Open season

Depth chart dilemma Monday was not the day for the Bulls. The team lost possible incumbent quarterback Evan Kraky to transfer and team MVP Brian Fisher to an arrest warrant. Now the Bulls are stuck without a whole lot of experience at QB, and a possible sticky situation. By: Nick Margiasso Sports Editor Issue date: 6/10/04 Section: Sports Before they hit the field for spring practice, Brian Fisher and Evan Kraky seemed destined to make an impact in the Bulls' football future. Now, with less than two months until the team resumes practice for the 2004 season, the pair may be doomed to remain stories of USF football past. In less than one week, the Bulls are in danger of losing Fisher, the 2003 season MVP, and have already parted ways with Kraky, the one-time future quarterback. Two warrants were issued for the arrest of Fisher after he failed to appear at his second arraignment, stemming from more than $17,000 in unpaid child support to a pair of Pensacola women and a charge of driving with a suspended license. Fisher has also been a stranger to his required summer courses, thus compounding an already shaky situation with the team. USF football coach Jim Leavitt realizes losing Fisher -- now in a wide receiver and running back role -- would be a big blow to a team looking to make a splash in its last year prior to Big East entry. He also realizes that there's not much he can do. "(Fisher) has got some things he's got to figure out with child support," Leavitt said. "He has to resolve these issues and be academically eligible. Then he'll be able to be with us; otherwise he won't." Fisher wasn't slated to play QB this season, leaving redshirt freshman Evan Kraky in the battle for the role of backup. That was spring; this is now. Kraky was granted his release from the team Monday, a move that surely replaces his playbook studying time with filling out transfer papers. Kraky, the best statistical quarterback in the history of Pennsylvania high-school football -- breaking Ron Powlus' previous passing yardage record with 7,400 yards, including 90 touchdowns -- was considered a recruiting steal for USF even after his ankle problems surfaced, causing Leavitt to redshirt him. However, after showing flashes of the productivity that brought him high-school acclaim during the Bulls' spring practices -- which resulted in Leavitt commenting that Kraky "came along the most" of all the QBs -- and throwing himself into competition with senior Ronnie Banks for the backup job, Kraky was suddenly out of the picture -- and out the door. Leavitt cites the resurfacing ankle injury as the cause for the amicable termination of Kraky's career with the Bulls. "He had surgery on his ankle and we didn't know if he'd ever be able to play again," Leavitt said. "We didn't think he'd ever be able to play our style of offense, the mobile QB." The praise Leavitt lavished upon Kraky during spring ball seemed to have worn off in retrospect. "Had he come a long way? From not playing at all, yes, but he wasn't close to P.J. (Pat Julmiste) and Banks. With the ankle the way it was, he wouldn't have been able to challenge those guys." The nagging ankle injury is apparently severe enough for Leavitt to worry about Kraky's future after USF. "He felt like he could go to a smaller college nearer to home where he wouldn't have to train as hard," Leavitt said. "But will he ever be able to play again? I'm not sure. It'll be difficult, but he's such a good young man." So, with Kraky gone and Fisher unable to battle for his old backup role, these recent events have left the Bulls with a battle for a No. 1 -- and not much else. "P.J. is the starter, but Banks is right behind him," Leavitt said. "But from there we'll be looking at Louis Gachette."

USF safety Williams arrested in Tampa USF junior Carlton Williams, who entered spring practice as the team's starting strong safety, was arrested in Tampa early Friday morning and charged with misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct and obstructing or opposing an officer without violence. Williams, 21, was arrested by Hillsborough County Sheriff's officers at 3:35 a.m. at 1913 Bearss Avenue, which is the address for Bobalouie's Pub, not far from USF's campus. He was booked at 5:08 a.m. and released on $750 bond at 8:28 a.m. Friday. USF started spring football practice Tuesday, and Friday was the team's first day off since practice started. Williams, from Valdosta, Ga., had 43 tackles as a sophomore, starting eight games at free safety after starting 12 as a freshman. He's listed as the team's starting strong safety on the spring depth chart. Williams and coach Jim Leavitt could not initially be reached for comment Friday morning. Posted by Greg Auman at 11:39:53 AM on March 23, 2007 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

I'm looking forward to getting excited about college basketball again. I have season tixs but I mostly go to see the teams were playing. I hope DW brings in a good young coach. Sean Miller from Xavier or John Pelphrey from South Alabama would be great choices. Even Booby Lutz from Charlotte would be great. If not them, then someone who is that type of coach. If DW hires a retread such as a Lappas, Jarvis or Gillen I won't be as happy but I'll support them. Go Bulls

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2007-03-08-coaches-salary-cover_N.htm

Take note of how much money the football program lost last year. Story Tools E-mail this story | Print RELATED STORIES For Memphis, C-USA is out of its league Weaker league hasn't hurt Tigers yet, but school officials, boosters admit concern By Dan Wolken Contact March 8, 2007 From its budget to its national image, there is nothing more important to the University of Memphis' athletic department than the success of its men's basketball program. And as the Tigers begin the Conference USA Tournament today at FedExForum, there is little doubt these are among the greatest times in program history. For the second straight year, Memphis is ranked in the top five nationally. The Tigers have gone 31-1 in C-USA since the league reorganized two years ago and stands on the verge of another top-three seed in the NCAA Tournament. Yet even as Memphis has, in some ways, benefited greatly by dominating an inferior conference, there is long-term concern about the school's conference affiliation among fans, the community of Memphis boosters and even inside the athletic department. Memphis athletic director R.C. Johnson readily admits he would have preferred to be invited into the Big East along with Cincinnati, Louisville, Marquette, DePaul and South Florida, the schools that left C-USA in the biggest conference shakeup this decade. But with that opportunity now gone, Memphis now must wait for the next shifting of the sands while at the same time publicly promoting the virtues of C-USA membership. "Our objective is, No. 1, make Conference USA the best we possibly can," Johnson said. "And No. 2, make our program so good and so strong that if something does happen, and it looks like it's something to the benefit of the Tigers, we're in a good position." In addition to being the league's most prominent coach, John Calipari also must serve as C-USA's loudest spokesman. At every opportunity, he's either talking about its improved RPI this season (from 13th to 11th among all leagues) or the investment schools like Rice (arena renovations), SMU (practice facility), Southern Miss (practice facility) and Central Florida (new arena) are making to improve their programs. Though the lack of NCAA Tournament-level rivals in C-USA hasn't hurt the Tigers' postseason prospects or their recruiting, Calipari must rely on his powers of persuasion until the league shows tangible improvement. "I did this in that other league I was in (the Atlantic 10), and it was kind of the same results," Calipari said. "This is going to be a three-bid league, possibly next year, and two or three teams will go to the NIT. That's where it was three years prior to when it broke up. "So in a short period of time, we've made commitments to saying, this thing is going to be done right. It hasn't hurt our recruiting, our ticket sales, anything. But it has helped us with a No. 1 seed, and what it will do this year, let's see; we'll have to play out." C-USA commissioner Britton Banowsky termed the league's transition in basketball "a project," but said there is a mandate to improve the product significantly. He pointed to schools hiring nationally recognized coaches like UAB's Mike Davis and SMU's Matt Doherty and the capital commitments that are beginning to come to fruition. "I think Cal can attest to the fact that the league is not going to prevent Memphis from achieving whatever goals its men's basketball program has," Banowsky said. "The league is not at the level of competition that we need them to be to be able to give Memphis a test night in and night out. "But I'm really bullish on this league in the future. We feel like the ingredients are there. It's just a matter of time, if we stay focused, that we'll be able to see the results." While the Tigers have indeed blossomed into a national power the past two years, the biggest concern among those close to the program is whether that could continue in C-USA should Calipari leave. Calipari nearly took the North Carolina State job last spring and will likely continue to be hotly pursued by major programs that have openings in the future. For that reason, several prominent boosters advocate Memphis not just position itself for the next conference realignment but to actively pursue membership in another league. "We are a thoroughbred racehorse right now, and we need to be playing basketball with other thoroughbreds," said Rick Spell, who sits on the six-member executive committee of the Tiger Athletic Advisory Board. "Due to John's magnificent marketing and coaching capabilities, the conference is not a concern. And we like our conference members. These are great universities, but I am concerned if John were to not be our coach, would we be able to maintain the high level that Memphis (fans) would want and feel they deserve? "For the long-term viability of our basketball program, there needs to be massive Conference USA improvement, which may not be possible. Therefore, we need a conference that can give us a conference of peers." But which conference would that be? And how would Memphis get there? The Big East already passed on Memphis once, and by signing a new TV deal worth more than $200 million with ESPN, its membership appears stable for the foreseeable future. Though it's easy to envision the league's eight private, non-football schools -- most of whom are currently struggling to compete -- eventually splitting off into their own league and opening slots in the Big East, it's probably a distant scenario. Though there is no current groundswell of conference movement that could have an impact on Memphis, the dominoes could start falling at any time. "I believe the landscape will change again, and there will be another opportunity for the University of Memphis to take a shot at a BCS league," said Alan Graf, executive vice president/CFO at FedEx and a significant Tigers supporter. "You've got Tennessee and Ole Miss, so you wouldn't think they'd want Memphis in the Southeastern Conference. You hear some about whether Arkansas is leaving or not. You hear a lot of rumors from time to time. Obviously, we'd never be in the Big Ten, but they only have 11 teams and would probably like a 12th, so there are things you could see out there starting a sort of chain reaction." In the meantime, what does Memphis do to improve its sales pitch so that it does not get passed over this time? Johnson claims location was the biggest reason Memphis was passed over by the Big East, and that clearly can't be changed. Asked if there were any specific issues that needed to be addressed to make Memphis more attractive, Johnson said, "I really don't think so." "We went through that in talking to the Big East people, and I think the only thing that hurt us was geography. We draw really well. We really do. And our (non-revenue sports) are getting better. We've got some great things going. Media, population, corporate sponsors, stability." But with so much at stake financially, how vigilant does Memphis need to be? With its football program losing $2 million in the last fiscal year -- a figure unlikely to reverse itself without BCS dollars -- Memphis relies greatly on the profits generated by its men's basketball program. Even with profits generated by Tiger Scholarship Fund donations required to purchase season tickets at FedExForum, the athletic department needed a $1.3 million stipend from the university to break even last year. Though basketball attendance hasn't necessarily been hurt by Conference USA, many of the empty seats at FedExForum would likely be filled if Memphis' home schedule included Syracuse, Connecticut and Georgetown. Because of those revenue opportunities provided by a BCS conference, Graf said it's important for Memphis to keep improving its brand, and part of that could include its association with FedEx. "What we've learned from all this is, we've got to continue to keep raising money and improve the facilities on a continual basis," Graf said. "I think R.C. has done the right thing. We've got to continue to raise money. Money is the key. I think we're doing all those things, and there's a terrific amount of corporate support. I think we'll be much better prepared to attack. ... If we get another opportunity, we're going to sell hard."

basketball, maybe we need a new athletic director to plan improvements and create a better atmosphere. Fire Wollard.

Who do I make a check out to and where do I send it?