TAMPA, Fla. — USF senior running back Nay'Quan Wright has had a winding road en route to the best season of his college career.
Wright was 11 years old when he was hit by a stray bullet during a drive-by shooting at his youth football practice in Miami Gardens. He broke his ankle before his junior year of high school, and some college recruiters backed off.
Wright earned a scholarship to the University of Florida, but he struggled to find his footing as the featured back. After four seasons in Gainesville, Wright transferred to USF to get a fresh start—with his faith and commitment still intact.
"It may waiver at times, but I never lost faith. It waivers at times, you know what I mean? I’m human," Wright explained after practice. "As it waives, I just go back to praying. My great-grandma got me into church. She’s actually 97 right now. I just kept praying, believing in [God]. My faith’s all in Him."
Wright admits USF wasn't even on his radar until the Bulls coaching staff contacted him at the last minute.
"December, January… I didn’t hear from these guys until a week before [I signed]," he said. "That process was kinda rushed. It was rushed, but everything seemed so perfect. Everything fit."
USF quarterback Byrum Brown said Wright fit in immediately to the Bulls locker room.
"When he first came in, he was a leader. He was very vocal. Guys listen to him, and he leads by example, as well," Brown said as he described Wright. "And he’ll be the first to say, ‘Get on me if I’m doing something wrong.’ So, just having that guy on the team is great."
Wright leads the team with 590 rushing yards, and his 186 against Connecticut was an American Conference season-high. He said the key for the Bulls' running game to find continued success is going to be their ability to listen.
"The coaches stay on us. They lead. Just us, all the running backs in the room. We just push each other in practice. It all starts in practice," Wright continued. "We just picked up our practice habits. Finishing blocks, finishing runs. If the success comes, it comes, but it all starts in practice."
For Wright, his goal is to keep leading a rebuild that's seen the Bulls win as many games this season (four) as they did in the previous three years combined.
He said the wins won't happen on Saturdays if the team doesn't take care of business during the week.
"We’re just working every day to be 1 and 0. Losing is unacceptable," he added. "It all starts in practice. I know, I mean, it can sound pretty cliche, but I really think if you go hard in practice, it will show up in the game."
USF (4-4) travels to Memphis (6-2) this weekend. Kickoff is set for Saturday at 3 p.m.
