The Bulls arrive in Vero Beach!

[Mama_Bull]

More free pics from Scout:

                          Virgin

          Walk-on TE Tyler Guy

                      T-Rex

          RBs Plancher, Battles, Shaw & Scott

Additional pics here:

http://southflorida.scout.com/2/992184.html

[bullwark]

Coach Skip Holtz Video Blog - Day Six

If you watch the video blog you will see the Aussie Rules Football Kicking and signal for score.  ESPN in the early days of the network would televise Auusie Rules Football throughout the day.  Also, USF had a chemistry prof from the land down under that would educate students on Aussie Rules Football during the breaks in lecture. 

[BDYZR]

Take a guess

In the pic of T-Rex the coach is still in the follow thru and T-Rex is already catching the ball.

How far apart do you think they are?

I'm going with 10yds.

[Mama_Bull]

Darrell Scott looks good.

Glad he is enjoying himself even though he didn't get #2 jersey. 

Darrell Scott

Loving camp n baby I need a massage asap

2 hours ago via Facebook for Android

[Mama_Bull]

Speaking of RB's:

          RBs Demetris Murray & Mo Plancher

AUGUST 13, 2010

RB Murray ready for bigger role with Bulls

VERO BEACH -- A year ago, running back Demetris Murray was nearly at the end of USF's bench as a redshirt freshman, his only carries coming in the final minutes of two games whose outcomes had already been decided for some time.

This year, he should have the ball in his hands with the game on the line, emerging as the No. 2 running back as the Bulls install a new offense under first-year coach Skip Holtz. In a busy offseason that saw four returning backs once ahead of him leave the position, if not the team, Murray is ready to show what he can do, confident but humble.

"The attitude I have is to come out and get better every day, for myself and to help my team in any way possible so we can win the Big East and get to the goal that we're focused on," said Murray, a 5-foot-10, 206-pound sophomore who helped Buford (Ga.) High to a state championship in 2007.

Sixth-year senior Mo Plancher, a starter last season, is entrenched as the Bulls' No. 1 back, but Murray is the runner poised to take on the biggest upgrade in his role on the team. Last fall, he totaled 14 carries, with 11 coming on the final two series of a 59-0 win against I-AA Charleston Southern, and the other three coming on the last series of USF's 31-10 loss to Miami. He could surpass his 78 rushing yards in the first week of the season.

"Mo's done a really nice job, and Murray's done a nice job," Holtz said after Wednesday's practice. "(Murray) will be in a very big role -- they're 1 and 2 right now, and came out of spring 1 and 2 and are holding down those jobs in the fall. They will both play and have a role on this football team, and we just have to find No. 3 and No. 4."

Murray, 20, has seen a large hole open up in front of him -- seniors Mike Ford, Jamar Taylor and Aston Samuels are no longer with the team, and sophomore Lindsey Lamar was moved to receiver this spring, allowing him to make a quick move up the depth chart. Murray chose USF over Mississippi and Southern Miss in 2008, after being named Offensive Player of the Year for all of Class AA in the state of Georgia as a senior. He's stepped up in big games before, rushing for 210 yards on 15 carries in Buford's state championship victory.

"I wanted to get far from home and get a great education," Murray said of being a rare out-of-state signee for the Bulls. "It was a newer program, and I wanted to come in and help somebody win."

He'll have that chance this fall, and said he's already learned much from offensive coordinator and running backs coach Todd Fitch, who helped cultivate a future star at East Carolina in running back Chris Johnson, who rushed for 2,006 yards last season with the Titans. Murray has his own personal tie to a star NFL running back -- he is a cousin of former Georgia and 49ers star Garrison Hearst, who topped 1,000 yards four times in 10 pro seasons.

The Bulls hold their first full scrimmage in Vero Beach on Saturday, and fans should get a closer look at Murray, who likes the idea of USF implementing a more traditional running game after letting quarterbacks lead the team in rushing in each of the last four seasons."I

"It's more running, taking a little pressure off (quarterback) B.J. (Daniels) and putting it more on the running backs and receivers," Murray said. "It's more of a traditional offense, and I like it."

Posted by Greg Auman at 5:19:40 pm on August 13, 2010 in Football | Permalink | Comments | ShareThis

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/bulls/content/rb-murray-ready-bigger-role-bulls#comments

[Mama_Bull]

Practice update from USF football on twitter:

USFFootball

Coach Holtz giving the players one hour and fifteen minutes after practice to get treatment, jump in the pool, cold tub, etc.

13 minutes ago via mobile web

Coach McGeoghan praises Mistral Raymond for a nice defensive stop.

20 minutes ago via mobile web

Freshman Deonte Welch makes a nice diving catch at the sideline.

23 minutes ago via mobile web

Nice couple of catches late in practice by Faron Hornes.

25 minutes ago via mobile web

Nice connection between B.J. Daniels and Dontavia Bogan for a 60-yard touchdown.

31 minutes ago via mobile web

Another hot one in Vero. Just helmets, jerseys and shorts.

34 minutes ago via mobile web

[Mama_Bull]

Day 9 - Friday, Aug. 13

Multimedia

• BullsVision Exclusives: Post-Practice with Coach Holtz

Practice Report

After a morning of fun with the Bulls Olympics (catch a peak of the action here), USF hit the field for another hot afternoon workout. Decked in just shorts and jerseys - no pads - the Bulls practiced for an hour and a half before heading to meetings for the evening.

There continues to be good battles for both starting and backup positions for the 2010 season.

Defensively, the starting corner positions are up for grabs, but five guys are looking for one position at the defensive end after Craig Marshall all but solidified his starting role in the spring game.

At linebacker, Mike Lanaris and Sam Barrington are battling for one spot while Sabbath Joseph and DeDe Lattimore are fighting for the Will LB.

On the offensive side of the ball, the race for the third string running back is tight and the coaches are still waiting to see which man will make a splash as the backup quarterback, Bobby Eveld or Jamius Gunsby.

At Saturday's scrimmage, which will kick off at 11 a.m. at the practice field, the ones will take approximately 20 snaps, then the twos and threes will each get 40 plays.

http://www.gousfbulls.com//ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=7700&ATCLID=204976946

[Mama_Bull]

Scrimmage is key to depth chart

Posted August 13, 2010 by Scott Carter

VERO BEACH— The University of South Florida’s first scrimmage of fall practice, which is at 11 a.m. today and open to the public, will go a long way in determining the makeup of several positions, Coach Skip Holtz said Friday after his team’s ninth consecutive day of practice and sixth at the Vero Beach Sports Village.

“There’s quite a few (position battles) going on with the twos across the board. There’s a couple of starting jobs that are being competed for but predominantly it’s the twos and the threes, and that line is big right now,†Holtz said. “That’s what this scrimmage this early is all about because once this line is drawn, then we start to develop scout teams and who we start to work with. The next scrimmage isn’t, ‘OK, you get your opportunity again.’ â€

Holtz said he plans to knock some rust off the first-teamers by giving them about 20 plays each. The second- and third-teamers will see 40 each.

“This is a big scrimmage for a lot of these guys,†Holtz said. “After the scrimmage is when we’ll really sit down and develop the depth chart and make the decisions for a lot of these guys — who’s going to redshirt and who’s going to have the opportunity to play.â€

One of the most unsettled positions remains wide receiver, a position of little depth after projected starters A.J. Love and Sterling Griffin went down to injury. Holtz acknowledged a huge battle in the works for four second-team slots. Freshman Deonte Welch, junior T.J. Knowles, senior Faron Hornes, redshirt freshman Isaac Virgin, sophomore Victor Marc, redshirt freshman Derrick Hopkins and freshman Stephen Bravo-Brown are in the mix.

At running back, junior Joel Miller and redshirt freshman Bradley Battles are close for the third spot, and there’s a back-and-forth battle between freshmen Jamius Gunsby and Bobby Eveld as QB B.J. Daniels’ backup, Holtz said.

On defense, Holtz said both starting cornerback positions are up for grabs. Junior Quentin Washington, sophomore Kayvon Webster, freshman Terrence Mitchell and redshirt sophomore George Baker are in the mix.

Holtz said only senior Craig Marshall has solidified a defensive end position while five others — redshirt freshmen Ryne Giddins and Julius Forte, and juniors Patrick Hampton, David Bedford and Claude Davis — are competing for the other starting job.

“They’re all up for grabs,†Holtz said. “Just some are a whole lot closer than others as we get into this. This is a game of productivity and you’re evaluated every day in your performance, not your personality.â€

Battle to watch

There are several good position battles to watch in today’s scrimmage, but defensive tackles coach Kevin Patrick will spend much of his time focused on the one between DTs Anthony Hill and Luke Sager.

“They have been battling each other left and right all camp,†Patrick said. “It’s been extraordinary. They are getting more and more consistent in what they are doing. It’s not easy right now for these guys. They’ve got a lot of battling going on.â€

Hill and Sager are competing for spots behind projected starters Cory Grissom and Keith McCaskill.

Hawkins returns

Sophomore TE Jeff Hawkins, the projected starter coming out of the spring, returned to practice Friday. Hawkins had not practiced since the team arrived in Vero Beach on Sunday due to concussion-like symptoms.

“I felt good. I hadn’t run in a while, so my legs are real fresh and my head is feeling good, too,†Hawkins said.

Hawkins said it will be up to the training staff how much he participates in today’s scrimmage, but that he is ready to get back on the field to challenge for playing time.

“After the scrimmage is done, we’ll probably find out where the depth chart is going to lay,†he said Friday. “After that, depending on where I am, I’m still going to continue to fight.â€

Bulls bits

Holtz is breaking camp for the only time during the team’s stay in Vero Beach, leaving after today’s scrimmage to throw out the first pitch at tonight’s Orioles-Rays game at Tropicana Field before returning to Dodgertown immediately afterward. … Knowles didn’t practice Friday so he could regain some of the 7 pounds he lost this week from practicing in mid-90 temperatures. … The Bulls return to practice at 3 p.m. Sunday.

Phil Neary, Scott Carter

http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/comments/scrimmage-is-key-to-depth-chart/#Comments

[DELdaBull]

Knowles has lost 7 pounds? In one week? My wife should engage in a training camp. She can never lost those 10 lbs she's been trying to lose in what seems like forever.

[Mama_Bull]

Greg is tweeting from the scrimage:

gregauman

On first snap, QB B.J. Daniels gets 20 yards on run to left side. Nice open-field tackle next play by Terrence Mitchell.

1 minute ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® .

Senior safety Mistral Raymond picks off walk-on Bobby Eveld, returns pick 32 yards.

5 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® .

First up for USF is No. 2 offense vs. No. 1 defense. QB Jamius Gunsby gets nice 13-yard run. George Baker working as first-team cornerback.

6 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry® .

Bulls opening with punting, and sophomore Justin Brockhaus-Kann looking good. Walk-on Jonny Sitton deep for first kick, had clean catch.

18 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

Checking in from Dodgertown, where USF is about to begin first scrimmage of preseason. Hot afternoon - lots of umbrellas in infield w/ fans.

25 minutes ago via Twitter for BlackBerry®

You can follow his updates here:

http://twitter.com/gregauman