MikePhillips

This ball was used in the first ever USF game... and this was my ticket stub and the program from that game as well Took it onto the field to take pics.. enjoy!

run run pass punt.. that's our playbook We make sure we can't establish the "up the middle" run twice... before we try a desperation short pass on 3rd down (that the defense is 100% ready for and they only rush 3-4).. then give it back to them That's how we roll... run run pass punt, 3 and out... then back on defense

Then name me a better college football team in Florida right now there is your f’n breaK they just beat UF, the same UF we lost to… in our stadium in front of a sold out crowd bigger than anything USF has ever produced. 70,000 people with standing room only you don’t think that looks awful to recruits? It’s humiliating

One of the most humiliating games for USF football ever Watching UCF come onto our rented home field stadium, and destroy UF in the same year we lost to them and sell the entire place out In our rented stadium humiliated isn’t even a strong enough word word for USF football right now

As someone who lived in Fontana with the original team back in 1996-1998.... I feel like the program was trying to write a book "How to have a college football team, on a shoe string budget" Rent a local stadium... repurpose the old intramural fields... They did absolutely nothing, with any of the momentum, any of the marquee wins we had in the past, with anything that they could have built on. This college and the administrations, all had the same entitled mentality. "We placed in the top 25 last year... we will do it again, and every year and forever! We are a top 25 football team now! And we did it on the cheap! Rented stadium and a repurposed old intramural field.... pennies on the dollar!" The other problem with RayJay, is that there is nothing around there. Strip clubs? There is zero atmosphere around that stadium when USF comes to play. If you don't bring your own party to the tailgate, you are just parking and walking up the gate. We have squeezed this program for every drop of juice we are going to get, with the bootstrap budget they've given them. We have almost nothing to show in regards to investment, for the 25 years of wins, top 25 finishes, 25 years of season ticket sales, sponsorships, TV deals, wins.... etc Sure... we upgraded the locker room this past year... but only because Coach Scott demanded it. It's time to invest, or fold. And no, it's not our fault that fans aren't showing up. We've had a half dozen coaches in the last decade, we've had 3 good .800+ seasons in the past 20 years, we've been left behind TWICE in conference realignment.... They need to invest first, build the product, then people will start to come. Starts from the top down. Stop scraping the football money for other athletics programs, invest in the program, that'll get the better players, which will improve the teams performance, and then the fans will return.

The #1 and only tradition we had, was Leavitt coming back the next year We knew, year after year after year, that Leavitt was coming back the year after From 1996 to the last day of his coaching tenure at USF, we knew he was coming back. It was literally our ONLY tradition. The coach who started the program, was coming back the next year. What other traditions have we had in the past 15 years? The sway? When they fired Leavitt, that's what we lost... the peace of mind knowing that he was coming back the next year. And that momentum alone, was HUGE for a program with zero administration support, using a rented stadium 20 miles away from campus with no traditions or history. Now we are a bus stop for lost coaches... if they suck, we fire them in 2 years. If they are decent, they leave in 3 years and go to Oregon. But now? The only guarantee is that our head coach will leave us Not a question of if.. just when. We are now a 2-3 year bus stop for head coaches on their way up, or on their way down. Going to take at least 6-10 years to bring this back to anything resembling a decent football program. We aren't any better than FAU or FIU in the Florida

I'm not trying to save face... this is DIRECT information from inside Athletics After the Bucs Superbowl, and prior to UCF being moved up, the tone across the university was "Why do we need an OCS? They just played the superbowl in the same stadium as USF plays their home games" Then UCF gets moved up and we got embarassed and humiliated. That changed the tone Also, I was right about the IPF and it's location, and when it was going to break ground.... so my sources are legit I'm not trying to save face, I've never met a single person from this forum. I'm just a USF alumini, who was there in 1996 living in Fontana Hall, when they were getting this whole program off the ground. I played intramural softball with Bill Gramatica, Sean Hay, and Jason Butler. I lived with Leon Matthews on the 10th floor of Fontana, off the OG team. I have a VERY, VERY good friend inside of USF Athletics. I have a ball used in the first ever USF football game, given to me by Ryan Benjamin. It's sitting right next to my program from the first game, along with my stubs from the first game. Both autographed by Jim Leavitt I could care less what my "face" looks like to any of you. I'm trying to share good quality information with my fellow USF fans.

I want to post some updates.... UCF moving up, has shaken the University to the absolute core. Will Weatherford, who is basically positioning to be the next Governer of Florida to take Desantis's place, wants USF to have an on-campus stadium USF currently has 4 years left on it's lease at Raymond James. They do not, and most likely will not renew their lease with Raymond James. They want to have the OCS built in 4 years. Also, Judy Genshaft was NOT an University Athletics supporter. Many athletics departments, not just football, couldn't stand Judy. All she wanted was her research endowment fund (which I was told is approaching 700+ million dollars)... she could care less about athletics Will Weatherford, will not make that same mistake twice, in regards to having a University President who doesn't care about athletics. The interim president Steven Currall, will most likely be gone in a year or two. The next president, will be brought in and be 100% pro-athletics and pro-football In regards to the location of the OCS, it's going to be close to the current athletics center near the baseball fields. They don't want the football players to leave the locker room, and have to travel across the campus or off the campus. So we can expect the new OCS to be as close to the IPF and Athletics center as possible The tone has drastically changed, with UCF moving up. It was a major embarassment for the university, and Weatherford will make the OCS happen. 4 years... USF has 4 years remaining on the Raymond James lease. Weatherford absolutely 100% does not want to renew. In regards to the future... USF is already eyeing a new conference... a conference that has no representation in Florida whatsoever. Maybe Big 10? Pac-12? The tone has definitely changed, after being humiliated by UCF moving up....

What we lost, when we lost Leavitt... was the knowledge that he was coming back the following year He was the founder of the program, and we knew that he was coming back the next year. He was our Bowden. I genuinely think, he would have still been with us in 2021, even to this day had they not fired him What we lost, was the peace of mind, knowing that our FOUNDING COACH was coming back the next year. Now? We are a revolving door for unemployed coaches. If they suck, we fire them in 2 years. If they are good? They are gone in 3 We will never, ever, ever get that security back. Jeff Scott is gone the instant we become bowl eligible, he isn't sticking around either We took a chance on Leavitt, and Leavitt took a chance on USF. We will never get that peace of mind back. Holtz was gone in 2 years, Taggart gone in 3, Strong gone in 2 We are just a waiting room for average coaches, to keep busy doing something while they search for better jobs. I'd rather go 7-4 with Leavitt, than 9-2 with another coach who's going to Oregon next year. We lost every bit of momentum when we lost Leavitt

The faster he can get this team bowl eligible, the faster he can move to a new university. He isn't here for more than 2-3 total years tops. He wants to pull a Taggart and get this program above .500 and go to a new school. This is why we need culture at this school, somehow or some way. Because we will ALWAYS be a revolving door school for head football coaches. They'll be here 2 years if they suck, 3 years if they are good... and then they are gone.

enough money to significantly increase our research endowment LOL

For those who might remember, my post on Feb 8th that called EXACTLY what happened in regards to the Indoor Practice Facility- The same source confirmed to me that USF will NEVER have an on-campus Football Stadium. Why? State Subsidies is what he said State Subsidies, which are given based on how old your university is, is why USF won't ever have an on-campus stadium. We don't get nearly enough of State Subsidies to pay for the on campus stadium. Also, with the Super Bowl being hosted in Tampa just recently, the USF logic is "Why would we build our own stadium, when the Superbowl was just hosted in the same stadium USF plays at.... how many college football programs can say they play their home games, in the same place that just hosted the Superbowl?" He confirmed (just like he confirmed the time and location with the IPF) that it's absolutely never going to happen for USF.

I told you

I don't want to sound "more important" than anyone. I have a VERY dear friend of mine, who I've known for 10+ years, who works inside of USF Athletics He has said, that part of Jeff Scott's demands to come here, was to have an indoor practice facility built He said that the estimated cost was about 20 million, and they have 90% of that money secured Shovels in the dirt, around or just after spring break. He said the location will be behind the athletics building (see attached) I don't want to give this person's name out, but I 1000000000000000000% would gamble my house on his word alone. This gentleman is not a BS'r by any stretch of the imagination The money is there, the location is there, the demands from the new head coach are there, he said shovels in the dirt, around March Spring Break

No alcohol for me... just marijuana please I'll be bringing my oil pen and I don't expect much left in it when the game is over

I'm calling Visa and filing a chargeback for the $5 I spent on ESPN+ I refuse to believe this is USF Football... I think those players are actually from Greco Middle School, up on Fowler Final score is going to be 48 to 10... I'm filing a chargeback, if they have any decency or any heart whatsoever, they'll understand

I was at that game.. we genuinely handed them the win 5+ times.. .they finally said "fine... we will win the game if you insist.."

Quickbooks Online would work perfect for you. Accounting Software is meant to basically track 4 things Cash In (income) Cash Out (expenses) Who owes you (income) Who you owe (expenses) Keep in mind, 99% of accounting software is meant for people who have no experience in accounting.

We stayed until the end, a lot of people left. I brought my neighbor Tony and it was the first USF athletics game he's ever attended Most insane ending I've ever seen in person LOL Easily one of the most exciting USF games I've been to in quite some time. We absolutely lost our minds when that 3 pointer went in LOL SO much fun!!

I don't see how you could look at him as a pouter or a quitter. He's got talent, he's trying to find an outlet to earn a living with his talent. Sitting on the bench, on a losing 0-4 team in any league isn't going to do him any favors in his athletics career. Him walking out, shows he has respect for himself and wants more for himself, and expects more from himself. Good on him, it took that team 2+ games to score one touchdown and he was the one who did it. I don't think that's fair to call him a pouter or a quitter, he wants more responsibility and that's honorable

Went to the game... was fun... The generic sound effects of the players during the play is just... weird... sounds like a video game. I think I'd rather have silence or hear music. The crowd was chanting "We want Flowers!" most of the game. Seemed to piss off a few other people, saw a few other fans stand up and yell back The hissing and the arm motion is kinda weird... kinda fun too I guess. I dunno... was fun. Liked the music, liked the atmosphere, wasnt a bad way to spend a gorgeous afternoon. I'll go back. They only had the lower bowl open, none of the 200 level was open.

UCF has not only exceeded us, but they've lapped us They've built their own OCS, they've built a following, and the last time we actually were better than them, George W Bush was in office They went from 0 wins... literally zero wins... to a culture, an on campus stadium, and we've been left stagnant and idling We did nothing with our successes in the late 2000's.. nothing With the exception of maybe a new athletic building, we are playing in the same rented stadium we've been playing in since 1999. They've lapped us... and until we get our own IPF and OCS, they'll continue with the lead

USF Athletics hired a good friend of mine, Brian Specia as a Sales Manager. He was one of the group sales managers for the Lightning and Amalie Arena... he then went to Las Vegas on a contract to help get the Las Vegas Golden Knights ticket sales up. They picked him up for 2020. The guy is razor sharp, and is going to do some amazing promotions and campaigns with the athletic programs. I was super happy to hear he got the job. USF has always been a bit muted for advertising and promotions in the Bay area. His team is already implementing tons of new promotions and campaigns. Can't wait for 2020!!

I don't see anything disrespectful They've beat us 5 out of the last 7 times Probably next year too, which will be 6 out of the last 8 times They've beat us 3 times in a row. I could care less what happened 12+ years ago. They've absolutely curb stomped us. He's got every right to say that. What are we going to do to stop them?

https://247sports.com/college/south-florida/Article/juco-east-los-angeles-college-sione-tuitupou-commits-to-usf-bulls-137877994/