum Brown, 85 percent of their rushing yards, 84 percent of their receiving yards and four primary starters on the offensive line. On defense, USF returns nine of its top 11 tacklers led by Shuler, who logged a team-best 97 stops to go with 8.5 tackles for loss in 2023.
The Bulls open the season Aug. 31 vs. Bethune-Cookman in Raymond James Stadium before road games at Alabama (Sept. 7) and Southern Mississippi (Sept. 14) and a home clash with Miami (Sept. 21).
BULLS ON PRESEASON NATIONAL AWARD WATCH LISTS (5)
Maxwell Award Byrum Brown, QB
Walter Camp Award Byrum Brown, QB
Biletnikoff Award Sean Atkins, WR
Doak Walker Award Nay'Quan Wright, RB
Outland Trophy Zane Herring, OG
