Flowers slated to face Midshipmen

TAMPA — USF quarterback Quinton Flowers, who hobbled off Lincoln Financial Field with a tweaked hamstring late in Friday’s 46-30 loss at Temple, is expected to start this Friday against No. 22 Navy, Bulls coach Willie Taggart said.

“Quinton will be good to go,” Taggart said Monday on the American Athletic Conference weekly coaches teleconference.

When asked if Flowers has been able to do everything in practice since Friday's game, Taggart said, “Yes sir.” Elsewhere, however, Bulls fans might see a new starter or two.

Missing a litany of tackles and gaps, USF’s defense allowed 319 rushing yards to the Owls, who converted 10 of 16 third-down opportunities.

“I think we’ll have to wait until Friday to see that,” Taggart said when asked if any changes in personnel or scheme were forthcoming. “I think you can expect for everybody to be a lot better than we were this past week.”

USF enters the Navy game ranked 100th nationally against the run (206.3 ypg). The Midshipmen, who continue operating arguably the nation's most proficient and punishing triple-option attack behind Will Worth, have the country's fourth-best run game (293.2 ypg). “We weren’t physical enough [at Temple],” Taggart said. “... We get a punt blocked. It was everything. You just can’t do that on the road against a good football team . ... We’ve got to play more physical, but more important with more energy and more passion, and I don't think we did that as a football team.”