Leavitt head butting again!

[Guest HowieP1]

This Time, Bulls Finish What They Start

By BRETT McMURPHY bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com

Published: Nov 14, 2004

TAMPA - To make sure South Florida didn't fold in the second half like the Bulls' last home game, USF coach Jim Leavitt went on one of his patented head- butting sprees at halftime.

This time, the Bulls held up just fine, pulling away for a 41-17 win against East Carolina. The same, however, couldn't be said for Leavitt.

This time Leavitt did the collapsing, crumbling face first in the locker room after head- butting one too many helmets.

``I've been devastated since the second half of Army [a 42-35 home loss]. I didn't want us to do the same thing,'' said Leavitt, who sported a blood-stained white shirt afterward. ``This is a start.''

The win marked the Bulls' first back-to-back victories of the season.

``It's real important to get our momentum back at home and getting that home dominance back to where we had it,'' USF wide receiver Travis Lipp said.

The victory halted the Bulls' first two-game home losing streak in school history and stopped a three-game home losing streak to Division I-A teams. It had been 63 days since USF's last home victory against Division I-AA Tennessee Tech on Sept. 11.

``It seemed like a lifetime,'' USF senior defensive tackle Lee Roy Selmon Jr. said. ``You always want to win at home. Losing isn't something we were used to.''

The Bulls are 4-4 overall, 3-3 in Conference USA with three games remaining. Win two more times and the Bulls could be headed to their first bowl game in school history.

``We haven't played real well at home,'' Leavitt said. ``We've been battling. The offense ran the ball well.''

USF's offense put together its most complete game in three years. For the first time since beating Southern Miss 16-13 in 2002, the Bulls had more than 200 yards rushing and passing against a I-A opponent.

USF rushed for 276 yards, including a school-record tying fourth 100-yard game from junior Andre Hall (161 yards on 27 carries), and quarterback Pat Julmiste threw for 233 yards.

Julmiste, who was 10-for-35 in his previous two games, completed 12 of 16. He also rushed for 69 yards on 12 carries.

``The biggest thing is Pat was mistake free, knock on wood,'' USF quarterbacks coach Rod Smith said. ``And he's making plays and it's paying off.''

Julmiste finished with a career-high 302 yards of total offense.

``Because it was an important win, it was our best game for the offense,'' Julmiste said. ``We came out as an offense and put it all together.''

Behind 1-yard TD runs by Julmiste and Clenton Crossley and a 30-yard field goal by Santiago Gramatica, the Bulls led 17-3 at halftime. In USF's last home game against Army, the Bulls led 14-7 at the break, but collapsed in the second half.

Leavitt wanted to make sure it didn't happen again and dented a few helmets with his forehead.

``He's a nut, he's crazy,'' Lipp said. ``I wish he could be in pads sometimes.''

Spurred on by Leavitt, the Bulls took the opening possession of the third quarter and drove 80 yards in nine plays with Hall scoring on an 18- yard touchdown for a 24-3 cushion.

However, the Pirates (2-7, 2-5) pulled within 24-10 when Jamar Flournoy returned a Hall fumble 36 yards for a touchdown.

USF answered with 17 fourth- quarter points - an 8-yard Julmiste TD run, senior Justin Geisler's first career field goal, from 33 yards, and senior defensive back Sidney Simpson's 26-yard interception return - for the victory.

``We're back to .500 and hopefully we'll keep playing and work our way up,'' Simpson said.

[Guest HowieP1]

Here is the link to the story:

http://bulls.tbo.com/bulls/MGBOPAJRI1E.html

[GarySJ]

On the TV in the second half you could see that CJL had a cut on his face and dried blood on his white shirt. If I didn't know what he does at halftime, I'd swear he cut himself shaving.

[Markeymark]

I've never heard of a coach head-butting on a regular basis before.

Most people would say "well that hurt, I'm not going to do that again!"

[smazza]

odd

he should have save it for a better opponent

[BULLO12]

Head butting every game is what I say...inspirational... ;D ;D ;D  as long as it is not my head.  Maybe he head butted Hobbie???

[smazza]

leavitt could head but me all day long as along as i am one with helmet

[JeffreyBEllis]

On the TV in the second half you could see that CJL had a cut on his face and dried blood on his white shirt. If I didn't know what he does at halftime, I'd swear he cut himself shaving.

Perhaps Doug Woolard could offer to procure therapy from a leading anger management specialist in the Tampa Bay region for Jim Leavitt. Goodness knows that the lockers at Raymond James Stadium would appreciate such gestures.

[bull_roarer]

I wish he'd put a helmet on.

[TripleB]

odd

he should have save it for a better opponent

He learned his lesson from NOT head butting at halftime of the Army game .......