GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Editor's note: The video above is from a related story.
It's homecoming weekend for the University of South Florida Bulls.
Tampa native and current Florida Gator Zach Carter has just one problem – getting all his fans into the stands.
The fifth-year senior defensive end is pleading with teammates to help him round up enough tickets for Saturday's game, where the Gators and Bulls face off.
Carter is trying to satisfy two lists: one from his mom and another for his friends. He says "if I can get 40, I’ll take it.”
The 6-foot-4, 285-pound defensive end certainly is a bigger draw after notching a career-high three sacks in a 35-14 victory over Florida Atlantic.
His performance earned him Southeastern Conference’s co-defensive lineman of the week honors.
There were times last season that Carter considered turning pro, but after ending the year with a three-game losing streak, he was longing for more, AP reports.
“Personally, when I looked back on last season, I had a solid year, but I just knew there were a lot of plays I left out there on the field, a lot of sacks I left out there,” he said to AP.
“I just knew I had to put in that work this offseason to go out there in Week 1 and execute like that.”
AP says Carter now has 12½ career sacks and 20½ tackles for loss.
But those numbers don't even start to compare to the number of tickets he needs for family and friends to see him play against the Bulls at the Raymond James Stadium for the first time.
“Man, I’ve been waiting for this game, honestly,” he said to AP.
“I haven’t played a game back home in like five years, so I’m excited to get out there, front of the home crowd. Got a lot of people trying to come support me, so I’m just excited to get out there.”