Ahead of their game against the Hurricanes Athletics this week, four USF Bulls have ties to Miami DeMarcus Van Dyke Jr., a 6-foot-1 cornerback, is the son of the eponymous former Miami Hurricanes star. and he’s only thirteen years old. Van Dyke Jr. stated that he is a “future five-star” prospect and that he has an offer from Miami for the Class of 2029. What happens, though, if Van Dyke Jr. outgrows the role that propelled his father into the NFL? Van Dyke Sr. laughed and added, “He can grow to be 6-5 and he will still play cornerback.”
The collegiate football debut of Van Dyke Jr. is still a few years off. However, as one of the four Miami-born Bulls from the University of South Florida, his father is currently performing in a collegiate play. In his first season coaching cornerbacks at USF, Van Dyke will assist in leading the Bulls (2-1) against the eighth-ranked Hurricanes (3-0) on Saturday in Tampa. Kevin Patrick, a former Hurricanes star who works with USF’s defensive linemen, is another member of the Bulls coaching staff.
Patrick won two national titles as a player for the Hurricanes. During his playing career, Patrick was a defensive end. He is inducted into the Miami Sports Hall of Fame and was named a first-team All-American as well as the Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He has been a coach at USF for ten years, this being his third term. Nay’Quan Wright, a running back, and Jason Vaughn, an outside linebacker, are the two Bulls players who have ties to Miami. Wright, a 5-9, 205-pound rushing back, scored 109 yards in the championship game to help Miami Carol City High win the 2016 Class 6A state championship. He spent his first four seasons as a player with the Florida Gators and is currently a sixth-year college student.
Van Dyke Sr. recalled, “I’ve known him since he was a little child playing for the Miami Gardens Chiefs.” “Even back then, he was a running back who killed everybody.” Wright led all USF running backs in both touchdowns (8) and rushing yards (797). His carry average was 4.4 yards. Wright has run for 188 yards, two touchdowns, and an average of 5.7 this season. Wright was questioned about playing his hometown team on Saturday. Wright graduated from USF with a master’s degree in physical education this past spring.
Nayquan Wright, a former running back from Miami Carol City High, is one of the best backs for the USF Bulls, who play the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday night in Tampa, Florida. Thanks to USF Athletics Wright remarked of Miami, “It’s only a big game because USF is playing them.” “My loved ones and the press are going to blow it up like it’s a big game.” However, it’s only the following game in our schedule. Wright wasn’t always reliable the previous year. In contrast to his career-high 186 yards of rushes against Connecticut, he was held without a yard on seven carries against Charlotte.
He was limited to 11 yards on five carries by UAB. “I didn’t make very good decisions in those games, which read to make and stuff like that,” Wright claimed. However, if I follow the guidance and don’t change from my core principles, I can get 1,000 yards or much more. Similar to Wright, Vaughn holds a Master’s degree in Technology and Entrepreneurship. Vaughn, a Miami native, is a 6-5, 245-pound athlete enrolled in his sixth year at USF. In 2022, he recorded five sacks and eight and a half tackles for losses; however, a right knee injury kept him out of action last season. With one and a half tackles for losses in three games, he is on national watch lists for Comeback Player of the Year. Since then, Vaughn has played outside linebacker or defensive end.
Laughing, Vaughn added, “They threw me a pass, and I didn’t catch it.” “They put me on defense, then.” He has remained there ever since, but on the opening play of the 2023 autumn scrimmage, he hurt his right knee, forcing him to take a step back. Regarding his feelings, Vaughn remarked, “It was dark for a little while.” “I was really hurt; I’ve never had an injury before.” Amazingly, Vaughn played with injury for the first four games of the previous season, recording two sacks, before requiring surgery.
Then, he didn’t report for duty until this fall after missing the spring of 2024. “He plays at a high rate of speed,” remarked Patrick, who is familiar with the look of a dominant defensive player. “He’s become an excellent leader and has played a lot of ball.” Vaughn, who is the third-oldest player on the Bulls team at twenty-four, is eager to take on the Hurricanes.
