When South Florida squares off with Western Kentucky in this year’s Miami Beach Bowl, there will be at least 500 South Florida students in attendance. That number may not sound all that impressive. What should be known about that number is the tickets for those 500 students will have been paid for by South Florida head coach Willie Taggart. That’s not just impressive, that is darn right generous.
The head coach of the Bulls is going to pay for the first 500 student tickets sold. That includes students who have already purchased their tickets through the school. Students buying tickets will be getting a $20 reimbursement after actually attending a game. See? There’s a mild catch, but the catch is you have to go to a college football game in Miami. What a sacrifice. Taggart will end up paying up to $10,000 for the tickets, but he can afford it and it’s for a good cause in the grand scheme of things for the program.
“I just want to say thank you to all the USF students that made [Raymond James Stadium] rock this season and I can’t wait to see them all in Miami and turn Marlins Park into Ray Jay South,” Taggart said, per USA Today. “The students are a huge part of our success and we want them to come down and get No. 9 with us.”
#USF Students...this one's on Coach T!
— USF Football (@USFFootball) December 11, 2015
Thank You for 2015...see you in Miami! https://t.co/NTndApNIyT pic.twitter.com/jGMmGjo5bK
The reaction from fans after hearing that @CoachTaggart will reimburse students who buy @MiamiBeachBowl tickets? 😆🤘 pic.twitter.com/ydSwFVMNts
— USF Football (@USFFootball) December 11, 2015
As Taggart continued to explain, USF went 5-1 in home games this season, including a late season victory against Temple to remain in the running for the American Athletic Conference’s East Division (Temple eventually held on to clinch the division and play in the AAC Championship Game).
“We went 5-1 at home this year with the students bringing their energy to Ray Jay and we can’t wait to see them in Miami. Let’s make this the funnest, loudest, most passionate bowl game crowd in USF history.”
