It's official: USF Names Offensive Coordinat

[Brad]

From the USF SID Office

USF Promotes Rod Smith to Offensive Coordinator; Greg Gregory Added to Staff

(May 31, 2005) TAMPA, FLA. -- Rod Smith, the pass game coordinator for the USF football team for the past four seasons, will assume the title of offensive coordinator in 2005, replacing Mike Hobbie, who resigned April 18. Additionally, Greg Gregory, formerly an offensive coordinator at Ohio University and Army has been named an offensive assistant coach for the Bulls, USF head coach Jim Leavitt announced today.

“Rod has done a great job for us for four years as our pass game coordinator,” said Leavitt. “We really wanted to keep a sense of continuity and Rod gives us that.”

Smith joined the USF staff prior to the 2001 season and helped institute an up-tempo spread offense behind quarterback Marquel Blackwell. In 2001 and 2002, Blackwell mastered that offense and threw for a combined 5,472 yards and 38 touchdowns, while leading USF to a 17-5 record in its first two seasons of I-A competition.

A former quarterback himself, Smith studied under current West Virginia head coach Rich Rodriguez when he was the head coach at Smith’s alma mater, Glenville State. Smith also worked with Rodriguez as an offensive graduate assistant at Clemson.

Gregory was the offensive coordinator at Ohio from 2001-2003, leading the program to its highest conference scoring production in 25 years in the 2002 season. He had been offensive coordinator at Richmond in 2000, helping a program that finished 10-3 and qualified for the I-AA playoffs.

Gregory also has head coaching experience, that coming at Division II Missouri Southern State in 1998 and 1999.

A 1980 graduate of Richmond, where he was a quarterback, Gregory started a coaching career as a graduate assistant at the University of Virginia in 1981-82. He then became a commissioned officer with the rank of Captain in the U.S. Army from 1982-85. From 1982 to 1997, he was an assistant coach at the United States Military Academy, where he was offensive coordinator and assistant head coach, helping the program to its only four Bowl appearances in school history.

“Greg brings a lot of experience with him and we’re pleased to be able to add him to our staff,” said Leavitt. “

[sdgukhsdgl]

::triggerhappy::

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

So we saved a month of salary! Whoooo hooooo!

[smazza]

looks worse when it is official

[flipflop4900]

c'mon guys give him a chance!!!

[Ricky the Bull]

c'mon guys give him a chance!!!

Exactly.  It's too late to change the offense this year without putting us back futher on that side of the ball.

[lotsofbull99]

All is lost!

[Guest bullman33]

Its amazing the apathy that exists within usf athletics.  When was the last time someone was fired for poor performance? Now we promote a guy who looked lost last year.  He's gone from the mailroom to the exec office without proving a thing.

[The Sheriff]

Gregory seems like he's setting himself up for the OC position here... he is qualified...

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

c'mon guys give him a chance!!!

I made a real effort not to knock the hire any further. My comment on the month's salary was just a poke at the program becuase it was said he wouldnt be officially hired until June 1st to save some type of bonus payment made to the coordinator. Their plan worked....

Good luck Rod Smith...