Baseball already?

Time to give a shout out to the USF baseball team, they had a rough weekend against #4 Florida, getting swept at the Swap, 3 to 0. They are back home tonight in the Big East/Big Ten challenge. Should be a good matchup with the first game against Ohio State. Bulls need to get on track, a favorite to win the Big East conference this year.

The ladies softball team (5-4) is in the desert as they take on #4 Arizona, it might be a rough trip as the Cats of Arizona are a power house and USF hitting has not been consistent yet, but hopefully they can steal a few victories before they return home. Go Bulls!

Any Fight Left?

Saturday night at 7, the men's basketball team takes on Providence in the Sun Dome. The Friars are reeling, loosing 5 straight by an average of 15 points a game. They were defeated by USF on their home court in double overtime when Jones went for 47 points against them and led USF on a school record 4 straight Big East victories and had the nation taking notice of that team in Tampa.

USF has fallen flat, loosing at home against lowly St. Johns and being pounded by Villanova, all tournament hopes are gone by now but it will be interesting to see how the Bulls come out and play. Will Heath fire up his team and wake them up and try to get them to play for a better record, the first winning one since 1992 and defend the home court? Jones needs to take over like he did earlier and call his team out. Gilchrist is not the game, Famous is quiet, Howard is not as vocal and the bench is struggling to help produce, it is time for the hopeful all-American to rally his team and finish the season strong and hopefully make some news in the Big East Tournament.

Providence would like to come into our house and upset the Bulls and the way they are shooting and protecting the ball (22 turnovers against Nova) it just may happen. I hope the team rallies, Heath instills some hope into them and the student section is rocking as the Bulls try to get back to the winning ways to end the season.

Bowens to USF?

With Carlton Mitchell leaving USF to the NFL, the receiving core is missing a vital piece but is still a great unit. Griffin, Love, Bogan, Alcin and others are a nice mix of speed and size for Daniels, even Landii can be a great target if he doesn't have to be a quarterback this year. So do the Bulls need another wide receiver? It appears so. News is circulating that former NC State receiver Donald Bowens will make an unofficial visit this weekend to scout out the school. Bowens missed most of 2008 and the start of the 2009 seasons with knee and back injuries, limiting how explosive he used to be while playing high school in St. Petersburg.

Bowens is a 6'3" 198 lb. receiver that had over 500 yards receiving two years ago, leading the Wolf Pack and only 198 last season due to injury. He had 5 catches for 98 and a score against Holtz and ECU back in 2007 in a victory. He is a USF fan, likes the area and wants to end his career at home. Holtz is open to the idea and they are to meet Saturday. But the question is, what can Bowens actually bring to the field other than a name?

Bowens is a big receiver so he could play in the slot if need be. USF's record with transfers hasn't always been great. Pierre-Paul was great, Tyrone McKenzie, and Ian Randolph all come to mind then there were bust like Amp Hill, so who knows how he will do in the system. He is not as explosive as he was before and injuries are a major problem with him. He could add some much needed depth to the core and give Daniels a big receiver, if he can keep his body in one piece. He will most likely come to USF but the jury is out on what he can bring to our team.

Reality Hurts

USF basketball got a real dose of reality last night as they were dismantled by Villanova on their senior night, 74 to 49. Senior Guard Scottie Reynolds had 21 points as the WildCats have won 37 straight home games. The Cats were coming off back to back loses are were not about to send the seniors off with another lose, especially to a reeling USF squad that has seemed to fall flat after is short run in the conference.

The Bulls offense was terrible, 22 turnovers, against the #7 team in the nation led to only 49 points and 3 of 13 from 3 point range. Jones has cooled off and defenses have begun to pressure him and make him give the ball up. Even in the double team, Jones has seen his numbers decrease and the team struggle, he had 12 points last night, not enough from the leader of the team.

Howard is not a scoring threat but has been solid, Mercer and Crater and cold and hot and have gone cold at the wrong time. Gilchrist just isn't healthy, he had 8 rebounds last night but his shooting touch and ability to take it to the basket are gone, the jump in his step is missing. The ankle must still be hurting him. Famous is knicked up and is not playing with the same passion as earlier in the season. It may be that the team has hit the wall finally, only able to go so far with this talent and group. Hope they get it together before they face Providence on Saturday.

Ford Dismissed

Junior running back Mike Ford has been dismissed from the team due to an unspecified violation of team rules, according to coach Holtz. The violation will not be released but Holtz hopes that Ford can get his life on track. Ford has apologized for disappointing the fans, school and coaches and will stay in school in order to obtain his degree next year.

Ford, a highly recruited player by USF became a fan favorite in just his freshmen year, going for over 600 yards and 12 touchdowns, many thought it was the second coming of Andre Hall, but it was not to be. Ford never ran for over 500 yards in a season again, battling injuries and academic issues, as well as off field problems. In the International Bowl game, he put the team on his back and ran for over 200 yards, showing how good he could be, if he ever got his head on straight.

Ford leaves and it might be better for the program to do so. He could have been the feature back this year but the depth behind him is great, Lamar, Taylor, Hayes, and the list goes on, even Moe Plancher might be back for a 6th year, so the team will be fine and hopefully Ford can get his life in order and succeed with his degree, good luck Mike and thanks for your hard work with the team.

Breaking it Down - Safety

Getting tired of the secondary? Never of course and now the final spot, the true safety position. This is a hybrid area that sees the defensive backs come in and play at times or switch to defensive back depending on the scheme. Holtz's new system should have a more standard defense with two safeties for standard defense, so who will be in the secondary anchoring it down. The Bulls loose the great Nate Allen who is a possible first round pick but their is talent here, just not much depth though.

First we have JaQuez Jenkins, a 6'2" freshman that was ranked as the 73rd best prospect in the entire state of Florida, another one of those under the radar talents that Leavitt brought in last year that red shirted. He is eligible to play this year and should see some game time, either on defense or special teams. He played qb, rb, and defensive back in high school, has blinding speed and a hard hitter as well. With the lack of depth he could start but defensive backs may take over that spot because of his youth but he should play this year and will be an instant success because of all his great talent.

The other safety is Jarrell Young. The 6'2" 198 lb. junior missed 3 games last year with a wrist injury but came back and finished the season strong with 29 tackles and two passes defended. He has average speed but is a very intelligent player, able to read plays well, understand changing schemes by the offenses and his fundamentals such as tackling and reading the ball are sound. He won't have huge tackle numbers or interceptions but the the stat that will show up is the lack of yardage given up on his side of the field. He is a solid defender that will start this season, he has the experience and ability to play anywhere on the field, he just needs to stay healthy for a full season and show everyone what he is capable of.

So only two safeties listed on the depth chart but the defensive back position often rotates here so there are plenty of players at this position but only two true safeties here. They have big shoes to fill as Nate Allen leaves and a new system to pick up quickly in the spring but with the talent here they will figure it out fast and be ready to take to the field in the fall.

We Love Skip

Skip Holtz has yet to coach one game for the Bulls and in fact does not even have a house yet, still living at the Embassy Suites on campus, near Fowler Avenue, yet in a short time he has become a local celebrity and beloved by everyone.

Holtz is starting a new series, the Inside Skip, which will be tonight at 6 til 8 at the Sun Dome. This is a town hall style meeting with alumni, fans, boosters and anyone can come, listen to Skip and his ideas and then ask him questions, get autographs and simply mingle with everyone. It is a great atmosphere that Holtz has brought to the program. He is also a great change of pace coach compared to Leavitt. Leavitt was distant, keeping everything to himself, not public on campus, never mingling with the student body. He was almost cold to the student body at time, using the us against the world motto to motivate the team to fight for every yard in the games and pushing them til they broke down.

Holtz is not using that, he knows the program is beyond that point, the nation knows we are here and the Bulls must begin to grow as a team and take it to a new level, but to do so you will need the support and Holtz has done that. Holtz is at the basketball games, radio shows, community meetings and even on Twitter chatting and updating. So come out tonight and meet Holtz and get a new look at the football program as it gets ready for even more accomplishments.

The Flame Begins to Die

The Big East conference, the toughest conference in America for college basketball, the Bulls know all too well about this and the conference once again has dimmed the flame that was burning brightly for USF basketball. Just two weeks ago, USF was the darling of the conference, rising to the middle of the pack, being a bubble team after two huge upsets and the amazing play of Jones. But as soon as the fame came, it has been taken away.

The Bulls lost to Notre Dame after a four game winning streak, then traveled to Marquette, another bubble team and were shot out of the building. The Bulls limped home and got Gilchrist back, who hadn't played since later December with a high ankle sprain. They defeated Cincinnati and everything seemed to alright, but a lose to lowly St. John's has all but doomed their hopes in the NCAA Tournament. They sit at 16-10 and 6-8 in conference, not in the top 8 anymore after being there for a short time.

Jones has cooled off, facing constant double teams and putting a body on him constantly has made his average drop and forcing him to find other options. Mercer and Crater are doing well, along with Howard, who is having a career year but each one has a good game then a quiet one, not consistent enough yet to carry the load. Fitzpatrick has found the bench recently as well. Famous has disappeared, limping with injury and being dominated inside, he can't handle the pressure and Rivas is not a scoring threat at all for the Bulls, looking lost in the paint. Then Gilchrist is just not the same all-star he was before the injury. Gilchrist is slow up court, shots are flat, and is still injured. When he was out, USF came together after Jones called them out and now they are falling again.

Now they must face an angry Villanova team that is trying to win the Big East and a possible 1 bid in the tournament. It would take a miracle for the Bulls to get to the dance but the season is still a success. The team is growing, young and has a winning record for once. So while the flame dies and the hopes of making the big dance begin to fade away with each lose, remember, this team is a good one and will be a force for years to come. Well done Stan Heath for getting us this far, what will you be able to accomplish next year?

Breaking it Down - Cornerback

Here we go again with the secondary break down, we have looked at safety and defensive backs already, both are interchangeable and many will take different roles, some will even play corner or nickel. This segment though is dedicated to the true corners on the rosters, the guys that line up on the outside one on one with wide receivers and match them step for step down the field. So, no more waiting, let's look at our corners.

First we have George Baker, the 5'll" sophomore. He did not play much last year on defense but did play on special teams, totaling 9 tackles for the year. Most likely will be in the same role next year unless he proves himself in spring practice but the depth in front of him will put him in a reserve role again.

Next is Tyson Butler, the 5'll" junior and starter from last season. Butler was a solid corner with good speed, getting one interception last season but missed the final 5 games of the season with injuries. Butler is a good corner, good speed and high football IQ out there but he needs to stay healthy. Many think you can pencil him in as starter but with new comers like Terrence Mitchell lurking to start, Butler might have a reserve role unless he can stay healthy and produce. Hopefully he will be healthy and continue to grow as a shut down corner he showed he could become last year.

Next, Ricardo Dixon, 5'11" freshmen that red shirted last season. Ranked the 13th best corner in the 2009 draft class in the state, the 3 star recruit is a play maker waiting to emerge. He has 4.4 speed (40 yard dash) and is a physical hitter. He is a highly recruited player, getting offers from Tennessee to FSU and USF was able to snag him and bring him into the mix. Not sure if he will be a starter this year but will play either as a reserve or special teams because of his speed and raw ability. Many are excited to see what he is capable of and should push the starters every day for their job.

Last but not least is Quenton Washington, 5'10" junior who had 29 tackles and two fumbles recoveries on the year. He is like Butler, a solid defender and the most consistent from last year. He earned the starting job and should retain it this year barring something bizarre happens. He is a good player and should improve greatly with the experience from last year and the bowl game.

So there you have it, the corners that are on the 2010 roster. Many will play this year in the new defense that Holtz is putting into play along with new coaches, good bye Tresey. It should be a good, solid defense. Everyone on this roster has tremendous speed and athletic ability that could make this a great unit, but youth and injuries could catch up to them, let's hope not.

Another one...

So another kicker is walking onto the USF squad, Marvin Kloss, after not getting a scholarship he hopes to walk on and win the job, that gives USF 7 kickers and punters. He may replace Schwartz because he has a stronger leg than he does but its up in the air. It is nice to see that Holtz is finding humor in having 7 kickers and only one quarterback on campus at this point. Holtz recently made the comment that he feels as if he has half the team on scholarship to kick, making a little stab at the inept recruiting that Leavitt and company had a part in. Welcome to the USF family Kloss, hope you do well.

Big Game Tomorrow

Tomorrow, get up and get to the Sun Dome as USF men's basketball plays host to St. John's at noon. This is a huge conference game for the Bulls as they try to stay in contention for an NCAA birth and not have their bubble burst. Notre Dame and Marquette have been loosing of late, this is a perfect opportunity for the Bulls to clinch a few remaining games to make a push for the tournament.

Last game the Bulls defeated a tough Cincinnati team and over 6,000 were there to cheer on rock the Sun Dome, we need that effort again. The Bulls are a great team and now is the time to support them as they make a final push for the NCAA and prepare for the Big East Tournament. GO BULLS! Should be a great game, don't sleep on St. John's, they defeated Louisville a few weeks ago!

Breaking it Down - Defensive Back

Back again looking at the secondary, this time at the defensive back group. I know what what you are thinking, isn't that just another term for corner back, not exactly (we will have another segment on the true corners later). The defensive backs are an interesting group, they line up at corner and coverage, come up to play the run and play the nickel position in the secondary and sometimes play safety if called upon. They could challenge for safety or corner time, it depends on the system that Holtz uses as his primary basis, you might see two or even 4 DBs on the field. They are play makers and great athletes, all of them should see playing time this year, let's take a look at them a bit more closely.

First on the list is Mark Joyce, the 6'1" freshman from DeLand (hometown!). Ranked the 57th best safety in the nation and a 3 star recruit according to Rivals, Joyce led DeLand to a state title game, popping people along the way. He is a physical tackler but with average speed but athletic enough to cover anyone in the passing game. We see him either playing special teams or red shirting this year because of the depth in front of him, might be a good idea to sit back and learn but if he proves with worth might see more playing time. Senior Chris Lane, at 5'8" is not expected to see much playing time. He is a walk on that has been a special team player his whole career and only recorded one tackle last year, he should be in the same role this year unless injuries happen or somehow he beats out everyone else, don't get your hopes up to high for that though.

Then there is Jon Lejiste, the 6' 197 lb. sophomore who became a fan favorite after his game changing hit at FSU that changed the momentum for the Bulls as they went on for the upset. Lejiste played both in the nickel and at safety as well and proved to be a vicious hitter. He missed a few games with injury but finished with 29 tackles and showed this ability on the field. He will be a starter at either nickel or safety this year, his play making ability is too great not to have out on the field no matter what package system Holtz uses on defense. He does not possess the greatest speed but athletic enough to recover, turn and defend against the pass but is best at coming up and stopping the run in support. He is a great player and glad he is only a sophomore and will be around at least two more years.

Then there is Terrence Mitchell, the 5'10 freshman from right here in Tampa. He has a highly regarded recruit, many teams offering the 4 star player, he decided on FSU but at the last moment decided to go to USF after his cousin, RB Lindsay Lamar convinced him to stay home and play with him, great news for the Bulls. Mitchell is a great cover corner with 4.4 40 yard dash speed but can also play the nickel or even safety. Holtz has said he is not sure what spot Mitchell will eventually play but he will be on the field this year. He is too talented just to sit on the bench and his ability will give the Bulls a new weapon in the secondary last year that was gashed for big plays and seemed to wear down as the season went on. He is fresh and fast talent that should bring energy as well as great plays with him this year.

Mistral Raymond, 6' and 185 lbs. is one of the best stories for the secondary. A walk on that did not play much his first few years but continued to push and excel and finally saw major playing time last year and did not disappoint with the opportunity. Finishing the season strong at both nickel and safety, Raymond proved to be a solid defender and a crowd favorite knowing how he has earned his way to playing time. He will see more of it this year because of his dedication and hard work, a nice way to end his senior season as well. Look for him to continue to contribute and make smart plays on the field as he did all 2009.

Then there is Charlton Sinclair, 5'll" junior, who was highly recruited but has not seen much playing time the last 3 years, usually on special teams or just ridding the bench. He has a ton of ability but hasn't seemed to be able to break through and see playing time. That might change with the new defense and a new coach at the helm as well. Finally we come to Kayvon Webster, at 5'11", he is a key part to the defense. Playing at both nickel and corner, he is a versatile defender that had 30 tackles and an interception taken back against Syracuse. He has shown the potential he has and has the coaches excited for him to play this year. Look to hear his name to come up often this year.

Well there you have it, our defensive backs. Its a mixture of experience and raw talent. They should play a big role this year in a new defensive scheme and the lose of a few seniors. Let us all hope they can anchor the defensive secondary this year and make some big plays for us.

What a Game!

The Sun Dome was rocking last night as the USF Bulls beat their bubble opponent Cincinnati 65 to 57 in front of the largest home crowd to date this season, over 6,00 came to cheer on their Bulls that are fighting to make the dance, something they have not done since 1992. USF and the athletic department worked hard to advertise for this game and it paid off as the home crowd energy fueled the Bulls as they dominated defensively, holding a powerful Cincinnati game to only 9 points in the first 9 minutes of the game. Jones was quite with only 12 points but made key free throws and assists all night long to help the Bulls find offense from players like Mike Mercer, who had 12 points.

The Bulls were without center Jarrid Famous who is battling a knee sprain, he could return by Saturday so the Bulls went with Rivas who is still not in shape after surgery in the off season and mixed in Fitzpatrick the freshmen to add size down low. Even with Famous out, USF dominated the boards and forced Cincinnati to take bad shots all night.

This win is huge, USF is now 6-7 in the Big East and tied with Cincinnati and Notre Dame now, with tie breaker over Cincinnati now. Cincinnati is a bubble team and this is a huge win on our resume as we now move in front of them for tournament consideration. The next game at home Saturday against St. John's is a must win for USF. St. John's is a scary team, pushing West Virginia and Louisville to the breaking point. If the Bulls take care of business and gain a win they will be 17-9 and 7-7 in the Big East. They need this to convince the selection board to get into the tournament. The crowd needs to be electric again and it was great seeing the student section full and many fans coming in to cheer on the team. The community is enjoying it, even CF BJ Upton of the Tampa Bay Rays was in attendance, great to see but let's keep it going. GO BULLS!

Happy Valentine's

Hope everyone has a great Valentine's Day with your girlfriend, wife, friend or whoever else you spend the special day with. Remember you shouldn't do romantic or caring stuff just one day a year, it should be every year, maybe not a box of chocolates every day but something to show you care. Revolution is taking the day off but more blogs are on the way, Happy V Day everybody.

Breaking it Down - Kicker

Here we are, just like the punter situation, we will painfully look at the kicker position for the Bulls and figure out who will be kicking for us in 2010, relax, Alvarado is not a candidate. After loosing his job multiple times (for a good reason, couldn't hit the broad side of a barn) the job was inherited by Maikon Bonani, the sophomore became a legend after nailing a game winning 46 yarder against Kansas in 2008. But during the summer he suffered a spinal injury at Busch Gardens while at work and was forced to medical red shirt last season. He is recovering well and has been at conditioning as he prepares to return to the field. The question is will he be ready for the season? The answer, no. His injury could have killed him, luckily he is doing well but will most likely not be the starter entering game one. He is beloved by the fans and many want him back, his strong leg and accuracy were a nice change from missing 20 yard field goals or six in one game...Alvarado.

His replacement, Eric Schwartz, did well last year. The walk on proved accurate but does not have the strongest leg, making only a handful of field goals over 40 yards. He might be the starter entering week on depending on the health and ability of Bonani. It should be interesting to see who will get the full time job, you might see Schwartz on kickoffs and Bonani on the field goals until he is at full strength, its a wait and see for now.

Believe it or not but there are 3 other kickers now on the roster, I know, where were they all two years ago? There is sophomore Austin Atkins, a walk on that was nearly our kicker but we stuck with Schwartz. He is still on the roster and will compete for the job, chances are he won't win the job and may even leave the team, its up to him to prove his worth. Renato Proja, another sophomore walk on is also a goalie for our soccer team. He has a strong leg but not sure how dedicated he is to the team and probably won't win the job. His leg is not strong enough and he does not have any experience. Let's be honest, did anyone know about these two? Unless your a true fan these names are breaking news to you :)

The last kicker is Chris Vernon, the freshmen in this years recruiting class, ranked the 67th best kicker in the nation by Rivals. He is a former soccer player with a strong leg. He might red shirt this year and wait his turn behind Schwartz and Bonani and the vie for a chance next year.


So there you have it, our kicking situation. Painful as it usually is, its going to get better. We have talent and depth and the shadow that loomed over us the last four years has graduated. So look for the Bulls to be solid on special teams this year, at least at the kicking game.

Big Game

Tomorrow night may be the biggest game for the Bulls as they travel to face Marquette on the road at 8:30. This might be the biggest game of yet, I know that Georgetown and Pittsburgh were huge but in terms of the NCAA Tournament chances this key is far more important. Bulls have always struggled on the road in the Big East but have proven they can handle the pressure and play at a high level. After a tough loss to Notre Dame the Bulls have their winning streak snapped and a dose of reality.

Marquette is battling for its tournament life so it will be a hostile and physical game. Heyward is their leading scorer and can post up or take a 3 if you allow him. It will be up to the forwards to guard him. Jones for USF will have to continue to take over and dominate like he has but Howard and Famous are playing well and can take some of the heat off of him. Mercer and Crater are playing well, Fitzpatrick is playing poorly though and must pick his game up to help on the offensive side and stay out of foul trouble. The Bulls may have a weapon back, Gilchrist who has been out since December may returner and his ability would be a huge boost for the Bulls, but is he in shape and game ready? No one has a real answer but they need him out there.

It should be a good game and hope they are able to pull it off, GO BULLS!

Breaking it Down - Punter

Ok, this is not going to be a very glamorous report and analysis but it has to be done, we will take a quick moment to look at the punter position, try not to cry while reading about our punter situation.

To the relief of many angered Bulls fans, the legendary (using this term loosely) Albert Alvarado has graduated, ending an infamous career with us. Just looking at his punting game, he did average 43 yards a kick last year, not too bad, but often failed to pin opposing teams deep and down them in their own territory. He was not the worst punter but with his departure, the depth behind him is very thin and the position could be open for competition.

The Bulls have two punters on the roster, sophomore Justin Brockhaus-Kahn, appears to be the next punter. An All-State performer in high school, averaging 45 yards a kick, Justin has a powerful leg but has not played in the college level yet, only standing on the sideline for the last two years. It should be interesting to see how much practice he gets and the chance Holtz gives him. Punting isn't a glamorous position but critical in the field position battle and the Bulls need it to help a young defense this year. Look for Justin to be the starter unless an injury occurs or a kicker converts over, we will look at that later.

The other punter is sophomore Austin Pullaro, a walk on last year did not see any playing time and might continue to be the back up unless something major occurs this year or he impresses Holtz enough to get the job.

Told you, not the most exciting position for the Bulls but we promised to look at every position, this one counts.

Breaking it Down - Center

We have our QB, now to the man that runs the line, adjustments and simply gets the ball to Daniel's (or whoever's) hands, the center. Not the most glorious position on the team but arguably the most important on the line for the offense. The center anchors the line, snaps the ball then must block, must hear snap counts, points out blitzes and defensive shifts, its a busy position that many take for granted. So lets give some love for the big guy and look at who will be under center this year for the Bulls.

Kevin McCaskill was listed as the starter last year. Weighing 304 lbs. he would have been a major anchor and force on the line. But due to injuries and a decision by Leavitt he moved over to guard and tackle throughout the year. He may have a chance to be the starter this year with the new coaches and is valuable because he can play multiple positions, he just needs to stay healthy.

The starter for most for the year was Sampson Genus, the 314 lb. converted defensive tackle. Genus is an interesting story, came in as a DT, moved to offensive tackle two years ago, switched back to DT and last year came back as the center and he looks to be staying here for good. Genus was good at center, able to snap the ball well, block well and great wholes for Daniels and the stable of running backs to run through. He should be the starter for next year unless someone steps up in his way or he is injured. He suffered a knee injury last year and the Bulls struggled a bit when he was out 1 game with the snap count, showing he is a must have for the line and with his size he can protect the QB just long enough to make a play.

Two other centers on the roster, Michael Walsh and Corey Schomp, both freshmen and both under 300 lbs., Schomp weighs only 240 for example, sounds more like a tight end player. Both of them will most likely either red shirt or even switch position. They are too small to play at this level and too much experience in front of them to get to see any playing time this year.

There may be some switches between the offensive line and defensive front so there may be a change at center but coming into the season, look for Genus to remain the starter and McCaskill to either back him up, move over to guard or even go to the defensive side where he can use his size to cause trouble. This may be a first that the big man at center gets his own analysis blog but its well deserving, even the big guy on at the center of the line needs love to.

Breaking it Down - QB

As promised, during the slow off season, we will be looking at every position on the field for the Bulls and looking at the players, who will start and all the news floating around, today we start with a topic of much debate, quarterback.

The Bulls have a problem at QB this season. Coming into the winter conditioning, the starter, BJ Daniels is recovering after surgery on his non-throwing arm, recovery should be at least 6 weeks and he should be ready by mandatory spring practices. So no big deal, the back up will just get the snaps, problem is, we don't have a back up. The other QB last season, Evan Landi converted to wide receiver last season due to his athletic ability and is projected as a starter this year, so will he get the snaps in the winter conditioning? The answer is simply yes, the Bulls and Holtz have no choice for now. It will get him more experience in the new system and if something were to happen to Daniels and his recovery he could be the starter if the Bulls had to.

Now the other QBs on the depth chart are interesting. Their is sophomore Victor Marc, who came to USF as an athlete, switched to QB mid-point last year but then switched to defense and special teams, ending the season with one tackle. He is making the switch to receiver or either defensive back this year and stay put so he won't be a qb on the chart, which is a shame because he is talented physically and could start for this team we believe because of his arm and ability to make plays with his legs. The other QB on the chart is sophomore Ryan Eppes, a walk-on from last year that redshirted. Playing ball at Largo High, he decided he wanted to make the roster for a shot but was not used last year. It would a stretch for him to get a snap or see any kind of playing time except for injury or position change.

The other name that is being thrown around is Jamius Gunsby, the 4 star recruit from Georgia. He is a tall, strong pro-style player that resembles Pinkney that was the QB for Holtz while at ECU. He has a strong arm and also able to create from his legs as well. With the new system Holtz is going to put in for the offense this year he might start, Holtz has said he wants him to be on the field and use his ability. Just one problem for the winter, he is still in high school. That means he won't be able to get a jump on the system and play calling until summer when he and Daniels will both be battling for time under center.

At this point, it's far too soon to say who is the starter at QB for the Bulls, one would have to believe that going into week 1, BJ is our guy and Gunsby the number 2 right behind. Playing teams like Stony Brook and Western Kentucky should allow for him to see major playing time to get some real experience. BJ has proven himself and with his athletic ability, it would be insane to take him off the field, a man that out gained the entire FSU team in total yardage by himself. Daniels will start and Gunsby will see playing time and if Daniels does not continue to grow and Gunsby is pushing him, the team may be handed to him.

Winter Conditioning

Winter Conditioning has begun for USF football and its time for the new staff to get to work on the field and not the office. Holtz is busy trying to get schedules, staff and everything organized, even a one hour practice can take up to 3 hours to get organized. This is to be expected, Holtz is trying to rebuild a staff that shaken up after Leavitt was fired. Holtz has done well by filling all the wholes that were left and now has to turn his attention to the team on the field.


Over the next few weeks, we will break down every position on the field, see the depth, strength and who will be starting before the season even begins. It’s a down time for USF football and news is slow but we will get you prepared for the new team as it gets ready for the 2010-2011 season.

Told you so

Well all good things must come to an end and today it happened to the USF men's basketball team as they fell to Norte Dame by 3 points. The Bulls were down by 15 at one point but were able to rally and time the game at half time. In the second half they were able to come out to a six point lead but the tough play of Notre Dame and a quiet Jones for USF let the lead slip away and the Irish escaped with a win after a last second 3 by Jones missed the mark. It was a hard fought game but the Bulls got a dose of reality after being on cloud 9 the last two weeks. They are a good team and much improved but are not the upper level of the Big East yet and still struggle on the road. Gilchrist was in uniform but did not play so we hope that he will get back out there and add more offensive firepower and take some of the stress off Jones. The Bulls will have to regroup after this tough lose and get ready for Marquette next Saturday's game. GO BULLS!

Another look at USF Recruit Class

Just taking a quick minute to look again at the USF recruits that are coming in and how they will fit in with the players that are already on the roster. The offensive line will need depth and the size and athletic ability of the players coming in, such as Kaufman, will see playing time and will be key reserves in case of injury for the line, something that has happened far to often in the last few years for the Bulls and they have had to shift their lineup and players have had to step in and play.

The receiving core has plenty of play makers and the two big guys coming in along with Bogan, Griffin and Love, it should be a strong core of players and there are always some players that will come up from the depth chart to make key plays. Loosing Mitchell hurts the team speed overall but many of the receivers are physical and fast and should be able to make up for it. As long as they stay healthy and the new offensive system is learned quickly, all receivers could have a huge year.

The running back position is very, very interesting. It seems they have a ton of players, the new players like Powell and Hayes will have to share time with Ford, Samuels, Lamar. No one is sure how all the running backs will be able to play on the field and or even get a carry. We saw what Ford could do if he was given more carries and allowed to get going against Northern Illinois in the bowl game, he proved to be a monster. Holtz has a ton of options but trying to keep everyone happy with carries may be hard. Don't be surprised if some of these players take up other positions, Taylor is looking at linebacker already.

Then their is the QB situation, but its not that hard, we have two. Daniels is the starter and hopes to recover soon from surgery. Gunsby will get the snaps from under center early in practice and will be ahead of Daniels there. Holtz has said the competition will be open at that point. Daniels has the running ability and has proven a winner at FSU and many other venues. Gunsby is the big QB with a strong arm and pro style game, the type that Holtz liked at ECU, so who knows who the starter will be and it should be a wait and see with the signal caller.

So this is a quick break down on the offensive side of the ball for the Bulls, in a bit we will take a moment to look at the defensive side of the ball to understand the way the recruits will fit in with the returning starters.

HOLD ON!!!

Well the men's basketball team beat #8 Georgetown on the road, the first victory on the road against a ranked team in over 18 years and the 4th straight in the Big East. The Bulls are now 15-7 and 5-5 in the Big East, middle of the pack with a lot of teams. Jones is one fire, averaging at least 29 points a game in his last 5 contests and the world is beginning to take notice of the team, ESPN has been showing the highlights, the reporters are talking about our history and how the conference now has to respect us, the story goes on and on, some even talking about our team sneaking into the NCAA tournament. Let me go ahead and say it. HOLD ON!!!!

What the team is doing is incredible, I will have to give them that and they are the hottest thing around the area at this point. But everyone is wanting to crown them after only 4 wins, that is a major concern. The team is greatly improved but it has flaw, 2 of those wins were in overtime, Jones will not be able to play at this level for the rest of the season, teams will double him at all times and the play of his teamates his been spotty at times, Famous has been quiet or Howard will have a bad shooting night. Gilchrist should return on Sunday for a few minutes as he gets back in shape after the ankle injury, but he is not game ready and how will they find the way to get him back into the line up and back on his all conference track.

Everyone is wanting to crown the team and dream of the future but the team is already understanding that they must take every game at a time and not listen to everyone that is talking about them and take it in stride. I am just saying be cautious about giving them a crown so quick. They have a big game against Notre Dame on Sunday, a team that beat us by one point here in Tampa, if they are able to handle this game it would be huge, but they must be ready for it. GO BULLS!

USF recruiting

Well today was the first step in the new era of Skip Holtz at USF and it began with bringing in a new class of players. Many were wondering which players that had been recruited by Leavitt would still come to USF and what players Holtz would be able to bring in during such a short time. Holtz has even said this has been a tough time trying to get a class together that would be taletned and fill missing parts on the team. So, here are the 19 players in this year's recruiting class and a little overview of each one.

The first big name: Todd Chandler, the number 67 recruit on the ESPN Top 150. He has been wavering a bit and many thought he would go up to Louisville after Coach Charlie Strong made a strong push for him, but he is a Bull and will get playing time. He had 10 sacks in just his sophmore year and is a brut up front and should be able to anchor the line, along with Giddins from last year, should make the front 4 strong once more.

The next is Terrence Mitchell, the 4 star corner that decommitted from FSU and decided to stay home. He is a physical player that is not afraid to come up and play the run yet has the speed and ball skills to cover any receiver. Running a 4.4 in the 40, no one will out run him and he should be a starter at once with the lose of Jerome Murphy in the secondary.

These were the only two ESPN 150 players in this class, but players like Grothe, Selive, Allen, etc. were not in that ESPN group, Holtz went for talent, needs and class and the players he is bringing in are sure to wow the USF crowds and take USF to the next level, here are the other players.

The Bulls bring in 3 more running backs, making the back field a little bit crowded but Holtz should be able to find them all playing time. Tiger Powell and Marcus Shaw are small, physical runners with decent speed that should be able to play well in the new system. The other is JUCO transfer, Mike Hayes. Hayes is a bit bigger than the other two and is more of a Ford style of tailback but has more break out speed and as a 3 star recruit, he is a gem in this class that should be a household name soon.

The Bulls have reloaded the offensive line with loads of talent and weight as well. Last year, they only lost one senior and return Big East freshman Popek so these additions give the Bulls more depth and more strength for the stable of running backs. Jake Kaufman at 320 lbs., Tony Kilber at 315, Austin Reiter 210 lb. and Quinterrius Eatmon at 320 are a huge group that should push for playing time and be able to protect Daniels or the new recruit that is coming in, Jamius Gunsby, a 6'3" QB. Gunsby is a pro style QB and Holtz believes he will be the back up and compete for the job. He has a strong arm and should be able to help the Bulls with a change of pace because of his arm strength and field vision.

Gunsby and Daniels also have two new targets to throw to, Jamaal Montague and Deonte Welch, both are fast and physical receivers that should get playing time with Hester and Mitchell leaving, leaving Bogan, Griffin and Love as the only starters.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Bulls welcome DE Claude Davis, a strong defender that should see some playing time out of Junior college, LB Curtis Weatherspoon who could be a starter with some many seniors leaving, he is a strong and physical hitter who could anchor the box easily. LB Hans Louis joins him, another linebacker that was not recruited heavily but Holtz found him and should be a solid defender. DB Mark Joyce (Deland High School) is a good strong defender and can play either corner or safety and S Reshard Cliett is another under the radar defender that is a punishing hitter that will probably replace Nate Allen.

The first player to sign today was K Chris Vernon who could be the starter depending on the recovery of Bonani. So welcome to USF everyone and look forward to seeing everyone on the field soon. GO BULLS!

Daniels has surgery

Well a bit of bad news for BJ Daniels who had surgery the other day to repair a torn rotator cuff in his non-throwing shoulder. He injured apparently while playing against Northern Illinois and it has not recovered on its own as the trainers had hoped for. The surgery went well and his shoulder is now in a sling, he is expected to be out at least 4-6 weeks. Yet Daniels should be able to return to spring practice and 7 on 7 scrimmages. Daniels is the starter coming in and should be able to mature even more this year, this time off hurts a bit, he might not play in the spring game, scheduled for March 17 according to gousfbulls.com but it is not a major concern at the very moment. 3 star recruit Gunsby, the only other QB that will be on the roster (Landii appears to be switching full time to wide receiver) will get most of the snaps and should be a good thing to help develop him as well as Daniels recovers. Hope he gets well soon and gets back on the field to continue to grow as our star.

Its been awhile

It has been a while since we have been back on the game (work, school, and life in general) but don't worry, the Revolution is still going strong and has not gone away quit yet, we are still reporting about USF athletics and will soon be bringing you new information on the Bay area teams, but for now its all about the Bulls.

The BIG news that is going on in the last few days is the recruiting and what Skip Holtz is doing to put a strong class together and it has taken some very interesting turns. First, Brian Carnes, the first recruit, a 4 star QB according to Rivals.com, had his scholarship taken away by Holtz and has been labeled "unwelcome" at Manatee High School. Now many are upset about loosing the best QB in the state, but if you look at him, he is simply a smaller BJ Daniels, not as strong of an arm and his field vision is very poor, he locks onto one receiver and does not check down. So this might be a smart move. A new QB has committed to the Bulls, 3 star Gunsby from GA is coming. Gunsby is a big, pro-style QB coming in at 6'3" and over 200 lbs. He should be the back up or may be part of some interesting packages using his strong arm and Daniels's running ability. 2 star safety, Cliett, is coming to the Bulls as well, he has had an injury plagued high school career but at over 6'1" and a punishing hitter, he is a great addition to the secondary that is looking to replace Nate Allen and Jerome Murphy. WR Delonte Welch, 6' receiver is a strong and fast receiver that has not been ranked by anyone and could surprise everyone by flying under the radar for so long, he is a great pick up for the Bulls who lost Carlton Mitchell early to the draft. Adarius Bellamy, the RB that committed last year but could not make the grade to enter USF has had his scholarship offered taken away as well, which may be a smart move, he has gone from 4 stars to a 2 star recruit. No updates on DT Chandler, he is still a soft commit to USF but we will have to wait til Wednesday to find out where he is headed. Hope everyone enjoys this new blog and stay tuned for more updates.