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Marlon Mack passes 1,000-yard barrier for USF

 
USF running back Marlon Mack is brought down by Andrew Gaines, left, Bakari Hollier, right, and Tank Jakes in the first half.
USF running back Marlon Mack is brought down by Andrew Gaines, left, Bakari Hollier, right, and Tank Jakes in the first half.
Published Nov. 23, 2014

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The rookie season of Marlon Mack got a little more auspicious and historic Saturday at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

With a 4-yard gain late in the second quarter, the freshman from Sarasota recorded the fourth 1,000-yard season in program history. Mack, 97 yards shy of 1,000 entering Saturday, finished with 102 yards on 16 carries.

He gained 75 on a touchdown burst off the left side on the second quarter's opening play from scrimmage, when it appeared he didn't get touched. "He didn't," TE Mike McFarland said.

Mack's four 100-yard games are the most in a season at USF since B.J. Daniels had that many in 2009.

The TD run "brought me back to the Tulsa game," coach Willie Taggart said of Mack's 54-yard scoring burst on Oct. 18. "Again, it was a momentum changer for us and gave our guys some juice and got us excited there on the sideline."

The longest day: One of the most hectic, heart-wrenching days of freshman QB Quinton Flowers' life began Saturday in Miami and ended in Memphis.

Flowers, accompanied by Bulls running backs coach Telly Lockette, traveled Friday to south Florida for Saturday morning's memorial service for his 24-year-old half-brother. Bradley Holt was killed in a drive-by shooting on Nov. 13.

Lockette and Flowers flew to Memphis immediately after the service and arrived at the Liberty Bowl about an hour before kickoff. In limited action, Flowers ran twice for 4 yards against Memphis. Taggart said had Flowers not been preoccupied with his family obligations, there was a "good chance" he would've made his second consecutive start Saturday.

"If there's anybody that can go through it and get through it, it's Quinton," Taggart said. "We're proud of him, praying for him and his family. It's great that he got the opportunity to spend some time with his family and do his due diligence in that, and come back and be with his family here too."

Injury update: QB Mike White, replaced twice Saturday, said he tweaked an ankle and hyperextended a knee while sacked late in the third quarter, but insisted he'll be fine for Friday's finale against UCF.

"I'm good, I feel like a football player," White said. "I got a little beat up, I got to prove myself to my team that I'm tough, and I thought that was pretty cool that I got a chance to do that."

Also, Taggart said he's hopeful for the return of LG Thor Jozwiak (concussion), who didn't travel to Memphis. Junior Brynjar Gudmundsson slid from the right side in his place, with Quinterrius Eatmon playing right guard and sophomore Kofi Amichia starting at right tackle.

Additionally, Taggart said DL Elkino Watson, serving the second of a two-game suspension Saturday, should return vs. UCF.

Odds and ends: McFarland's 64 receiving yards (on four catches) was a career best. … Senior Andre Davis' one-handed snag with 1:14 to play was his seventh TD catch this season, tying Elgin Hicks' 11-year-old school record … Sophomore FB Tye Turner's 10-yard catch on third and 6 during USF's third scoring drive was his first career reception.