http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post/_/id/34147/usf-is-getting-trendy-again
USF is getting trendy again
July, 5, 2012
Jul 5
2:00
PM ET
By Andrea Adelson | ESPN.com Recommend1 Tweet8 Comments38 Email Print
Everybody here in the Big East blog family knows the cool cats always hop on the USF bandwagon during the preseason, only to be bounced off midway through the season because of unforeseen bumps in the road.
Us cool cats never learn our lessons, because we just want to look hip and trendy when USF actually does win that elusive Big East championship. So you should not be surprised to see USF at No. 2 in my post-spring power rankings, or Phil Steele choosing the Bulls to win their first Big East championship.
Nor should you be surprised to see USF headline Travis Haney's list of teams ready for a bounce-back season.
USF is always trendy!
In this case, Haney is not picking the Bulls to win the Big East. He is merely saying they are an "under the radar" bounce-back candidate that will contend in the league. He's not going out on a limb the way Steele is, but nonetheless, his choice proves that expectations are raised for the Bulls this season.
I think it is an easy decision to put the Bulls on the five-team list, alongside Texas, Florida State, Washington State and Ohio State. Nobody expects USF to go 5-7 again, with only one win in conference play. Nobody expects the heart-breaker losses to be the epic downfall the way they were a year ago.
What are the expectations? At least from my seat -- this team should win at least nine games. Consider the talent at the skill positions, on the defensive front and a four-year starter at quarterback returning. If this team wins fewer than eight games, it would be a major, major disappointment -- even moreso than what happened a year ago. Because this team has experienced senior starters returning to lead the way, players who know what it's like to underachieve.
There really is no question a bounce-back should be expected.