USF not a gimme - Good reading for the Gators....

[Brad]

Posted on Thu, Sep. 16, 2004  

South Florida, Troy not gimmes

When USC added South Florida and Troy to its 2004 schedule, the hope was that they would be easy wins before the SEC season began in earnest.

That might not be the case. South Florida and Troy, which visit Williams-Brice Stadium the next two Saturdays, are a combined 3-0. The Trojans own wins over Marshall and then-No. 19 Missouri.

“Don’t ever schedule anybody that calls you. Troy State calls us. South Florida calls us because they know they’re going to be loaded,” USC coach Lou Holtz said Wednesday. “That’s rule No. 1 to young coaches: When small schools call you, forget it.”

USC ticket director Chris Massaro said he initiated the calls to both schools, agreeing to a one-year contract with South Florida with a guaranteed payout of $450,000 and a two-year deal with Troy for $400,000.

“When you schedule these nonconference games, you really keep your fingers crossed and wish the teams aren’t as good as they are this year,” Massaro said.

Massaro said schools from smaller conferences are demanding more lucrative guarantees and asking the BCS conference teams to schedule home-and-home deals. Already this year Missouri has played at Troy, Oregon State visited Boise State, and Cal was scheduled to play at Southern Miss tonight before the game was postponed due to Hurricane Ivan.

Massaro is trying to find one nonconference opponent for the 2006 and ’07 seasons, adding that USC would prefer not returning the game on the opponent’s home field.

“A lot of schools are in fairly good negotiating positions because they know that BCS schools need home games,” he said.

Link

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Not sure what I think of the "small school" status affixed to USF by Lou...twice the size of USC, but smaller in national reputation...

[Markeymark]

“When you schedule these nonconference games, you really keep your fingers crossed and wish the teams aren’t as good as they are this year,†Massaro said.

I see the Lou Holtz-style spin is rubbing off on other people at USC  ;D

[E.T.]

And listen to this gator from the usc board  :

http://southcarolina.rivals.com/showmsg.asp?fid=1825&mid=39522609&sid=&tid=39522609&style=1

[79 Bull]

USC ticket director Chris Massaro said he initiated the calls to both schools, agreeing to a one-year contract with South Florida with a guaranteed payout of $450,000 and a two-year deal with Troy for $400,000.

Ticket director??

I hope that is a misprint - we always got on LRS for the schedule - maybe we should be getting on our ticket director!

[Zonald]

kind of reminds me when ECU played us at their homecoming a couple of years ago.  hehehe  That was before we were in C-USA.  Boy did that bring their mood down!

[bulls96go]

i predict the first of many $EC wins

[Guest guest]

I'm calling BS on this.  Gator my rear end - that is a kanigit fan (count adehmar!!!)

[E.T.]

gator/gnat ...  :

Both Pests  8)

Go BULLS !!!

[smazza]

usc isn't a top ranked team and they are beatable

their fans have no right to feel superior, yet