Notes and highlights from San Jose
USF linebacker Nico Sawtelle (54) intercepts a pass Saturday.
THE SPEAR/KAVINMISTRY
• With an emphasis on a fast-paced, run heavy offense, USF set a program record for number of offensive plays ran (101) and number of rush attempts (74) in offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert’s first game as a Bull.
USF had four rushers of 40-plus yards Saturday. D’Ernest Johnson and Darius Tice led the way with 99 and 94 yards respectively.
• During the 42-0 scoring run, USF recorded three interceptions with two picked off after the pass was tipped by another Bull.
The Bulls only had one game with three interceptions in 2016 (Cincinnati).
• The Bulls’ defense held San Jose State scoreless for 12 consecutive possessions between the first and fourth quarters on Saturday, giving up just 109 rushing yards.
• USF has finished the first quarter scoreless twice in the past three seasons, including Saturday against San Jose State and week 3 of the 2016 season against Syracuse. Both times the Bulls answered with a 28 point second quarter and won the game by 20-plus points.
• USF moved to 16-5 in season openers after Saturday’s win. The last opener loss was against McNeese State in 2013, former coach Willie Taggart’s first game at USF.
• No major injuries were incurred during Saturday’s game for USF outside of leg cramps. Defensive tackle Kevin Bronson made the trip to San Jose, but did not suit up. Veteran wide receivers Deangelo Antoine and Ryeshene Bronson did not make the trip.
More Stories
USF support program helps international student-athletes thrive
For Mathis Haugen, a USF international student-athlete from Norway, his journey started with a leap of faith. Haugen said he planned to take a gap year after high school and then apply to college. But when USF recruited him in fall 2021, everything changed. Now a senior, the men’s soccer defender had never visited the […]
USF men’s basketball rounds up roster with latest commits
USF men’s basketball officially has a full house, finalizing its revamped roster with all 15 scholarship spots now filled. New head coach Bryan Hodgson has wasted no time building a new roster. After Hodgson was hired in March, he began his tenure by securing three high school recruits and five players out of the transfer […]
USF beach volleyball balances summer training away from campus
In the summertime, while some USF students are having fun in the sun, athletes don’t stop their training. USF beach volleyball players Morgan Anderson and Sasha Pasloski know all too well what goes into a Division I athlete’s summer routine. Although the Bulls won’t play their inaugural season until the spring, they have been preparing […]
Kelly says USF will be an ‘aggressive’ House v. NCAA settlement adopter
As the House v. NCAA settlement reshapes the financial architecture of college sports, outgoing USF athletic director Michael Kelly said the university plans to be among its “most aggressive” adopters. The settlement, finalized on June 6, allows schools to directly pay athletes for the first time, with a national cap set at $20.5 million per […]
USF races into NCAA history with relay title
USF track and field had ventured over 3,000 miles to compete in the NCAA outdoor national championships in Eugene, Oregon. With the lights high on Saturday evening, four men in black and green stepped onto the track with program history within reach. The Bulls’ men’s 4×400 relay team contended for a national title in the […]
Michael Kelly leaves USF with legacy of growth amongst change
Michael Kelly navigated a turbulent yet prosperous time in his eight-year tenure as USF’s athletic director, culminating in the genesis of one of the biggest developments in university history. Kelly, 54, made a lateral move to intraconference for Navy on June 4, becoming the school’s third civilian athletic director. Kelly oversaw significant advancements in USF’s […]