Recorded history might make you wonder whether USF nose tackle Devin Lee even played in last week's 34-7 victory against the Boise State Broncos.
D-Lee: Zero tackles.
"Oh, I played for sure,'' said Lee, a 6-foot-2, 294-pound transfer from Vanderbilt University. "And I played pretty well.''
It's the life of a nose tackle — usually anonymous, always inglorious, sometimes occupying two or three blockers while leaving the attention and highlight clips for teammates.
"We know the value of a guy like that (Lee) in our building, let me assure you,'' defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. "Guys like that make it all possible.''
Lee is part of a revamped USF defensive line — five transfers comprised key roles as starters or backups in the opener — that will again be important when the Bulls (1-0) face the Florida Gators (1-0) in Saturday's game in Gainesville.
USF's defense was outstanding against Boise State. It surrendered just a 38-yard touchdown drive (on a short field following a failed fourth-down attempt), forced three turnovers and stopped the Broncos on four fourth-down plays. Linebackers Mac Harris and Jhalyn Shuler were resourceful and omnipresent. USF's secondary never tackled better. Boise State gained 132 of its 378 yards in the inconsequential fourth quarter, when the outcome already had been settled.
For the Bulls, it began up front. They held Boise State to an average of 3.2 yards per carry and got five quarterback hurries against Maddux Madsen.
All of that — and more — will be needed to corral quarterback DJ Lagway and the Gators.
"We have a great defense,'' Lee said. "That stadium in Gainesville will be packed out and rocking. The student section is right behind our bench. It's entertaining and annoying at the same time. Really, that kind of environment is what college football is all about. I can't wait. It's going to be a great challenge.''
Lee should know.
This will be his fourth career game against the Gators — and his third trip to the Swamp. There was also Vanderbilt's 31-24 victory against Florida at Nashville in 2022.
"Personally, I think the Swamp is the loudest place I've ever played — and I've played in a lot of SEC stadiums,'' said Lee, who played in 32 career games with the Commodores. "It feels like the people are on top of you. It can be very hot out there, obviously. And those fans don't make it easy on the visiting team.
"You know what? We love it. Games like this are absolutely why you play. It feels like it means something. But we're going to take the Gators as another opponent, a chance to build upon a very good opening game and keep our momentum going. We're not going to make the Gators into some kind of super heroes. We need to go up there, stay with our process, and take care of business.''
For Lee, once a three-star prospect from McDonough, Ga. (just south of Atlanta), it's the final season of a five-year career that has seen him face some of the nation's best competition. He wanted a new situation, one filled with promise, and he sensed that USF's program was ready to turn the corner.
Beating Boise State was a great start.
"Even though my freshman season was probably the longest year of my life — between getting adjusted to college football and the academic load — it has also flown by,'' Lee said. "I'm going to cherish every game, every practice, every play, every moment. I hope I can continue to play football at some level after college. I'll go until the wheels fall off. But whenever it's done, I think I've put myself in a good position for life.''
Lee is a USF graduate student who already received his Vanderbilt bachelor's degree (medicine, health and society). He'd ultimately like to become a football general manager — either in college football or the NFL — and apply his business knowledge to the sports world. If he doesn't work in sports, Lee said he sees himself working on the business side of a hospital.
"I think I've learned how to get along with a lot of people and think for myself,'' Lee said. "I definitely know how to manage my time. So that's going to set me up well for whatever comes next.''
First, though, it's a clash with the Gators and a season that Lee hopes will position the Bulls for an American Conference championship. If he can set an example for USF's younger players, he's happy to do so.
"Devin Lee is really stout and really fundamentally sound,'' Orlando said. "Just how square and fundamental he plays, how he finds the football, somebody who can actually hold the point and make plays down the line of scrimmage … it's impressive.
"I also think he's a great human being. After I was around him for just a few days, I thought, 'Man, that kid is going to be pretty good.' ''
Lee, 22, describes himself as "super-chill'' and a "go with the flow'' kind of guy who's usually up for anything with his friends. He speaks softly and smiles often.
But on the field?
"He's a great guy to be around, an honest guy, a respectful guy,'' said fellow defensive lineman Michael Williams II. "He goes from smiling and hydrating on the sideline to in your face if you are a quarterback, every play. I would be like, 'I was just smiling with him. Where did this come from?' ''
Lee said he had an undying passion for football since his first youth season at age 10.
"I like the hard work, the teamwork, the rewards you get from football,'' Lee said. "I'm always looking to produce. But at nose tackle, you might have the best game of your life and you still have no tackles. It's the nature of the beast. But you're always looking to make a play.
"I describe myself as having a laser focus when on the field. I'm focusing on what I need to do, how I need to do it and what they might do. I'm a nice guy, but it's serious stuff out there. I'm looking to get after you.''
Lee said he's accustomed to operating under the radar, but he took particular pride in a game at Missouri, when he had three tackles for a loss, a forced fumble and a sack.
"It wasn't like I did anything out of the ordinary … that game, it just came to me,'' Lee said. "You never look to be the hero. You just play your gap, stay true to your assignment and work with your brothers on the field. When you're playing great defense, it's like all 11 players are playing as one. That consistency is a really great thing.''
Consistency is important to Devin Emory Lee (the middle name was the name of his grandfather and great-grandfather). He applies the principle to almost every area of his life, whether it's his academic work, his practice habits, his conditioning (he never deviates far from his playing weight of 294) and his overall temperament.
"I'm definitely easy-going, definitely chill,'' Lee said. "But when it comes to taking care of business on the field, the switch flips. Saturday night, we'll have a lot of kids on our team who grew up in Florida and really want to beat the Gators. There's a lot of kids on that Florida team we all know.
"So, it's a big-deal game, a fun game. I'll be like everybody else — going all out to get this win, doing everything I can, giving my absolute best effort.''
Sometimes, Lee's best effort doesn't show up on the stat sheet. But numbers can be deceptive. For one season, Lee has found a home on USF's defensive line. So far, so good.
"I think we could be at the start of something big around here,'' Lee said.
–#GoBulls–
