USF Losing Only 5 Senior Starters From Bowl Winner

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061225/NEWS/612250413/1254

Sterling 2006 season could herald an ever better 2007.

BY GREG AUMAN

St. Petersburg Times

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Jim Leavitt hadn't even begun to dry off from a well-executed congratulatory water-cooler soaking after USF's 24-7 win against East Carolina when the excitement spun forward from the Bulls first bowl win to what might await in 2007.

"We've got a very young team," Leavitt said at midfield.

"I think it just sets us in position to do some bigger things in the future."

The Bulls 2006 season brought many things: nine wins, matching a school record; an upset last month of No. 7 West Virginia, the highest-ranked team the Bulls have beaten; and Saturday's win, which gives Leavitt's team a shot of momentum for the offseason.

USF accomplished all that without a large senior class.

Only five started Saturday's game, led by linebackers Stephen Nicholas and Patrick St. Louis.

"This is the best linebacking group I've ever been around, and I've been around for awhile," said Leavitt, speaking of his two seniors and junior middle linebacker Ben Moffitt. "They're great players, but probably more important is their character and their leadership."

Nicholas leaves as USF's all-time leader in sacks and tackles for loss, potentially a first-day NFL draft pick, and St. Louis set an example with his toughness, playing Saturday despite a sprained ankle that Leavitt said was at least two weeks from being healthy.

"I could not believe the courage of Pat St. Louis," Leavitt said. "His ankle was not good. For him to play as long as he did today was remarkable. He was playing on one leg."

The linebackers lived up to their preseason billing as the Bulls strongest position, and Moffitt's challenge for next season is providing the guidance the seniors did this year.

"I love these guys. They're like my brothers, and I'll miss them," said Moffitt, the Bulls leading tackler. "It hurts to see them go, but I know they'll do well wherever they go."

Moffitt will return to anchor the middle, and redshirt freshman Chris Robinson, who shined at defensive end this season, is expected to take Nicholas' position at strongside linebacker.

That leaves one opening for a starter, and unless USF is able to land Iowa State's Tyrone McKenzie, who is considering a midyear transfer, that player will have little to no game experience at the position, such as sophomore Brouce Mompremier or one of three talented freshmen who redshirted this fall.

Aside from the linebackers, USF's only significant losses to graduation will be receivers Ean Randolph and S.J. Green, tight end Will Bleakley and safety Jeremy Burnett, who did not play Saturday after being ruled academically ineligible because of a failed class.

Leavitt has the Big East freshman of the year returning in quarterback Matt Grothe, along with the entire offensive line that held East Carolina to one sack Saturday.

The Bulls will play only three conference games at home next season, but two of their toughest opponents, Louisville and West Virginia, face the Bulls in Tampa.

"You don't know. I've seen teams have a lot of people back and fall on their face," Leavitt said.

[E.T.]

[highlight]Two great articles for the Tampa area to wake up and read today ![/highlight]

Bulls Won't Sneak Up On Opponents

By BRETT McMURPHY The Tampa Tribune

Published: Dec 25, 2006

BIRMINGHAM, ALA. - University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt is the master of motivation when convincing his Bulls they aren't receiving enough respect.

However, next season he will have a new challenge: making sure the Bulls stay level-headed.

With 16 starters returning from the Bulls' Papajohns.com Bowl championship team, the Bulls undoubtedly will receive unprecedented national attention heading into the 2007 season.

"I've seen teams have a lot of people back that have fallen on their face," Leavitt said. "You have to be careful. I'd rather have a lot of people back than not.

"Next year will be a whole new year. Will we win one? Two? I hope we play good football. I just want us to improve and get better as a team. I don't put a lot of expectations on the team, because everyone else will."

The expectations have already started. One Web site - NationalChamps.Net - already has picked next year's preseason Top 25 and ranked USF No. 25. Although they likely need some bowl upsets, the Bulls' 24-7 win against East Carolina on Saturday gave USF (9-4) a shot to earn its first Associated Press Top 25 ranking next month.

"This win puts us in position to do some things," Leavitt said. "We had never won a bowl game. We had never won in December [0-3 before Saturday]. We told our team that if we won this game, we'd be the best team in school history.

"We're very young, the seniors we lost are really good leaders. You won't replace [linebackers] Stephen [Nicholas] and Pat [st. Louis], just like we couldn't replace Andre Hall [after last season]."

The only disappointing aspect of USF's first bowl win was that more Bulls fans didn't attend. USF sold about 5,100 tickets, nearly identical to what they sold for last season's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

"If people want this program to continue to go to bowl games, better bowl games, we have to travel," said Leavitt, who hoped USF would bring 10,000 fans to Birmingham. "We have to travel. That's a big piece of it."

USF fans have no excuse for next year: they can start saving now. Barring a rash of injuries, the Bulls are a lock for a third consecutive bowl trip.

With a favorable non-conference schedule - USF will be a prohibitive favorite in all but one of its five non-league games (the only exception at Auburn) - the biggest question next season won't be if USF will go to a bowl, but which one.

"We're on the rise," sophomore safety Danny Verpaele said. "It means a lot because you're starting to build momentum. People never gave us a lot respect, you have to earn it. It's like that every year. It's momentum. We showed people we can play."

ODDS AND ENDS: USF QB Matt Grothe, who suffered a hairline fracture of his right fibula, should be fully recovered in time to participate in spring practice. … East Carolina coach Skip Holtz said the Bulls were too physical. "I thought they did a great job physically up front," Holtz said. "We really struggled early in the game."

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

[ChiTownBull]

[highlight]Two great articles for the Tampa area to wake up and read today ![/highlight]

Bulls Won't Sneak Up On Opponents

The only disappointing aspect of USF's first bowl win was that more Bulls fans didn't attend. USF sold about 5,100 tickets, nearly identical to what they sold for last season's Meineke Car Care Bowl.

"If people want this program to continue to go to bowl games, better bowl games, we have to travel," said Leavitt, who hoped USF would bring 10,000 fans to Birmingham. "We have to travel. That's a big piece of it."

USF fans have no excuse for next year: they can start saving now. Barring a rash of injuries, the Bulls are a lock for a third consecutive bowl trip.

[smazza]

we knew this fact in august

but weak home ooc will keep people from rayjay

[E.T.]

And glad that Leavitt made a point of saying this.

[ChiTownBull]

we knew this fact in august

but weak home ooc will keep people from rayjay

talking about traveling to bowl games not rayjay

[E.T.]

smazza wants us to play money games away ... then he complains that we don't get teams to come here ...

Botom Line: The high profile teams do not want to come here for two basic reasons; the high likelyhood of losing and they can make more money playing a weak team at home because they have more fans that want to see their team, not the opponent.

Go BULLS !!!

[ChiTownBull]

and they can make more money playing a weak team at home because they have more fans that want to see their team, not the opponent.

something we need to be able to do...seems like the casual fans only come when we play a bigger named opponent....they need to come see the bulls

[E.T.]

. . . fans that complain about who we play at home need to come and see the BULLS so we can afford to bring teams in to play and get 7 Home Games.

We have Miami, NC St. and Mich St coming in ... and it's a good possibility that all three will be good teams.

But "these" fans will always find something to complain about.

[E.T.]

Aside from the linebackers, USF's only significant losses to graduation will be receivers Ean Randolph and S.J. Green ...

I keep hearing great things about the RS'd WR's ... really think we will see a major upgrade on an already fine position.