USF Offense Wants to 'Put on a Show' Friday Night
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, SEPT. 14, 2017 – USF is eager to get its up-tempo attack up to full speed after sitting idle during Hurricane Irma.
After having last Friday through Monday off because of the storm, the refocused Bulls made more steady progress in their second practice back on the field Wednesday afternoon.
"You go through something like that, that can be destructive, adverse and all that stuff. We're just trying to get their minds locked back in," offensive coordinator
Sterlin Gilbert said. "No. 1, make sure all their families and places are right and then just have an opportunity to come back and get between the white lines, which can make things right."
Great all-around effort has been apparent at each practice so far this week as USF preps for a unique challenge at Raymond James Stadium.
The 2-0 Bulls have only three days on the Morsani Complex fields this week before the real thing Friday night against a solid opponent. Illinois seeks its first 3-0 start since 2011 and heads to Tampa with a defense that's allowed only 14 points per game. Last week, Illinois held Western Kentucky to fewer than 10 points for the first time since 2012 and returned an interception for a touchdown in the 20-7 victory.
"I see those guys flying around right now," Gilbert said. "They're very sound in what they do."
Averaging 36.5 points so far, USF will be looking to add to its nation-leading streak of 19 straight 30-plus point games. Leaders like
Quinton Flowers (Miami) are rallying the troops to put on an impressive performance Friday in the 7 p.m. game that will be nationally televised on ESPN.
"You know you've got to put on a show," Flowers said. "There's nothing going on but your game, so you have to do something to make the people feel happy and thank them for coming."
Refreshed Defense Ready for the Challenge
Much like the offense, USF's defense has stepped on the gas to get ready for Friday's game.
"The focus has been good. I think sometimes when you have a serious situation like we just had, guys come back and they're probably a little bit more appreciative of the opportunity to play when they had a game taken from them," defensive coordinator
Brian Jean-Mary said. "They've come out, had a little bounce in their step and they've had a lot of energy."
No player wants to miss a game for any reason, but time away from the field has benefited the Bulls in one important area. No game action for nearly two weeks since Stony Brook has allowed USF to heal up after going pretty much nonstop since a very physical fall camp started in late July.
"Any time you get a chance to recoup and get some of those guys that had the nicks and bruises, you get them back, that's a plus," Jean-Mary said.
Having a refreshed defense will help the Bulls against an Illinois offense that attacks opponents in multiple ways.
"It kind of marries up with the conference they're in – the Big Ten. They're going to try to run the football and they have a great play action passing scheme off of it," Jean-Mary said. "They're going to make you defend the full length of the field. They're going to make you defend several different formations."
Jean-Mary said his Bulls are up for the challenge and the defense wants to continue trending upward. Despite missing the UConn game, USF still ranks in the top five nationally with five total interceptions. USF's revamped defense is allowing just 2.7 yards per carry and opponents have converted on third down less than a third of the time.
"Defensively, we've taken a step forward and we've just got to keep growing and going," said senior linebacker
Auggie Sanchez (St. Petersburg). "I think that's kind of what you're going to see throughout the year just because of that chip on our shoulder. We don't want to be the weak link."
Bulls Bits
- FINDING THE RIGHT FIVE: Since the season opener, USF has shuffled personnel on the offensive line and that trend could continue moving forward. "As they go, we go," offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert said. "But you've got to find the five and those five got to mesh and got to be all on the same page about what's going on. We don't mind shuffling the deck to find that." Illinois is no different with no offensive lineman starting in the same spot from week 1 to 2.
- MACK ATTACKS THE END ZONE: Speaking of Marlon Mack, USF's career rushing leader has looked dynamic in the NFL and the rookie registered his first regular season TD run in the Colts' season opener last Sunday.
- FOCUSED FLOWERS: Quinton Flowers needs just one more touchdown run to tie USF's career record of 32 set by former teammate and current Indianapolis Colt Marlon Mack. Whether it's running or throwing, Flowers is focused on putting together his best game yet this season. "There's high expectations for me," he said. "… I'm expecting a lot from myself."
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF finished the 2016 season ranked No. 19 in the Associated Press poll with a school-record 11 wins following the program's fifth-ever bowl victory in the Birmingham Bowl. The Bulls' 11-2 record marked the fifth-best winning percentage in FBS football in 2016 and one of just 11 teams to reach 11 wins. USF set nearly 40 team and individual records in 2016, including team records for total yards (6,650), rushing yards (3,714), touchdowns (77) and scoring (569). Junior quarterback Quinton Flowers was named the American Conference Offensive Player of the Year and led a school-record 10 players named to the all-conference team, six of which, including Flowers, will return in 2017.
Purchase tickets for the upcoming season by following the USFBullsTix.com link HERE.
Follow @USFFootball on Twitter for all the latest information concerning the USF Football program.
- #GoBulls -
