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PURCHASE TICKETS FOR USF-CINCINNATI
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, NOV. 18, 2015 – The roar at Raymond James Stadium will begin before kickoff in the can't-miss USF-Cincinnati matchup on Friday night.
The program will proudly honor 20 individuals on Senior Night that have helped the program come a long way since they signed National Letters of Intent. The bowl-eligible Bulls (6-4, 4-2) are one game behind first-place Temple in The American's East Division with two regular season games remaining on the schedule.
“Senior Night means a collection of everything that I have worked for personally and everything the team has worked for,” starting right tackle Mak Djulbegovic said. “We've been working since the day we got here dreaming big. Now that we have something to play for on Senior Night, it means even more.”
USF became bowl eligible for the first time since 2010 by winning five of its past six games and the seniors have had a big hand in the Bulls' success.
Djulbegovic and fellow senior linemen Brynjar Gudmundsson (center) and Thor Jozwiak (left guard) have helped USF rank 15th nationally in rushing offense with 227.9 yards per game. The Bulls' 2,279 rushing yards rank third all-time at USF and the Bulls are just 157 yards shy of the program's single-season record.
“Over 200 yards a game, you can't complain about that. That's pretty sweet,” Djulbegovic said.
Senior Sean Price, a team captain, also has helped the USF offense motor along while breaking two program records this season. The Citra, Fla., native owns both of the Bulls' top tight ends marks with 71 receptions for 816 yards.
Tom Allen's “Bull Sharks” defense currently ranks 12th in the FBS with 7.9 tackles for loss per game and seniors have led the charge to the backfield.
Safety Jamie Byrd is tops on the team with 10.0 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks from his “Husky” position in the 4-2-5 scheme. Defensive ends Eric Lee, also a team captain, and Shawn Hill are tied for second on the team with 3.0 sacks and have 7.5 tackles for loss apiece. Zack Bullock, Tashon Whitehurst, Daniel Awoleke have combined for 9.0 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
“I'm so grateful that I actually had a chance to leave a legacy that will mean something,” Bullock said.
And while the “Bull Sharks” have been pushing opponents back, USF has a senior pinning teams deep inside their own territory on special teams. Senior Mattias Ciabatti, another team captain, now owns the program's punting record with 8,161 career yards. The Ray Guy Award candidate has a career average of 42.5 yards per punt with 60 kicks inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
What makes this senior class extra special is the fact that eight Bulls have already earned a college degree – Ciabatti, Gudmundsson, Jozwiak, Bullock, C.J. Garye, Steven Bench, Corian Hamilton and Tye Turner.
“They'll leave here feeling good about themselves knowing they've laid the foundation to get the success back here at USF after what it was before,” head coach Willie Taggart said. “They all can be proud of that.”
Friday Will Be a Reunion for the Competitive Johnson Brothers
Sophomore running back D'Ernest Johnson grew up playing alongside his older brother, Tshumbi, and the two will face off against each other for the first time Friday night.
Tshumbi, a 20-year-old redshirt sophomore, has seen action in seven games at receiver in his first season of action for the Bearcats.
“It's going to kind of be weird a little bit because I'm so used to playing with him and playing beside him,” D'Ernest said. “Seeing him on the other side is going to be a little weird.”
The Johnson brothers had been a dynamic duo dating all the way back to their flag football days for the Immokalee Braves. They combined to score an eye-popping total of 126 touchdowns in their careers at Immokalee High School.
“We were always very competitive. In high school, we tried to see who scored the most touchdowns,” D'Ernest said. “Even when we played basketball, we tried to see who scored the most points.”
D'Ernest, 19, continues to have a great relationship with his older brother. The two talk on the phone every day and they've been having a little fun with the USF-Cincinnati matchup this week.
“He called me yesterday talking trash about how they're going to come in here and beat us on our home field and stuff like that,” D'Ernest said. “Trash talking will always be there.”
Bulls Bits
- Tom Allen said defensive tackle Deadrin Senat will be a game-time decision after missing last week's game with a knee injury. Redshirt freshman Kevin Bronson filled in well for Senat with 2.5 tackles and a pass breakup. “I'm proud of him. He came in there and stepped up. I felt like he played the way we thought he could,” Allen said.
- The first 5,000 fans through the gate at Friday's game will receive a free Rocky D. Bull bobblehead.
- Quinton Flowers was honored among the Davey O'Brien Award “Great 8” quarterback performances for week 11. Through the past four games, Flowers has totaled four touchdown passes with 735 yards through the air and no interceptions in 85 attempts. The sophomore also has rushed for 385 yards during the stretch with four TDs on the ground. “He's a player that's really emerging in the national scene as a very special player,” co-offensive coordinator Danny Hope said.
The USF Football program is in its 19th season overall and 16th at the FBS level. The Bulls have made six bowl appearances, including every season between 2005-10, and have four bowl game victories. USF has produced 14 All-America selections, 25 NFL Draft picks and reached the No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press Poll in 2007.
