USF FOOTBALL FLASHBACK: Bulls Run All Over Charlotte

Takeaways, highlights, notables, sights, sound bites and studying experiences from USF’s 54-26 dwelling victory in opposition to the Charlotte 49ers, and a look-ahead to Friday night time’s American Conference highway recreation in opposition to the North Texas Mean Green.

 

The Quick Read 

* The USF Bulls have been lucky that their “hiccup” occurred on an evening when the margin for error was fairly huge. That degree of inconsistent play cannot proceed within the American Conference — and everybody is aware of it. Call it a beneficial lesson realized.

* Who knew there can be a lot love for USF’s “RoboBull” logo? Even as everyone scrambled for RoboBull gear, there won’t be a movement to replace the Iconic horns-up “U” emblem, which is among the nation’s most distinctive manufacturers. But clearly, the USF followers have been digging the nostalgic angle to Friday night time’s recreation. It made for a enjoyable environment. 

* Byrum Brown is among the nation’s most formidable operating quarterbacks — interval. What a weapon. 

* USF’s receiving corps already regarded deep and gifted, however it additionally seems just like the freshmen — Christian Neptune and Jeremiah Koger, significantly — are able to make significant contributions. 

* The American Conference race shall be wild. There are three remaining unbeaten groups within the league — North Texas (5-0), Memphis (6-0) and Navy (5-0) — and USF will get every one on the highway. And remember a Tulane group (4-1 with a loss in opposition to Ole Miss) — not on USF’s regular-season schedule — that was a preseason favourite to win the league.

* Head coach Alex Golesh mentioned he hates to see him seem, however punter Chase Leon has develop into one in all USF’s most dear gamers. He’s averaging 46 yards per recreation with eight of his 19 boots inside-the-20, eight honest catches and 7 for higher than 50 yards. Opponents have had simply 4 punt returns. Against Charlotte, Leon had his first touchback this season — however that was as a result of a cover-man misjudgment that allowed the ball to trickle into the tip zone.

 

Game Takeaway

The USF Bulls scored 54 factors, rolled up 631 yards, rushed for a whopping 407 yards alone, registered a strong victory to start American Conference play … and so they weren’t significantly completely satisfied about it? 

Perhaps that speaks to USF’s excessive commonplace of play. 

On the stat sheet, it was laborious to argue with USF’s 54-26 victory in opposition to the Charlotte 49ers earlier than a festive “Flashback Friday” crowd at Raymond James Stadium. But the Bulls (4-1, 1-0) knew they may do a lot better. And they should do a lot better because the league’s degree of competitors heightens, starting with subsequent Friday night time’s recreation at unbeaten North Texas.

“As we started off, we were up 26-0 (early in the second quarter) and you’ve got to go put a team away,” head coach Alex Golesh said. “I instructed our guys that elite groups put groups away after they have a possibility to place them away. I believed the beginning was intentional and an try go put it away early. But from a basic standpoint, I believed it was actually, actually poor in a number of methods. 

“Interceptions occur. It’s not what you need, however interceptions occur. But I feel fumbles are completely preventable and I used to be actually disenchanted within the ball being on the bottom with a few of our greatest gamers (fumbling). You can justify nonetheless you need. But I feel should you justify it, you are making excuses, and that is the quickest method to get beat.”

In the primary half alone, USF had six dropped passes and three turnovers (with a fourth negated by penalty). None of that was crucial to the end result as a result of Charlotte (1-4, 0-2) could not get out of its personal manner. The first 4 49er drives resulted in three-and-out’s — and the fifth drive was an interception.

When the 49ers went to their backup quarterback, Zach Wilcke (14-for-18, 150 yards, two touchdowns), Charlotte lastly started clicking and pulled inside 33-18 within the fourth quarter. By then, although, it was too late. 

The 49ers had no reply for USF quarterback Byrum Brown, who accounted for 5 touchdowns. Brown rushed for a career-high 162 yards and a 13-yard rating, whereas passing for 211 yards (on 19-for-34) with touchdowns to 4 totally different receivers (Jeremiah Koger, Mudia Reuben, Chas Nimrod and Evan Dangler). 

Meanwhile, there have been additionally dashing touchdowns from ex-Charlotte 49er runner Cartevious Norton (37 yards on his first carry) and Nykahi Davenport.

“We won and that’s good, but it was way too sloppy,” defensive tackle Josh Celiscar said. “I feel everyone knows that and we’re not completely satisfied about it. We’ve acquired to carry out a lot, a lot better than this to achieve our objectives. That’s simply the reality.” 

“At the end of the day, even the best players are going to make mistakes,” center Cole Best said. “Our job as gamers, our job as leaders, is to restrict these performs as a lot as we are able to. I’ve acquired to take a look at the tape and actually dig into it to see why it regarded the way in which it did at instances, however I’m actually pleased with our guys and particularly the offensive line. Even when it wasn’t fairly, we simply saved swinging and swinging. We’ve acquired to deal with it (errors) as leaders, get the fellows to purchase in and make it possible for would not occur once more going ahead.” 

Golesh mentioned it is all in regards to the correct consideration to particulars.

“There’s a point in your preparation where you get to a level of confidence … and I thought we were incredibly confident going into the game,” Golesh said. “Through the bye week, by way of the week of preparation, we have been extremely assured. … But I feel there is a threshold you cross the place you get right into a degree of conceitedness, and also you begin to miss particulars.

“That’s the problem to our guys, our coaches and to myself … that you just by no means cross that threshold. Elite groups do not gauge the opponent. They put together the identical manner each single week, irrespective of the opponent. When you are studying to win and tips on how to deal with success, it goes again to being process-driven. I felt the sport was a degree of whether or not you name it conceitedness or a scarcity of element … that elite groups haven’t got. I do not wish to take away from us being 1-0 within the convention as a result of that is all you could be, however there is a degree of element that we did not play with (in opposition to Charlotte). You completely cannot try this and beat actually good soccer groups. So, it is a humbling second.”

 

The Big Play 

USF, which hadn’t scored an opening-quarter offensive landing within the first 4 video games, began the sport ominously with a pair of dropped passes on deep makes an attempt. On third-and-10, QB Byrum Brown scrambled for a 12-yard first down, then drew a late-hit penalty on Charlotte’s Kadin Schmitz. And the Bulls have been off-and-running towards the primary of three landing drives within the opening quarter.

 

Game Balls 

* QB Byrum Brown, who rushed for a career-high 162 yards whereas throwing 4 landing passes in back-to-back video games for the primary time. Overall, Brown was 19-for-34 passing with 211 yards.

* LB Jhalyn Shuler, who had a team-leading 10 tackles whereas forcing a fumble.

* RB Cartevious Norton, who had a 37-yard landing run in opposition to his former group on his first carry. He completed with 70 yards on 13 carries earlier than departing with a fourth-quarter harm. Norton was on campus throughout the weekend and doing properly.

* DB Jarvis Lee, who acquired his second interception to tie James Chenault for the group lead. 

* RB Nykahi Davenport, who had 15 carries for 79 yards, together with a 7-yard tack-on landing with 43 seconds remaining.

* WR Jeremiah Koger, a freshman, who had 4 catches for 75 yards. He leaped excessive to catch a frozen rope from Brown, then knifed by way of a pair of would-be tacklers and turned it right into a 38-yard landing. It was a really spectacular wanting play.

* USF’s offensive line, which did not permit a sack and cleared the way in which for 407 dashing yards. 

* CB Jair Murphy, who had a blocked punt that resulted in a security. It was the second straight recreation for USF particular groups to register a blocked punt (and the third time this season for USF to attain on an opponent’s punting miscue, together with a excessive snap at Florida that produced a security).

 

Notable Numbers 

2 — Number of USF gamers (WR Jeremiah Koger, TE Evan Dangler) who scored their first profession collegiate landing. Both did so on their first collegiate catch. 

10 — Number of various USF gamers who caught a go in opposition to Charlotte. 

13-2 — USF’s report below head coach Alex Golesh when the Bulls drive two turnovers or extra.

22 — Number of 160-yard dashing video games in USF historical past with 12 gamers making that listing — Andre Hall (5), Quinton Flowers (3), Marlon Mack (3), Byrum Brown (2), Dyral McMillan (2) and one every from Brian Battie, Jordan Cronkrite, Johnny Ford, Mike Ford, Ben Williams, Rafael Williams and Nay’Quan Wright.

45-23 — USF’s report whereas carrying the “RoboBull” logo on its helmets. That includes a 44-22 mark from 1997-2002, the first six seasons of the program. Friday night’s victory over Charlotte was the second time the Bulls have won the logo on the helmet since moving to the iconic “U” emblem because the athletic division model in 2003. 

46 — Team-leading variety of tackles this season for LB Jhalyn Shuler, who pulled forward within the back-and-forth statistical race along with his buddy, LB Mac Harris (42), after posting a team-best 10 on Friday.

161 — Amount of USF factors in three conferences in opposition to Charlotte. The Bulls gained 48-14 in 2023, 59-24 in 2024 and 54-26 on Friday night time. Average margin of victory – 32.3 ppg.

407 — USF dashing yards in opposition to Charlotte, marking the fifth time a Bulls group had a 400-yard dashing recreation. Also, the second straight 400-plus yard recreation in opposition to the 49ers because the Bulls ran for a program report 425 final 12 months – that is 832 yards on the bottom in two video games. 

7,265 — Yards of whole offense produced by QB Byrum Brown (5,726 passing, 1,539 dashing) in 28 profession video games. Brown ranks fifth on USF’s profession chart (Marquel Blackwell is fourth at 10,343). Brown’s 259.5 yards per recreation presently stands second to Quinton Flowers (274.5).

 

The List

For the eighth time in program historical past, USF scored 50 or extra factors in opposition to a convention opponent. Four of them have occurred with head coach Alex Golesh.

USF 55, Louisville 17 (Nov. 17, 2007)

USF 65, Cincinnati 27 (Nov. 20, 2015)

USF 52, Navy 45 (Oct. 28, 2016)

USF 61, East Carolina 31 (Sept. 30, 2017)

Memphis 59, USF 50 (Nov. 4, 2023)

USF 59, Charlotte 24 (Nov. 16, 2024)

USF 63, Tulsa 30 (Nov. 23, 2024)

USF 54, Charlotte 26 (Oct. 3, 2025)

 

Next Up: At North Texas

USF will try to go 2-0 in convention play for under the seventh time in program historical past, and second below Alex Golesh, however it will not be straightforward. The Bulls are headed for Denton, Texas — simply north of Dallas — for Friday night time’s ESPN2 American Conference assembly at North Texas. The Mean Green (5-0, 1-0), coming off a bye week, have defeated Lamar (51-0), Western Michigan (33-30 in time beyond regulation), Washington State (59-10), Army (45-38 in time beyond regulation) and South Alabama (36-22). 

Redshirt freshman QB Drew Mestemaker (1,247 passing yards, 67.9 completion proportion, 11 touchdowns, no interceptions) has put North Texas in place for its first 6-0 begin since 1959.

This recreation is a large deal for North Texas, which options defensive again Will Jones II (who performed at USF from 2021-23). School president Harrison Keller introduced that Friday’s afternoon courses can be canceled, so college students, school and employees can attend pregame festivities and assist to pack 30,850-seat DATCU Stadium. It’s a “Darkness within the Desert” theme and followers are inspired to put on black. There shall be a flood of giveaways, a BOGO ticket provide and a halftime fireworks present.

Buckle up, Bulls followers.

–#GoBulls–