USF Football Tuesday Press Conference Tweetcap

Ahead of their last game ever (maybe) at Raymond James Stadium versus Tulsa on Thursday night, senior quarterback Quinton Flowers and linebacker Auggie Sanchez addressed the media to reflect on their career and what’s still ahead of them.

Everyone knows Jojo picked the wrong guy.

Quarterback Quinton Flowers:

Former head coach Willie Taggart was a masterful recruiter during his time at USF, getting the likes of Flowers, Marlon Mack, and Rodney Adams to buy into a program that won two (2) games during his first year at the helm. BUT, far and away his greatest recruiting coup was convincing Flowers to stay at USF before the 2015 season.

USF is nowhere without Flowers. Taggart isn’t at Oregon, a conference title isn’t within reach and the fans aren’t back (wait.....).

Flowers will have his name all over the school record book when his career is over. He can add to that Thursday — he is tied for second with former singal caller Matt Grothe for most wins (28) in a career, and just over 300 yards away from breaking Grothe’s total yards record (10,875).

Flowers and the recruiting class of 2014 stands to go down as one of the best classes in school history. The class has 31 wins and counting, and will be the first senior class since 2011 to leave USF with a winning record.

Flowers on incorporating the Gulf Coast Offense Against UConn:

One of the major benefactors of offensive coordinator Sterlin Gilbert getting out of his own way — for a game at least — was senior wide receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

MVS topped 100 yards receiving for the second time in two weeks with his six catch, 152-yard performance against the Huskies. He has 702 yards on the season, just 102 yards shy of former Bull and high school teammate Rodney Adams’ single-season record of 822 yards. MVS also has a legitimate shot at becoming the first player in USF’s history to go over 1,000 yards receiving in a season.

Sanchez On Breaking Kawika Mitchell’s Career Tackles Record:

After signing as a fullback with USF over Toledo in 2013, Sanchez’s career could’ve turned out much differently if a few things went a different way. He redshirted his freshman year, but Taggart nearly blew his redshirt year ahead of the Louisville game led by Strong. Taggart chose not to at the last minute.

Sanchez made it perfectly clear he did not like playing fullback. In the end-of-season meetings that year, he told Taggart that he wanted to become a linebacker and Taggart acknowledged the coaching staff had being thinking about it too. He made the transition during the spring and 364 tackles later, Sanchez sits on the cusp of history.

Best Moment for Sanchez:

Plans After College:

Sanchez is an excellent speaker, and I have no doubt he’d be a great coach one day if the NFL doesn’t work out for him.

Injury Update:

Antoine injured the ankle against UConn and I did not see him at practice during the portion that was open to the media.

• DB/special teams ace Nate Ferguson was seen working off to the side during team drills. His status for Thursday is uncertain.