Brian Hartline didn't mince words when discussing South Florida's performance Saturday night in a 59-13 win over outmanned Delaware State. Sure, the final score spoke to the Bulls' dominance, but Hartline was more focused on what the Bulls did -- or, mostly, didn't do -- in the first 30 minutes.
"We lost half a game because we didn't execute the right way or prepare the right way ,or motivated the right way," he said. "Whatever that is. It's got to get fixed because that's not okay."
The Bulls led the Hornets 28-17 at the half, but they looked out of sync for much of that time. They gave up a pair of touchdown passes -- including a 90-yard one -- and had their first turnover of the season when tight end Wyatt Sullivan lost a fumble.
Yes, USF outscored the visitors 31-0 in the second half, but Hartline was still shaking his head afterward at what happened before that. More importantly, he doesn't want to see a repeat of it next Saturday when the Bulls travel to Bowling Green.
"I love the way we responded," he said. "But, you know, we got to make sure we understand that we're running out of time and the game doesn't care, the conference doesn't care, your opponents don't care. We're making up for lost time right now, and so we don't have time to squander a half a football.
"I'm sure there is some good things on film, but the expectation that we have, they have for themselves. I'm holding them to the standard they want to be held to -- make that really clear. So for me to not do that, I'm letting them down, and there's just a better opportunity to play better football early in the game than we did."
The Bulls had seven rushing touchdowns, one shy of equaling the program record set against Kentucky Wesleyan in USF's inaugural game in 1997. They ran for 290 yards overall and an average of 9.4 yards per carry.
DJ Crowther had three of those touchdowns and 101 yards. Quarterback Michael Van Buren threw for 300 yards and a touchdown to Joshua Porter. Backup QB Luke Kromenhoek rushed for a pair of scores.
"That package, I promise you, will grow," Hartline said of using Kromenhoek's size and power in the running game. "He's earning the opportunities."
So, yeah, there were things to celebrate.
Joshua Porter with a nice move to get the TD! Porter has 8 catches for 106-yards. USF leads 49-17 over Delaware State. pic.twitter.com/0iD7z5bbDt
— SoFloBulls (@SoFloBulls) September 20, 2026
But think what the final score would have been if the Bulls had played better in the first half.
"I think that we didn't do a very good job getting started. Don't think we were very clean. Don't think we were kind of elite in any kind of fashion. We'll take a look at the film and see where that really stemmed from and the attack it at the highest level because you can't start games like that," he said.
"So I don't have great answers for you right now. I know how it felt. I know that we were trying to get addressed. Probably the energy and everything that I thought just what didn't match what we're, what we're supposed to be doing."
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