Leavitt Picks Up Help for Defense

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060202/NEWS/602020392/1002/SPORTS

USF SIGNEES

• Star of the Class -- Defensive tackle and hometown product Leslie Stirrups shunned offers from Florida and Florida State to stay in Tampa.

• Immediate Contributors -- Wide receiver Carlton Mitchell and JuCo transfer James "Hulkie" Jackson will get early looks. Jackson may only have one year of eligibility.

• Class Strengths -- Needs at defensive line and wide receiver were addressed.

• Class Weakness -- The Bulls watched local super prospects Jarred Fayson, Trent Pupello, A.J. Jones, Jim Barrie and Daron Rose go elsewhere in the state. Jim Leavitt's staff must get aggressive with building relationships with coaches and players in the Tampa Bay area.

• What to Look for in 2007 -- A more proactive recruiting blitz that lands a Top 25-30 class.

• The Final Word -- If the Bulls coaches want to field a championship-caliber team, they must take more chances in the recruiting game.

COREY LONG

By Rick Brown

The Ledger

TAMPA -- South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt doesn't pretend to be a fan of the recruiting rankings.

While his USF Bulls announced the signing of 28 players Wednesday, Rivals.com had the Bulls ranked 58th out of 130 teams ranked.

That didn't deter Leavitt's excitement over his class, however.

"You don't know how good your class is for a couple of years, we all know that," Leavitt said. "You don't know how young men will react to hard work, the competition, hard work, the adversity, focus, going to class, the weight training, all of that, you just don't know.

"It's humorous to me, it really is, when I sit there and see these rating services rate different people all over the place," he said. "I remember J.R. Reed wasn't rated to do anything. Yet, he led the NFL in kickoff returns as a rookie. I see that all the time."

The Bulls, who completed their first year in the Big East, filled a need for linemen in this signing period. USF signed 10 defensive linemen and five offensive linemen.

As they have done in the past, the Bulls signed a bevy of players from the state of Florida and one from Louisiana. This year, however, USF did not sign one player from Polk County.

"The thing I liked was every single guy is very serious and very focused," Leavitt said. "They all work hard. They all come from a school or they're known to be a guy who works very hard."

On offense, the Bulls signed 6foot-3, 290-pound lineman Jeremiah Warren from Panama City Bay. Warren was a Class 3A honorable mention All-State player. Playing defensive line, he had 58 tackles with six sacks as a high school senior. Warren also went 32-0 as a wrestler.

On defense, USF got 6-foot-4 lineman Joe Jackson from Miami Booker T. Washington. Jackson was First-Team All-State in 4A.

The Bulls also recruited a couple of quarterbacks -- first-team 4A All-State utility player Alwan Lee from Miami Washington and Class 5A honorable mention Nate Allen from Cape Coral.

At the end of the day, there was no last-minute bomb from a late commitment for USF. Leavitt said he got most of his players he wanted, although he still couldn't sleep Tuesday night.

"We knew pretty much what the rest of the guys were going to do," he said. "Last year, I was on the phone with a young man until 1 in the morning. This year, it was none of that, I just couldn't sleep. I laid on the couch and watched TV until about 1:30 or 2. Then I drove out to the beach until about 3. Then I drove to the office and hung around until about 4. Then I drove to Duncan Donuts. I was there about 5. I just couldn't sleep."

Now, maybe he can get some rest.

[Triple B]

"We knew pretty much what the rest of the guys were going to do," he said. "Last year, I was on the phone with a young man until 1 in the morning. This year, it was none of that, I just couldn't sleep. I laid on the couch and watched TV until about 1:30 or 2. Then I drove out to the beach until about 3. Then I drove to the office and hung around until about 4. Then I drove to Duncan Donuts. I was there about 5. I just couldn't sleep."

Now, maybe he can get some rest.

"Duncan Donuts"??    :-/

[smazza]

leavitt and his spin is laughable

we needed some top dlineman

we didn't need 10

we have too many WRs and now we hAVE TOO MANY dlineman

it is about quality not QUANTITY

WE ARE 6TH IN BIG EAST IN RECRUITING

BUT IT REALLY DOESN'T MEAN MUCH

[bulls96go]

we do need to focus on locking down tampa bay area

those are some studs that did not come here

[Joe]

This defensive class is going to be great. In three years people will know USF defense.

[cee]

USF SIGNEES

• Star of the Class -- Defensive tackle and hometown product Leslie Stirrups shunned offers from Florida and Florida State to stay in Tampa.

• Immediate Contributors -- Wide receiver Carlton Mitchell and JuCo transfer James "Hulkie" Jackson will get early looks. Jackson may only have one year of eligibility.

• Class Strengths -- Needs at defensive line and wide receiver were addressed.

• Class Weakness -- The Bulls watched local super prospects Jarred Fayson, Trent Pupello, A.J. Jones, Jim Barrie and Daron Rose go elsewhere in the state. Jim Leavitt's staff must get aggressive with building relationships with coaches and players in the Tampa Bay area.

• What to Look for in 2007 -- A more proactive recruiting blitz that lands a Top 25-30 class.

• The Final Word -- If the Bulls coaches want to field a championship-caliber team, they must take more chances in the recruiting game.

funny how our "STAR" wont ever dress in a bulls uniform.. the kid is going to community college.. last time i checked, HCC isnt going to a bowl game anytime soon.

our "IMMEDIATE CONTRIBUTORS" consists of a player with 1 yr of eligibility.. what a waste of a recruit.. leavitt needs to stop this patchwork recruiting and get someone who will be here for 4 yrs.

notice how not much was mentioned about "class strengths"

the "FINAL WORD" pretty much sums up our concern with CJL.. he's sitting on a goldmine of talent in the bay area and he doesnt know what to do with it!  how long before he realizes that it shouldnt be difficult to entice someone within walking distance of attending your BCS program.. what does CJL want, for us to do this ourselves?  58th is not good enough

[Joe]

We finished with a class in the 40s a few years ago if your THAT concerned about the rankings. Really outside the top 30-35 its a crapshoot for talent. The better coaches recognize it and Leavitt has shown a knack for it. Ease off him.