Report: Barnett wins starting QB job at USF

Transfer Blake Barnett has won the starting quarterback job for South Florida, the Tampa Bay Times reported. Barnett, a graduate transfer from Arizona State who started his college career at Alabama, beat out Brett Kean and third-year sophomore Chris Oladokun. Although Bulls coach Charlie Strong did not reveal a decision had been made when he met with the media on Wednesday, the newspaper reported that Barnett had been informed he will start the season opener versus Elon on Sept. 1. "They've done a really good job and they respect one another," Strong said. "When you look at it, each day one of them is running (with the first team), like this guy gets to start off with the ones, then the next ... so they've been given enough reps and it's been evenly distributed. So now it's about us. Now we've got to go make a decision on what guy it's gonna be." Barnett will take the place of Quinton Flowers, who started the last 38 games for South Florida. Barnett was the backup to starter Manny Wilkins for the Sun Devils last season and threw only five passes. "I think I've been picking (USF's offense) up pretty quick," Barnett told the newspaper after Saturday's scrimmage, when he led three touchdown drives. "Everyone's had a fair shot, everyone's had equal reps. We're just all trying to apply ourselves and do as best we can to make this team productive." A five-star prospect coming out of Santiago High in Corona, Calif., in 2015, Barnett initially committed to Notre Dame before signing with Alabama. After redshirting during the 2015 season, Barnett opened the 2016 season as Alabama's starter against USC. However, Jalen Hurts replaced Barnett as the starter later that season and Barnett transferred to Arizona State. Kean, who was cleared of a suspension earlier this month, served as the top backup to Flowers the past two seasons. He appeared in 14 games during that time, completing 25 of 37 passes for 193 yards.