GoUSFBulls.com Johnston's Keys To The Game: Bulls at Tigers

[Brad]

Chris Henry/South Florida Athletics

Johnston's Keys To The Game: Bulls at Tigers

November 03, 2023

Joey Johnston Athletics Senior Writer

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USF (4-4; 2-2 American) at Memphis (6-2; 3-1 American)
Saturday, Nov. 4 • 3:00 P.M. •  Liberty Stadium (58,325) • Memphis, Tenn.
SURFACE: Astro Turf
TV: ESPN+: James Westling (PxP) & Doc Holliday (Analyst) 
AUDIO: 102.5 FM & HD 2/ TuneIn - Bulls Unlimited
SERIES: Memphis Leads, 7-4
IN TAMPA: Memphis leads, 4-1
IN MEMPHIS: Memphis leads, 3-2
NEUTRAL: USF leads, 1-0; 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl
LAST TIME: Memphis won, 34-33, in Memphis, 2020
STREAK: Memphis has won last two
USF GAME NOTES

By all accounts, the USF Bulls have a much-improved football program.

They are 4-4 (2-2 in the AAC) — three victories more than all of last season. With two more wins — and the Bulls should be favored in both of their remaining home games — USF will be bowl eligible for the first time since 2018. The Bulls have won twice on the road (after breaking a 19-game losing streak away from Raymond James Stadium).

Now it's time to learn if the Bulls are prepared to take another giant step in the AAC, facing the Memphis Tigers (6-2, 3-1 AAC) on Saturday afternoon at Liberty Stadium.

With an upset of Memphis, USF will greatly increase its odds of a winning season.

But that's getting ahead of things. Under head coach Alex Golesh, every angle of the program (on and off the field) was studied and, if needed, rebuilt. Some of those factors may not be immediately reflected on the scoreboard. But many of them — a fast-paced offense, an improved defense and sound special teams — have been tangible evidence of effort needed to produce the break-even mark.

"I think if you're not seeing us lay a foundation for what's going to be a high end college football program, you're crazy,'' Golesh said.

Memphis can point to its numbers as evidence of perhaps the AAC's biggest high-end college football program.

The Tigers are bowl eligible for the 10th consecutive season. During that span, they have 84 victories (tops in the AAC) and rank fourth in FBS home wins (54) behind Alabama (63), Clemson (62) and Ohio State (59).

"Those guys know how to win,'' Golesh said. "In some ways, that (Memphis) job is tough because you have to uphold a standard that has been set there. Ten straight bowl games is hard to do anywhere, but they've done a really good job recruiting and a good job in the (transfer) portal. I have great respect for what they do.

"If you flip on the film, the way I always evaluate it is … are they playing hard? Do they look like they know what they're doing. Well, that football team plays hard. And it knows what it's doing.''

For USF to pull the upset, which would be one of the program's most significant road victories, what needs to happen?

Here are four keys:

 

Keep Feeding Nay'Quan Wright

Wright, the transfer running back from Florida, has found his rhythm. He had 26 carries for a career-high 186 yards (along with runs of 41 and 47 yards) and two touchdowns in the 24-21 win at Connecticut on Oct. 21. It was his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game.

Through much of the season, Wright has been part of a running back shuttle system with K'Wan Powell and Michel Dukes. But over the past two games, Wright has asserted himself with leadership and productivity.

"When you're a guy who has proven you can do it and do it at a high level, we're going to absolutely try to lean on you and build off what you do really well,'' offensive coordinator Joel Gordon said. "Nay'Quan does it all. He protects well. He runs the ball. He's growing as a leader. His confidence inspires everyone out there. So, we're definitely going to lean heavily on him.''

And that's fine with Wright.

"It all starts with practice,'' Wright said. "I've been practicing hard and working hard. Those things are going to correlate to what you see on the field. It's a team game and everybody contributes, but I'm ready to do whatever they ask me to do.''

 

Bend, But Don't Break

After a pair of horrific performances in defeats against UAB and Florida Atlantic, the USF defense was much better against UConn, limiting the Huskies to 368 yards and getting the ball back to the offense in the fourth quarter for the winning drive.

The Memphis offense, which gained 590 yards in last week's come-from-behind, 45-42 victory at North Texas, poses multiple challenges. Quarterback Seth Henigan completes 67.5 percent of his passes, while running back Blake Watson (762 yards, nine touchdowns, 6.4-yard average) is one of the AAC's top runners.

The Tigers will likely get their yards. But it's important for the Bulls to stay away from the explosive plays that have haunted them in recent weeks.

The Bulls must make the Tigers earn their yardage instead of giving up the big plays.

"More than anything else, it's just execution,'' defensive coordinator Todd Orlando said. "It's everybody out on the field doing their job at a high level. It's feeling comfortable with what you're doing and eliminating as many mental mistakes as possible.

"If we put that film on and everybody's where they're supposed to be, that's how you make them earn every yard instead of just giving it to them. You do your job at that level and you're going to have more success.''

Orlando said it's imperative to stop the Memphis running game.

"They'll run it all day,'' Orlando said. "You have to have an answer for that. If you don't, they can really mix it up and hurt you in a lot of ways.''

 

Protect Byrum Brown

USF quarterbacks have been sacked 33 times for 198 yards in eight games — way too many. Byrum Brown has turned the pressure into positives, rushing for 567 yards (second on the team) and often showing the ability to escape the pocket.

Ideally, though, Brown will get an extra second or two, allowing him to deliver passes and avoid hits, limiting his rushing yardage to planned plays.

The bye week helped get USF's offensive line in its most healthy state since the season-opener. Andrew Kilfoyl and Zane Herring are expected back in the lineup, while veteran left tackle Donovan Jennings, slowed by bumps and bruises, should be ready for the home stretch. Through the injuries and lineup shifting, the Bulls have built depth by giving experience to guards Cole Best and Cole Skinner, a true freshman.

Gordon said Brown continues to improve in his decision-making — and that includes more pocket patience. That was on full display during USF's winning drive at UConn. On third-and-8, with UConn defenders crashing around him, Brown set his feet and delivered a clutch 17-yard pass to tight end Weston Wolff.

"We've talked about that play a lot since it occurred,'' Gordon said. "That was a huge moment in that football game of breaking out of a funk of not seeing things clearly and maybe not being poised. Byrum kept his eyes down the field, letting Wes do what he needed to do to get leverage to get open. Byrum delivered a great football. It showed what happens when you play the next play, trust yourself and rely on your teammates to do their jobs.''

 

Get Some Takeaways

The Bulls had four takeaways — including a game-clinching forced fumble by linebacker Mac Harris and recovery by nickel back Daquan Evans — to greatly influence the outcome at UConn.

USF's defense has just six interceptions in eight games — not an acceptable ratio for Orlando — while recovering seven fumbles. Overall, USF's turnover ratio is minus-1 (tied for 73rd nationally). It's lagging behind the stated goal of being an elite squad for takeaways.

It means being in the right place at the right time. It means dialing up the pressure on Henigan. It means having the proper presence and ball-skills, which were displayed at UConn by Harris, Evans and safety Jaelen Stokes, who had an interception and fumble recovery (along with seven tackles, 2.5 for a loss).

"Takeaways and turnovers are huge in college football nowadays,'' Orlando said. "You play decent on first down and second down, then you have a chance to get those third-down turnovers. It's a huge part of the game and we stress it all the time.

"If you go plus-2 (in turnover margin for a game), you're going to win a boatload of games. If you go plus-3, you're probably going to win every one of them. Takeaways continue to be what we're stressing and what we're shooting for.''

–#GoBulls–

[USFBULL_08]

One of my keys: Staying Ahead of Schedule

The constant 3rd and 7,8 is brutal.

[olafberserker]

One of my keys:  Score more points than they do.

Guaranteed victory if we do that