Alabama
USF blocking out Alabama hype, but can Bulls block the Crimson Tide?
TAMPA — He’s not about to be sucked in by the gravitational pull of the houndstooth-bedecked hoopla.
First-year USF coach Alex Golesh can’t afford to make his team’s clash Saturday with No. 10 Alabama — the Bulls’ only game of the year staged before an ABC audience — something surreal or folkloric. Not when he’s trying to create a process borne of consistency and excellence week after week, no matter the foe’s cachet.
“I know I seem short with my answer on all these analogies or mythical (comparisons),” Golesh said Tuesday. “Man, we’ve got to go strap up and line up against another man and go at it for 3½ hours, one on one, and whack heads. That’s what it is. You’ve got to scheme the right way, you’ve got to execute the right way, we’ve got to protect the quarterback, we’ve got to tackle in space.
“It’s no different no matter who you’re playing, and that’s why I’m not, like, a giant fan of all the David-Goliath (analogies). It’s another squad that you get to go in, and it’s another test for us as we lay the foundation for what we’re doing.”
Yet even as Golesh tries to emphasize process, he can’t ignore the pertinent story line — the one matchup critical to deciding whether this contest will be a pushover for the Tide or program-changer for the Bulls.
The line of scrimmage.
“That’s the difference in the game, is what we can do up front on both sides of the ball, in my opinion,” he said.
Through two games, USF (1-1) has struggled mightily to protect redshirt freshman quarterback Byrum Brown, who already has been sacked 11 times. On the other side, the Bulls generated no pass rush in their season-opening loss to Western Kentucky but responded with four sacks of Florida A&M quarterback Jeremy Moussa in Saturday’s 38-24 triumph.
“I definitely take (the sack total) real personal, no matter if it’s on us or not on us,” sixth-year left tackle Donovan Jennings said. “We take pride in that, so that number’s really too high for us, and we want to get that down.”
Now come the Crimson Tide, who will present more physicality, fleetness and collective girth up front than the Bulls are likely to see all year. Alabama’s projected starting offensive front — featuring three new starters — averages 339.4 pounds. Florida A&M had no starting lineman that weighed more than 315.
On the flip side, Alabama’s projected starting three-man defensive front — sophomores Jaheim Oatis and Tim Keenan III and senior Justin Eboigbe — averages 309 pounds. Florida A&M’s averaged 282.
And while Alabama failed to sack Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers, who benefited from stout protection and unleashed his throws quickly in the Longhorns’ 34-24 triumph Saturday, it held Texas to 2.84 yards per carry on 37 rushing attempts.
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“I think from just simply a size standpoint, defensively up front, at linebacker, the front six is where it’s uniquely different,” Golesh said. “There’s just pure mass on the (defensive) line. At linebacker, there’s bigger bodies there, which you’re used to seeing.”
The key, Golesh said, is to mask the size deficiency with scheme (i.e. quicker throws for Brown) and stress the collaborative effort essential in protecting Brown. In Saturday’s victory, Golesh blamed only three of the Rattlers’ six sacks on the offensive line.
“Three of them were on me and everybody else,” he added, “meaning either we’re not putting them in the right situation, or we’re not getting open, or at running back or at tight end, we’re not quite holding up enough, or we’re just not putting the ball out on time. And all of that is a huge combination.”
Saturday, it segues from huge to monumental, regardless of how much the Bulls try to remain focused on foundation and process.
I mean, we’ve given up (11) sacks in two weeks — that’s a lot,” Golesh said.
“So, certainly a huge point of emphasis, and a lot of scrambles where Byrum has created some positives, which is encouraging. But absolutely, especially as you’re getting a young quarterback confident, a young quarterback, getting him ready to go and you’re selling confidence to him, for him to be able to set his feet and deliver a football is really, really important.
“So yeah, a concern? A huge point of emphasis for sure, especially as you go up against a good defensive line and certainly a good scheme, you’re going to have to hold up.”
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls
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