Football 10 Essential Bulls: Bill Gramatica

[Brad]

10 Essential Bulls: Bill Gramatica

 

 

 

As we look forward to the 2014 USF Football season, we’ll spend part of the summer looking back with the Voice of the Bulls Jim Louk. Louk has compiled his list of the 10 most influential Bulls in program history. As the radio voice for Bulls football since its inception in 1997, Louk has personally witnessed every game in the program's history and worked closely with coaches and players. Yet, his list may not line up perfectly with yours. Discussion and debate is welcome. Join the discussion by sending your list or feedback to @USFJimLouk and use the hashtag #USF10. 

 

We’ll list these 10 players in no particular order in the coming weeks leading up to 2014 USF training camp. Selected players may or may not have huge statistics or have been a part of the big plays we all remember.  But, because of their talent, their effort or even their timing, they influenced the USF program greatly during our first 17 years of football.

 

 

First installment: Hugh Smith

Second Installment: Chad Barnhardt

 

By JIM LOUK

Voice of the Bulls

 

TAMPA, JULY 16, 2014 - In the inaugural football season, placekicking was handled adequately, if not exceptionally, by Steve Riggs.  But Riggs was a one-and-done; a senior who played only the 1997 year.  Starting in 1998, the Bulls would enjoy a unique kicking legacy that would last through the 2004 season.

 

Bill Gramatica came to the Bulls in that second season of USF Football as a transfer from Florida State.  He won the kicking job as a sophomore, and made 16 field goals in his first season.  By the time his USF run ended after the 2000 season, he had made 36 field goals and converted 68 percent of his chances. 

 

He finished his career with one of the great individual feats in USF Football history.  In his last college game on Nov. 18, 2000, the Bulls easily defeated Austin Peay.  Late in the game, Gramatica kicked a 63-yard field goal, which remains the longest field goal in Bulls history by a comfortable margin.  The video of the kick, captured in the USF Football 10^th Anniversary DVD, shows it clearing the uprights with significant room to spare.

 

Rest of Jim's story at GoUSFBulls.com

[DELdaBull]

One of my all time favorites.

[smazza]

he was good

[WWMJD]

Unfortunately, he was in unmitigated ***** off the field. Loved watching him but dare I day not a wonderful representative of our school.

[raptorcj]

Great kick percentage, and who can forget 63 yards!? Awesome.

[GaUSFBull]

Didn't he break his leg doing a crazy, wild man, Gramatica-style celebration of a field goal while playing for the AZ Cardinals? 

[Bulls On Parade]

Didn't he break his leg doing a crazy, wild man, Gramatica-style celebration of a field goal while playing for the AZ Cardinals?

That was his other brother I believe.

[WWMJD]

Didn't he break his leg doing a crazy, wild man, Gramatica-style celebration of a field goal while playing for the AZ Cardinals?

That was his other brother I believe.

Nope, that was Bill.

[GaUSFBull]

Didn't he break his leg doing a crazy, wild man, Gramatica-style celebration of a field goal while playing for the AZ Cardinals?

That was his other brother I believe.

Nope, that was Bill.

Thanks for confirming. All three brothers celebrated the same way. Very annoying.

Once almost literally ran into Martin and Bill at Universal CityWalk, they acted like total phalluses after I said 'excuse me.'