SFB's Matt Richardson on Elon-USF

[Brad]

Elon Phoenix - Elon, NC

Matt Richardson

The receiving corps for Elon returns with, 2nd team All-American Terrell Hudgins and Senior Michael Mayers who both should give Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams a good test. The two combined for 142 receptions, 1,993 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Phoenix.

However, it looks as if the QB Donny Kirby, the red shirt freshman, will get the nod this year as school record holder for most pass yards in a season, Wes Pope, was suspended for the season for violating the school’s honor code.

Elon also lost their leading rusher Reggie Hall and All-American Linebacker Chad Nkang to graduation.

After going 3-19 in its first three seasons in the Southern Conference, Elon surprised last year by winning two league games and finishing tied for fifth in Pete Lembo's first season. The loss of Pope puts a serious crimp in Lembo's plans to keep the momentum going, however, even with talented WR Terrell Hudgins back in the fold. Elon will need help from its defense, which returns eight starters from a unit that ranked fourth in the Southern Conference in scoring defense (23.3 ppg) last year.

This should be an easy tune up for South Florida who arguably have the greatest surprise potential in the Big East. Sophomore QB Matt Grothe returns with the same front five as he had last year but also with a much deeper backfield. The biggest question mark is the receiving corps. Will Taurus Johnson and Marcus Edwards be able to fit the bill? Additionally, will the deeper backfield be able to satiate Grothe’s desire to run the ball himself and keep that ankle healthy? How will Grothe and the rest of the team respond to new coordinator Greg Gregory?

On the defensive side, we already mentioned arguably the best shut-down cornerback duo in the nation. George Selvie anchors the defensive line and Ben Moffit sets up as one of the best MIKE linebackers in the conference. Jarriett Blue will split time with returning starter Woody George. If the two seniors are able to shut down that side of the line USF could have a very strong front four. The biggest question on defense will be the outside linebackers with transfer Chris Robinson most likely on the SAM side and junior Brouce Mompremier on the WILL side. Hard hitting Mike Jenkins holds down the fort at strong safety with sophomores Nate Allen and Danny Verpaele splitting time at free safety.

We spent some more time with defense today because how the year goes is how this defense goes. With six starting seniors, the defense is definitely the more experienced of the two sides of the ball and will be called on often to bail out a struggling offense as the year goes on. Saturday however will not be one of those instances. Sit back and enjoy game one; this should be a blowout, the kind of blowout we probably won’t see for the rest of the year.

USF 42 Elon 7

[MikeG]

Chris robinson is not a transfer-- that is supposed to mean McKenzie I'll bet

Jenkins plays cornerback

[MikeG]

might want to peruse this thread sometime.....

University of South Florida Bulls

2007 Depth Chart

[table]

[tr]

[td]Position[/td]

[td]1st[/td]

[td]2nd[/td]

[td]3rd[/td]

[td]other[/td]

[/tr]

[tr][td]Offense[/td][/tr]

[tr]

[td]QB[/td]

[td]Grothe[/td]

[td]Gregory[/td]

[td]Ca. Hill[br]Severino[/td]

[td]Voss[br]Piloto[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]RB[/td]

[td]B. Williams[br]Samuels[/td]

[td]Ford[br]Taylor[/td]

[td]Plancher[br]Cannon[/td]

[td]Butler[br]Pease[br]Bennett[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]FB[/td]

[td]Kelly[/td]

[td]Padilla[/td]

[td]Fox[/td]

[td]Bennett[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]WR[/td]

[td]Johnson[/td]

[td]Bogan[/td]

[td]Sherman[/td]

[td]Hanks[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]WR[/td]

[td]Jackson[/td]

[td]Mitchell[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Richardson[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]WR[/td]

[td]Edwards[/td]

[td]Alcin[/td]

[td]Love[/td]

[td]Cozzo[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]WR[/td]

[td]Hester[/td]

[td]Denson[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Hamrick[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]TE[/td]

[td]Ce. Hill[/td]

[td]Busbee[/td]

[td]Ketchel[/td]

[td]McElwain[br]Okolie[br]McGowan[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]OT[/td]

[td]Dile[/td]

[td]Sims[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Edenfield[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]OT[/td]

[td]Walker[/td]

[td]Carnes[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Herzhauser[br]Hine[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]OG[/td]

[td]Hermann[/td]

[td]Warren[/td]

[td][/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]OG[/td]

[td]Griffin[/td]

[td]Schmidt[/td]

[td]Huners[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]C[/td]

[td]Capogna[/td]

[td]Genus[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Kv McKaskill[/td]

[/tr]

[tr][td]Defense[/td][/tr]

[tr]

[td]DE[/td]

[td]Selvie[/td]

[td]Smiley[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Fonua[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]DE[/td]

[td]Buie[/td]

[td]George[/td]

[td]Aycox[/td]

[td]Hampton[br]Powe[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]DT[/td]

[td]Harris[/td]

[td]Peguese[/td]

[td]McQueen[/td]

[td]Luberice[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]DT[/td]

[td]Clebert[/td]

[td]Cray[/td]

[td]Riley[/td]

[td]Dampier[br]McClain[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]MLB[/td]

[td]Moffitt[/td]

[td]Miller[/td]

[td]Peoples[/td]

[td]Chancey[br]Hess[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]SLB[/td]

[td]McKenzie[/td]

[td]Joseph[/td]

[td]C. Robinson[/td]

[td]Darr[br]Kh McCaskill[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]WLB[/td]

[td]Mompremier[/td]

[td]Spires[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Russell[br]Soto[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]CB[/td]

[td]M. Jenkins[/td]

[td]Gilliam[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Douglas[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]CB[/td]

[td]T. Williams[/td]

[td]Roberts[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]J. Jenkins[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]SS[/td]

[td]Allen[/td]

[td]Murphy[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Morgan[br]Young[/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]FS[/td]

[td]C. Williams[/td]

[td]Gachette[/td]

[td][/td]

[td]Perkins[/td]

[/tr]

[tr][td]Special Teams[/td][/tr]

[tr]

[td]LS[/td]

[td]Setser[/td]

[td]Dudding[/td]

[td]Walsh[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]K[/td]

[td]Alvarado[/td]

[td]Teachey[/td]

[td]Riley[/td]

[td][/td]

[/tr]

[tr]

[td]P[/td]

[td]Teachey[/td]

[td]Criswell[/td]

[td]Alvarado[/td]

[td]Petrov[/td]

[/tr]

[/table]

Grothe = Started two or more games in 2006 | Moffitt = Seniors | Johnson = Juniors

Thanks to Velcro & Greg Auman for assistance with this chart.

[Guest]

Also, Danny Verpaele is off the team this year for academic reasons...

[MikeG]

well yeah-- there is that and I was going to mention that as well but.... ya know

[E.T.]

Also, Danny Verpaele is off the team this year for academic reasons...

Rumored.

[Brad]

Re: the errors noted;

Your humble site operator and editor should have proof read the document before posting it on Matt's behalf.  We apologize for the oversights, yet appreciate the conversation it has emoted.  Glad to see you guys are paying attention.  Matt probably wrote that back in January...