Page 13 - Florida Sentinel 12-3-19

Sports Bucs Down Jags, Win Back-To-Back Games For
South Florida Fires Coach
It may have taken 13 weeks, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are beginning to look more and more like the team we all thought we were going to see when Bruce Ar- ians came aboard as head coach.
The Bucs, fresh off last week’s big road win over the Atlanta Falcons, kept the mo- mentum going in their 28-11 thrashing of the in-state rival Jacksonville Jaguars. It was an another complete perform- ance by this team and there are several players worthy of recognition.
Quarterback Jameis Winston entered today with 20 interceptions on the year, already a career high for a sea- son. While Winston had no touchdown passes in the team’s win, he also didn’t throw an interception. He’d thrown eight picks in his last three games, so he deserves credit for not making bad choices and forcing throws like he’s done in the past. He did have another lost fumble, but his performance today is worth celebrating. Winston has taken a lot of heat this sea- son for his turnover problems, and rightfully so, but today
DEVIN WHITE
South Florida fired coach Charlie Strong on Sunday after three seasons in which the Bulls won fewer games each year.
USF made the move two days after finishing a 4-8 sea- son with a blowout loss to rival UCF. That left Strong 21-16 overall but 4-14 since starting the 2018 season with seven straight victories.
"I have tremendous re- spect for Coach Strong and his dedication to recruiting and developing young men of talent and character and lead- ing them with integrity,'' USF athletic director Michael Kelly said in a statement.. "He has represented USF with dignity and class and we wish Coach and his family the very best."
USF hired Strong, the former Texas and Louisville coach, to replace Willie Tag- gart after the 2016 season. Strong led the Bulls to a 10- 2 record in that first year in Tampa behind star quarter-
CHARLIE STRONG back Quinton Flowers.
After starting 7-0 in 2018, the Bulls ended the season with six straight losses, and this season has been filled with lopsided defeats.
The 59-year-old Strong, who was a longtime defensive coordinator in the Southeast- ern Conference with plenty of recruiting ties to the state of Florida, is 74-53 overall in 10 seasons as a head coach.
USF has been playing major college football for 23 years and has had some high- level success, with 10 seasons of eight victories or more and 10 bowl appearances.
First Time This Year
Record In 3rd Season
was a good example of how well this offense can operate when the quarterback takes care of the ball.
Rookies Shine On Defense
Linebacker Devin White had a monster first quarter today, which really set the tone for this team. The rookie out of LSU had an intercep- tion on Jacksonville’s first drive, ultimately leading to a Peyton Barber 15-yard touchdown run, and then had a fumble recovery and touch- down on Jacksonville’s next possession when Nick Foles fumbled the ball after being sacked by Shaq Barrett.
Then, after Foles was re- placed in the second half by Gardner Minshew, rookie cornerback Sean Murphy- Bunting helped stop a Jags comeback attempt by inter- cepting Minshew on a 3rd- and-goal from the Tampa Bay 2-yard line.
A touchdown and extra point would’ve cut the Bucs’ lead to 25-18. That intercep- tion by Murphy-Bunting helped seal the win.
Bruce Arians Benched Ronald Jones, II For Missing A Block
RONALD JONES, II
In recent weeks, Ronald Jones, II has taken over the starting running back job for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team preferring the second- year back to veteran Peyton Barber.
But one mistake during Sunday's 28-11 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars sent the former USC star to the bench, while Barber scored a pair of rushing touchdowns.
After the game, Bucs head coach Bruce Arians was asked about Jones' absence, and he didn't mince words.
Jones didn't do much with his opportunities up to that point, managing just eight yards on six carries, while Bar- ber finished the game with 44 yards on 17 carries.
Arians has mentioned in the past that Jones' struggles in pass protection are the biggest thing keeping him from getting more snaps, and his big mistake Sunday was the latest example that he still has im- provements to make in that de- partment.
Emmitt Smith’s Son EJ Accepted Into Stanford
Charlie Strong After 4-8
Terrelle Pryor, Woman Face
Emmitt Smith’s son EJ is among the top running back recruits in the country for the 2020 class, and he re- ceived some good news this week.
Smith was accepted into Stanford, his mother shared on Twitter.
Charges After Altercation That
Left NFL Player Stabbed
A woman has been charged with attempted homicide in the stabbing of NFL wide re- ceiver Terrelle Pryor at his Pittsburgh apartment early Saturday morning.
Pryor, 30, was reportedly at his Heinz Lofts apartment when he was stabbed in the shoulder and chest.
Pryor, who was also charged in the case, was taken to a hospital around 4:30 a.m. following a dispute with "mu- tual combatants" in an apart- ment on the city's North Side, police said.
Allegheny County prosecu- tors and police said 24-year- old Shalaya Briston of Munhall was charged with at- tempted homicide and aggra- vated assault, while Pryor faces a charge of simple as- sault.
Although he was initially said to be in critical condition, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Saturday afternoon that Pryor is now stable, citing a source.
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler tweeted that a close family friend of Pryor's told him the family expects him to survive,
EJ AND EMMITT SMITH
TERRELLE PRYOR
adding: "Several family mem- bers are by his side post- surgery as doctors monitor his progress".
Pryor was the starting quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2008 to 2010, winning the Big Ten champi- onship twice. He was subse- quently drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the third round of the 2011 NFL Supple- mental Draft, playing quarter- back before eventually switching positions when he signed with the Cleveland Browns in 2015.
He has also played for the Washington Redskins and New York Jets, among other teams. He is currently a free agent after he was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars in September.
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