Freshman linebacker Sam Barrington, on the field for a key goal-line stand Saturday when senior Kion Wilson left with a hand injury, remembered something linebackers coach David Blackwell had told him weeks earlier.

USF had a five-man defensive line as FSU lined up on fourth and goal from the 2-yard line, and all five linemen went left on the play, giving running back Ty Jones a window to the end zone. Safety Nate Allen was blocked outside, leaving the crucial play up to USF's three linebackers.

Senior Chris Robinson went low at the goal line to stop a blocking back, and junior Sabbath Joseph made the initial contact to slow Jones. Barrington, with an FSU lineman laying between him and the play, jumped over him and quickly got to Jones to finish the tackle and keep FSU off the scoreboard. Five plays later, the Bulls had gone 99 yards for a touchdown and a lead they wouldn't give up.

"About two weeks prior to the game, (Blackwell) told me a real linebacker will jump over and make it from the back side," Barrington said. "That's what I was thinking about. As soon as I saw that guard go down, I just jumped over him and went to get him. That was it."

Barrington has seen his playing time increase in what has largely been a four-linebacker rotation, and he ranks fourth among the linebackers with 13 tackles in four games. Asked if the Bulls will be prepared to face an athletic quarterback in Syracuse's Greg Paulus on Saturday, Barrington said USF's defense gets prepared for that every day in practice.

"In my opinion, you don't get too much more mobile than B.J. Daniels," Barrington said. "(Paulus) is a good player, and I'm not taking anything from him, but I feel like if we play South Florida football, we'll come out victorious."