USF at 100

[JoeB]

This was an article from before the first bowl game.  It listed different tidbits about USF in the first 100 games of existence.  I had never seen it, and just came across it trying to research an old player.  Check out the last entry.  Its a story I've never read before about our very own Sherriff, aka Terry Lucas. 

Funny stuff.

10 UN-BULL-IEVABLE (BUT TRUE) BITS OF USF HISTORY

SLEAZY IN SEATTLE: USF's first bowl bid actually came in 2002. Well, sort of. The Seattle Bowl said it would invite USF if the school paid the financially troubled bowl $2 million. USF said no thanks and the bowl folded a year later.

FALCON QUEST: The morning after USF's 2002 upset of Bowling Green, Falcons coach Urban Meyer called Jim Leavitt wondering how the Bulls held his club to season lows in points (7) and yards (226). "He wanted to know how we stopped his offense," Leavitt said. "I told him, 'You know I'm not going to tell you.' "

TEED OFF: Minutes before USF's inaugural game against Kentucky Wesleyan in 1997, kicker Steve Riggs realized no one brought a kicking tee. So a motorcycle policeman sped to a nearby sporting goods store and returned with one.

MYSTERY GUEST: At halftime in the press box of the 2000 Kentucky game, a woman told assistant Calvin Magee "so close and no cigar," because USF fumbled near the goal line. Magee asked, "Who is that?" The woman was USF President Judy Genshaft.

THE BIG SCORE: There were a USF-record six arrests and 23 ejections, including a couple having sex in an RJS women's bathroom and a student urinating in the stands, during the 2005 USF-UCF game. Hey, at least they weren't Tasered.

BULLGATE: After losing to USF 40-0 in 2000, Jacksonville State coaches said they believed there was only one way JSU could have been beaten so badly - accusing USF of spying on JSU's practices.

HISTORY LESSON: According to the 1,632-page "ESPN College Football Encyclopedia, The Complete History Of The Game," USF lost 80-3 to Kentucky Wesleyan. Don't tell ErrorSPN, but USF won 80-3.

A ROCKY ROAD: In 2003 at Army, ESPN's Lee Corso borrowed Rocky the Bull's head to wear on air. However, torrential rains and lightning ended the telecast. During the storm, Rocky's head was lost so freshman Billy Snay, USF's mascot, sat on the sideline without his bull head. "A headless mascot," Snay said. With four minutes left in the game, Rocky's head was returned, unharmed, to Snay in a Hefty bag.

TURF WARS: When USF won at TCU in 2003, several Bulls pulled up handfuls of Amon Carter Stadium turf, leaving dozens of huge divots. Afterward, a TCU groundskeeper asked Leavitt if his team wouldn't tear up the field in the future. "Absolutely," Leavitt said, knowing USF likely will never play at TCU again.

SIGN LANGUAGE: One morning in 2000, there were about 100 signs planted in front of the coaches' trailers touting walk-on receiver Terry Lucas. "It looked like a graveyard," Lucas said. Leavitt was furious. The female fans who planted the signs also left the coaches dozens of No. 43 (Lucas' number) cupcakes. Lucas played two games that year before transferring.

[outrunner]

I love this one. Hopefully, Leavitt will be getting that call again in 2010.

FALCON QUEST: The morning after USF's 2002 upset of Bowling Green, Falcons coach Urban Meyer called Jim Leavitt wondering how the Bulls held his club to season lows in points (7) and yards (226). "He wanted to know how we stopped his offense," Leavitt said. "I told him, 'You know I'm not going to tell you.' "

[E.T.]

I love this one. Hopefully, Leavitt will be getting that call again in 2010.

FALCON QUEST: The morning after USF's 2002 upset of Bowling Green, Falcons coach Urban Meyer called Jim Leavitt wondering how the Bulls held his club to season lows in points (7) and yards (226). "He wanted to know how we stopped his offense," Leavitt said. "I told him, 'You know I'm not going to tell you.' "

Will be interesting outcome  8)

[Jamie]

TURF WARS: When USF won at TCU in 2003, several Bulls pulled up handfuls of Amon Carter Stadium turf, leaving dozens of huge divots. Afterward, a TCU groundskeeper asked Leavitt if his team wouldn't tear up the field in the future. "Absolutely," Leavitt said, knowing USF likely will never play at TCU again.

Believe me... that field was torn up when they got off the bus. I've never seen that field in worse shape than it was that day - there were already divots in it during pregame warmups and I have pictures to back it up. If there were USF players pulling up chunks of turf, you probably wouldn't have been able to notice the difference.

When the next home game rolled around, the field was "miraculously" improved.

[The Sheriff]

The best part about the article was the DeAndrew Rubin quote in the Pitt game... still the best quote I've read from a football player at USF...

That was a nice piece of work from Brett... I actually transferred in 2002 as I missed six months of school (all of the Spring of 2001) after having shoulder surgery. I went from 190lbs to 155lbs from inactivity... two months in a sling was hell on this skinny old man! Thank God I didn't transfer in 2001... that was the year I found out about all you guys and this board (thanks Bulliever for coming to the tents... and also the year school spirit was on the up and up (aka GreenbergOpolis).

[E.T.]

What an Honor !

To be able to attend that first game and have lived through "ALL" this history.

I'm a Proud BULL !

[USF-PMR]

Yes - Jimbo was one of the last coaches to really hand B.Green and Urban his butt!  Our first to 25 win was at home that year.....great evening it was.