USA Today: South Florida and Big East Preview

[Brad]

SOUTH FLORIDA

INSIDE SLANT

Back in September 1997, the University of South Florida was still waiting to play its first-ever football game. Ten seasons later, the Bulls have evolved from nothing into a possible Top 25 team this season.

Not only are the Bulls, beginning only their seventh year of Division I-A competition, being mentioned in various preseason Top 25 polls, but they also are a legitimate contender for the Big East title and a BCS berth.

The architect of USF's program is coach Jim Leavitt, who has built the program literally from the ground up. With 15 returning starters from last year's surprise 9-4 team that won the school's first bowl game, a convincing 24-7 victory against East Carolina in the Papajohns.com Bowl, expectations are at an all-time high.

"It's nice [the Top 25 mentions], but we all know it comes down to playing," Leavitt said. "You have to play during your season. There are a number of 25 top-ranked-teams in the country that will end up there at the end of the year and some that don't. It has nothing to really do with how you're going to play or those things."

While the foundation of Leavitt's program through the years was built on defense, the offense specifically quarterback Matt Grothe is the reason there is so much optimism.

Grothe earned Big East rookie of the year honors last season after throwing for 2,576 yards and 15 touchdowns and rushing for a team-high 622 yards and nine touchdowns. Grothe made his USF debut in the second quarter of last year's season opener against McNeese State and started the Bulls' final 12 games.

Grothe and the Bulls hope to benefit from an improved running game, which will feature highly-touted freshman running back Mike Ford, who rushed for a state-record 2,836 yards as a senior in high school. Ford signed with Alabama in 2005, but didn't qualify. Also expected to push Ford is last year's Papajohns.com Bowl MVP Ben Williams and Moise Plancher, who started last year's season opener only to suffer a season-ending torn ACL.

Led by Taurus Johnson, Marcus Edwards and Amarri Jackson, USF is once again loaded at wide receiver. The Bulls also return four starters on the line.

The defense is led by a trio of seniors linebacker Ben Moffitt and cornerbacks Trae Williams and Mike Jenkins. Moffitt led the Bulls in tackles last season, while Williams had a Big East-best seven interceptions.

Jenkins, who is considered one of the nation's top shutdown corners, only had one interception, but that was because teams wouldn't throw his way.

The Bulls will find out early if they're a legit Top 25 team when they visit Auburn the second week of the season. In Big East play, the Bulls get preseason favorite West Virginia (Sept. 28) and defending champion Louisville (Nov. 17) at home, but must visit Rutgers (Oct. 18) in what will be the school's first Thursday night ESPN contest.

Anything other than a third consecutive bowl trip would be a major disappointment for the Bulls. What type of bowl bid USF gets will largely depend on its success against West Virginia, Louisville and Rutgers.

NOTES, QUOTES

KEY EARLY-SEASON GAME: at Auburn, Sept. 8 The Bulls, who are 0-4 all-time against Southeastern Conference opponents, could set the tone for their entire season if they could pull off the upset. A win would guarantee USF's first ever Top 25 ranking and set up a monster home game with West Virginia three weeks later.

THE BULLS WILL SUCCEED IF: QB Matt Grothe can follow up last year's impressive freshman season and stay healthy all season. Grothe was slowed last year by various injuries, including a broken leg in the Papajohns.com Bowl win against East Carolina. USF hopes an improved running game will mean less carries - and less chance for injury for Grothe.

THE BULLS WILL FAIL IF: Grothe gets hurt. There is no experienced back-up behind Grothe. Also, the Bulls can't afford a slow start. Two of their first four games are doozies at Auburn, Sept. 8 and home against West Virginia, Sept. 28. The Bulls need, at worst, a split of those two to make any noise on the national scene.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Everyone's going to say 'Ahh, C'mon South Florida, only been playing five years of I-A football, they don't deserve that.' I agree. But if we beat them if that ever happens then I say you should start considering that." USF coach Jim Leavitt on if the Bulls to be considered one of the state's Big Four schools with Florida, Florida State and Miami.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

HEAD COACH: Jim Leavitt, 11th year, 70-43.

MOST IMPORTANT PLAYER: Matt Grothe. Without Grothe's emergence last season, the Bulls never would come close to last year's 9-4 record. He not only was the Bulls' leader, but also was the team's leading running back. Plain and simple he is the Bulls' offense.

BREAKOUT STAR: DE George Selvie Opposing offenses learned last year not to run toward the 6-foot-4, 245-pounder's side. Last year, the sophomore started all 13 games, earning freshman All-American honors from The Sporting News. Selvie also was the National Defensive Player of the Week after USF's upset at West Virginia. As impressive as he was last season, his best days are still ahead of him.

NEWCOMER TO WATCH: RB Mike Ford One of the most highly-touted recruits to come to USF (after originally signing with Alabama in 2005 and then attending a prep school), Ford, a freshman, is expected to solve USF's inconsistent running attack.

PROJECTED STARTING LINEUP: Offense QB Matt Grothe, RB Ben Williams, X-WR Marcus Edwards, H-WR Jessie Hester Jr., Y-WR Taurus Johnson, TE-Cedric Hill, LT Marc Dile, LG Ryan Schmidt, C Nick Capogna, RG Zach Hermann, RT Walter Walker.

Defense LE Jarriett Buie, NT Richard Clebert, DT Allen Cray, RE George Selvie, SLB Chris Robinson, MLB Ben Moffitt, WLB Brouce Mompremier, LC Trae Williams RC Mike Jenkins, FS Nate Allen, SS Carlton Williams.

ROSTER REPORT: LG Matt Huners suffered a torn ACL in the spring game and will be held out of contact drills during fall practice. Leavitt said he expects Huners, who started 11 games last year, to return this season, but doesn't know when.

Two projected starters LB Chris Robinson and OG Walter Walker suffered ankle injuries in the opening days of August camp.

FS Carlton Hill, who came to USF as the most highly-rated quarterback recruit in school history, will start out the season at safety. Hill played quarterback and wide receiver two years ago and then went to Pearl River Community College before returning this fall.

RB Moise Plancher, who started last year's season opener only to suffer a torn ACL on the opening drive, is expected to be return and be in the mix at running back, one of the Bulls' deepest positions.

Freshman DT Corian Garrison will miss the entire season after undergoing ACL surgery last month. Garrison suffered the injury playing basketball this summer.

Freshman RB Jamar Taylor, rated the nation's No. 25 running back by Rivals.com as a senior at Lakeland (Fla.) High School in 2006, transferred to USF from Alabama on Aug. 2. He is seeking a hardship waiver that would allow him to play this season.

A top prep recruit, OL Matt Hardrick was dismissed from Florida State for a violation of team rules and has shown interest in transferring to USF.

Link to Story and Rest of Big East School Previews

[Paisa el Toro]

Wow, they did some serious research for that article. Not bad at all.

[GetAHobby]

That's one of the better articles I've read about USF. Nice pub..

[Matt]

very good article.

glad to see a national writer that gets all the facts straight.

[Jihme]

yes it's nice to see some CURRENT facts

[bullwark]

Wow, that was a darn good article on USF providing accuracy and detail.

[Apis Bull]

There should be a, "stampede" to tell USA Today how much we appreciate the accuracy and detail.

[Jamie]

I think I know the guy who put that together - he does a lot of the "capsule" work for USA Today's sports section. I'll ask him if it was him.

[smazza]

nice

[bulls96go]

strong work.