Buc's coach credited by Leavitt for blocked kick

[Ricky the Bull]

Of course, a "huge" block would not have been necessary if our penalties wouldn't have put them in a position to try one.

Other interesting tidbits, too....

Leavitt Credits Bucs' Bisaccia For Bulls' `Huge' Block

BRETT MCMURPHY

Published: Sep 30, 2004

 

TAMPA - Several individuals played an integral part in South Florida's 45-44 pulsating double-overtime win at Texas Christian on Saturday. Among them: RB Andre Hall, QB Pat Julmiste, WRs Joe Bain and S.J. Green, WR/CB Bruce Gipson and the Bulls' offensive line.

But the list wouldn't be complete without including someone not even affiliated with USF, Bulls coach Jim Leavitt said.

``Rich Bisaccia,'' Leavitt said. ``I owe Rich a whole lot of gratitude. He helped us win this game.''

Bisaccia, in his third season as the Buccaneers' special teams coach, help draw up what Leavitt called ``a huge play'' in the Bulls' come-from- behind victory.

With the Bulls trailing 24-17 with 6:48 remaining in regulation, Gipson blocked TCU's 34-yard field-goal attempt. USF then tied the Horned Frogs before finally winning in the second overtime.

``That would have been it [if TCU made it],'' Leavitt said. ``That would have been the ballgame.''

Because of an NCAA rule change before this season, teams no longer can send players up the middle diving up over the line of scrimmage. Last year, USF defeated Cincinnati by blocking a field goal on the final play of regulation and beat East Carolina by deflecting an extra point in the second overtime.

Both kicks were blocked by 6-foot-6 Huey Whittaker coming up the middle and jumping over the line of scrimmage.

So with the new rule this season, Leavitt sought Bisaccia's input for a block by going around the ends. Gipson's block - on Bisaccia's suggested play - sparked USF's victory.

``We still have the old [play] to block kicks going over the top,'' senior FS Javan Camon said. ``But we put in the new one going around the end. The back blocked me and allowed Bruce to go free.''

Bisaccia and Leavitt, who have known each other more than 20 years, traded ideas a few weeks ago.

``Coach Leavitt gives me too much credit,'' Bisaccia said. ``I certainly don't want to take any credit.''

Bisaccia and Leavitt first crossed paths in 1983, when Bisaccia was an assistant at Wayne State (Neb.) and Leavitt was at Morningside (Iowa) College.

Twenty-one years later, their friendship paid off with a USF victory. DANCE FEVER: After each USF victory, Leavitt or another USF coach dances in front of the team in the locker room. Camon, who has been at USF since 2000, has had plenty of opportunities to witness Leavitt's dancing ability and was asked for his evaluation.

``Coach is sort of a Funky Chicken dancer,'' Camon said. ``He gets outrageous, but has a couple of the same moves. It's a very similar style to Elaine on Seinfeld. I'd give him a 5 on dancing ability and 10 on originality.''

Julmiste was kinder, rating Leavitt's dancing ability an ``8.5.''

Maybe Julmiste's higher rating is because he still has two more years playing for Leavitt, while Camon is in his final season. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: USF officials still are finalizing details to televise a replay of the USF-TCU contest in the Tampa Bay area.

However, a replay of the second overtime, including the mysterious final two plays that were not shown on live TV, can be viewed at www.gousfbulls.com. ODDS AND ENDS: California and Southern Miss have rescheduled their postponed football game for Dec. 4, keeping alive the possibility that ESPN will reschedule and televise USF-Pittsburgh on Dec. 3. USF officials do not know when ESPN is expected to reach a decision. ... The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported Tuesday that Fort Lauderdale Dillard OT Mark Rachels committed to USF. However, USF hasn't offered Rachels a scholarship. ... The four-team field for the McCaffrey Classic has been completed and USF's men's basketball team will play Mississippi Valley State in the opener Dec. 3 in Fresno, Calif. USF will meet either host Fresno State or Division II Grand Canyon (Ariz.) University on Dec. 4.

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBMK1D8QZD.html

[ChiTownBull]

the funky chicken.... ;D

hopefully there will be a lot more dancing going on this season.

[BullDoug]

New rule explains one of the reasons Jim Baxter lost his bid to play for the Footbulls.

[Ricky the Bull]

New rule explains one of the reasons Jim Baxter lost his bid to play for the Footbulls.

It was either that or him insisting on having a large foam pad to land on.

[79 Bull]

So what's the new rule?  You can only jump straight up behind the line of scrimmage if you are in the middle?  What defines the middle?

[BULLheaded]

``We still have the old [play] to block kicks going over the top,'' senior FS Javan Camon said. ``But we put in the new one going around the end.

If we couldn't block over the middle why would we stil have the old plays in? I thought the rule in the NFL (which was what I thought they had copied) was that you can't leap off of another person. I've never heard of not being able to actually run and jump from the middle at all. Does anyone know for sure exactly how this rule applies?

[bulls96go]

dumb rule

[smazza]

odd