HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — The USF football program opens its home schedule tomorrow night when they host Florida A&M. The Bulls are coming off a 41-24 season-opening loss at Western Kentucky, while the FAMU scored an impressive 28-10 win over conference rival Jackson State.
USF head coach Alex Golesh wants his team to bounce back in a big way, but he says he's more concerned about the process than the outcome this week.
"It doesn’t matter who you play. It doesn’t even matter what day of the week it is," Golesh said at his weekly press conference. "For us, a foundation is what we look like as a program. Meaning, how our kids act, how they do everything within their daily structure- what it looks like."
Rattlers head coach Willie Simmons says the USF game is the biggest game on their schedule- because it's the next game on their schedule.
"Our goal is to be 1 and 0. We have to prepare ourselves mentally and physically as a football team to be 1 and 0," Simmons explained via video chat. "That means focusing on the details. Doing the little things right. Making necessary improvements and adjustments and going out every day and giving it 110% be our very best to be prepared on game day."
Wins and losses often judge success in college football. Golesh says the wins will come if his team pursues them correctly.
"The end result matters on Saturdays, but we have to continue to build. How we work is really, really important," he added. "That’s why I say it doesn’t really matter who we play. None of that really matters. The only thing that matters is how we come in here and attack every single day. As players, and certainly as coaches."
FAMU is taking a similar approach under Simmons. Despite their recent success, the Rattlers head coach says you'll never hear him say "satisfied."
"There’s always more work to be done. There’s always improvements that can be made," Simmons said. "I’m excited about the potential of this team. But it means nothing if we don’t go to work every day and come with the attitude to get better every day."
USF and FAMU kick off tomorrow at 7 P.M. at Raymond James Stadium.
