UCF safety Quadric Bullard battles back from injuries to make an impact for Knights
Quadric Bullard could only watch as his UCF teammates battled to the American Athletic Conference championship game before finishing 2-3 last season.
An undisclosed injury forced the junior safety to miss the second half of the season, and for a brief moment Bullard thought his career might be over.
“When I first got injured, I was just sitting in my room 24/7 and I honestly thought about hanging it up,” said Bullard. “Like maybe this is where my football career ends.
“But talking with my parents and with [secondary] Coach [David] Gibbs, it was like it’s not over yet.”
Bullard is healthy, and any thoughts of calling it a career are clearly behind him as he helps anchor UCF’s secondary, which also features starting cornerbacks Brandon Adams and Corey Thornton.
There also are several experienced transfers in DeJordan Mask (Texas State), Decorian Patterson (Middle Tennessee State), Fred Davis (Clemson) and Jireh Wilson (East Carolina).
Bullard and the secondary should be tested again when UCF (1-0, 0-0 Big 12) faces Boise State (0-1, 0-0 MWC) on Saturday night at Albertsons Stadium. The Knights, who defeated Kent State 56-6 last week, hope to open a season 2-0 for the first time since 2021.
Bullard had two tackles in 16 snaps against the Golden Flashes and was targeted once, allowing 12 yards on the catch.
He admits when he stepped on the field last week, there were nerves.
“It was the first time I was going back into tackling someone,” said Bullard. “But after that first hit, I was like, ‘Okay, I’m back. I’m back and I’m feeling good.’ The nervousness went away and I was good after that.”
Bullard used his time away from the field to step back and help his teammates.
“The role I took wasn’t really as a leader, but more like a GA [graduate assistant],” he said. “I talked to some of the young DBs or even the new guys who came in and asked them if you need help. I pretty much know the defensive playbook.”
The Dania Beach native has appeared in 31 games in the three-plus seasons at UCF, accounting for 124 tackles, six tackles for loss, two sacks, nine passes defended and two forced fumbles.
Injuries have severely limited his performance, including missing seven games in 2022. Bullard finished with 27 tackles, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a blocked kick.
The year before, he suffered a torn ligament in his left shoulder but started all 13 games.
“I’ve been through many injuries,” he said. “I can’t give up right now. This is just one more injury to add to the story.”
Email Matt Murschel at mmurschel@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @osmattmurschel.