Syracuse (3-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast) visits South Florida (1-3, 0-1 American Athletic) on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. It’ll be the Orange’s first road game of the year coming off a bye week. Follow along with SU-USF coverage here or on Twitter @DOSports.

To learn more about the Bulls, The Daily Orange spoke with Tampa Bay Times beat writer Joey Knight.

The Daily Orange: At 1-3, is this a desperation game for South Florida?

Joey Knight: I think we are in Defcon 1 here. I’m not saying (USF head coach) Willie Taggart has to win this game to keep his job, I’m not saying that at all. But the Bulls have to deliver an encouraging performance, something that can give their fan base hope. Something that can encourage them to say, ‘OK, this thing’s moving in the right direction, because as it stands right now, USF is 7-21 in Willie Taggart’s tenure.

The D.O.: USF is 107th in the country in passing offense and 36th in run offense. Is stopping the run going to be a key for Syracuse?

J.K.: It’ll be a big key. Willie Taggart makes no secrets about it. They are a run-first team. They run a high-tempo, spread-style system, which still they try to run some power out of. And they’ve been successful with it at times. They have three very talented tailbacks led by Marlon Mack, who’s the reigning conference rushing leader from a year ago. They have a sophomore quarterback named Quinton Flowers who can do a lot with his legs, very mobile, can create things. But he hasn’t proven the ability to consistently take shots downfield to complete the vertical pass.

The D.O.: What else stands out in Flowers’ game?

J.K.: He started one game last year as a true freshman … We didn’t really see what he could really do. In the offseason, during the practices in the spring and the preseason, we were able to observe it, it looked like he had gotten some velocity on his passes. It looked like his velocity had improved, he could make the passes he needed to make. We just haven’t seen a lot of that in games … I think he’s capable.

The D.O.: In order to get the win, USF would have to do what?

J.K.: They’re going to have to neutralize Syracuse’s blitz. Obviously that’s probably going to call for them to get the ball out of Quinton Flowers’ hands quickly. Maybe I don’t know with some bubble screens or some quick slants or things of that nature. And they have to be able to run effectively on first downs to set up the pass. They’re going to have to be two-dimensional offensively. They’re going to have to show Syracuse an ability to throw the ball. That’s what they have to do on offense.

On defense, they have to play exactly the way they played against Memphis. A lot of energy on the defensive line. They run a 4-2-5 … So the offense has to be two-dimensional. The defense has to build off its performance against Memphis.

Published on October 9, 2015 at 10:05 am

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