GoUSFBulls.com Zebold: BULLS ROLLING AT RAY JAY

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BULLS ROLLING AT RAY JAY

September 05, 2016 
By  USF

 

By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, SEPT. 5, 2016 – USF has turned the page quickly after putting on a show for the home fans in a season-opening rout of Towson.

Fresh off a 56-20 win, USF turns its attention to Saturday’s 7 p.m. test against Northern Illinois at Raymond James Stadium. Northern Illinois (0-1) racked up 462 yards in a 40-34 triple-overtime loss at Wyoming on opening weekend.

“It’s a good football team, they’re going to come ready to play,” head coach Willie Taggart said Monday. “They know how to win and our guys have to be ready.”

Get an early look at game day by attending the USF Football Radio Show on Monday from 7-8 p.m. at Beef ‘O’ Brady’s inside the Marshall Student Center. The show can be heard live on the USF/IMG Radio Network, Sports Talk 820-AM in Tampa, on the 820-AM Tune-In app, or catch the live stream on GoUSFBulls.com.

Fans will hear from Taggart and this week’s special guests, running back Darius Ticeand linebacker Nigel Harris. Tice started the season with a 43-yard touchdown catch, while Harris’ 49-yard interception return helped the Bulls build a 28-10 halftime lead on Towson.

Fans are encouraged to tweet questions for the Bulls using hashtag #USFRadioShow, or post questions on the USF Football Facebook page. Beef ‘O’ Brady’s will be running several food and beverage specials throughout the show for attendees.

Learn more about the Bulls by checking out the team’s weekly TV show. “Bay Made: Inside USF Football” premieres Thursday at 3:30 p.m. on FOX Sports Sun. The show is produced by 20-time Emmy winning Awesome Films and it features game highlights, player features and much more.

Bulls Are Rolling at Ray Jay

Taggart’s Bulls have gotten into a groove at Raymond James Stadium.

USF has won six of its last seven home games while outscoring opponents by an average margin of 45-19. Total all the scores up and you have this: USF 316, opponents 135.

The Bulls are averaging 483 yards during the time span and all six wins during the span have been by three touchdowns or more. That includes last season’s 44-23 win over No. 21 Temple and a 65-27 rout of Cincinnati in the 2015 home finale.

USF = Explosive

USF’s Gulf Coast Offense hasn’t wasted any time getting to the end zone since its introduction to college football in 2015.

Dating back to last season, the Bulls’ up-tempo attack has produced 41 scoring drives (37 touchdowns) in two minutes or less. USF had six touchdown drives in less than two minutes against Towson, including four in 30 seconds or less.

“That’s just what we do and that’s what the Gulf Coast Offense is,” said receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling, whose 51-yard TD catch capped off a six-second drive against Towson.

Fans might want to stay in their seats when USF has the ball if they don’t want to miss more highlight-reel plays. Dating back to last year, 37 of USF’s 50 touchdown drives have required six plays or fewer.

“It makes me proud to see that,” senior back Darius Tice said. “I remember games, we used to just beat people, 10-­7. Now we beat people, 56-­20. We’ve come a long way.”