USD CAPS DARK SEASON WITH ‘UNBELIEVABLE TEAM WIN’ 47 20

A long and embarrassing football season marred by hazing allegations at least ended on a positive note for the University of San Diego. The Toreros forced four turnovers, returned an interception and a kickoff for touchdowns on the way to routing Stetson 47-20 on Saturday in Deland, Fla.

On offense, senior Isaiah Williams (Olympian High School) rushed for 145 yards on 25 carries and scored a touchdown. In the last four games, Williams rushed for 134, 128, 163 and 145 yards. He finished the season with 1,231 yards rushing.

Playing his first game of the season, sophomore quarterback Nathan Brown completed 21 of 27 passes for 219 yards and two TDS with no interceptions. Freshman Dom Nankil (Mater Dei Catholic High School) had played most of the season at quarterback.

USD has not made firstyear head coach Brandon Moore available to the media after games this season. The school did release a postgame interview with Moore, conducted by a member of the university’s strategic communications department.

“From start to finish, I think our team played together,” Moore said. “They were focused on the seniors and all those kids who were playing their last game as a

Torero. And I thought it was an unbelievable team win in every way.”

USD finished 4-7, 4-4 in the Pioneer Football League, the program’s first losing season since 2010. Stetson (3-8, 1-7) lost its fifth straight game.

The defense set the tone early, with Zamir Wallace returning an interception 30 yards for a touchdown with 8:54 to play in the first quarter for a 7-0 lead.

Stetson would pull to within 17-13 in the third quarter. USD responded by scoring 23 straight points on a safety and three Re-al Mitchell touchdowns. Mitchell scored on a 6-yard catch, a 6-yard run and a 12yard catch.

Mitchell finished with 90 yards receiving and eight yards rushing.

The season, though, will be remembered for the hazing scandal, which the school has said is still under investigation.

The scandal broke days before the first game of the season when the school announced it was investigating allegations of improper conduct. USD President James T. Harris III said it was believed no one was harmed, but nearly half the team faced disciplinary action.

Last month, former quarterback AJ Perez filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court, alleging his underwear and a towel were ripped off him during a rookie show. Perez also described other sexually charged hazing rituals he said were organized by teammates.

Toreros

Stetson