TAMPA, Fla. — The USF football team hits the road to take on East Carolina under the Friday night lights this week, with a potential change at quarterback hanging in the balance and a defense that has carried the Bulls to success through the first two months of the season.
Bulls quarterback Michael Van Buren, Jr. left Saturday's win over UAB after taking a big hit. As for any update on who will start Friday night, head coach Brian Hartline kept it brief.
"We'll have one," Hartline said at his weekly press conference.
Luke Kromenhoek entered the season as the backup, but he has taken the reins a few times this season and made splashes when he does.
"He's always been a guy who was competing for that job. He made it a competition with how well he was doing," Hartline added. "He's good with his feet. He's got a really good arm. We want to make sure he doesn't press. We wanna make sure he plays his game because when he does he's a pretty good player."
The Bulls have largely been carried by their defense this season. The top-rated unit in the AAC is a huge reason why USF still has a shot at a conference crown.
"We control our destiny. We just go into each week 1-0. You can't worry about too far ahead, or we'll lose sight of what's in front of us," Tavin Ward said.
Ward, a safety, says playing good defense is contagious, and the Bulls' process isn't overly complicated.
"That just comes with a big buy-in from the whole unit, honestly. Everybody doing their job, their 1/11th, and their plays will come to them," he explained. "You don't have to do anything spectacular to make a play. Just do your job and great things happen."
Hartline added that while his team is starting to see the fruits of their labor, they have to keep improving as they enter the most important month of the season.
"We gotta keep going. We're in a good spot, not a great spot. We're in a good spot. Nothing happens by chance, as we know. Everything is deliberate. Everything is on purpose. Although it's not right away… it's coming- as long as you keep going."
Kickoff between USF (6-2) and East Carolina (4-4) on Friday is set for 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
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