Behind Enemy Lines: South Florida
Tulsa hosts No. 23 South Florida on Friday evening at H.A. Chapman Stadium, with the Golden Hurricane desperate for a win. The TU players and coaches feel like they have let several games slip away due to self-inflicted wounds, including turnovers and penalties.
USF is 5-0 and utilizes former Alabama and Arizona State QB Blake Barnett in an up-tempo offense orchestrated by former Tulsa offensive-coordinator Sterlin Gilbert. To learn more about the Bulls, Kelly Quinlan of Running the Bulls on Rivals.com joined Inside Tulsa Sports for a brief Q&A session.
QUESTION: USF is off to an impressive start this season with a 5-0 record, but what have been the main weaknesses or weak spots for the Bulls on offense and defense so far?
Quinlan: Offensively, injuries have been the biggest issue. They've played games with one or two scholarship running backs, offensive linemen out and other issues. The offense hasn't found consistency passing either on the receivers’ end. Quite a few drops. Defensively, the run defense has been a bit of an issue, and they've tended to let inferior opponents hang around.
Q: Who are the key players on offense for South Florida?
Quinlan: It all starts with quarterback Blake Barnett, and he is the main cog of the offense. Former Florida running back Jordan Cronkrite is coming off a school-record day where he racked up 300-yards, and he can be explosive with a small amount of daylight. At receiver, Tyre McCant, Randall St. Felix and tight end Mitchell Wilcox are the main weapons.
Q: Who are the key players on defense for the Bulls?
Quinlan: On the defensive line, Kevin Kegler and Kirk Livingstone are pretty dynamic at defensive tackle and defensive end. Linebackers Khalid McGee and Nico Sawtelle have been very productive and cornerback Mazzi Wilkins has been one of the top cover corners in college football for the last two years. Mike Hampton on the other side of Wilkins is also having a big year.
Q: USF is currently 114th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 212.8 yards per game on the ground. In 2017, USF finished 21st nationally in rushing defense. What has been the main issue this year in stopping the run?
Quinlan: Well, they played Georgia Tech and the triple option offense in week two and gave up 38 points and a ton of yards on the ground. That really killed them, and Illinois ran all over them with a thin defensive unit. The Bulls were anchored on defense last year by veteran tackles and ends, and those guys are all in the NFL now, as is their leading tackler and top linebacker from a year ago - Auggie Sanchez. So, they have moved guys around, and there are probably more big plays being allowed there.
Q: How do you see the game turning out on Friday?
Quinlan: I think South Florida wins this game and pulls away in the fourth quarter. That has been their pattern all season, and I think that Tulsa will have a hard time with a mobile quarterback and a healthier stable of running backs for the Bulls. I know that offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert will pull out some tricks for his former employer as well.