All You Gachette Fans:  Your Time Has Come

[BullWriter]

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBK1BAXYZD.html

Bulls Will Take Look At Freshman QB

Published: Oct 6, 2004

TAMPA - With South Florida's next game not until Oct. 16, the Bulls gave freshman QB Louis Gachette an extended look Tuesday in case he's needed the rest of the season.

"We'll give him a lot of reps this week and make sure we have some depth,'' USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "We'll work him as much as we can in preparation. TCU [had injuries] and had to go to their third guy.''

Sophomore Pat Julmiste is the starter, followed by senior Ronnie Banks and Gachette, QB coach Rod Smith said.

"We want to see what Louis can do,'' Smith said. "He has a lot of progress to go. These are valuable [practice] reps for him.''

Looks like Lou G. may be getting some more face time shortly.  Good idea, IMO, as the TCU game showed.  One QB has a bum knee, the other is a sitting duck in the pocket.  Good idea getting him ready, but will he see game action?  

[BullGrad95]

Hopefully we can secure a big enough lead against Army that he could see some time in the 4th quarter.  At least let him get his uni a little bit dirty.

[BullWriter]

I'd like to see that.  Take the training wheels off and let him go for a bit with a 3 TD lead or more.

[No_Willie_Jokes_Yet]

I dont think this means you will see him in a game. This is our off weak. This allows Louis to get some snaps with the first team just in case.

He wont burn his redshirt unless it is really neccessary.

[bulls87]

I dont think this means you will see him in a game. This is our off weak. This allows Louis to get some snaps with the first team just in case.

He wont burn his redshirt unless it is really neccessary.

Don't put him in yet, leave the redshirt on.  PJ will get better and if PJ does go down we always have the Ronny "The Tree" Banks.  I would rather save the talent for the BE competition.

[MikeG]

If our verbal commits come through and Denson tries his hand at QB, we will have no less than 5 QBs in 2005. If there was a year to use a redshirt-- it is this year provided he is ready to play. I'd much rather give the guy a shot in one of our wide open games to get him the experience and see what he can do with the ball than make him sit out while healthy and later need that redshirt if he gets hurt in the future.

Just an opinion. Others have epxressed concern that the coaching staff did not properly prepare Ronnie Banks leading up to his junior year because he did not get the reps in games except during limited garbage time. Not that Gachette is the answer so much (IMO)-- but the kid deserves at least a look at the position if we have a decent opportunity. Both RB and PJ are one play away from not being available so the argument about the 3rd stringer that TCU has had to go to is valid.

[Guest HowieP1]

We will need some more experience at QB heading into the BE. Gachette shoud get to play as much as possible this year. A lot depends on whether he thinks he's ready to play.

Flashback:

Gachette learning faster pace at USF

The former Immokalee quarterback is getting used to faster defenses and a new life as a freshman with the Bulls

By DEREK REDD, dsredd@naplesnews.com

August 11, 2004

TAMPA  Three tour buses rolled into Raymond James Stadium on Tuesday afternoon for the University of South Florida football team's media day.  

The first one had a sign saying "offense bus." The second had a sign saying "defense bus."  

Then there was the third bus, a little less cushy than the other two. It didn't have a sign. It was the freshman bus, and Immokalee High graduate Louis Gachette walked off it, wearing a No. 7 jersey.  

Wait a minute  didn't senior kicker Santiago Gramatica just walk by wearing a No. 7 jersey? Yup, he did.  

Gachette, a standout quarterback for the Indians, is back to square one, working to earn his keep on one of Division I football's up-and-coming teams. But everyone around him has the feeling there are big things to come.  

The world of Division I is much different than the tiny farming town in which Gachette grew up. Life was a two-lane road. At USF, it's turned into four and six lanes, and Gachette says he's had to get used to the increased speed that comes with that.  

"This is more than what I expected," he says. "A lot of stuff is faster-paced, like get in, get out, get in, get out.  

"It's not the passing, because the passing game is coming along. "It's the running game and running out of the shotgun. At Immokalee, we didn't do a lot of running out of the shotgun."  

There's also learning to read advanced defenses and calling audibles to put the offense in a better position. Speed is a big factor there, too. In just a few days of practice, Gachette can tell the defenses are twice as fast as the ones he faced in high school.  

"I don't see how some people started as true freshmen," Gachette says. "It's pretty hard."  

But the coaches have faith Gachette can keep improving. Quarterbacks coach Rod Smith has worked with Gachette since last summer, when Gachette and his Immokalee teammates went to a USF high school camp. Smith says Gachette improved immensely from the beginning to the end of that camp and has the tools to be a standout college quarterback.  

"He's got a lot of savviness to him," Smith says. "He's an athletic kid. He doesn't seem to get rattled at all. We've been throwing a lot at him as far as new schemes and new terminology. It's all been very positive and I'm excited to coach him."  

Smith saw that from watching Gachette guide Immokalee to a Class 2A state semifinal berth. At 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds, the lanky quarterback has a strong arm and the speed and shiftiness to scramble out of any problem.  

Those physical gifts are making USF players and coaches take notice. Starting quarterback Pat Julmiste watched Gachette rifle a ball to a receiver running an out route and knew this was a kid who could go places.  

"He's my little brother," Julmiste says. "I'm putting him under my wing. He's a great quarterback and a great person. It's always good for a quarterback who has an arm and can run, and he has both."  

Gachette could be quickly on the rise in the USF offensive system. Julmiste and senior Ronnie Banks will battle for the starting quarterback job, leaving the third-string spot to Gachette and fellow freshman Anthony Serverino. Smith says if Gachette keeps improving at his current pace, that job likely would be his.  

And that keeps Gachette motivated.  

"I keep working and working," he says. "Because I know I have a chance."  

Then maybe some freshman will one day wear Gachette's number in the team picture.

[bulls96go]

why?

why not?

[BullWriter]

why?

why not?

Wow, what deep insight.  Thank you.

BW

[smazza]

about friggin time

leavitt usually comes around and does what i suggest but it takes a bit more time than i would like