|
by
Joel Welser
#29 South
Florida Bulls
Big East
2006 Record: (9-4, 4-3)
Coach: Jim Leavitt (70-43 at South Florida,
70-43 overall)
Starters Returning: 18 (8 offense, 8 defense,
2 specialists)
Offensive Starters Lost: WR S.J. Green, WR
Ean Randolph, TE Will Bleakley
Offensive Starters Returning: QB Matt Grothe,
RB Ben Williams, WR Marcus Edwards, OL Nick Capogna, OL Marc Dile, OL Matt
Huners, OL Ryan Schmidt, OL Walt Walker
Defensive Starters Lost: LB Stephen Nicholas,
LB Pat St. Louis, S Jeremy Burnett
Defensive Starters Returning: DT Woody
George, DT Aaron Harris, DE Jarriett Buie, DE George Selvie, LB Ben Mofitt, CB
Trae Williams, CB Mike Jenkins, S Carlton Williams
Starting Specialists Lost: none
Starting Specialists Returning: K Delbert
Alvarado, P Justin Teachey
South Florida has quickly become a program on the
rise and with their best recruiting class ever, the Bulls will be a force in the
Big East for years to come. As long as Coach Jim Leavitt is on the sidelines USF
will have a solid defense, but the team will need some more consistency on the
offensive end if they want to compete with the big boys in the conference in
2007.
Offense:
Eight starters returning is a good place to start to
find that consistency. Yet, the losses of wide receivers Ean Randolph and S.J.
Green and tight end Will Bleakley will hurt a bit. Randolph was the main target
for the Bulls, but Marcus Edwards, Taurus Johnson and Amarri Jackson should
provide enough of a spark to the receiving corps. Quarterback Matt Grothe did
not blow anybody away with his numbers in 2006, but he was a freshman. Grothe
got a lot of work done with his legs, but he has an arm that will do a lot of
damage now that he is more comfortable running the offense.
Grothe led the team in rushing and the Bulls need to
find a running back or two. Benjamin Williams earned the starting job in 2006
and rushed for 436 yards and four touchdowns. Super recruit Mike Ford is
expected to be the answer at running back, but whether or not he makes a large
impact as a freshman is the question. In any event, Ford will add some depth and
options to a running game that really needs it.
Defense:
The defense will be good again, but losing outside
linebackers Stephen Nicholas and Pat St. Louis is a concern. Marvin Peoples, Sam
Miller, Chris Robinson and Brouce Mompremier do not have the experience or skill
set of Nicholas and St. Louis, but the four of them should be able to handle the
job without too much of a drop in production. Inside linebacker Ben Moffit led
the team with 112 tackles in 2006 will anchor the linebacker corps. The return
of second team all-Big East corner Mike Jenkins and first team selection Trae
Williams gives USF a great pair of shutdown corners. The versatile Carlton
Williams can play anywhere in the secondary, but has developed into a solid
strong safety as an underclassman and should return to that position for his
junior campaign.
The line returns four starters, but the absence of
Josh Julmiste hurts their depth. Tackles Woody George, Allen Cray and Richard
Clebert are seniors and will bring some consistency to the line. Aaron Harris
started his freshman season on the bench as a planned redshirt, but he was
forced into action due to injuries by the fourth game of the season. The 6-4,
255 pound Williston, Florida product then won a starting job and brings a nice
combination of speed and strength to the interior. After batting academics and
injuries, Jariett Buie finally found some action in 2006. He has not quite
developed into the dominant end many expected, but he has the potential with a
year of experience under his belt. Even as a freshman, George Selvie was South
Florida’s most productive lineman, garnering 84 tackles and 5.5 sacks and will
once again be a menace to the opposition.
The Bottom Line:
South Florida tends to get up for the big games, but
lose to some teams they should beat, especially on the road. If the Bulls think
they are among the Big East elite, they need to beat teams like Cincinnati in
Cincinnati, instead of losing 23-6. The key is offensive consistency and with
Grothe moving past the freshman jitters, this should be the year the Bulls will
not have to upset somebody the last week of the year to salvage their season. |
From