Bulls get big day from freshman Tashon Whitehurst

The USF Bulls got a big performance from freshman linebacker Tashon Whitehurst in South Florida's 13-6 victory over the Connecticut Huskies. Whitehurst recorded eight tackles and had a clutch fumble recovery late in the fourth quarter of the win.

Whitehurst started in place of senior linebacker Sam Barrington, who was suspended following an arrest on Thursday in Orlando for driving with a suspended license. Barrington, the Bulls' leading tackler, has received six such citations while at USF, but he's still slated to return next week against the Miami Hurricanes. The linebacker had started all but one game in Skip Holtz's tenure with the Bulls.

However, Whitehurst made a strong case for more playing time, as well as a possible starting role next season (via the Tampa Bay Times):

"I felt great coming into this game, just came in trying to get a win, to go out there for my team," said Whitehurst, who entered the game with one tackle in his college career. "The fumble recovery, I was coming off the edge on a blitz, and the running back, he was already fumbling. The ball slipped out right there and I fell on it."

Whitehurst had seen very little time before Saturday's game, recording one tackle in a 30-17 loss to the Florida State Seminoles back on Sept. 29.