Joey Johnston
Athletics Senior Writer – GOUSFBULLS.COM – YOUR HOME FOR ALL THINGS BULLS SPORTS
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USF (6-6; 4-4 American) vs San Jose State (7-5; 3-4 MWC)
Tuesday, Dec. 24 • 8:00 P.M. (ET) • Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex (16,909) • Honolulu, HI
SURFACE: Artificial Turf
TV: ESPN: Tiffany Greene (P-by-P) & Jay Walker (Analyst) & Marilyn Payne (Reporter)
AUDIO: 102.5 FM/102.5 HD2 The Strike & Bulls Unlimited (TuneIn)
SERIES: USF leads, 1-0
IN TAMPA: NA
IN SAN JOSE: USF won,
LAST TIME: USF won first-ever meeting
BOWL RECORD: 7-4
LAST BOWL: Won 2023 Boca Raton Bowl over Syracuse, 45-0
USF GAME NOTES
USF head coach Alex Golesh said there are two types of bowl-bound college-football teams.
“There’s the team that’s really happy to be there, then there’s the team that’s there to win a football game,” Golesh said.
Golesh said he’s confident the Bulls (6-6) will have their priorities in order for the Dec. 24 Hawaii Bowl meeting against the San Jose State Spartans (7-5).
With a desire to mix business with some pleasure, Golesh said he’s aware of the unusual challenges ahead — a 12-hour plane flight to a land 4,700 miles away, adjustment to a severe time change (five hours earlier), the excitement of a tropical locale that has been experienced by very few players or staff members, plus the uncommon constant presence of spouses and family members.
“You definitely need a balance,” Golesh said. “I want these guys to enjoy their time off and their time together. The challenge to them is … don’t go out to eat by yourself. Grab some teammates, a couple of guys in your position group. If you go do something fun or go to the movies, grab a couple of guys with you. As long as you continue to build trust, build camaraderie, build the culture and the brotherhood, then we’re fine. All of that stuff is super beneficial.
“But when it’s time for ball, it’s time for ball. When we’re locked in, you make it about the football. When it’s time to get away, then you can make it about your teammates. I mean, I realize we’re going to one of the most beautiful places in the world. It’ll be the first time for just about everybody. I want them to enjoy and reap the rewards of earning the right to do this, while keeping the primary reason we’re out there at the forefront.”
Golesh said he also wants the Bulls to finish on an upward trajectory. Last year’s 45-0 win against Syracuse at the Boca Raton Bowl filled USF’s offseason with goodwill and confidence. He said beating the Spartans could achieve the same objective.
The Bulls are also eager to erase the bad taste of a 35-28 defeat at Rice in the regular-season finale.
“It’s about making the important things (into the priority),” Golesh said. “I’ve been to bowl games were one team is just happy to be there and that’s not where you want to be or who you want to be.
“I tell our guys that we’re on national TV, eight o’clock Eastern time, seven o’clock Central on ESPN. What more motivation do you need other than the entire country is going to be watching and seeing what product you’re putting out there? I feel like we’ll be motivated.”
USF’s charter aircraft will leave Tampa on Wednesday and arrive in Honolulu in the mid-afternoon. Players and coaches must push through the day into a normal dinnertime and bedtime, so they can stay on a proper schedule.
“I have to pinch myself to keep realizing that all of this is really happening,” wide receiver Sean Atkins said. “We’re actually going to Hawaii. I couldn’t have dreamed of a more cool way to go to a bowl game. But this isn’t just some vacation. We want to win. We need to win. I absolutely want to go out with my last USF game being a victory.”
There’s the possibility that USF could get a turbo-boost of positive news heading into the Hawaii Bowl.
Quarterback Byrum Brown, a holder of 12 USF passing records who was named to five national-award preseason watch lists (Walter Camp, Maxwell, Davey O’Brien, Johnny Unitas, Manning) has been a full-go at practice and could see action. Brown suffered a lower-leg injury Sept. 28 at Tulane and missed the final seven games of the regular season. Bryce Archie became the starter, guiding the Bulls to a 4-3 finish.
“Byrum is as healthy as he has ever been since the Tulane game,” Golesh said. “A quarterback change is adversity, but our young men have been resilient. They fully believed and trusted in Bryce and I think they certainly are more than excited for Byrum to get back healthy.
“I don’t know if it (Brown’s potential return) will be truly an emotional lift. Obviously, the operation going back to what they’re used to would certainly be nice. But I think Bryce has really settled in nicely in terms of being able to function. I don’t want to overplay it or underplay it. That’s your starting quarterback and he certainly didn’t leave the way he wanted to, getting hurt in the middle of a game we were fighting to stay in.”
If Brown returns, Golesh said he doesn’t expect rust. During each of the seven games he missed, Golesh said Brown has prepared as if he was the starter. Golesh also said Brown and Archie have maintained a close friendship, while being hyper-competitive with each other at the same time.
Golesh said Brown’s availability has remained in hands of USF doctors. In the past two seasons, Golesh said Brown has constantly “played while banged up” and he has admired the player’s physical toughness.
“I don’t think anybody loses their (starting) job due to injury,” Golesh said when asked if Brown could be installed as the Hawaii Bowl starter. “Byrum and Bryce are each other’s biggest cheerleaders. I think the fair thing would be if Byrum’s ready to roll, Byrum rolls, and Bryce is there ready to roll right behind him. If Byrum isn’t ready to roll, then Bryce will go and Byrum will be right there to roll behind him.”
Regardless of its quarterback situation, USF’s top priority will be finding ways to neutralize San Jose State’s potent passing offense.
The Spartans, led by former Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, are fifth nationally in passing offense (325.3 yards per game). Walker Eget (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) took over as the starting quarterback in Week Five and ranks fifth nationally in yards per completion (14.35), while completing 155 of 270 passes (57.4 percent) for 2,224 yards and 11 touchdowns. Eget’s top target is sixth-year senior Nick Nash, who captured the Football Bowl Subdivision’s receiving triple crown by ranking first in catches (104), receiving yards (1,382) and receiving touchdowns (16).
“It’s a huge challenge,” Golesh said. “We’ve had games where we’ve done an excellent job (at stopping the pass) and we’ve had games where we haven’t. That’s where they live and that’s the world that they’re comfortable in.
“It’s a huge challenge schematically and a huge challenge from a personnel standpoint. I think me walking around talking smack to our defensive guys in a very positive way should be motivation enough. But, of course, we will be motivated to win this game to go into the offseason on a winning note and send out our seniors in the right way.”
Even with all the pleasures that Hawaii offers, Golesh said it’s a business trip with a clear objective. There’s no confusion about that. The Bulls aren’t just happy to be at the Hawaii Bowl. For the long journey to be successful, they must finish it with a victory.
“We’ll have time to decompress and do some fun things,” defensive lineman Decarius Hawthorne said. “But the main focus point is being very prepared and beating San Jose State.”