Bulls' Potent Rushing Attack Returns to Ray Jay
MATCHUP: Tulane (3-5, 2-2 in AAC) at USF (7-1, 3-1 in AAC)
DAY/TIME: Saturday/3:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa
TV: CBS Sports Network
RADIO: 820-AM, 98.3-FM,
Bulls Unlimited
GAME NOTES: USF |
Tulane
TICKETS: USFBullsTix.com
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, NOV. 1, 2018 – USF returns to Raymond James Stadium with a rushing attack that's been racking up yards this season.
USF (7-1, 3-1 in AAC) heads into Saturday's 3:30 p.m. home test against Tulane ranking 16
th nationally in rushing offense at 233.4 yards per game. Led by
Jordan Cronkrite and
Johnny Ford, the Bulls have rushed for an average of 291 yards in the past four games, including two outings with 346 yards or more on the ground.
"Having two really talented backs is blessing and not a problem," offensive coordinator
Sterlin Gilbert said. "With both of those guys, you've got really a one-two punch and it's just about those guys continuing to be really good."
Cronkrite currently ranks fifth nationally in rushing yards per game (133.3) and another huge performance could help the junior reach a very notable milestone. With 933 yards in seven games, the Miami native is on the verge of becoming the fifth USF player in program history to reach the 1,000-yard rushing mark in a season.
When Cronkrite isn't in the backfield, USF has been getting more explosive production from Ford, who rushed for seven touchdowns in the past four games. The freshman from Miami found the end zone with his feet five times in consecutive 100-yard rushing games the past two weeks and he's averaging 8.6 yards per carry this season.
"We've been banged up at the back position, so it's nice to have some consistency over the last couple of weeks," Gilbert said.
Ford is having a breakout year with 462 rushing yards in six games. He's also formed a close bond with Cronkrite, who is close to registering USF's ninth 1,000-yard rushing season.
"The relationship is great," Ford said. "He's experienced a lot of stuff, so I just tell him lead the way and I'll follow him. He's a great role model, someone any kid would want to look up to."
Together, Cronkrite and Ford will look to help the Bulls continue to build on another solid rushing season that's included six games with 200-plus yards.
"When he's in the game, he'll tell me what he sees and what he suggests I should do," Ford said. "When I'm in the game, I tell him the same. We just feed off each other."
This week, USF's dynamic duo will take on Tulane, which ranks third in the conference in rushing defense (153.0 ypg). The Green Wave is surrendering 118.5 rushing yards per game in league play after limiting two opponents to 36 yards or less on the ground.
"Those guys are really stingy, they're physical," Gilbert said. "… It's man all across the field and they do a really good job."
Young USF Defense Learning More With Each Game
Coordinator
Brian Jean-Mary has had to constantly teach this season with a young defense that's featured seven true freshman or redshirt freshman starters.
"When you're a senior-heavy team one year that means usually you're going to be younger the next," Jean-Mary said.
Last season's defense had four NFL players and three up front with tackles
Deadrin Senat and
Bruce Hector along with end
Mike Love.
"We're not going to make any excuses," Jean-Mary said. "… That's football. This isn't the NFL, where you can go out and get a free agent, or you're drafting a first-round guy."
The last time out, USF's defense rolled out seven first-year starters, including five players that are sophomores or younger, against Houston's high-powered offense.
"I have to keep reminding myself this is an investment," Jean-Mary said. "I think this is the makings of something very special on the defensive side of the ball. Obviously, we're not where we need to be and the mistakes keep happening."
Fortunately for Jean-Mary and the Bulls, fresh teaching points are being presented each week to an inexperienced defense that's eager to improve.
"The good part about it is they're mistakes that are new mistakes every week," Jean-Mary said. "You'd think you'd get the ones that were corrected from the previous week, but the offenses you go against are good enough. They're going to run different plays and they kind of find different plays that our guys haven't seen."
Against Tulane, the Bulls could possibly see two different styles of quarterbacks and they'll look to bottle up two bruising backs with a combined 1,138 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns this season.
"We know the only way we're going to get better and give ourselves a chance to win starting this week is we must improve our tackling," Jean-Mary said.
Clerveaux Catching Up On Lost Playing Time
Receiver
Stanley Clerveaux is just a junior in football years, but off the field he's a college graduate that's been through a ton of adversity.
In 2014, the North Miami native had to redshirt with a torn labrum in his shoulder and missed the entire next season with a knee injury he suffered in fall camp that required another surgery. Clerveaux saw three games of action in 2016 and continued working his way back in nine outings last season.
"It was a long process coming back, but I think today it made me stronger and a better person," he said.
Clerveaux also is thankful for the strong USF support he's received, especially from fellow receiver
Ryeshene Bronson, who calls his teammate his "lost brother."
"We all have that important time in life when we feel alone and we feel like nobody will understand us, but that's when friends come in," Bronson said.
USF's two tall receivers shared a special moment last week after Clerveaux posted career highs with five catches for 42 yards at Houston.
"Our coaches always say, 'Stay ready. Be ready for what's going to happen,'" Clerveaux said. "Last week, I had an opportunity to go out and catch some passes. It felt really good to be out there catching balls."
Because of injuries, Clerveaux entered 2018 with only three career catches and this season alone he's up to 11 receptions for 85 yards (10.6 ypc).
"He's a guy that's really gotten better as this thing has went on," offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert said. "He's a guy we know consistently what we're going to get week-in and week-out from him."
Bulls Bits
- FREE TICKETS, FOOD FOR USF FACULTY, STAFF: In addition to Saturday being USF's Salute to Service game, it's also Faculty and Staff Appreciation Day at Raymond James Stadium. As a way of thanking its workers for helping USF reach preeminent status, USF is offering faculty and staff members get free tickets to the game that can be claimed HERE. Click on "find tickets" and enter the promo code "STAFFDAY" before clicking "go" to select up to four seats. After choosing seats, enter in your USF email address and account password. On top of free tickets, USF faculty and staff can claim a free hot dog and soft drink by visiting the Faculty and Staff Appreciation Tent in Lot 6D located in the south parking lot. Faculty and staff must check in to receive the complimentary items.
KING OF TULANE: USF running backs coach Shaun King is one of Tulane's all-time football greats and was inducted into the program's Hall of Fame in 2004. The four-year starting quarterback led Tulane to a 12-0 record in 1998, when he finished 10th in Heisman Trophy voting. This past September, Tulane celebrated the 20th anniversary of its undefeated 1998 team that ranked No. 7 in the nation. King showed his toughness throughout 1998, playing with a broken left wrist in a soft cast during the season that saw the Green Wave win the Liberty Bowl on New Year's Eve. Also in 1998, King became the first player in NCAA history to throw for more than 3,000 yards and rush for 500-plus yards in the same season.
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
USF posted its second straight 10-win season in 2017 (10-2) by winning its second straight Birmingham Bowl with a 38-34 victory over Texas Tech. USF is one of just 15 teams nationally to win 20-plus games in the last two seasons (21-4) and posted a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the top 25, reaching as high as No. 13 in Week 8 of the 2017 season. The Bulls have won five of their last six bowl appearances and made nine (6-3) total bowl appearances in 21 seasons, including a current run of three straight bowls. USF won a program-record 11 games in 2016 (11-2) and has posted 14 winning seasons. The USF program, which first took the field in 1997, reached No. 2 in the rankings in 2007 and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and had 28 first-team all-conference selections.
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