Football From Vero: Bulls open camp

[Brad]

 

South Florida Bulls open camp with closed practices at Vero Beach

By Laurel Pfahler

Friday, August 9, 2013

 

VERO BEACH — The University of South Florida football team returns to Vero Beach Sports Village for a fourth consecutive year when it begins en eight-day preseason camp Saturday.

 

The camp, lasting through Aug. 17, will be the first for new coach Willie Taggart, who replaced Skip Holtz after three seasons.

 

Taggart is bringing a “blue-collar” approach to the team this season, as the Bulls try to bounce back from a 3-9 record in 2012.

 

“It’s going to be a great camp (in Vero Beach) because it’s going to be highly competitive,” Taggart told reporters in Tampa on Monday. “We have some really good players and some really good kids, but it’s just training them on how we think.”

 

USF signed a one-year deal to return to Vero Beach, but cut its time in Vero Beach short from previous camps that lasted 10 days.

 

Taggart is changing up access for the public, as well.

 

While media is limited to the first 30 minutes of practice, the public is not allowed to watch until the final day — making it the truly “distraction-free” environment the Bulls originally intended when they first decided in 2010 to do an off-campus preseason camp.

 

Vero Beach Sports Village vice president Craig Callan said he looks forward to having the Bulls back.

 

“The entire staff at Vero Beach Sports Village is energized to host our friends from the USF football team,” Callan said. “We are ready and willing to assist them in a successful preseason camp.”

 

The Bulls are scheduled to arrive in Vero Beach at 1:30 p.m. Saturday and will take the field around 2:45 p.m. for the first of 11 practices to be held at the facility.

 

The final practice, which is opened to the public, is scheduled for 9:40 to 11:45 a.m. on Aug. 17.

 

Link

 

TCPalm did a great job last couple years covering Bulls down there.  New person on the job though I think.

 

[Brad]

From the Twittersphere:

 

[Brad]

 

 

 

 

Greetings from Dodgertown: USF football opening first practice at Vero Beach Sports Village. pic.twitter.com/0OFSnHze59

— Greg Auman (@gregauman)

August 10, 2013