Game 5 Player to Watch: KJ Sails
NEXT GAME: USF (1-3, 0-1) at UConn (1-3, 0-1)
DAY/TIME: Saturday/noon
LOCATION: Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field, East Hartford, Conn.
TV/RADIO: CBS Sports Network (
live stream at noon, TV air time 7 p.m.)/USF Radio Network:
Over the Air: WDAE 95.3 FM/620 AM &
Digital: Bulls Unlimited
SERIES: USF leads, 11-5 (Bulls won last meeting, 38-30, in 2018)
GAME NOTES: USF (PDF) |
UConn (PDF)
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, OCT. 4, 2019 – After triumphing over the tragedy of losing two loved ones, proud father
KJ Sails is playing for much more than himself as a "blessed" Bull on his hometown team.
The talented and super competitive cornerback leads USF with three total takeaways and four pass breakups through four games, all starts, heading into the program's conference clash with UConn on Saturday.
"I'm just blessed to be here and happy to play in front of my friends and family," he said.
Unfortunately, Sails' family circle in Tampa grew smaller earlier this year, which sent the junior on a mission to get back to the Bay.
Sails was still a member of the football team at the University of North Carolina early in February, when his great grandmother, Loretta Hardy, died at the age of 82. Hardy helped raise Sails and provided him with a loving home as a child up to his middle school years in Tampa. Hardy inspired Sails to start singing in church, especially the gospel song, "On My Way Home," by The Canton Spirituals.
"She molded me into who I am today," Sails said.
Sails lost another important person in his life less than two weeks after his great grandmother died and just one day after her funeral. Takiya Fullwood, the younger sister of former USF standout safety
Tajee Fullwood, was killed by a stray bullet after an altercation broke out at a party in Tampa. Just 18 years old at the time, Takiya was like a little sister to Sails, who resided in the Fullwood household when he needed a place to stay early in his career at East Bay High School.
"I've been through a lot in life. I've stayed with a lot of people that have had a tremendous impact on my life," Sails said. "This year was one of the toughest years of my life."
Before and after Takiya's funeral, Sails' mental health was struggling along with his grades, which was out of the ordinary for the usually strong student who earned honors status in high school. His life was currently in North Carolina, but his heart was in Tampa while his focus was on family and his son, King, who was 1 at the time.
"I had to figure out a way to get back here. USF was my main (choice). I was coming back home," he said. "There was no other school. I had my mind pretty set on where I was going."
Fortunately for Sails, head coach
Charlie Strong and the Bulls opened their doors to the lockdown corner who was slated to be a starter by the end of fall camp. Being eligible for games was still up in the air, however, until the week of USF's season opener.
"Things like that, it's out of your control," he said. "It was definitely stressful, but I just took a step back and let the NCAA do what they do. I appreciate them for that."
Sails Shining as a Bull
After missing out on his son's first birthday because of North Carolina football duties, Sails was elated to celebrate King's second big day on Aug. 13.
"Being around him every day, I get to see him grow up," Sails said. "He acts just like me. He's got a personality. It's crazy, it's like a mini me."
Two-and-a-half weeks later, the football moment Sails had been praying for finally arrived. Starting against Wisconsin (now ranked No. 8/9), Sails finished his program debut with two solo tackles (one TFL), a fumble recovery and a 17-yard punt return in his homecoming game.
Sails reeled in his first interception as a Bull the next week at Georgia Tech before another memorable experience at Raymond James Stadium on Sept. 14.
USF set the school's single-game record with eight takeaways in a 55-16 victory over South Carolina State. Meanwhile, Sails extended his team takeaway lead to three with a fumble recovery in addition to breaking up three passes and returning two punts for 39 yards.
Following the big win, Sails took his son on a tour of the Ray Jay field and King even got to celebrate with the Bulls in the locker room.
"They were playing music and he was just dancing," Sails said. "Everybody was recording and it was a beautiful thing. Man, I've never seen anything like it."
Now the Bulls are embarking on their first conference road trip to UConn and Sails has remained forever grateful to be a part of his hometown program.
"I cherish the moment. Love people while they're here because you could be here today and gone tomorrow," he said. "I'm just happy I can see my family every day. They can see me doing what I love to do."
More From the Sails File
- ATHLETIC FAMILY: Sails comes from a long line of athletes in his family. His grandmother ran track while his mother, Shawntay Woodbury, played basketball and was a track and field student-athlete in high school. Sails' uncle, Richard Woodbury, played football at Bethune-Cookman.
K-9: Sails likes to refer to himself as "K-9" because of his ferocious competitiveness. "I do not like to lose. When I beat you, you're gonna know I beat you because I want to compete," Sails said. "That's just the type of guy that I am and my uncle instilled that in me." Sails learned how to compete in a fierce manner playing basketball and he's used the approach to his advantage on the field since he started playing tackle football at 13.
- SAILS LOVES TO TALK: During his first fall camp with the Bulls, teammates found out quickly about how much Sails likes to follow up big plays with chatter. "I've always been a talker and knew how to talk with people," he said. "I figured that will be my calling." After college, Sails' goal is "to get to the league and stay in the NFL." For a post-football career, Sails wants to keep talking as a broadcaster after meeting ESPN's Maria Taylor while he was a Tar Heel. "She's a bright soul and that kind of inspired me," Sails said.
- SING IT, SAILS: Sails grew up singing gospel songs in church and he's belting out all kinds of tunes at USF. Song selection depends on the moment, but his teammates always get a kick out of whatever comes out. "They actually laugh at it like, 'This dude can really sing. What the heck?' he said. "It's kind of funny. Some join in."
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
Having completed just its 22nd season of football, and 19th at the FBS level, the USF football program has earned 10 bowl appearances, including a current run of four straight, and owns a record of 6-3 in bowl games. The Bulls have appeared in the national top 25 rankings in each of the past three seasons, including a program record run of 20 straight weeks in the top 25, and in 2018 reached the program's 150th win faster than any FBS program in state of Florida history. USF has posted a pair of 10-plus win seasons in the last three years, including a program-record 11 wins (11-2) in 2016, and logged 15 winning seasons overall. Since first taking the field in 1997, the USF program has reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings (2007), seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft, 14 named All-American and 29 earn first-team all-conference selection.
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– #GoBulls –
