Get To Know South Florida’s Single-Season Rushing Touchdown Leaders

Anyone who consistently watches the University of South Florida's football program is familiar with the fantastic rushing production that the Bulls rely on to keep them in games. USF always maintains a stable of strong running backs to grind down opposing defenses, while also employing quarterbacks with rushing ability. That combination has led to some truly ridiculous rushing stat lines, especially when one considers that USF's program only began in 1997. 

The men below are responsible for some of the best offensive performances in school history, performances that were not only statistically good but also contributed to real-life wins for a young football program.

While Mangham will not be remembered as a classic USF name, he did contribute an incredible scoring run during one of his two seasons on campus. After transferring from Colorado, Mangham split the running back responsibilities with Kelley Joiner Jr. and Brian Battie. Despite splitting snaps with two other backs, Mangham racked up 15 rushing touchdowns while amassing 670 rushing yards. 

Unfortunately, Mangham's production did not lead to many USF victories. The Bulls went 2-10 in 2021, finishing with one of the worst offenses in the nation. Mangham would play one more year in Tampa, but he lost most of his snaps to Battie and Michel Dukes, only receiving 24 carries on the year. He proceeded to transfer to Michigan State and then once more to Minnesota, before wrapping up his college career.

While Mack and Mangham share second place on this list, the former will always be remembered as one of the best running backs to ever play for the Bulls. Highlighting his case for that accolade is his 2016 campaign. Heading into the season, Mack had already led the American Athletic Conference in rushing twice in a row, attaching sky-high expectations to the experienced runner. Mack lived up to those expectations by posting 1,187 rushing yards on 6.8 yards per carry to pair with the 15 touchdowns that landed him on this list.

Unlike Mangham, Mack was a huge part of one of the best teams in USF history. The Bulls finished as the 19th-ranked team in the nation almost entirely because of their offense. That unit helped win 11 games, nine of which featured USF surpassing the 40-point mark, partially thanks to Mack's efforts.

The NFL took notice of Mack's efforts during his junior year on campus, allowing him to forgo his senior season to enter the draft. The Indianapolis Colts selected him in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, and he proceeded to provide an excellent return on investment. Mack played 47 games with 23 starts over five seasons for the Colts, scoring 20 rushing touchdowns over that time.

The fact that both Mack and Flowers pulled off record-breaking efforts in the same year shows how heavily the Bulls relied on their run game in 2016. In total, Mack received 174 carries, while fellow running back D'Ernest Johnson took another 111. Somehow, Flowers paced the team in carries with 198, which resulted in an incredible 1,530 yards on 7.7 yards per carry in addition to the 18 touchdowns. These numbers clearly show that Flowers added another layer to the Bulls' offense, forcing defenses to focus even more attention on him in the run game than on his tailbacks. 

That is not to say that Flowers did not contribute through the air. He led the AAC in yards per attempt and passer rating while throwing for 2,812 yards and 24 touchdowns. Perhaps even more impressive than Flowers' offensive stats was his ability to take care of the football. He only threw seven interceptions all year, showing a truly elite level of play in every facet of the quarterback position. Somehow, Flowers did not receive any Heisman consideration, likely because the Bulls are the college equivalent of a small-market NFL team.

As a young program, it's not surprising to see that the Bulls have historically leaned on their run game to make things happen in the offensive department. USF's all-time touchdown catch leader, Andre Davis, has 17, one less than Flowers' single-season rushing touchdown record, further indicating the unique imbalance in USF's offensive scheme. It isn't often that college football fans see a small, relatively unproven team like the Bulls rank inside the top 10 in total offense, something that USF managed to achieve under Flowers and Mack multiple times.

As the Bulls continue to establish themselves as a strong football program in Florida, they will be able to compete for better and better recruits. It won't be long before the records listed above are broken, likely by a quarterback who emulates the style put on display by Flowers. That time will come, but for now, he and Mack can enjoy their status as campus legends in Tampa.