Bulls struggle early, push past Seawolves
TAMPA — Charlie Strong and the USF Bulls are 2-0 in his first season at the helm, but the coach certainly doesn’t feel undefeated at the moment.
He watched his No. 19 Bulls fall behind at halftime for the second consecutive week Saturday night in USF’s home opener against Stony Brook, and even though the Bulls pulled out a 31-17 victory over the FCS Seawolves, there was still little to celebrate.
“We’ve played two games where we have yet to play four quarters,” Strong said, also referencing last week’s 42-22 victory at San Jose State, where the Bulls trailed 16-0 at halftime. “Last week we didn’t wake up until the second quarter and this week didn’t really wake up until the fourth quarter.”
In fact, USF needed a 65-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Quinton Flowers to Tyre McCants to break a 17-17 tie with 11:24 left in the game to finally gain the momentum it needed.
Stony Brook, a 25,000-student university on Long Island, N.Y., came out and hit USF in the mouth early at Raymond James Stadium. The Seawolves defense was ramped up and led by the stellar play of linebacker Shayne Lawless, they frustrated USF and touted quarterback Quinton Flowers until late in the second half.
“They didn’t surprise us. We knew what we were getting,” Strong said of Stony Brook. “I told them what’s going to happen is you are the No. 19-ranked team in the country and they’re going to come in and they’re going to play. Don’t think all of the sudden they are gonna walk in here and sleepwalk through this game, kinda what we did.
“I said, ‘You’re going to get their best.’ We’re gonna get everyone’s best because of what we have now and where we’re ranked. That’s why I tell them it’s a one-game season. Just focus on the opponent we’re playing. Don’t worry about what everyone else is saying.
Stony Brook took a 7-0 lead midway through the first quarter after a blocked punt by Andrew Trent was recovered by Auggie Contressa in the end zone. USF came right back, marching 90 yards on the next series to tie the game at 7-7 on a Darius Tice 1-yard touchdown plunge.
The Seawolves added a field goal in the second quarter and took a 10-7 lead into halftime, and the fans who did who up — announced crowd was 26,460 — booed the Bulls as they left the field at the break.
“I thought today we were awful. I didn’t think we played very well at all,” Strong said. “I’m disappointed because I know we can play better than we are playing.”
Strong said that’s why now he will be leaning on his leadership from senior players like Flowers to get things rolling in the right direction.
“I don’t think we’re looking past the opponent, but it’s tough in this position because you are going to get their best,” Strong said. “The guys just gotta relax and things are going to happen.
“We have a lot of leaders on this team. I told them at the start of the second half, ‘Guys we have to get going.’ The leadership has to take over. When the leadership takes over then this team is gonna really explode.”