Long Bye Week Benefited Bulls on Both Sides of the Ball
GAME 7 MATCHUP: USF (1-5, 0-4 in AAC) at Memphis (3-2, 2-2 in AAC)
DAY & TIME: Saturday, noon
LOCATION: Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Memphis, Tenn.
TV: ESPN+
RADIO: Over the Air: 95.3/620 WDAE &
Digital: Bulls Unlimited
SERIES: Memphis leads, 6-4
GAME NOTES: USF |
Memphis
By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer
TAMPA, NOV. 5, 2020 – An extended break from game action appears to have been very beneficial for the Bulls on both sides of the ball.
Since its last game against Tulsa on Friday, Oct. 23, USF has had two weekends off and plenty of practices to get ready for Saturday's conference matchup at Memphis. With that in mind, Bulls coordinators spoken optimistically this week as the team continues to prepare for the home stretch of the 2020 season.
"I think this has been a good time for us – players and coaches – to take a good, hard look in the mirror," said offensive coordinator
Charlie Weis Jr. "Look at the things that we're doing on offense, look at our players. (We're) just trying to find the things that we're doing well and continuing to find more ways to do that. Maybe see the things that aren't going as well as we wanted and maybe move that to the back burner of everything that's going on."
Weis pointed to "strides" in the passing game that started with a 306-yard performance against East Carolina on Oct. 10 and continued with four combined touchdown tosses in the last two games.
"Obviously, we gotta eliminate the turnovers and maybe just some mistakes, but I think there are some positive things going in the right direction in that way," Weis said.
USF's first-year OC also likes what Bulls up front have been doing to get the gap scheme going, especially since the heart of the first-team offensive line finally reunited in Game 4.
"I think we've done a good job with some of that stuff," Weis said. "That's really what we've been working on going into this week."
On Saturday, the Bulls will be looking to make more progress against Memphis, which is still figuring things out in the first year of its new multiple defensive system. Through five games, the Tigers rank 101
st nationally in total defense (556.8 ypg) and 102
nd in passing yards allowed (406.4 ypg).
Producing big numbers through the air is definitely something USF wants to accomplish and the quarterback to consistently get that done has yet to be revealed.
Jordan McCloud (Tampa) and
Noah Johnson (Tampa) took most of the snaps the last time out and coaches have been evaluating performances both in games and practices since then. Freshman
Katravis Marsh (Hialeah, Fla.) is also "getting back into the mix now and doing some good things," according to Weis.
"Really for us, it's an ongoing competition throughout the week with whoever we have available," Weis added. "We're just gonna put the guy out there that we believe gives us the best chance to win every week."
Well-Prepared Defense Ready to Execute Better
While USF's offense has been playing to its strengths,
Glenn Spencer's defensive group has had no problem going back to the basics from a fundamentals standpoint.
"You're so entrenched in getting your repetitions in, as far as the opponent's offense, once the season gets going," Spencer said. "(The bye week) allowed us some more individual time. Let's do some tackling drills. Let's do some turnover drills. Let's go a little bit more against the offense."
Since the bye week started, the Bulls also have soaked up more knowledge about the multiple scheme Spencer has been rapidly teaching since fall camp. The first-year USF coordinator has a solid takeaway track record with units that had a strong understanding of his approach in the past. His 2019 FAU defense led the nation with 33 turnovers gained and 22 interceptions. USF has 10 takeaways (seven interceptions) through six games this season.
"I want to see improvement on the things we do," Spencer said. "It's not so much the opponent. It's just us grasping some concepts with the scheme and trying to settle in on some guys that can grow from week to week."
Executing the game plan better would certainly help the Bulls as they go up against another potent offense Saturday that Spencer said is putting up "Madden-like numbers." Led by redshirt senior quarterback Brady White, Memphis is producing the 11
th-most yards per game in the NCAA (503.2) and also ranks 11
th in passing offense (338.2 ypg).
"Just this next game, I want to see that improvement," Spencer said. "If we get that improvement, then I'll tell them you're gonna be amazed at how much more opportunistic we are and how much more we can get off the field on some execution error, that's really been us, that we can take care of. We can get better at that."
Bulls Bits
PLAYMAKING EVANS ATTACKING THE BALL: Dynamic sophomore defensive back Daquan Evans has emerged as a difference maker for the Bulls with interceptions in consecutive games. Now tied for the team pick lead, the Orlando native has given USF's offense solid field position with interception returns of 56 and 31 yards. "Some kids just kind of have a knack for when the ball is in the air," coordinator Glenn Spencer said. "… I think sometimes it's innate. Some kids just kind of have that. They're not afraid to go make a play and to go for the ball. I think he's got that. Hopefully, he just keeps improving on that and doing his job – eyes on his man, eyes on assignment and then finishing like that." Bulls fans might remember Evans' first-career interception last season. He returned that one 52 yards against this week's opponent.- O.D. GETTING MORE LOVE: Omarion Dollison was commended for his play by head coach Jeff Scott earlier in the week and the freshman receiver got more props from his OC on Wednesday. "He just doesn't play like a freshman. He plays like a junior or senior," Charlie Weis Jr. said. "He plays tough. He plays physical. He can handle everything that we're doing." Heading into Saturday, the Columbia, S.C., native has 13 receptions for a team-leading 202 yards this season after racking up 10 catches for 118 yards in the past two games.
MORE ON SINCERE BROWN'S CALL-UP: Freshman receiver Sincere Brown (Charleston, S.C.) recently earned a promotion to the varsity squad after shining on the scout team for most of the season. Offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. said USF's defensive coaches encouraged him to give Brown a look because of his efforts against established cornerbacks in practice. The long bye week has given the 6-feet-5 speedster plenty of reps to get ready for more game action. "He's a guy that we think in the future will be somebody that could be a really good player for us," Weis said. "… Going into these last few games of the year, I think it would be great to get him some opportunities."
About USF Football
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 23rd season (20th at the FBS level) in 2019. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 14 All-America selections and 29 first-team all-conference selections and has seen 30 players selected in the NFL Draft. USF has made 10 bowl games appearances (going 6-4 in those games) and posted a program record six straight appearances from 2005-2010. The Bulls most recently made four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18 and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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