USA Today article

[T-Man]

Came across this today, do not know if it has been posted here yet.

SOUTH FLORIDA

INSIDE SLANT

If you go to the South Florida athletic website, you'll notice they're selling a DVD. It costs $19.99 and is called: "USF Football ... The First 10 Years."

It's been a decade  and things are really going well for the program considered by most to be a throw-in in the new Big East.

Last year, their first in their new conference, the Bulls went from being picked seventh in an eight-team league to beating Louisville and getting the school's first bowl bid.

Lofty stuff.

"Do I think that was one of the better teams we've had? Honestly, no," USF coach Jim Leavitt said at the Big East's Media Day in July. "We were bowl eligible (before), but we didn't go to bowls because we weren't in a conference."

Entry into the league and better competition brought better rewards for a program that had six straight winning seasons before going 4-7 in 2004. Then came a 6-6 record last year that was capped with a loss to North Carolina State in the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte.

"We were 6-3 at one point, and two of our losses were to BCS teams," Leavitt said. "West Virginia? They were better than us, but we competed a little bit there."

The Bulls lost at Penn State, at Miami, at Pittsburgh, at Connecticut and at home against West Virginia before the 14-0 bowl loss.

Leavitt wanted his team to show it belonged in the new league  and it did just that. Now, the Bulls have been picked fifth in the conference for the coming season as Leavitt continues to try to build. Remember, it's not easy for a "newcomer" to win in the Florida college game. But, remember, too, there's plenty of young talent in that football state  they can't all go to Florida State, Miami and Florida.

This year's USF entry has key players  such as LB Stephen Nicholas, OT Thed Watson, CB Mike Jenkins  who need to lead this team through Year 2 in the Big East.

Leavitt got through a muddled quarterback situation, giving Pat Julmiste the job as Carlton Hill went from the QB battle to wide receiver and finally to junior college.

"I knew Pat was always there," Leavitt said before the start of fall camp. "That has never been out of my mind, really. We've had a lot of people try to beat Pat out  Courtney Denson and Carlton Hill, and those different guys. But it is nice having a quarterback back who has started for you and been the starting quarterback when you've won a number of games."

NOTES, QUOTES

KEY EARLY GAME: at Central Florida, Sept. 16  It's the third game of the year, and, after opening against McNeese State and Florida International at home, the Bulls journey to the middle of the state for one of those important local games. A win here and they're 3-0 heading to Kansas.

THE BULLS WILL SUCCEED IF: They use the soft early schedule to get a jump on things and then find a way to win at Kansas. Pat Julmiste got the quarterback job back and has to run with it, leading a team looking to build on the program's first bowl bid.

THE BULLS WILL FAIL IF: A stumble at Central Florida in Week 3 could hurt, especially for a team that has to finish the season at Louisville and West Virginia. After losing Andre Hall at running back, the Bulls will fail if they can't find anyone to run the ball with authority.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "We definitely showed we're a capable team and that we're a team that can compete in the Big East. I think it was important. I really do."  USF coach Jim Leavitt on earning a bowl spot in USF's first season in the Big East.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

HEAD COACH: Jim Leavitt, 10th year at USF, 61-39 with the Bulls.

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Pat Julmiste  Kind of a surprise as the winner of the battle for the position, Julmiste brings experience to the spot. He needs to be steady and consistent, and things could be tough if he's not.

BREAKOUT STAR: FS Danny Verpaele  A freshman All-American as a rookie, he missed last season with a broken foot and now returns ready to continue a promising career.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: RB Moise Plancher  The redshirt freshman is listed as a starter on the depth chart for a team that desperately needs a lead runner. He's just 5-9, 190, but they love him.

ROSTER REPORT:

â€â€DL Julian Riley received a waiver from the NCAA to compete in 2006 and won't have to sit out a year after transferring from Florida.

â€â€LB Stephen Nicholas and OT Thed Watson were named preseason honorable mention All-Americans by at least one publication.

â€â€WR Carlton Hill, who lost the battle to start at quarterback, shifted to wide receiver but then said he was shifting to junior college  not ruling out a return to USF for 2007 and '08.

â€â€Coach Jim Leavitt added nine players  eight walk-ons and WR A.J. Lowe (on scholarship)  to the roster.

[E.T.]

Got a link and/or email for the writer ?

Good National Press. THANX for the post.

Go BULLS !!!

[Triple B]

Got a link and/or email for the writer ?

Let me guess ....

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: QB Pat Julmiste  Kind of a surprise as the winner of the battle for the position,

:

[Greg Auman]

I'm almost positive it wasn't in USA Today. "Inside Slant" is part a subscription service a lot of national sites use for team previews and such ...

[Triple B]

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/bigeast/home.htm

[smazza]

I'm almost positive it wasn't in USA Today. "Inside Slant" is part a subscription service a lot of national sites use for team previews and such ...

wrong

thanks for the assist TB

[Greg Auman]

I'm not arguing that it was on their web site -- the URL made that obvious. Just saying it wasn't in the newspaper. It's from a company called Sports Xchange -- they farm out team reports to sites that want to have pages for every team but don't actually cover the teams.

The difference is, USA Today is the largest newspaper in the country. I don't think its web site is in the top 10 among sports sites in traffic.  That's all I was saying, in response to the "national press" statement. If USF football got that much play in USA Today, it would be significant ...

[The Sheriff]

Gator lover... don't be down on the national pub for USF! We will smoke your alma mater in three years on your own mecca of a football field. I can't wait to see the sob stories then!

[Guest BasketBull.]

You DATED a gator, so back off yourself, Sheriff!  :-?

Leave Greg alone: he gives us more info than any other source nowadays. Thank goodness he doesn't charge a fee!

[Matt]

yea i cant see that much ink devoted to USF in an actual USA TODAY NEWSPAPER.....unless they were taking one day a week to devote towards conference previews...if that was the case...then it most likely got lost in the shuffle anyways.