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USF seeks consistent full game against Cincinnati

 
Published Oct. 23, 2014

TAMPA — Much like their mercurial offensive counterparts, who spent the first half at Tulsa in a stupor, the Bulls defense will try to deliver its first complete game in more than a month Friday night at Cincinnati.

USF's fronts and zone coverages were gashed for 20 points and 314 total first-half yards Saturday at Tulsa, but they allowed only 174 yards and a field goal in the last 30 minutes.

The week before, in a 28-17 loss to East Carolina, the Pirates scored 21 unanswered second-half points after trailing 17-7 at intermission. In USF's 27-10 loss at Wisconsin, 315 of the Badgers' 454 yards occurred in the second half after the teams played to a 3-3 halftime tie.

Defensive coordinator Chuck Bresnahan said the problem lies not in the Bulls' scheme but in the discipline in employing it.

"And again, when I say execution, I don't point the fingers at the players for not executing, I'm talking about us from a coaching standpoint, everything," Bresnahan said.

"But again, they were tuned in, they listened to the adjustments, and the big thing was the explosive plays. In the first half I think we gave up five or six explosive plays. In the second half, only one (a 30-yard run). And that's the big difference in the game."

injury update: Dinged-up defensive starters Chris Dunkley (shoulder), Reshard Cliett (shoulder) and Jamie Byrd (hip) joined the first team in a walk-through portion of Wednesday's practice open to the media. Their game status could be updated by coach Willie Taggart during his noon teleconference today.

UCF: Goals at stake

ORLANDO — The gravity of Saturday's game isn't lost on LB Terrance Plummer, who says all of UCF's goals are riding on what happens during the homecoming contest against Temple.

"I've been stressing to the younger guys, keep your head down, keep grinding, keep going because everything we want is in front of us, all the things we were preaching at the beginning of the year," Plummer said. "This is like our championship game."

UCF has practiced in full pads all week to develop more mental toughness, and the defense seeks to pick up the intensity on tackling as it prepares for mobile, athletic QB P.J. Walker.

Orlando Sentinel