Behind Enemy Lines: Five Questions for Bulls247's Will Turner
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - After falling to Florida State in their home-opener, the Louisville football program will be looking to bounce back when they host USF at Cardinal Stadium.
Ahead of the matchup, Louisville Report sat down with Bulls247's Will Turner to find out more about Bulls:
1. Despite being a three-score underdog, USF was just one drive away from knocking off Florida in The Swamp. How were the Bulls able to play the Gators so close?
Long story short, USF played one of its best game of the Jeff Scott era. It scored on its second drive, defense had some key three-and-outs, including a big four-drive stand to begin the second half that included a pair of interceptions - for the first time in a long time, USF played complimentary football. The Bulls’ offense was able to wear out the boundary with plenty of outside runs that kept a very good defensive front honest. More designed runs for QB Gerry Bohanon helped, as well. Defensively, the key came in making Anthony Richardson a non-factor, particularly in the running game, which is something they’ll have to do again on Saturday.
2. RB Brian Battie is already off to a hot start, and USF has a couple other solid backs that compliment him. What makes him such a deadly runner and return man, and how does a stout offensive line help that?
Battie has elite vision and speed. He’s a smaller, shiftier back at 5-foot-8, 165 pounds, so that helps with hiding behind blockers for a split second longer to make a key cut to take it to the house. He’s easily been USF’s most explosive running back and deserves every carry he’s gets. USF’s offensive line is the most experienced in the country and has graded out much better in run blocking than pass blocking in the early going, allowing the run game to go for nearly 300 yards against Florida and post six touchdowns against Howard.
3. QB Gerry Bohanon, though a great runner, has struggled through the air to start the year. Is this more so indicative of his performance, or that WR Xavier Weaver has been their only true downfield threat to start the year?
I think it’s more indicative of the passing game just being a tick off in its timing. Bohanon didn’t commit to USF until May and got into the program shortly after, so he hasn’t had as much time to get as deep into the playbook as some of the January transfers that the team received. There’s been quite a few overthrows and a few uncharacteristic drops from guys like Weaver that have kept the game going. Jimmy Horn Jr. and Omarion Dollison are a pair that I expect to break out any time soon, and Khafre Brown has been called a “world-class sprinter” and just needs an opportunity to shine.
4. Antonio Grier and Dwayne Boyles are still one of the better LB duos in the American. How are they able to throw a wrench in the opposing game plan?
Both have have been USF’s best pass-rushing linebackers over the past three seasons that they’ve started. Grier was forced to play a lot more coverage in 2021 and has been back to blitzing this season, which is good to see. Boyles has improved quite a bit in coverage over the past two seasons and is showing he can be an all-around linebacker as he prepares for the NFL Draft. On-field prowess aside, both are senior leaders that have been ambassadors of the football team around the university and will go down as two of the Bulls’ best linebackers ever.
5. Even with the success of Grier and Boyles, USF’s overall defense hasn’t gotten off to a great start. What has been the primary weakness on that side of the ball?
One of the things that really concerns me for the Louisville game is that USF doesn’t handle tempo well. That was part of their issues against BYU in the opener, along with plenty of pre-snap misalignment issues. They’ve continued to have the alignment issues in a lesser sense against Howard and Florida, but it’s still a slight concern heading into Saturday. Pre-snap alignment defensively is proving to be everything for this team. It’s led to quite a lot of long runs that have been the most back breaking for USF thus far.
(Photo of Gerry Bohanon: Kim Klement - USA TODAY Sports)
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