In the last few weeks, USF senior linebacker Dwayne Boyles has been holding meetings for the Bulls defensive players outside of their regularly scheduled team meetings.
Repeat: Boyles has been holding the meetings. Not just attending them. Not just sitting in the front row. Not just nodding his head at the coach's instructions. Boyles has been the word — actually gathering his teammates, presiding over extra player only gatherings and making it clear that things need to change.
"We are limited by the NCAA on the number of hours we can meet with our guys,'' head coach Jeff Scott said. "So, Boyles has been the organizer to go over things and watch video. He's a leader. You can tell by something like that or just his overall demeanor and intensity in practice. It's important to him.''
Beginning with Saturday afternoon at Raymond James Stadium, when the Bulls (1-5, 0-2 AAC) face the Tulane Green Wave (5-1, 2-0 AAC), the clock is ticking on Boyles' college football career. He wants to make every game — and every second — count for something.
"You can follow the crowd or you can set your own pace — and I choose to set my own pace,'' said Boyles (6-foot-3, 228 pounds), who is on pace to become just the eighth USF player to register 300 career tackles and break into the top 10 all-time this weekend. "There's nothing you can or do to tear me down. I'm going to be the best player and person I can be for myself and for my teammates.
"If you're bringing negative energy, that's nothing helping anything. I choose to be positive and strong-minded. Football is not an easy game and we haven't had the kind of season we wanted to so far. But nothing is going to break me. Remember your goals. Remember why you're doing this. Remember who you are and who your family raised you to be. I want to be the guy who sets the right example.''
That's why Boyles has endeared himself so strongly to his coaches.
"His leadership has been off the charts,'' defensive coordinator Bob Shoop said. "Dwayne Boyles has been invaluable for us.''
For the past two years, Boyles' linebacker teammate and friend, Antonio Grier, has been the most visible leader for USF's defense. Grier has endured hardship during his senior season, first with a hand injury that sidelined him for the past two games, then the death of his father.
Boyles has stepped up.
"He has stepped up in front of our room and called people out,'' linebackers coach Ernie Sims said. "He has told people if you're not doing things a certain way like the coaches say, you guys need to look at yourself and I highly recommend you not be a starter for us anymore.
"Now, he doesn't have the ultimate authority to make a decision like that. But he's not afraid to put his heart out there, make a bold statement and challenge someone to be better. To me, it shows you how much he wants to win. He used to be a quiet guy. Now the passion is coming out. We don't need quiet. We need passion.''
Boyles learned a strong work ethic from his parents, Cheryl and Dwayne Sr., a schoolteacher and a worker in a construction firm.
For years, Boyles watched his father rise at 5:30 a.m. for work in South Florida's uncompromising humidity. He witnessed his mother's standards, both in the classroom and with the home "progress tests'' she administered to him for math problems and reading comprehension before he was allowed to go out and play.
"I've never been in trouble, except for stupid kid stuff,'' Boyles said. "This has never happened and would never happen, but it the police came to my front door looking for me, for real, I would not be scared of that policeman. I'd be more scared of my mother and her reaction. That and letting down my mom and dad.
"They're strict on me, but they want me to do the right thing. If I do the right thing, they don't have to be strict. So, I do the right thing. It's pretty simple. I want them to be proud of me and I want to represent my family well. That's a big part of what drives me.''
Boyles played 12 games (starting two) as a true freshman in 2018, when the Bulls began 7-0 and were ranked No. 21 nationally. That season came unraveled with six straight defeats and Boyles has mostly labored in an underdog role ever since. He led the team with 75 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2019, his best statistical season to date, but is on pace to challenge or surpass those numbers this season.
He enters Saturday coming off back-to-back double-digit tackle games to lead the Bulls and leads USF with 46 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss on the year while adding an interception and forced fumble. He has 253 career tackles and 27 tackles for loss on his career and needs just six tackles to pass former Green Bay Packer and current Bulls radio analyst Sam Barrington for 10th on USF's career chart.
He said he believes a corner is about to turned for USF football and he desperately wants to enjoy some winning rewards before his time is done.
"I had been winning a lot (at Miami Central and Pembroke Pines Flanagan high schools) and we started great when I was a USF freshman,'' Boyles said. "I've had my share of humbling experiences. But I've learned a lot about myself through tough times and I know that I'm not a quitter or somebody who's just going to pack it in.
"Life isn't easy, either. This is football, a game we all love. I want us to give everything — I mean, everything — and I think we're going to see some changes. When I leave here, I want people to say, 'Man, that guy gave 100 percent, no matter what.' That's the impression I want to leave.''
On first impression, there's no question about what strikes you about Boyles.
His hair.
He has long strands of dreadlocks and uses the Twitter handle @DreadHead_Wayne. He began growing it out in the fifth grade and went to full dreads two years later. He keeps them neatly trimmed and clean. But when there's a scrum and you see his hair strands flying around during a tackle, you know it's Boyles on the scene.
"It's a long process to get it looking just right, but I love it and it's who I am,'' Boyles said. "Sometimes in football, I'll get it pulled on accident because it's something the other guys can grab hold of, but it's not a big deal. I think I have a unique look and people always know it's me.''
Something people might not know about Dwayne Boyles:
He has asthma.
He always has a nebulizer inhaler around and he takes medications when necessary. He's usually fine. But a handful of times in his life, usually after an illness, a reaction is triggered and it gets bad.
One of those occasions was the Tuesday prior to USF's game at Florida. Boyles had been sick. He woke up in the early morning hours and couldn't breathe. Nothing seemed to help. He was knocked off his feet for a few days and couldn't practice.
"I was just unlucky to be born with asthma and you just have to deal with it,'' Boyles said. "It's usually not a big deal at all. But this time, it was a little scary. I couldn't talk and I couldn't walk. When you're gasping for your breath and you can't help it, it's very scary.
"I got over that, got myself ready to play and that was that.''
Early in the second half at Florida, Boyles had one of the game's biggest plays, an interception of Gators quarterback Anthony Richardson and a 37-yard return that led to Gerry Bohanon's 6-yard touchdown run.
The Bulls came close to an upset of No. 18-ranked Florida that night, but fell 31-28 in Gainesville. Last week in Cincinnati, when Boyles had 11 tackles, the Bulls were beaten by the No. 24 Bearcats 28-24.
"Coming close doesn't cut it,'' Boyles said. "We've got to win. And I feel like we're ready to win. That's my biggest desire.''
Each day, Boyles shows that desire with his words and actions. He controls the pace and sets the example. He constantly puts his heart on the line and makes sure that his teammates are ready to work.
Because that's what a leader does.
– Go Bulls –
