Jim Johnson

USF Shorts Published: Sep 30, 2004 The women's golf team hosts the Beacon Woods Invitational this weekend at Beacon Woods Golf Club in Bayonet Point. Included in the 12-team field are Louisville, Southern Miss and UCF. USF is coming off a fourth-place finish at the Napa River Grill Cardinal Cup, Sept. 20-21 in Louisville, Ky., where sophomores Daniella Ronderos and Kylene Pulley tied for seventh. * Sophomore D Kareem Smith was named Conference USA's men's soccer defender of the week. It marks the third consecutive week a Bull has been honored. GK Dane Brenner won the award the previous two weeks. USF visits Florida International on Sunday before hosting Memphis on Oct. 9. * ``A colossal mistake.'' - A television executive describing how ESPN Regional Television let the satellite feed expire after four hours, causing viewers to miss the final two plays of USF's double-OT football win at TCU on Saturday night

John Gerdes, Assistant Director of Athletics 974-4086 gerdes@admin.usf.edu

Let's talk hypothetical for a sec - to see where Louisville could be IF they beat Miami - @ Miami These are all 11 of the games featuring two teams currently ranked ahead of Louisville between today the week BEFORE USF plays Louisville. Georgia, LSU & Wisconsin play 2 higher ranked teams. 17 of the 21 teams ahead of Louisville have a game against a Top 21 opponent. Note: E = ESPN Coaches Poll, A = AP Poll Week of 10/2 LSU (#13 A, #13 E) @ Georgia (#3 A, #3 E) Auburn (#8 A, #9 E) @ Tennesee (#10 A, #8 E) Week of 10/9 Wisconsin (#20 A, #20 E) @ Ohio State (#7 A, #6 E) Minnesota (# 18 A, #19 E) @ Michigan (#19 A, #18 E) LSU (#13 A, #13 E) @ Florida (#16 A, #16 E) Tennessee (#10 A, #8 E) @ Georgia (#3 A, #3 E) California (#10 A, #10 E) @ USC(#1 A, #1 E) Texas (#5 A, #5 E) @ Oklahoma (#2 A, #2 E) Week of 10/16 Wisconsin (#20 A, #20 E) @ Purdue (#15 A, #15 E) Arizona State (#21 A, #25 E) @ USC(#1 A, #1 E) Virginia (#12 A, #12 E) @ Florida State (#9 A, #11 E) Louisville (#22 A, #22 E) @ Miami So, I figure LSU could be #15 - #12 coming in to the matchup against USF if the Cardinals can manage to pull off the upset in Coral Gables. Arizona State, Wisconsin, Minnesota/Michigan, LSU, Florida, Tennesee, Auburn, California Virginia/FSU, & Georgia could drop some in the polls - creating an opening for the Cardinals to move up 7 to 10 spots.

It's not like have SO MANY choices... Football at the Soccer stadium? Maybe Trpicana Field can be re-done? We all know an on-campus stadium is still 10+ years away...

Memphis was boosted so much that Lee Corse actually predicted they would be one of the three undefeated teams this year (Southern Cal & Oklahoma).

Yeah, he may come to USF to play he's been to a few of our summer camps... oh, you meant STEVE... I seriously doubt we would make a change at head coach -- but Spurrier would make a GREAT Offensive coordinator. :-) Gotta like the props for CJL on the Cards' board.

Right -- but you said we'd have to do that to be close ... I think if we win the next four, we're getting votes - probably more than just a few -- to me that's "close".

Does anyone have records about how televising home games affects attendance?? It would be interesting to see if there has been any effect in recent years.

From the St Pete Times: Senior might return to original position By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer Published September 29, 2004 TAMPA - Is Bruce Gipson headed back to playing primarily on defense? A surprising guest appearance at cornerback late in Saturday's double-overtime win against Texas Christian could be a sign of things to come for the versatile senior. Asked which side Gipson would be playing on, coach Jim Leavitt said, "probably both." But Gipson, a cornerback the past two seasons before shifting to receiver this spring, hinted he could be spending more time on defense than offense. "Possibly, but I can't really say," Gipson said Tuesday. "It's all on the coaches. Wherever they want me to play, I have no problem. I'll play offensive line if they want me to. I don't want to get down in the trenches, but as long as I'm helping the team." In three games at receiver, Gipson has a modest five catches for 28 yards. His experience would be an asset on defense, where freshman Danny Verpaele is starting at strong safety and redshirt freshmen Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams are platooning at one cornerback spot. Gipson played some of the fourth quarter and both overtimes at cornerback Saturday and blocked a field goal in the fourth quarter. His success was more impressive because one week earlier, his stepbrother, 21-year-old Del'Trone Gomilla, drowned while saving a family from a rip current. "I think it was extraordinary," Leavitt said of Gipson's performance, which came one day after he and teammate Javan Camon, a friend of both since childhood, were pallbearers at Gomilla's funeral. "It's a lot for a young guy to handle, and I think Bruce and Javan did an admirable job." Gipson wrote his stepbrother's initials on his shoes and on the tape wrapped around his ankles. And he wrote a message on the tape he put around his belt: "Del, We love you." "I knew he wanted me to play. I knew he was looking down on me to make something happen," Gipson said. "And I dedicated the game to him." Gipson's stepmother, Kimberly, is home and recovering after a heart attack sustained when she learned of her son's death. Before Saturday's game, Gipson's father will bring him a shirt with Gomilla's picture on the front. "I'll wear that shirt for the rest of the year," he said. SEEING YELLOW: USF leads Division I-A in penalties and penalty yards, averaging 12.67 for 103 yards in three games. "It will be hard for us to be very successful (if it continues)," Leavitt said. "Maybe we can lead the nation in penalties and win. We've got to play more disciplined if we expect to make a run at everything. All you can hope is that the guys see that." MORE TV GAMES: Sunshine will air the only remaining games not previously designated for broadcast, home against East Carolina on Nov.13 and at Cincinnati on Nov.20. The Cincinnati broadcast is contingent on the Bearcats approving a change in the kickoff from 1 p.m. to 3:30. POSSESSION OF DIRT: Several players, savoring Saturday's win, took plugs of turf from the field as souvenirs to be buried FSU-style in a "Sod Cemetary." "They left last year with grass in their palms, and we left with grass in our palms," said running back Andre Hall, who scored four touchdowns. The most amusing aftermath came from killerfrogs.com, where fans complained police stood by while the Bulls "vandalized" their field. More classless than the grass theft, they lamented, was the way USF "waited until almost everyone was gone to throw the contents of (the) ice chests onto the playing field." "We all know that ice will kill grass, and it was no accident that he carried 2 ice chests from deep behind the sidelines and tossed 5-10 pounds of ice onto the field," one post reads. "The same cop watched him as well." THIS AND THAT: After 10 matches on the road, the volleyball team finally gets to play at home at 7 p.m. Friday against Charlotte in the Conference USA opener for both. USF (2-8) has been close in recent losses, including 30-28, 28-30, 30-21, 32-30 at Central Florida on Friday. ... Despite two recent ties, the men's soccer team (5-0-2) will be unbeaten halfway through its season if it can avoid a loss tonight at Florida Atlantic. Defender Kareem Smith was C-USA's co-defensive player of the week, the third consecutive week a Bull has claimed at least a share of that honor.

From the St. Pete Times: Got a Minute? Joe Bain By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer Published September 29, 2004 I see you have a pair of praying hands tattooed on your left forearm. Tell me about the other ones you have On my right wrist, it says "ninetynine boys," a group of friends back home in Dade City. They graduated in '99, and I didn't graduate until 2001. But since I hung with them, they let me do that. Another one says "One life to live," and that's how I try to live my life every day. The praying hands, I got that with my brothers, Michael and Maurice, same arm, same spot. On my neck, I have my mother's name, "Cheryl." I got that for her on her 45th birthday. Another Pasco High receiver, Johnny Peyton, almost made a tremendous catch for his first career reception Saturday. How's he coming along? He's coming along real well. He's going to get his hands on it, and it's going to be exciting. That catch Saturday, the ground caused it to come out, but it was an ESPN-type catch right there. When the game went to overtime, did it help you guys to know you won three games in double overtime last year? I had never played in overtime before, but I wasn't worried. When we went into overtime, I kind of felt we were going to win. We won three of them that way already, so it's second nature.

I don't know, Omni -- after USM and Army, we have two games on National TV -- meaning AP reporters and MAYBE some coaches will probably get to see some segment of the games. A 6-1 USF team with wins @ Louisville and @ UAB should get some votes... Wins over ECU, Cincy, and Memphis - and we will be 9-1... that sounds good enough for Top 25 to me heading into a Pitt game that should be on TV somewhere...

USFFan -- it would be enforced that way only if penalty occured before the receiving team actually gains possession of the kick -- this is true of punts, safety free kicks, and technically field goals as well.

Okay -- I read the play by play on GoUSFBulls.com and I was wrong. My guess is that the holding occurred before USF took possession - I don't recall how the kick played out, but if it bounced or took a few seconds for the returner to catch it, it's possible. If that is the case, then the penalty would be enforced from the previous spot - i.e. the 35 yard line. As for enfocement of the out-of-bounds... From the rulebook:

USF didn't hold on that kick, they were offsides. TCU had the option of taking the result of the return (which was like the 30 yard line) or rekicking from the 40 instead of the 35. Obviously TCU had thought they could stop USF short of the 30, or they would not have re-kicked the ball. When it went out of bounds, the USF penalty actually gave us a positive five-yards.

Doug ... I think if the Bulls win the next four we will be close to the Top 25 -- IF NOT in it... USM, Army, Louisville on National TV, & UAB on National TV . I know CJL takes it one game at a time, but if we can win three of these next four games, we will be doing very well - and one win away from going to a bowl! {Win all four, and we get a bowl game!}

RUN: You can run out of the spread -- IF it is more off-tackle or pitch... the spread doesn't do well against run blitzes or runs up the middle - not enough blocking against seven or eight in the box. HUDDLE: Bear in mind that the entire play is sent in from the sideline -- having the whole team look at the coach sending the play in actually makes it easier to make sure they are all on the same line. Moreover, it makes it a little harder for the defense to match up... the problem is, we don't run a true no-huddle, because we often take 20 seconds to run the play, which gives the defense the chance to try an match up. SWITCHING: Running more than one back helps with stamina and reduces the risk of injury. It also prevents the defense from keying on one player... "Hall is in - gonna be a run." JMHO

They still moved us up from 53 to 49...

In the annoying voice of Al Keck... Your SOUTH FLORIDA Bulls will win this week by a score of 26-17, against a tough Southern Mississippi squad coming off a conference championship season. Your SOUTH FLORIDA Bulls will gain 322 yards against that tought Golden Eagle defense, with wide receiver Joe Bain leading the way.

It's not sudden death. Teams alternate possessions from the 25-yard line until one team is ahead after both teams have had one posession. There is a coin toss after each set of posessions. Starting with the 3rd possession, teams must go for 2 on the PAT. A - If defensive pass interference occurs within 15 yards of the previous line of scrimmage, the offense gets an automatic first down at the spot of the foul. If it happens more than 15 yards downfield, then it is a 15-yard penalty and automatic first down. B - Catchable is in the opinion of the officials. From the rulebook: "When in question, a legal forward pass is catchable." C - From the rulebook: (Team A = offense; Team B=defense_ Offensive pass interference by a Team A player beyond the neutral zone during a legal forward pass play in which a forward pass crosses the neutral zone is contact that interferes with a Team B eligible player. It is the responsibility of the offensive player to avoid the opponents. It is not offensive pass interference (A.R. 7-3-8-VI, VII, XIII, XVIII and XIX): 1. When, after the snap, a Team A ineligible player immediately charges and contacts an opponent at a point not more than one yard beyond the neutral zone and does not continue the contact more than three yards beyond the neutral zone. 2. When two or more eligible players are making a simultaneous and bona fide attempt to reach, catch or bat the pass. Eligible players of either team have equal rights to the ball (A.R. 7-3-8-XII). 3. When the pass is in flight and two or more eligible players are in the area where they might receive or intercept the pass and an offensive player in that area impedes an opponent, and the pass is not catchable. From the rulebook: Roughing or Running Into Kicker or Holder ARTICLE 3. a. When it is obvious that a scrimmage kick will be made, no opponent shall run into or rough the kicker or the holder of a place kick (A.R. 5-2-2-I and A.R. 9-1-3-I, III and VI). 1. Roughing is a personal foul that endangers the kicker or holder. 2. Running into the kicker or holder is a foul that occurs when the kicker or holder is displaced from his kicking or holding position but is not roughed (A.R. 9-1-3-II). 3. Incidental contact with a kicker or holder is not a foul. 4. The kicker and holder must be protected from injury, but contact that occurs when or after a scrimmage kick has been touched is not roughing or running into the kicker or holder. 5. The kicker of a scrimmage kick loses protection as a kicker when he has had a reasonable time to regain his balance (A.R. 9-1-3-IV). 6. A defensive player legally blocked into the kicker or holder by a member of the kicking team is not exempt from fouls for running into or roughing the kicker or holder. A defensive player illegally blocked into the kicker or holder by a member of the kicking team is exempt from fouls for running into or roughing the kicker or holder. 7. When a player, other than one who blocks a scrimmage kick, runs into or roughs the kicker or holder, it is a foul. 8. When in question whether the foul is “running into’’ or “roughing,’’ the foul is “roughing.’’ a) Yes Yes c) Yes d) Not necessarily (see below) e) Yes, unfortunately... No player shall grasp the face mask or any helmet opening of an opponent. The open hand may be used legally on the mask (A.R. 9-1-2-XV). PENALTYâ€â€Live-ball foul, basic spot. Defensive team: Five yards for incidental grasping (not an automatic first down) [s45]; 15 yards for twisting, turning or pulling; and a first down for Team B fouls if the first down is not in conflict with other rules. Offensive team: 15 yards from the basic spot (Exception: Offensive team facemask fouls behind the neutral zone are enforced from the previous spot. Safety if the foul occurs behind Team A’s goal line). All dead-ball fouls: 15 yards from the succeeding spot and a first down for a Team B foul if the first down is not in conflict with other rules [s7, S38 and S45]. Flagrant offenders shall be disqualified [s47]. When in question, it is twisting, turning or pulling. SOURCE: http://www.ncaa.org/library/rules/2004/2004_football_rules.pdf

Hard to take them seriously... CFN has the Fort Worth Bowl as C-USA #6 vs Big 12 Other projections:

From the Tampa Tribune USF's New Tradition Blooms After OT Victory By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com Published: Sep 27, 2004 FORT WORTH, Texas - Seconds after Texas Christian's Reeves Dalton couldn't handle center Andrew Calovich's extra point snap in double overtime, giving South Florida an improbable 45-44 victory, several Bulls fell to the ground. Some may have collapsed in exhaustion, but the majority of the Bulls were delivering on a promise they made to Coach Jim Leavitt. The Bulls had designated their Conference USA opener as their first-ever ``Sod Game'' and started pulling out handfuls of the Carter Stadium turf. ``I've got some purple and white grass right here that I'm taking back,'' USF senior tackle Derrick Sarosi said. The Bulls plan to build a ``Sod Cemetery,'' burying turf brought home from an opponent's field after a big win. ``I'm not sure where we'll put the cemetery,'' USF senior Javan Camon said. ``How about inside the entrance to the practice field?'' How about the Bulls? USF (2-1, 1-0 C-USA) overcame two seven-point deficits in the final four minutes of regulation to force overtime and end TCU's 15-game home regular-season winning streak. The Bulls, who won an NCAA record three double OT games last year, are 5-0 all- time in overtime. ``We're real good in overtime,'' Camon said. There were plenty of standouts during the 4-hour marathon, but Leavitt said there was no doubt about the night's biggest play. With TCU leading 24-17 with 6:48 remaining in regulation, senior Bruce Gipson blocked TCU's 34-yard field goal attempt. ``That was huge,'' Leavitt said. ``That would have been it. That would have been the ballgame.'' Still down 7, quarterback Pat Julmiste then drove the Bulls 68 yards for the tying score. Julmiste hit running back Andre Hall on a 17-yard touchdown pass on fourth down. The Bulls' offense, which was the nation's third worst after two games, rolled up 407 yards. For the first time in USF history the Bulls had a 300- yard passer (Julmiste 22 of 33, 324 yards), 100-yard rusher (Hall, 119 yards) and 100-yard receiver (Joe Bain, 110 yards). ``We just jelled,'' Julmiste said. ``We just had to step up. The last two games we hadn't. Big time players step in big time games and we stepped up as a team.'' Added USF offensive coordinator Mike Hobbie: ``We had clutch plays, big plays. Where we weren't making plays the first two games, we did [saturday]. We've had people open [the first two games] and didn't get the ball to them. This time, Pat put the ball where he needed and the receivers caught it.'' Hobbie said Hall's performance - 228 all-purpose yards, tied for the fourth-most in school history and a school- record tying four TDs - was no surprise. Hall, though, was somewhat surprised. ``I haven't ever seen our offense like that, even in practice,'' Hall said. ``The guys really stepped up and the offensive line blocked very well.'' Hall, Julmiste, Bain and S.J. Green (seven catches, 98 yards) highlighted the offense. One of the biggest contributions on defense came from Gipson. A day after being a pallbearer at his brother's funeral, Gipson started at wide receiver. In the second half with the Bulls' secondary tiring, Gipson took it upon himself and entered the game at cornerback - without the coaches' knowledge. ``Somebody said they were tired, so I just went out there,'' Gipson said. ``I was just trying to help the team.'' Gipson admitted he was worn out, attending Friday's funeral in Port Charlotte and then playing both ways. ``This one was for [his brother] Del' Trone [Gomilla], I know he was up there watching us,'' Gipson said. Camon, who is Gipson and Gomilla's cousin, also was a pallbearer. ``You have to play your hearts out and we played this game for Del' Trone,'' Camon said. ``When you come out victorious and you know you played your hearts out, it makes it that much sweeter.'' Sarosi said the sweetest part of the night was quieting TCU's crowd and avenging last year's loss to TCU that stopped USF's 21-game home winning streak. ``The players on our team have the biggest hearts,'' Sarosi said. ``I'm so proud of the receivers, our quarterback threw for some numbers. It was some great stuff. ``The best part of the night, though, was quieting the TCU fans. Let's just say they're not very Christian. We listened most of the night because we don't talk until after we get a `W.' '' Limping to the team bus carrying a piece of Carter Stadium turf, Sarosi was talking loud and clear. ODDS AND ENDS: Because of Hurricane Jeanne, the Bulls couldn't return to Tampa until today. ... Among the players who didn't make the trip to TCU: SS Johnnie Jones (neck, back) and DLs Matt Groelinger (concussion) and Allen Cray (death of his aunt). Sarosi (knee) and OG Chris Carothers (ankle) suffered injuries, but should play Saturday against Southern Miss.

I didn't realize that the hurricane hit Fort Worth. Apparently, EVERYONE lost the feed -- according to posts on antoher thread -- not just ABC 28 in Tampa. Therefore, there was some other problem... either a technical one they couldn't avoid or something else. In any case, the problem was in Fort Worth, not Tampa. And, Triple... I posted the email addresses so people could comment on any aspect of the coverage... including how unbearable it is to watch Al Keck and Doug Graber.

My bad. Don't know them all by face.

It's easy... commit penalties and you sit. Players want to play- and if you take that away from them, they'll learn. At the same time, many of the penalties come from being very aggressive. This aggressiveness is part of the reason USF has been so successful If players become more cautious to avoid penalties, they might also have problems not being agressive enough. Catch-22?

Mike Hobbie was pissed after that fumble. He yelled at PJ about it -- you could see him give the signal... probably said "when you give the signal you have to concentrate and watch" and it looked like PJ said "but he [Hall/Cross?] was saying something"... Man Hobbie was smoking mad, though... even non-lip readers could see the expletive...