Leabitt wants MORE ! (Trib)

[E.T.]

Leavitt Expects More

By BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune

Published: Oct 16, 2006

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - As well as University of South Florida running back Ricky Ponton, defensive lineman Josh Julmiste and wide receiver Jackie Chambers played in their season debuts Saturday, USF coach Jim Leavitt is expecting even more this week.

All three Bulls, in their first game back from a six-game suspension, played key roles in USF's 37-20 win at North Carolina on Saturday. The Bulls (5-2, 1-1 Big East) visit Cincinnati (3-4, 0-2) Sunday night on ESPN.

"I think it will be real big for those guys because usually the biggest difference is between your first and second game that you improve," Leavitt said. "You've got to remember these guys haven't played in six weeks."

Ponton rushed for a career-high 101 yards and two TDs. Besides receiver, Chambers played on special teams, while Julmiste added size to the Bulls' defensive line.

"It's hard to come back in your first game, so I didn't have high expectations for any of them," Leavitt said. "Hopefully they'll play at lot better [sunday] because we're going to need them because Cincinnati is an awfully good football team.

"Playing them at their place, that will be an absolute war," Leavitt said. "It really will be. It will be a physical war. We'll have to play the best game of this year to win, I promise you that."

Cincinnati nearly upset No. 6 Louisville on Saturday, losing 23-17. The Bearcats reached UL's 16 in the final minute but threw four consecutive incompletions.

In 2004, the Bulls' only visit to Cincinnati, the Bearcats beat USF 45-23, rolling up 577 yards, still the most allowed by USF.

"It seemed like every third down [pass] they completed," said safety Danny Verpaele, who was a freshman in that game. "They're physical. We'd stop them on first and second down, but they would keep completing third-down passes."

The Bulls' win at North Carolina pulled USF within one victory of becoming bowl eligible.

"It was big," USF quarterback Matt Grothe said. "It gets us closer to our goal of going to a bowl."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can

be reached at bmcmurphy@

tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7928.