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By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, OCT. 7, 2014 – The rested-up Bulls return from a bye with a huge opportunity in front of them 7 p.m. Saturday against No. 19 East Carolina at Raymond James Stadium.
USF (2-3, 1-0) seeks a 2-0 start to American Athletic Conference play and a victory over the Pirates would be a big one. ECU (4-1, 1-0) is playing as a nationally ranked program for the second consecutive week and the Pirates have gained a ton of momentum over a month-long stretch that's featured impressive wins over South Carolina, Virginia Tech and North Carolina – all ranked at the time – and SMU.
“We had a good week of practice last week and we need to have a better practice this week,” head coach Willie Taggart said during USF's weekly press conference that airs each Tuesday at noon on GoUSFBulls.com. “It's a really good football team coming in here that's playing with a lot of confidence and having fun. It's a team that looks like they can win every ballgame they play in. You see it every time they show up. I'm excited about this opportunity.”
So are USF's players who will be flying around the field in front of the home fans at Ray Jay for the first time since a 17-14 victory over UConn on Sept. 19. The campus already has been buzzing with homecoming festivities taking place all week and the Bulls look to keep the good times going during Saturday's game that will air on ESPNU, USF's fifth consecutive nationally televised game.
“Our job is to try to get ready to put on a good performance for our alums, our students and everyone that comes back for us,” Taggart said.
Motivation is no problem for a program that's seeking its first win over a ranked team since a 23-20 win at No. 16/18 Notre Dame in the 2011 season opener.
“You can feel the energy coming in playing a ranked team and what it would do for this program,” senior defensive tackle Todd Chandler said.
“You can't draw it up any better. We've got a great opportunity,” senior receiver Andre Davis said.
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Davis Took 'Coach Approach' While Recovering From Injury
Senior Andre Davis has had to be a patient man for more than a month.
The Tampa native bruised his sternum making a diving catch in USF's season-opening win over Western Carolina and the injury kept him out of action for the Bulls' tests against Maryland, NC State, UConn andWisconsin followed by an open date last week.
“Or course it was hard for me to sit on the sideline being that I'm a competitor but I learned from it,” said Davis, who declared himself a full go for East Carolina.
Instead of dwelling on the injury, Davis said he took “the coach approach” and helped USF's younger receivers with advice and pointers before, during and after each game he's missed. Davis also helped himself by focusing on the things he might not have seen if he was running routes in games.
“It's definitely going to help because I actually know how to prepare even better seeing those types of things,” said Davis, who referred to reading coverages and breaking down routes.
Davis has gotten back to making highlight-reel catches at practice, which Taggart definitely appreciates, and the Bulls' second-year coach said just having No. 7 back in uniform has re-energized all the players around him.
“I see a difference in our offense just with his presence being around. That's fun to see and it's also amazing (to see) what one guy can do to a football team,” Taggart said. “It also shows you the respect and the love that they have for him as well.”
Davis could provide the Bulls with even more energy if he has a productive game against the Pirates. The former Jefferson High School standout is second on USF's all-time receiving yards chart with 1,586 yards and he's just 63 yards shy of setting a new record. He also needs 14 more catches to break USF's career receptions record of 131 set by Hugh Smith (1999-2002). Davis also ranks fourth on USF's career touchdown catch list with 10 and he needs five more to break the record of 14 set by DeAndrew Rubin (1999-2002).
“I'm not really too much caught up in the records,” Davis said. “It's going to be nice but it would be even better to come out here and just get this win against a ranked opponent and just come out here, and try to do our best and try to win this conference. That's what I'm focused on, getting back to a bowl game.”
Offense Sharpens Things Up During the Bye
Davis had a chance to get back into playing shape last week while offensive coordinator Paul Wulff said his group as a whole got better during the bye week.
“We're just a little sharper in everything we're trying to do. I believe we got sharper and a little more crisp,” Wulff. “… We're still not where we can be, but we've definitely tightened some things up and we need to continue to do that with all our execution.”
USF showed its ability to move the ball the last two times out against UConn and Wisconsin, and the Bulls know they'll have to be sharp against an ECU defense that features an upperclassman at every position.
“They're just really sound. You can see they've all been in the system for like three, four, five years. They know what they're doing,” Wulff said. “They're consistent with their execution. They've got veteran players, they're talented and they just look like a stable unit. They don't hurt themselves.”
The USF Football program is in its 18th season and 15th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made six bowl appearances, including every season from 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 23 NFL Draft picks and reached the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Poll in 2007.
USF football season ticket renewals are available. Members may renew their tickets today online, by calling 1-800-GoBulls, or in person at the Ticket Sales and Service Center in the Sun Dome administrative offices (Gate B).
