Running Of The Bull

[Guest HowieP1]

Running Of The Bull

MICK ELLIOTT

Published: Nov 14, 2004

TAMPA - A lot like spicy food, Andre Hall does not go down easy.

Just ask the East Carolina Pirates who were left with the sick stomachs to prove it.

Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium was another running of the Bull. Over, around and through.

The junior running back, who came to USF from Dixie Hollins High by way of Georgia Military Academy and Garden City (Kansas) Junior College, hasn't stopped traveling. Now he just doesn't have to stop for gas.

Twenty-seven times Hall was given the football against East Carolina. Twenty-seven times Hall churned, banged and bounced, each carry giving you the feeling that sooner or later he would just keep on running.

Trust your instincts. The 5- foot-11, 205-pounder finished with 161 yards, his fourth 100- yard game of the season and third in his past four outings. He went 21 yards on the Bulls' second play of the game. He went 18 early in the second half for a school-record 10th rushing touchdown of the season.

``That back is very good,'' East Carolina coach John Thompson said.

He wanted to be even better.

``I really was hoping to get off a big one,'' Hall said. ``But every time I got a little open space, they were ready for it. They kept the safeties back.''

Maybe the Pirates knew something.

In eight games at USF, Hall has 983 yards rushing, pushing him within 34 of Dyral McMillan's school record of 1,017 set in 1999.

``I'm finding my groove,'' Hall said. ``I'm really getting into it. I feel good.''

New Tricks

Running past the other guy will always be the most basic element of football but still remains something of a novelty at USF. When Jim Leavitt brought this infant program to life, he did it with the pretense that footballs were made for throwing. Spread 'em out, air it out.

That was then. This is Hall. Time and again Saturday, Hall disappeared into a scrum of visiting-team jerseys, only to pop out like he had just been launched from the family toaster.

Only once was it not a good thing. Midway through the third period, Hall's fumble was returned 36 yards for a Pirates touchdown that brought them within 24-10, but no one was complaining. Well, not a lot.

``Andre can't fumble,`` Leavitt said. ``Everything else with Andre is positive.''

With the threat of a ground game, all kinds of good things have started to happen for the Bulls. Sophomore quarterback Pat Julmiste's development continued with a 12 of 16 performance good for 233 yards. The Bulls owned a seven-minute advantage in possession time. They rolled up 509 total yards offense - 276 rushing, 233 passing.

``We'll always say every year we want to have balance,'' Leavitt said. ``We want to be able to run and throw.''

And most of all win.

The Little Things

Saturday night could be classified as the dirty work to make that happen, the time in a season when the rewards for success are small but the consequences for defeat are ugly. The Bulls tell themselves they are still playing for a bowl bid. At 4-4 they need to win two of their three remaining games to reach the bowl-eligible mark. But despite the fact there are 26 bowl games scheduled for the postseason, and still nowhere near 52 teams with six victories, USF knows it's a long shot.

So the Bulls keep hoping. The task is to keep playing like it will happen.

Saturday was the time to get momentum. The Pirates arrived winless on the road since Oct. 18, 2003, when they won at Army. They have one only won once in their past 12 games as the visitor.

But the Bulls did get a good test. East Carolina's offensive coordinator is Noah Brindise, the former Florida quarterback and NFL assistant to the ol' ball coach, Steve Spurrier. (And no, he doesn't know where Spurrier wants to go.) But Brindise does know he likes to sling the football around in a semi-Fun 'n Gun attack.

And the Bulls handled the challenge.

``We haven't looked good at times this year, but the guys have battled,'' Leavitt said. ``They're trying. They're trying hard.''

They're in the running.

http://www.tampatrib.com/Sports/MGBVA60QI1E.html

[smazza]

ability to running the ball

and no turnovers

and you will win 65-80% of the time

[BULLO12]

Having been raised on SEC football...more particularly ALABAMA football (I was heartbroken when we played Alabama because I was torn between two teams I love I still pulled for the BULLLLLLLLLLLLLS)...I am glad to see more of a running game than the GAYTURD style of fun and gun crap.

[E.T.]

Great Ground Game BULLS and the passing was benefiting.

Let's stay healthy and Get them BearCats !!!

Go BULLS !!!

[BULLO12]

SOUTH FLORIDA-TD, P Julmiste 1 YD RUN (S Gramatica KICK) 9:41

1st Qtr

SOUTH FLORIDA-FG, S Gramatica 30 YD  2:19 2nd Qtr

EAST CAROLINA-FG, C Broadwell 20 YD  9:18 2nd Qtr

SOUTH FLORIDA-TD, C Crossley 1 YD RUN (J Geisler KICK) 14:22

2nd Qtr

SOUTH FLORIDA-TD, A Hall 18 YD RUN (J Geisler KICK) 3:21 3rd

Qtr

EAST CAROLINA-TD, J Flournoy 36 YD FUMBLE RETURN (C Broadwell

KICK) 7:04 3rd Qtr

SOUTH FLORIDA-TD, P Julmiste 8 YD RUN (J Geisler KICK) 4:41 3rd

Qtr

EAST CAROLINA-TD, C Johnson 18 YD PASS FROM J Pinkney (C

Broadwell KICK) 6:17 4th Qtr

SOUTH FLORIDA-FG, J Geisler 33 YD  11:28 4th Qtr

SOUTH FLORIDA-TD, S Simpson 26 YD INTERCEPTION RETURN (J

Geisler KICK) 13:28 4th Qtr

                      EAST CAROLINA    SOUTH FLORIDA

First downs                       16               24

Rushed-yards                   30-91           56-276

Passing yards                    156              233

Sacked-yards lost               5-36              0-0

Return yards                      36               51

Passes                       15-27-2          12-16-0

Punts                         4-15.5             1-31

Fumbles-lost                     0-0              3-3

Penalties-yards                 7-41            10-94

Time of possession             26:21            33:39

Individual Statistics

RUSHING: EAST CAROLINA-Chris Johnson 13-64, Marvin Townes 3-17, Art

Brown 4-8, James Pinkney 7-2, Desmond Robinson 2-1, Travis Williams

1-MINUS 1. SOUTH FLORIDA-Andre Hall 27-161, Pat Julmiste 12-69,

Clenton Crossley 13-41, Billy Henderson 3-11, J.B. Garris 1-MINUS 6.

PASSING: EAST CAROLINA-James Pinkney 14-24-131- 1, Kevin Roach 1-1-25-

0, Desmond Robinson 0-2-0- 1. SOUTH FLORIDA-Josh Julmiste 12-16-233-

0.

RECEIVING: EAST CAROLINA-Chris Johnson 5-58, Kevin Roach 5-47, Will

Bland 1-18, Bryson Bowling 2-18, Jermarcus Veal 1-11, Travis Williams

1-4. SOUTH FLORIDA-Johnnie Peyton 3-76, Travis Lipp 1-58, Mike Ruegger

3-45, Jackie Chambers 2-29, S.J. Green 2-24, Derek Carter 1-1.

Att: 25,408