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Ex-Nole Rose Gives Bulls Line Reinforcement

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 3, 2008

TAMPA - Tampa's Daron Rose, who started 11 games at tackle as a sophomore for Florida State University last season, said he will play at the University of South Florida next season.

The 6-foot-5, 284-pound Rose said he chose USF over returning to FSU, where he signed in 2006 out of Jefferson High School.

"This was the best fit for me," Rose said. "Just sitting down and thinking about it and praying about it, going back to Florida State wouldn't have been the best option for me."

The addition of Rose next season is huge for the Bulls, who must replace senior offensive line starters Marc Dile, Matt Huners, Ryan Schmidt and Jake Griffin.

At FSU, Rose played two seasons and started 11 of 13 games in 2007. In May 2008, he was ruled academically ineligible for 2008 and left FSU. Rose was linked to the academic online cheating scandal at FSU that forced more than 20 players to miss last year's Music City Bowl.

Rose said he is attending Hillsborough Community College. He said he will finish in May and enroll at USF in the summer. He will have two years of eligibility in 2009 and 2010.

As a senior at Jefferson in 2005, Rose was rated among the nation's top recruits under then-coach Mike Simmonds, who is now USF's offensive line coach.

"My past relationship with Coach Simmonds was important," Rose said. "He pretty much really made me the player I was going through high school. It was a natural fit coming to USF."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928.

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