Safety led a strong Bulls defense vs. No. 10 Alabama with 8 tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks;
Now leads FBS football with eight tackles for loss on year, 12th with three sacks.
TAMPA, SEPT. 19, 2023 – Graduate safety Daquan Evans (Orlando) has garnered national honors for his outstanding effort in last Saturday’s 17-3 loss to No. 10 Alabama in Raymond James Stadium. After being named American Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, on Tuesday Evans was named the Bednarik National Defensive Player of the Week.
The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually to the defensive player in college football as judged by the Maxwell Football Club to be the best in the United States. The award is named for Chuck Bednarik, a former college and professional American football player.
Evans tormented Alabama quarterbacks all day in the Bulls’ battle vs. a top 10-ranked foe that saw USF lead for most of the first half and go into the final minute in a one-score game. The 5-11, 190-pound veteran defensive back posted career-bests with eight tackles, four tackles for loss and three sacks and added a pass break-up and quarterback hurry on the day. Evans’ outstanding effort was seen by a raucous crowd of 65,138 in Raymond James Stadium, the fifth-largest home crowd in program history, and more than five million viewers in a national television audience on ABC.
Evans performance vaulted him into the national lead in tackles for loss on the season with eight and to No. 12 in sacks with three. The fifth-year defensive back has posted 130 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions and a fumble recovery on his career. He logged the first three sacks of his career vs. Alabama, part of a five-sack effort for the Bulls, the team’s most since 2019.
For the second straight game, the USF defense recorded four or more sacks. The Bulls five on the night were their most since posting six vs. BYU Oct. 12, 2019. USF now has nine quarterback sacks on the year. The Bulls totaled 14 in 12 games last season. USF ranks 13th nationally tackles for loss (8.5 tpg) and 25th in turnovers gained with six.
Alabama’s 17 points in the game were its fewest in a win since 2016 and the Tide’s fewest in a regular season non-conference game since 2007. The Tide’s 82.56 pass efficiency rating was its lowest since 2009. Alabama was 42-0 vs. regular season non-Autonomy league opponents entering Saturday’s game with an average margin of victory of 40 points and just two games decided by fewer than 24 points. The Tide scored at least 31 in all but one of the previous games.
USF held Alabama to 310 yards of offense, its lowest offensive production since posting 300 yards vs. Mississippi State on Oct. 22 of last year. Alabama crossed the 50 for the first time with 4:19 to play in the second quarter, when the Tide recovered a fumble. In the first half, the USF defense held Alabama to 3 points and forced five punts while allowing just 113 yards in the first half. It was the first time Alabama had been held to 3 points or less since a 24-22 (trailed 0-7 at the half), four overtime win at Auburn on Nov. 27, 2021.
The Bulls return to Ray Jay this Saturday to open their 11th season of American Athletic Conference play with a 4:00 p.m. kick vs. Rice. The Owls are one of six new AAC members in 2023 and bring a 2-1 record into the contest after a 59-7 thrashing of Texas Southern on Saturday. The game will be televised on ESPNU and can be heard on 102.5 FM and Bulls Unlimited on TuneIn radio.
Tickets for the 2023 USF football season at Raymond James Stadium are on sale now. Secure your seats for the 2023 season by calling or texting 1-800-GoBulls or by visiting USFBULLSTIX.com. All tickets are once again dynamically priced for each game based on demand and are subject to change. Tickets can be purchased online at USFBullsTix.com, by calling/texting 1-800-GoBulls or using the direct links below.
Season tickets
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Group tickets (10+): call 1-800-GoBulls
ABOUT USF FOOTBALL
The USF football program first took the field in 1997 and completed its 26th season in 2022 while completing construction on a new $22 million Indoor Performance Facility. The Bulls have posted 15 winning seasons, earned 16 All-America selections, including 2021 consensus All-American kick returner Brian Battie, and had 32 first-team all-conference selections. USF has had 30 players selected in the NFL Draft and has made 10 bowl game appearances (going 6-4 in those games), posting a program-record six straight appearances from 2005-2010 and most recently making four straight bowl appearances from 2015-18. The Bulls posted back-to-back 10-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, logging a program-record 11-2 mark in 2016 while finishing both seasons ranked in the Top 25. USF spent a program-record 20 straight weeks ranked in the Top 25 during the 2016 and 2017 seasons and reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings during the 2007 season.
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