USF Football In A Whole New Horse Race

[Ricky the Bull]

Joe Henderson's Column in Thursday's Tribune:

Until now, it has been natural to approach South Florida's entry into the Big East with a bit of wide-eyed wonder. Team Trailer has left the sticks behind and joined the big time. Can I get a ya-HOO!

USF reports for the beginning of summer practice Sunday, however, so this might be a good time to sweep up the balloons and focus on what they've gotten themselves into. The Bulls will face teams that hit harder, run faster and can throw more athletes at them than they've seen before.

USF is picked seventh of the eight Big East football teams, which sounds about right. Until we see how the season shakes out, you figure the Bulls will be favored in just three of their 11 games -- against FAMU, Central Florida, and maybe Cincinnati.

USF coach Jim Leavitt admits he hasn't felt this way since the halcyon days of 1997, when his office was in a trailer parked by the baseball field and the schedule included the likes of Kentucky Wesleyan and The Citadel. He didn't know what he had back then, and he can't say for sure how this will shake out now.

"I see a lot of similarities to that first year," he said. "Basically, I won't be surprised at anything."

Conference Tie-In

Leavitt has been well-coached in the company line. He can talk about 28 million TV homes in the Big East -- many of them located in Florida -- and how the Bulls are on equal footing, theoretically, with FSU, Florida and Miami.

"If we go undefeated in Conference USA, we go to a bowl game. We go undefeated in the Big East, we might have a chance to play for the national championship. At the very least we're in a BCS bowl game," Leavitt said.

But just how big a leap the Bulls are making became clear last month when Leavitt attended the Big East media days in Rhode Island. He was used to a more casual setting for these things at C-USA, covered by a handful of reporters. He was startled to see nearly 100 reporters waiting to cover the Big East goings-on.

Making things more unsettling, Leavitt had a wardrobe malfunction. Coaches from the other schools were walking around in suits, but Leavitt hadn't even brought a tie. He had to buy one from the hotel gift shop before meeting the press.

"I was thinking, Goodness, how far we've come from those trailers to be in this position," he said.

Maybe so, but USF has to get a lot better to truly compete against Pitt, West Virginia, et al. The Bulls were optimistic this time last year, coming off a seven-win season, but injuries and inexperience left them 4-7. Now they're overlooked.

Find A Quarterback

There is good reason for that.

The Bulls have to settle on a quarterback before heading to Penn State on Sept. 3. Last year's starter, Pat Julmiste, was wildly inconsistent but the best they had. He has competition now -- from Auburn transfer Courtney Denson, and freshmen Carlton Hill and Matt Grothe.

"We'll go in with three quarterbacks probably, and we might play all three in that game," Leavitt said.

It may not matter that much. We assume any of the three can hand the ball to senior running back Andre Hall, always a good plan. He had 1,357 yards and 11 TDs last year.

The Bulls can line Hill up at receiver, too. He gives them another potential playmaker. "I know we have more horses than we did before," Leavitt said.

More? Yes. Enough? We'll see.

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBJBQT9YBE.html

[flipflop4900]

Joe Henderson's Column in Thursday's Tribune:

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBJBQT9YBE.html

Who will the three be??

[Zonald]

Who will the three be??

I could only hope Denson, Grothe, and Hill.  But, since I'm dreaming here, I guess it's looking like Julmiste, Denson, and Grothe/Hill.  Maybe Grothe at the 3rd spot with Hill playing WR?  Unless JL redshirts Grothe and puts Hill in that 3rd spot.  

I would love to see Denson/Grothe/Hill get some time at QB for this game.  Playing in front of 100,000 people would be a good experience.  

[BULLfreak]

I could only hope Denson, Grothe, and Hill.  But, since I'm dreaming here, I guess it's looking like Julmiste, Denson, and Grothe/Hill.  Maybe Grothe at the 3rd spot with Hill playing WR?  Unless JL redshirts Grothe and puts Hill in that 3rd spot.  

I would love to see Denson/Grothe/Hill get some time at QB for this game.  Playing in front of 100,000 people would be a good experience.  

Grothe should be redshirted, Hill will do our PR and KR and play a little WR, Severino will be the third QB.

Zonald just go the USF DVD in the mail great stuff.

[flipflop4900]

Grothe should be redshirted, Hill will do our PR and KR and play a little WR, Severino will be the third QB.

Zonald just go the USF DVD in the mail great stuff.

Severino is gone boys at least in the media guide it has some one else as # 12???

[Papa_Bull]

Severino is gone boys at least in the media guide it has some one else as # 12???

That figures since his name hasn't come up at all this summer.

[Papa_Bull]

FlipFlop...you may want to check page 22.

They show 3 guys listed as wearing #12:

Antonio Cox

Grant Gregory

Anthony Severino

[Guest Chocolate Risotto]

Gregory is sitting out his transfer year, so he could wear No. 5 and it wouldn't mean anything. Cox is on defense, and USF doesn't mind having players with the same number. That doesn't point toward Severino leaving at all.

CR

[Papa_Bull]

Gregory is sitting out his transfer year, so he could wear No. 5 and it wouldn't mean anything. Cox is on defense, and USF doesn't mind having players with the same number. That doesn't point toward Severino leaving at all.

CR

That's why I posted it after looking it up.

[Velcro]

Grothe should be redshirted, Hill will do our PR and KR and play a little WR, Severino will be the third QB.

Zonald just go the USF DVD in the mail great stuff.

Hill won't be a KR/PR... we already have people (Jackson/Chambers/Hall) doing that.