USF season preview from Blue Ribbon/ESPN

[gobulls83]

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=6730092

<blockquote>One of USF coach Skip Holtz's favorite things about spring practice this year was that he didn't have to put any tape on players' helmets with their names scrawled across it.

"You learn everybody's face, and then you go out onto the field, and you say, 'Who's number nine?' Holtz said, laughing.

Such is the life of a coach who takes over a program. Before you can even worry about whether anybody can play football, you have to learn who's who. Last season, it would seem as if Holtz and his staff accomplished that quickly and were able to move on to the business of putting together a team. The Bulls finished 8-5 and dumped Clemson in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. Even though its 3-4 league record wasn't overwhelming, USF knocked off Miami on the road and came within a touchdown of three Big East opponents.

"I tell the team we were three plays away from 11 wins," Holtz said. "Of course, some might say we were three plays away from five wins."

You get the picture, right? USF was not a juggernaut last season. It was, however, a solid team that won eight games for the third straight year and allowed Holtz to lay a foundation for bigger things. There's no guarantee those will come in 2011, because the Bulls lost 12 starters, but there is definitely the chance for USF to win eight games again and improve its lot within the Big East.

Holtz cites the continuity that comes from moving past that "getting to know you" stage and beginning a second season with an entire crop of assistants intact and enough talent and experience to create a sense of confidence -- or at least an idea of how the team will be able to proceed in 2011.</blockquote>

Lots more at the link above.

[SRQ]

thanks, nice piece.  the item that stood out to me is only five projected senior starters.

[DELdaBull]

We could be really good this year.

[GaUSFBull]

Pretty cool that it was available for free today, but not enough "insider" information to warrant signing up for that ESPN Insider service.  I didn't really see much new information in there.