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Defensive coordinator Rick Kravitz munched on a Chick-fil-A sandwich in the bowels of the Liberty Bowl while wearing a glow of contentedness after his defense allowed 458 yards Saturday at Memphis.
The rub: Kravitz's D also forced a USF-record seven turnovers. With the offense getting manhandled in the second half, Kravitz's ballhawks delivered the 21-16 win over Conference USA's hottest team.
"The kids showed a lot of character," he said. "The seniors stepped to the plate. The leadership was incredible."
Both defenses dominated. Memphis averaged 37 points in its previous five games but came up three touchdowns shy of that despite its defense stifling USF again and again.
In the second half, USF had two first downs and went three and out (or worse) on six of nine possessions and on a seventh gave it up on downs. On five of nine series the Bulls had zero or negative yards. Aside from a 58-yard pass from Pat Julmiste to Chris Iskra, USF had minus-1 yard in the half.
Yet the Bulls overcame a 7-0 halftime deficit by forcing four second-half turnovers. J.R Reed took a fumble 45 yards for a touchdown, and the second of his three interceptions set up a 14-yard TD drive.
"We had made some mistakes in the first half, and we told them that if we just go out in the second half and do what we had practiced all week, we'd be fine," Kravitz said. "They fed off of each other and made a lot of plays."
In its past seven games, USF has yielded just eight touchdowns on 21 opponent's drives inside the red zone. Memphis was 1-for-3, getting zero points on the other two because of a fumble and Reed's third interception in the end zone early in the fourth.
THE MAN: Reed's credentials for national player of the week: a 96-yard kickoff return score to open the second half, the fumble return to give USF a 14-10 lead, seven tackles and three interceptions, tying a C-USA record.
"We told the seniors to go out and have the best game of their life," Kravitz said. "It's hard to top what J.R. did today."
Added linebacker Courtney Davenport: "The man is just exceptional."
HAIRY MOMENT: On second and 9 from the USF 21 with the Bulls up 21-16, Julmiste, who had attempted three passes in the second half, rolled right and threw deep down the sideline to Iskra, who had slipped behind the defense. Iskra hauled in the wobbly pass and was tackled at the Memphis 21. Two plays later, however, DeJuan Green fumbled. No ruling was given initially until officials huddled for 10 seconds, determining Green's forward progress had not been stopped before he lost the ball and Memphis took over at its 22 with 2:46 to go. Quarterback Danny Wimprine threw four straight incompletions, the first and last batted down by D'Juan Brown.