Bulls to Get Their Wish-Miami

[E.T.]

Published Monday, July 30, 2007

COLLEGE FOOTBALL COACHES GATHER

Bulls to Get Their Wish-Miami

By **** Scanlon

The Ledger

TAMPA - Getting a six-game series against Miami is another major step for South Florida's 12-year-old football program, according to coach Jim Leavitt. But one more big step has to be taken before any talk of Florida's "Big Four" will be taken seriously.

"You've got to beat 'em," Leavitt said Sunday at the Florida Sports Writers Association's annual gathering of state coaches. "A lot of people have already played Florida, Florida State and Miami in the last 20 years and got their butts beat."

The first of the six USF-Miami games, a 27-7 Hurricane victory, was played in 2005. They will play in five straight seasons beginning in 2009, and three of those five will be in Tampa.

Getting a home-and-home series against one of the state's traditional powers was important to Leavitt and he knew it would never happen against Florida or FSU.

In some ways, the Bulls have reached Miami's level, having joined a BCS conference, having played in two straight bowl games and now being ranked in some pre-season top 25 polls. But in terms of national recognition, there is no comparison. Nor should there be, Leavitt said. And simply playing Miami won't be enough to change that equation.

"Now, if we beat 'em, if that ever happens, then maybe we will give them something to think about," he said. "But let's be honest, you've got to beat people. Those three programs deserve (a higher status)."

USF's scheduling was much more cautious in its first decade of football than Florida Atlantic.

Now preparing for their seventh season under coach Howard Schnellenberger, the Owls have taken on several traditional powers in the last two seasons, but have yet to beat any. Schnellenberger calls it an advanced training schedule, acknowledging that "certainly in many of those games we'll be decided underdogs."

This year's non-conference schedule includes "A" teams Oklahoma State, Minnesota, Kentucky, USF and Florida.

"An A team," explained Schnellenberger, "is a team that's perenially better than we are. Right now all those teams are perenially better."

The Gators were a late addition. Schnellenberger said it was impossible to resist a chance to take on the defending national champions.

Next year's FAU schedule includes only three "A'' teams, and then it will be cut down to two. Schnellenberger is convinced the higher level of competition better prepares the Owls for play in the Sun Belt Conference, which includes no "A" teams.

"It's more important for us to win the conference now," he said.

"We're old enough, big enough and strong enough. If we can win one of those (non-conference) games, it will be a major step for us."

[RandyGator]

I'm predicting a split with them over the 6 games.

That means we win 3 of next 5.

At least 1 at Miami

WE ARE THE REAL "U" IN FLORIDA

[Economics_Nerd82]

Next Miami game is Grothe's last year... sweet!

[ksquire]

So is the author's name Richard? LOL

[crambone]

I think we can take 3 for sure, maybe 4?

[Velcro]

So is the author's name Richard? LOL

No, it is ****, can't you read?

[BULLfreak]

I can’t wait till we kick the crap out of them in the OB. Their fans were complete ******** when we went down there. Also I hope the team remembers UM throwing the ball late in the 4th qt when the game was already won. Pay backs are a b*tch.

[BULLigerent]

Of course not knowing what the future holds....I wish we had them with Grothe more than once.  I still say we would have beaten the Canes in the OB if we had Grothe protecting the ball for us.  We simply gave them the ball too many times in those first 4 or 5 possessions WAY too deep in our territory.  I never saw the stats, but I bet it was a pretty close game statistically (other than, of course the score and turnovers  :).

[Joe]

No. We were outgained by almost 200 yards and I believe turnovers were very close if not equal.

We'll have a lot more BCS caliber recruits come 2009 and should be able to hang a lot better. We weren't ready for a team like Miami in 2005, they just had a lot of talent. Hopefully 2009 is the start of a new era of USF.

[E.T.]

2005

Total Yards

Miami = 351

USF = 174

Turnovers

Miami = 4

USF = 3

Key stats ...

SCORE

UM 3

USF 0

DRIVE: 4 Plays, -4 Yards. 33 Yard FG

SCORE

10 - 0

DRIVE: 9 Plays, 39 Yards. 1 Yard TD Run

SCORE

17 - 0

DRIVE: 1 Play, 19 Yards. 19 Yard TD Pass

All three of these drives were from USF turnovers. 17 points and only 54 Totals Yards ... with :06 remaining in the First Quarter.