NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com NCAA Football FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NCAA Football FanHouse http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/UConn Finally Hits Sweet Note for Jazzhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/24/uconn-finally-hits-sweet-note-for-jazz/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/24/uconn-finally-hits-sweet-note-for-jazz/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/24/uconn-finally-hits-sweet-note-for-jazz/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Randy EdsallFor nearly a month, UConn coach Randy Edsall knew what he would do -- he just started to wonder when he would get the opportunity.

That chance finally came Saturday when the Huskies defeated Notre Dame, 33-30, in double overtime. After three excruciating losses, the Huskies finally had a victory for murdered teammate Jasper Howard.

"We've been working very, very hard to get a win for Jazz and his family after his death," Edsall said. "Each week that went by, it seemed like there was a little more burden to get that done. But when we got that taken care of at Notre Dame, I didn't tell the team what I was doing, but I knew what I was going to do once we got that victory."

After the game, Edsall said he talked to Howard's family. Edsall said he will send them the game ball.

The Huskies (5-5) continue to be one of the nation's most resilient teams.

"Jazz made the comment after the Louisville game [the last one he played before his death], he echoed that saying we have in our facility: 'you have to play every play like it's the last play,' " Edsall said. "They understood, but they took it more to heart after the tragic death of Jazz. It just resonated more with our young people and carried an even stronger message to them."

The victory against Notre Dame also helped the Huskies' bowl hopes and restored confidence to the team, Edsall said.

"This should help our confidence," Edsall said. "You keep getting into the games and lose those close ones, and to get one, I think, will boost everybody's morale and confidence up."

Pike Returns to Starting Lineup

Cincinnati QB Tony Pike is slated to start Friday against Illinois, his first start since Oct. 15 at South Florida.

Since injuring his left forearm at USF, Pike missed the Bearcats' next three games before playing against West Virginia on Nov. 13. Pike attempted only four passes, throwing two short TD passes.

"He's got 'escapability' so he's going to get out on the perimeter and he's going to throw and get hit," Kelly said. "I'm sure he'll have some moments on Friday where he goes, 'Oh, OK, here it comes,' and he's got to take care of himself."

Pike will have the luxury of returning to the starting lineup against a team that ranks 89th out of 120 FBS teams in total defense and 90th in passing defense.

Breakfast with the Big East

Friday's Rutgers at Louisville game will feature an 11AM kickoff. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said on Thanksgiving Day in 2004, Rutgers played UConn with a 10AM kickoff.

He joked that Friday's game "is actually a little late."

Schiano was not laughing, though, about the Scarlet Knights' performance in Saturday's 34-13 loss at Syracuse. Schiano said his club was overconfident against Syracuse.

"I think so, I'd be naïve if I think it didn't have a factor," Schiano said. "It's a shame. That lesson, we should know by now. I think it was a perfect storm in a bad way for us."

That perfect storm was a combination of earning its first Top 25 ranking in two years after a 31-0 victory against South Florida and then playing the Orange, who Rutgers had beaten four consecutive times by at least 18 points. Instead, Syracuse posted its largest margin in Big East play in five seasons.

Odds Are Irish Eyes locked on Kelly

Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly and Florida's Urban Meyer are listed as the favorites to replace Charlie Weis at Notre Dame, according to sports-odds.com. Both coaches are listed as 3-to-2 favorites even though Meyer said Monday "I'm going to coach at Florida as long as they'll have me. So I want to make that clear."

Kelly has not made any such statement about staying at Cincinnati. He has said he will not discuss Notre Dame rumors and only comment about Cincinnati's football program.

Besides Kelly and Meyer, the next likely candidates are Stanford's Jim Harbaugh (3-to-1), Oregon's Chip Kelly (5-to-1), Iowa's Kirk Ferentz (10-to-1), Oklahoma's Bob Stoops (20-to-1) and former Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden (30-to-1), according to the website.

Around the League

UConn has the Big East's best football graduation rate and the worst basketball graduation rate. Here are the graduation rates released by the NCAA for the football and men's basketball players who entered NCAA Division I schools from 1999-2002 and went on to graduate within six years. Football: UConn 82 percent, Rutgers 81, Syracuse 77, Cincinnati 75, Pittsburgh 68, West Virginia 61, USF 60, Louisville 59. Men's basketball: Marquette and Notre Dame 100 percent, Villanova 92, Georgetown 82, Providence 77, Pittsburgh 75, Rutgers 70, St. John's 60, Syracuse 55, Cincinnati and Seton Hall 53, DePaul 46, USF 44 and West Virginia 44, Louisville 38, UConn 27. ... Louisville RB Victor Anderson, last year's Big East Freshman of the Year after rushing for 1,047 yards, will undergo shoulder surgery ending his sophomore season. Anderson played in eight games and finished with 473 yards. ... Pitt announced its future non-conference schedules through 2013. Among the highlights: 2010 -- at Utah, home vs. Miami; 2011 -- at Iowa, home vs. Utah; 2012 -- home vs. Virginia Tech; 2013 -- at Virginia Tech plus annual games with Notre Dame.

Contact FanHouse reporter Brett McMurphy at brettmcmurphy@gmail.com

UConn Finally Hits Sweet Note for Jazz originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Randy EdsallRandyEdsallBrett McMurphyTue, 24 Nov 2009 14:28:00 EST UConn Wins for Jasper Howard, at Lasthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/23/uconn-wins-for-jasper-howard-at-last/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/23/uconn-wins-for-jasper-howard-at-last/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/23/uconn-wins-for-jasper-howard-at-last/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

FanHouse Big East writer Brett McMurphy looks back at the week that was in the Big East Rewind.

Two weeks ago, UConn coach Randy Edsall and senior running back Andre Dixon both said how much the Huskies' really needed a bye week after a third consecutive last-minute loss at Cincinnati.

If no other team needed a bye like UConn, no other team in the country needed a victory like UConn. And that's exactly what the Huskies' got. UConn went into South Bend, Ind., and defeated Notre Dame 33-30 in double overtime Saturday.

It was the first victory since the murder of UConn cornerback Jasper Howard. After the game, Edsall pointed skyward in honor of Howard, while the Huskies' players held aloft Howard's No. 6 jersey.

Did anyone else notice UConn's final score just happen to be 33 (3+3=6)?

UConn's victory highlighted last week's Big East action as the Big East's bests -- Cincinnati-Pittsburgh or Pittsburgh-Cincinnati, if you prefer -- were idle last week.

In the only other two games involving league teams, South Florida thumped Louisville to secure a bowl berth for a fifth consecutive season and Syracuse upset Rutgers to avoid a winless Big East debut season for Doug Marrone.

Some things we may have figured out in the past week

1. Don't believe the preseason magazines, at least concerning offensive lines

Rutgers offensive line was hailed as (pick one): the best offensive line in the history of the Big East or one of the nation's best offensive lines. Athlon's ranked Rutgers' o-line as the nation's eighth best, while literally every preseason magazine and dot-com preseason preview touted Rutgers as the league's best. Yet, the Scarlet Knights allowed nine sacks in Saturday's loss at Syracuse and have the league's second-worst offense.

2. South Florida's B.J. Daniels should concentrate strictly on football

On Saturday against Louisville, Daniels had 445 yards of total offense, becoming the first player in Big East history and only 28th player in FBS history with 100 yards rushing and 300 yards passing in a game. The redshirt freshman is easily one of the league's most talented football players. But Daniels also has a love for basketball. That was the main reason he signed with USF because of an opportunity to play both sports. He played sparingly last season for USF's basketball team and has said he will play again after the conclusion of USF's football season. Unless the basketball team suffers a rash of injuries, Daniels likely won't get much playing time again this season and playing both sports will only curb his development on the football field.

3. Cincinnati fans are having some restless nights

UConn's victory all but sealed the fate of Notre Dame coach Charlie Weis. So in the matter of days (minutes?), Bearcats faithful will find out exactly how serious a candidate Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly is for the Fighting Irish. The Bearcats, though, aren't going down without a fight. The school has decided to borrow $9.7 million to start construction on athletic practice fields, the Cincinnati Enquirer reported. Building the new practice fields are a requirement in Kelly's new five-year contract.
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Re-Tweeting Week 12

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: On Friday, Brian Kelly matches wits with Illinois' Ron Zook. This really doesn't seem fair, does it?
2. Pitt: Does Dave Wannstedt wake up at every night wondering how in the world his Panthers ever lost to N.C. State?
3. West Virginia: Not quite the same, but Mountaineers can damage Pitt's season Friday much like Panthers did to WVU in 2007
4. UConn: Win against Notre Dame -- we're not going to call it an upset -- improves Huskies' bowl hopes
5. Rutgers: Sacked nine times by Syracuse Saturday, QB Tom Savage was on his back more than (insert your own bad joke here)
6. South Florida: Bulls stop the bleeding against Louisville and become bowl eligible for a fifth consecutive season
7. Syracuse: The Orange's upset of Rutgers gives Syracuse's seniors four consecutive seasons with one Big East victory
8. Louisville: Does Steve Kragthorpe end his Cardinals career Friday against Rutgers with a win or loss?

Follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter at twitter.com/BrettmcmurphY

UConn Wins for Jasper Howard, at Last originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>jasper howardBrett McMurphyMon, 23 Nov 2009 14:00:00 EST Big East Rewind: Ready for the Big Finishhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/big-east-rewind-after-further-review/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/big-east-rewind-after-further-review/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/16/big-east-rewind-after-further-review/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Pittsburgh fanAfter further review: Cincinnati and Pittsburgh remain on a collision course to determine the Big East championship and BCS bowl berth.

The Bearcats and Panthers experienced some anxious moments down the stretch, but both survived to move a step closer to delivering the Big East its first matchup of Top-10 ranked teams since 2006.

Cincinnati held off West Virginia, 24-21, and Pittsburgh outlasted Notre Dame 27-22 over the weekend. Did we mention both UC and Pitt were playing at home and benefited from two game-changing replay reversals?

And who says the SEC has the monopoly on all the controversial replay calls?

The No. 5 ranked Bearcats (10-0, 6-0 Big East) and No. 8 Panthers (9-1, 5-0) get a chance to catch their breath this weekend. West Virginia also is off this weekend, giving the Mountaineers time to reflect on their first two-game Big East losing streak since 2004 and watch Rich Rod against Ohio State.

Some things we may have figured out in the past week:

1. Chris Fowler isn't half as embarrassed as Jim Leavitt should be

During Rutgers' 31-0 seal-clubbing of South Florida on Thursday night, ESPN's Chris Fowler remarked he was embarrassed that he had voted for USF on his AP Top 25 ballot last week. (Hey Chris, I feel your pain: I had USF at No. 25 and I should really know better). When the Bulls joined the Big East in 2005, they were expected to compete for a league title: yet they've never finished higher than third (Syracuse is the only other league team without a top two finish). USF is 2-3 in league play and regressing. The Bulls' three Big East losses this year are by a combined 75 points and they're 4-8 in their last 12 Big East games. For a second consecutive year, the Bulls could be headed for a sixth-place finish. Perhaps, Fowler and I should have listened to SI.com's Stewart Mandel, when he wrote about USF's struggles last year: "I fell for the myth that Jim Leavitt's built-from-scratch program had established itself as a nationally relevant program."

2. Is the gig up for Cincinnati?

Another team has discovered Cincinnati's kryptonite that might eventually cost the Bearcats an undefeated season. West Virginia became the third team this season to crack the 200-yard rushing mark against the Bearcats and, not so coincidentally, the third team to hang within a touchdown of Cincinnati. The Bearcats allowed more than 200 yards rushing in close wins against Fresno State (28-20), UConn (47-45) and West Virginia (24-21). In their other seven victories, they allowed an average of 91 yards rushing and had an average winning margin of 28.9 points.

3. The 'R' on the helmet stands for red-hot

Whatever Greg Schiano is doing with his Rutgers teams in the second half of the past four seasons, he should bottle it and sell it -- or try doing the same thing in the first half of the season. Once again, the Scarlet Knights are heating up in the second half of the year. Since 2006, Rutgers' combined record - not including games against FCS opponents -- in the first six games of the year is 10-9. In the same span in the second half of the year, the Scarlet Knights are 19-5. Last year, Rutgers ended the year on a 7-0 run and after Thursday's dismantling of USF, the Scarlet Knights have won their last three games.

Re-Tweeting Week 11

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: Bad news is the close wins don't impress pollsters. Good news is the 'Cats are now experts at recovering onside kicks
2. Pitt: Nation's only team with a RB (Dion Lewis) and QB (Bill Stull) ranked among the nation's top six in rushing and pass efficiency
3. Rutgers: QB Tom Savage gets all the credit, but the Big East's top-rated defense has been the key to Rutgers' recent resurgence
4. West Virginia: Unless the Mountaineers defeat both Pitt and Rutgers, WVU will finish with its most Big East losses since 2001 team went 1-6
5. UConn: Huskies hoping to extend the Big East's winning streak against Notre Dame to four games
6. South Florida: In five seasons in Big East play, the Bulls are 16-17 and have never finished better than 4-3
7. Louisville: The Cards like 'em close. UL's three wins against FBS teams this season are by a combined 11 points
8. Syracuse: Just like Greg Robinson, Doug Marrone appears headed toward a 0-7 Big East record in his debut season

Follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter at twitter.com/BrettmcmurphY

Big East Rewind: Ready for the Big Finish originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:19:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyMon, 16 Nov 2009 17:19:00 EST Panthers Roaring in Old-School Offensehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/panthers-roaring-in-old-school-offense/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/panthers-roaring-in-old-school-offense/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/12/panthers-roaring-in-old-school-offense/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Dave WannstedtFanHouse Big East writer Brett McMurphy empties his reporter's pad every week with the latest news from the league in the Big East Notebook.

While the majority of college football programs are utilizing the spread offense, Pittsburgh coach Dave Wannstedt proudly admits his club's offensive philosophy has gone the way of the dinosaur.

So far, so good for Tyrannosaurus Dave and his Panthers. Forget extinction, the Panthers are thriving in their prehistoric offense.

The Panthers are 8-1, lead the Big East in rushing (187 yards per game) and second in the Big East and 16th nationally in scoring offense (34.56 points per game).

"I think there are a lot of different ways to win," Wannstedt said. "Right now everybody's in the spread offense. We're probably one of the dinosaurs left that are lining up with a fullback and a tailback and trying to pound people and play-action pass.

"But that's what I believe in. And the Super Bowls and national championships I've been associated with, that's what we did. You have to go with what you know and what you believe."

Believe this: much maligned quarterback Bill Stull is having a tremendous senior season (he ranks fifth nationally in passing efficiency with 17 touchdowns and four interceptions) and Dion Lewis is the nation's top true freshman running back.

Lewis leads the Big East and is seventh nationally, averaging 126.6 yards rushing per game. His 12 rushing touchdowns also are a Big East best.

Steve Kragthorpe: The Anti-Sally Field

"You don't like me, you really don't like me." Those weren't Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe's exact words earlier this week, but he basically admitted as much on Monday morning during the Big East's conference call and later that day during his weekly Louisville press conference.

"I know there are people that don't like me and they don't like the way I do things," Kragthorpe said. "That's fine. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. If they don't want to come and support me, that's fine. But they need to come support these players."

The Cardinals (3-6, 0-4 Big East) play host to Syracuse (3-6, 0-4) in a battle of the Big East basement Saturday. The loser likely locks up last place, while the winner can still get bowl eligible by winning out.

The Cardinals have lost nine consecutive Big East games with a pair of eight-point losses the only defeats by less than 10 points. The Cardinals' nine-game Big East losing streak matches the number of losses in four years under former coach Bobby Petrino (41-9). That and apathy toward Kragthorpe likely will attract more empty seats than fans at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium.

In Louisville's last home game on Halloween against Arkansas State, the Cardinals drew a stadium record low 21,497.
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Syracuse Struggling to the Finish

There has been only two types of news coming out of Syracuse's program the past two weeks: bad and worse.

On Monday, it was more of the same as the school announced that senior nose tackle Arthur Jones and junior offensive tackle Jonathan Meldrum suffered season-ending knee injuries Saturday against Pittsburgh.

In the 37-13 loss at Pittsburgh, the Orange only traveled 55 scholarship players, due to injuries, suspensions, illness, defections, plague, locusts ... you get the idea. Despite the tough times for first-year coach Doug Marrone, he said there's no other place he'd rather be than coaching his alma mater.

Just last season, Marrone was offensive coordinator for the New Orleans Saints and if he stayed, he would be in the midst of an undefeated season and possible Super Bowl run. Instead, he's 3-6 and winless in Big East play.

"I'm so thrilled for them [the Saints]," Marrone said. "But if I was [still] at the Saints, I would have wished I was here [at Syracuse]."

Big East Title Game Look Ahead

Cincinnati doesn't visit Pittsburgh for another 23 days - in case anyone is counting - but if you can't wait to start breaking down the defacto Big East title game, here's one way: the ever-popular score comparison.

Both the Bearcats and Panthers have defeated the same five Big East opponents - UConn, Louisville, Rutgers, South Florida and Syracuse.

Cincinnati's average score was 39.4-18.8, while Pittsburgh's was 32.2-14.4. The Bearcats have a slightly better margin of victory: 20.6 compared to Pitt's 17.8

Around he League

Concerned that South Florida freshman QB B.J. Daniels might get banged up running the football, he worked with the school's softball coach, Ken Eriksen, on getting tips on how to slide. "I didn't want this to get out but [offensive coordinator Mike] Canales has actually talked to [Eriksen] and he's trying to help me out with my sliding," said Daniels, who hasn't played baseball since his sophomore year of high school. ... Rutgers recently announced it would play Army next season at the new Meadowlands Stadium. The Scarlet Knights will earn a hefty $2.5-$2.7 million payday. ... With Notre Dame all but locked into the Gator Bowl and taking one of the Big East's bowl games, UConn (4-5) likely must win its final three games to receive a bowl bid. A 6-6 record likely wouldn't earn the Huskies a Big East bowl this season. A shame, considering everything the Huskies have gone through this season.

Panthers Roaring in Old-School Offense originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyThu, 12 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST Big East Rewind: Favorites Fading?http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/big-east-rewind-favorites-fading/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/big-east-rewind-favorites-fading/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/09/big-east-rewind-favorites-fading/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West Virginia won as expected last week, but it wasn't quite as easy as the experts predicted.

All three clubs were heavy favorites between 17 and 21 points, yet only Pittsburgh won easily. PItt was the only one of the trio that didn't almost lose. The Panthers disposed of depleted Syracuse 37-10, but Cincinnati and West Virginia had a lot more difficulty.

The Bearcats outlasted a resilient UConn club 47-45, while the Mountaineers held off Louisville 17-9.

Last week's results shows that the league remains divided into three tiers: the best (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh), the worst (Louisville, Syracuse) and everyone else (South Florida, West Virginia, UConn and Rutgers).

While the top and the bottom of the league is pretty well set, it should be interesting to see how the middle four teams shake out in the next few weeks. It will start Thursday when USF visits Rutgers.

Unfortunately, we have to wait another four weeks for the Cincinnati-Pittsburgh contest.

Some things we may have actually figured out in the past week

1. What do you know, the Big East ain't so bad after all

After starting the season with no teams ranked in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll, the Big East has half of its league in the BCS Top 25 rankings. That's even one more than the mighty SEC. Cincinnati is No. 5, but needs some help to get a shot at the BCS title game, while Pittsburgh is No. 12, South Florida No. 24 and West Virginia No. 25.

2. Syracuse will be the Big East's most improved team - in 2010

They have to be, right? There will be nowhere to go but up for the Orange. The latest debacle was Saturday's 37-10 loss at Pittsburgh. In the Orange's four Big East losses, they have not come closer than two touchdowns. Last week, they had three players suspended and a fourth - star WR Mike Williams - quit the team. Saturday, they lost starting SS Max Suter and TE Cody Catalina to season-ending injuries and they only took 55 scholarship players to Pitt.

3. Where did the O go for the "Muntaineers"?

In West Virginia's last two games, the Mountaineers have been held to 19 points in a loss at South Florida and 17 points in a win against Louisville. The significance is it marked the third time in 22 games under Coach Bill Stewart the Mountaineers had scored 20 or fewer points in consecutive games. By comparison, WVU only had back-to-back games with 20 points or less three times in the last 76 games of former Coach Rich Rodriguez's tenure at West Virginia.
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4. Are there chinks showing in Cincinnati's armor?

In Cincinnati's 9-0 start, the Bearcats' offense - whether Tony Pike or Zach Collaros played quarterback - has been absolutely dynamite. However, it does appear the blueprint for at least keeping it close against UC is out there. Fresno State, in a 28-20 loss to UC, rushed for 290 yards. UConn rushed for 201 in Saturday's two-point loss. Those are the only two games this season the Bearcats have allowed more than 200 yards rushing - and not coincidentally the only two games they have not won by double figures.

Re-Tweeting Week 10

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: The Zach Pack is growing. UConn the latest to believe that Cincinnati is better off with Collaros at QB
2. Pittsburgh: Since ending West Virginia's 2007 national title hopes, the Panthers have won 18 of their past 23 contests
3. South Florida: The not-ready-for-prime-time Bulls visit Rutgers hoping to end an 0-5 streak in ESPN Thursday night games
4. West Virginia: The Mountaineers have been outgained in their past three games, but still managed to win two of them
5. Rutgers: Freshman Tom Savage makes his first start vs. USF, looking to extend Scarlet Knights' three-game winning streak vs. the Bulls
6. UConn: The Huskies' perseverance is amazing, but they have lost their last three games by a total of 10 points
7. Louisville: Coming close counts in horseshoes, hand grenades and my Big East rankings. UL moves up one spot after hanging at WVU
8. Syracuse: The Orange and Cardinals will settle this once and for all Saturday: who is the league's worst team?

Follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter at twitter.com/BrettmcmurphY

Big East Rewind: Favorites Fading? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyMon, 09 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST Big East Commish: Old Bowl System Preferable to Playoffhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/04/big-east-commish-doesnt-expect-bcs-to-last-past-2013/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/04/big-east-commish-doesnt-expect-bcs-to-last-past-2013/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/04/big-east-commish-doesnt-expect-bcs-to-last-past-2013/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

John MarrinattoTAMPA, Fla. -- The demand for a college football playoff could break up the BCS after the 2013 season, but instead of adding a playoff, the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) would likely just revert back to the old bowl system, Big East commissioner John Marinatto told FanHouse.

"It [the BCS] is such an entity where there's so many diverse things that come together that make it work," Marinatto said. "I don't know if all that will continue to go on the way it is. If they're pressured to create a playoff, they would simply go back to what the system used to be like and have it as an at-large, free-for-all where people can go [to whichever bowl] they want.

"I don't think the pressure would cause people to create a playoff. I think it would cause them to go back to where we used to be [before the BCS]."

Marinatto also told FanHouse that the Big East has "no intention" of adding a ninth-football member. However, if the Big East was approached by another school that would "add value," the conference would be receptive to adding another member even it grew the basketball league to 17 teams. Marinatto stressed it would not "raid" another league to add a ninth-football member.

Also in Marinatto's interview with FanHouse, he said the BCS wants the coaches to make their ballots public after next season. He said he's optimistic they will and the coaches' poll will remain a part of the BCS formula. Marinatto also said it's possible a one-loss team could get selected over undefeated Cincinnati for a spot in the BCS title game and why the Big East's Yankee Bowl will be a success -- no matter how cold the weather might be in New York in late December/early January.

When will you add a ninth football member?
There is no intention of adding a ninth member at this point. There hasn't even been a discussion.

Do you want a ninth football member?
I understand the reasons why people feel like we could or should have a ninth member and it's primarily for scheduling. Again, we've had this discussion in the room the last five years since we expanded to 16 [schools]. It always comes down to: we'll take a ninth member if that member brings value to the membership.

Even if that means increasing the basketball membership to 17 schools?
Even if that means going to 17. We're structured in such a way that we've provided for that in our bylaws. If a ninth member of value became available tomorrow, we'd expand and go to 17.
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Would you pursue a ninth football member?
Will we raid someone to do it? No. It's not our intention to raid someone to accomplish what we want to accomplish. If under the right set of circumstances ... where someone might be disenfranchised and look for a new home. And if that school brought value, then we would be amenable. The world could change. The costs of travel could become such that an Eastern school that's now in a non-Eastern quote-unquote conference might want to look [and think] 'it makes more sense to be in the Big East.' There could be a shifting around. In that scenario, we would go to 17.

But we're not going to go out there and try and raid someone. That's not our intention.

Do you believe the BCS will continue to exist after the 2013 season?
The contract with ESPN is through [the end of the 2013 season]. There's so much resistance, or seemingly vocal resistance [to the BCS]. It's such an entity where there's so many diverse things that come together that make it work. I don't know if all that will continue to go on the way it is.

If they're pressured to create a playoff, they would simply go back to what the system used to be like and have it as an at-large, free-for-all where people can go to [to whichever bowl] they want. I don't think the pressure would cause people to create a playoff. I think it would cause them to go back to where we used to be.

We like the current system for a lot of reasons. It brings (the) regular season value because of the number of bowls that are available that provide so many students with the experience of being to a bowl game and that's a valuable thing.

The theory is if a playoff is created, the most you could do would be an eight-team playoff and those eight teams are going to be the ones that get to experience a post-season bowl. Whereas today you have probably 68 schools that get that experience, half of them walking away feeling good and winning. From a student-athlete's standpoint, we think the current structure allows for a better overall experience for more student-athletes. And that's really what, in the world of football, it's about: going to a bowl and experiencing that post-season experience.

In the Bowl Subdivision, people really cherish the post-season experiences. Whether it's the Rose Bowl or one of the lower level bowls, to get to a bowl is considered a positive experience. People around our table don't want to lose that.

Is there any scenario in which a one-loss team could be selected over a 12-0 Cincinnati team to play in the BCS title game?
I don't know until it unfolds. There are inherent flaws in the BCS system, it's not perfect. Injustice is possible. It's an attempt simply to get the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country identified to play each other. Over the years there have been injustices and we know it's not a perfect system. To answer your question, it could happen. It would be hard to see how it could happen, but again, the system is not perfect.

Should the coaches' ballots remain public and if they are not public, would the coaches' poll no longer be a part of the BCS formula?
Yes, transparency is important in a lot of things, but particularly in this at this point. We've talked about this around the room. We think chances are better that it [the coaches' poll] becomes transparent [than dropping the coaches poll from the BCS formula]. I think they understand at some level that it's important. Transparency is important for credibility. Hopefully that will happen; we'll see.

There clearly is a desire on the part of the commissioners around the country to have it transparent. We all feel that's important for a number of reasons, including credibility. I understand the logic of not publishing [the ballots] because of the pressure within certain conferences to help their own schools and a lot of other reasons, friendships and what not. But the reasons for making it transparent are more compelling than the reasons for keeping it secret.

The final [ballot] is the most important one. I would prefer that [all ballots through the season were public] but I don't know if that's a deal-breaker. The most important one is the final one.

Temple was kicked out of the Big East after the 2001-02 school year ...
My understanding, the group [Big East] created standards that they wanted everyone to adhere to and Temple wasn't able to meet the standards. [Marinatto was not with the Big East when the decision was made]

Could the same thing happen to another Big East school for not being competitive enough?
We have standards. In 2000, we created a strategic plan. Within our strategic plan were three elements.

One of the elements is referred to as the program standards for all of our team sports, a minimum number of scholarships you must commit; you also have to meet a certain percentage of the commitment for coaches and a facilities requirement.

When we expanded in 2003, we re-wrote the constitution and bylaws and created the contracts with the five new schools [Cincinnati, DePaul, Louisville, Marquette, South Florida]; an exhibit to the agreement was the strategic plan. We told everyone these are the standards we created, you have to adhere to these if you want to join and make the commitment that you're going to commit to the standards, so it's built into the contracts. It's an overall commitment to excellence. They are not competitive standards.

How close was the league to restructuring the men's basketball tournament and eliminating byes for the top eight seeds?
The way it happened, at our summer meetings, several of our coaches raised the concept of changing the format of the tournament. What I said to them was we've really not talked about this. When we expanded the tournament to 16 [teams], the current structure was the only one they could accept and go to 16 because it protected the best teams.

At the meeting this year, there was a reversal of opinion [because] on the women's side, three of the top four seeds lost, and on the men's side, two of the top four lost [their opening game]. I said to them this is all new.

I had [men's basketball associate commissioner] Danny Gavitt do an analysis. Does it require more class days, etc. Basically it was a neutral effect on all of those things. We could have changed the format. Several of the coaches in the room who were advocating for it, upon reflection, weren't as excited about doing it any longer. I've said we've only done it [this way] for one year, let's just table the idea for a year and if we feel that way next year we can revisit it. For the time being let's keep it the way it is.

I decided to keep it the way it was for another year at which point and time, we'll reevaluate to whether we want to make a change.

Are you in favor of all 16 teams playing in the Big East Tournament or would you rather it be limited to only the top 12 teams?
A year ago, I would have said no [to all 16]. But it seemed to work from a crowd standpoint. We had such good crowds last year. Now ESPN is televising the first day [the first-round wasn't televised last year]. We've got ESPN2 for the first session, ESPNU for the second session. We were afraid we would devalue our tournament by going to 16 and diluting it. That didn't happen last year, so let's see again what happens this year.

The BCS is considering hiring a full-time BCS coordinator. Is former Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese the obvious choice?
We've been talking about [having a coordinator] for a while. People [BCS league commissioners] who are sitting in the chair as the [BCS] coordinator often times feel conflicted wearing two hats because they have a built-in conflict of interest.

We've been talking about how we could potentially eliminate that perception because that person acts as the coordinator and also acts as the spokesperson. Within their own conference when you're the [BCS] coordinator, your own people [from your conference], you're not representing because you're representing the whole group.

We haven't resolved the fact we want to hire an executive director. We're talking about the idea. We haven't identified names. We haven't determined titles. We're not sure what the best scenario is to follow primarily to avoid that perceived conflict of interest.

You took over for Tranghese on July 1 as Big East commissioner. How have your first 100 days gone so far?
In so many ways I feel like we've accomplished so much. We got the Champs Bowl deal done. We got the Yankee [Bowl] deal done. We extended the [Madison Square] Garden contract [to host the Big East Tournament through 2016]. We hired a woman [associate commissioner Danielle Donehew] to take over for [associate commissioner] Donna DeMarco.

On the women's basketball side, we created the SWA [senior woman administrator] initiative for sportsmanship and ethical conduct. There are so many things we've gotten done in a short time, but there are so many things we need to start to deal with. The biggest of the logistical things is simply trying to relocate our office [Brown University bought the building the league's office is located in]. It sounds like a simple thing, but it's so all-consuming. Our intention is to stay in Providence.

The Big East added a bowl game to be played in Yankee Stadium starting next season. How can a bowl game played potentially in sub-freezing weather be a success?
We have three objectives [for our bowl games]: opponent, destination and geography.

Geography we address by being in New York because it's the center of where we are. Destination? New York City, Christmas, holidays. Opponent? Big 12. We have our three criteria met. If [Yankee Stadium] had a cover on the stadium it would be perfect, but it didn't. We had talked about doing this eight years ago. We had announced if the [New York] Jets built a new stadium with a roof we would create the Big Apple Bowl and we would host it. That would be perfect for us. The idea of being able to play this game in New York City on New Year's Day is what where shooting for.

When you go to Times Square and see the ball come down, it was just so appealing. I think that people would want to experience that. When you've watch it on TV since you were a kid, when Guy Lombardo would welcome in the New Year, then Dick Clark and so you grew up watching it. If your team is in New York City playing in Yankee Stadium on New Year's Day, wouldn't you want to go see New York lit up for the holidays and the ball coming down in Times Square?

I think we offset the weather with all those other things. And then as Randy Levine, president of the Yankees, keeps telling me: We're the New York Yankees, don't worry about the weather. The proposed dates are Dec. 29, 30, 31 or Jan. 1, but we're shooting for Jan. 1. That's ideal, you get there for the 31st to watch the ball and next day have the game. A day start would be ideal. The Yankees are in conversations with different networks to televise it, but haven't finalized what they want to do with it.

Big East Commish: Old Bowl System Preferable to Playoff originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>John MarinattoBrett McMurphyWed, 04 Nov 2009 15:30:00 EST Rewind: Big East Primed for Big Finishhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/big-east-rewind-two-be-determined/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/big-east-rewind-two-be-determined/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/02/big-east-rewind-two-be-determined/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

And then there were two.

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are now the lone undefeated teams in Big East play after last weekend's action.

The No. 4 ranked Bearcats and No. 14 Panthers continue on a collision course for the de facto Big East championship game on Dec. 5 in Pittsburgh. By the way, whatever Nick Carparelli, the Big East's senior associate commissioner for football, is making, he deserves a raise.

Carparelli is in charge of the league's schedule and his philosophy is having the league's top games played later in the year. That's easier said than done, but the Big East could have a pair of Top 10 teams playing for the league title if the Bearcats and Panthers don't stumble.

Stumble is exactly what West Virginia did -- again -- at South Florida. Playing in Tampa, Fla., on a Friday night for the second time in three years, the Mountaineers' league title hopes took a big hit with the 30-19 loss to the Bulls, who had lost their previous two games to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh by a combined margin of 75-31.

At just past the halfway mark in league play, five of the league's eight teams already have two league losses.

Some things we may have actually figured out in the past week

1. They are so ready for basketball to start in Louisville and Syracuse.

Last week's home football games at Louisville and Syracuse drew ridiculously small crowds. Louisville's game against Arkansas State drew a Papa John's Cardinal Stadium crowd of 21,497, the smallest in the stadium's 11-year history. The low attendance was probably a combination of UL fans being fed up with Steve Kragthorpe and the caliber of opponent. However, a top-flight opponent didn't help Syracuse. Only 33,082 showed at the Carrier Dome to see the Orange battle No. 5 Cincinnati. Even with free tickets provided to SU students and $10 tickets available in the upper level, it was smaller than any home crowd during Greg Robinson's past four seasons. Apparently the honeymoon is already over for first-year SU coach Doug Marrone, whose job didn't get any easier when WR Mike Williams quit on Monday.

2. Tim Brown never felt better - or worse - about a victory.

Tim Brown, Rutgers wide receiver, grew up in Miami two houses from UConn's Jasper Howard. Saturday was UConn's first home game since Howard was murdered. Brown had considered flying to Miami for the funeral last Monday, but ended up watching it on the internet. Before the game, he walked onto the field, knelt on one knee, said a short prayer and raised six fingers to the heavens -- for Howard, who wore No. 6. More than three hours later, Brown was racing into the end zone with the winning 81-yard TD catch with 22 seconds remaining. After crossing the goal line, Brown held up six fingers. "I played for him," said Brown, who cried after the game. "I dedicate this win to him and my teammates, for helping me keep my head up and keep me strong."

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3. South Florida has gotten into West Virginia's head.

USF's victory last week against West Virginia was only the third in five all-time meetings between the schools. But has a 3-2 advantage ever appeared so dominating? West Virginia has been favored in all five meetings, but has only won one comfortably. Since winning the first meeting, 28-13 in 2005, West Virginia has been lucky it hasn't lost four in a row to the Bulls. In 2006 USF won at WVU 24-19 as a 21-point underdog; in 2007 USF won 21-13 as a 7-point underdog when WVU was ranked No. 5 and last year USF nearly won again (and probably should have if not for some critical turnovers) in Morgantown in Pat White's final home game, losing 13-7. In last week's 30-19 victory by USF, the Bulls put the clamps on RB Noel Devine the same way they've shut down RB Steve Slaton and White in past seasons.

Re-Tweeting Week 9

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: Bearcats are nation's only team that has not lost a fumble this season. Did I just jinx a no-hitter?
2. Pitt: After Syracuse this week, Pitt hits a tough closing stretch vs. Notre Dame, West Virginia & Cincinnati, who are combined 20-4
3. USF: Bulls among eight teams with two victories this year against ranked opponents. They'll get a shot for a third vs. Miami on Nov. 28
4. West Virginia: Only Syracuse has allowed more yards passing than Mountaineers. Any chance Noel Devine can also play cornerback?
5. Rutgers: Scarlet Knights rank fourth nationally having forced 25 turnovers in eight games
6. UConn: Déjà vu again. Huskies suffer 28-24 loss for second consecutive week when defense gives up a late big play in crushing loss to RU
7. Syracuse: Will the Orange be looking past Pittsburgh this week to their Nov. 14 Battle of the Basement at Louisville?
8. Louisville: Cards' 21-13 win vs. Arkansas State was UL's first in 13 games under Steve Kragthorpe when scoring less than 24 points

Follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter at twitter.com/BrettmcmurphY

Rewind: Big East Primed for Big Finish originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyMon, 02 Nov 2009 16:30:00 EST Former USF Coordinators Explain Bulls' Troubling Fallshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/former-usf-coordinators-explain-bulls-troubling-falls/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/former-usf-coordinators-explain-bulls-troubling-falls/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/29/former-usf-coordinators-explain-bulls-troubling-falls/#commentsFiled under:

Jim LeavittIt's only a matter of time until someone decides to make a Groundhog Day sequel. If so, have the University of South Florida Bulls got the perfect storyline.

An undefeated start, a climb into the national rankings and then a mid-season meltdown that sends the Bulls spiraling and finishing the season unranked in 2007. And 2008. And again in 2009?

Wonder how well Bill Murray can pull off Jim Leavitt's sideline antics?

The Bulls started 5-0 -- again -- this season including what Leavitt called the biggest win in program history at Florida State Sept. 26.

USF is the only school in the nation to start each of the past three seasons 5-0 - which, of course, makes USF the only school in the nation to finish the past two seasons unranked after starting 5-0 and climbing into the Top 10.

The million dollar question -- or the $1.6 million dollar question since that's what Leavitt will make this year -- is what happens to USF each year?

I checked with USF's former coordinators -- Greg Gregory (offense) and Wally Burnham (defense) -- for answers to USF's mid-season slide. Gregory, now offensive coordinator at South Alabama, was with USF from 2005-08 and Burnham, now defensive coordinator at Iowa State, was at USF from 2000-08.

"Offensively, I felt there wasn't enough depth on the offensive line," Gregory said. "There wasn't enough competition to push guys and there weren't enough guys [to practice] so the starters wore down. We deteriorated up front at mid-season.

"That's the only thing I could trace it to. There was not a lot of competition on the offensive line and you don't improve as the season goes on. I think everything starts up front -- you have to develop depth there -- it does two things: It increases competition and allows you to practice more guys and you don't get beat up as bad."

Because of a lack of depth and injuries, Gregory remembers former lineman Jake Griffin taking nearly every snap in practice all season. "It was like he playing a game a day -- a game on Saturday, Tuesday and Wednesday," Gregory said. "It took its toll."

Burnham said he never really knew what caused the mid-season slumps.

"We could never put our finger on it," Burnham said. "We could never put it on why it always happened. We looked at the practice schedule, how much we were training them.

"Here's the deal: somehow when I was there, we lost our focus somehow -- I don't know about this year -- but we lost our focus in practice and in games. That's all I can go back to. Whether that was the reason, I don't know.

"It's hard. It's something. It's something that we missed and didn't get done."

This year, the Bulls didn't climb into the Top 10 after a 5-0 start, they only hit No. 21. But instead of blackjack, though, they've busted once again.

The Bulls have lost consecutive games to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh and appear in the same mid-season funk as the past two seasons. Yes, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are nationally ranked teams, but it's how USF lost both games that resembled the collapses of years past. USF was unable to stop Cincinnati's back-up quarterback and USF was unable to do anything against Pittsburgh's offense or defense.
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Good Riddance

Speaking of Burnham, during his time at USF, the Bulls' defense put the shackles on West Virginia's offense like no other team. The Bulls and Mountaineers play Friday night in a nationally televised contest.

Earlier this year, West Virginia coach Bill Stewart joked he was glad Burnham left USF and had headed "out West" to Iowa State.

Last year, WVU linebacker Reed Williams even admitted: "They've got our number right now. They did a great job with our schemes."

Because of Burnham's success against West Virginia's spread offense, assistant coaches from Ohio State, Minnesota and Colorado visited him during the summer of 2008 to pick his brain on how to stop the offense run by former West Virginia coach Rich Rodriguez, now at Michigan.

In the past three years, WVU's offense averaged 15 points and 153 yards rushing against USF, compared to 36 points and 284 yards rushing the past three years against every other opponent. The Bulls also won two of the three contests.

Friday's game will mark the third time new USF defensive coordinator Joe Tresey has faced the Mountaineers. The past two seasons was when Tresey was at Cincinnati. The Bearcats split the two meetings with WVU, allowing an average of 25.5 points and 196.5 yards rushing per game.

Tony Pipp?

It's a little far-fetched to think that Cincinnati back-up quarterback Zach Collaros is going to turn Tony Pike into a Wally Pipp, right? But the fact that Collaros, in his first start last week against Louisville, was nearly flawless, might speed up Pike's return to the lineup.

"If Zach went out there and really mucked around and didn't play well, it puts a little pressure on everybody," Kelly said. "It gives you a definite sense when you go into practice that the kids are going to play hard for whoever the quarterback is. It helps, definitely. Now Tony feels he's got to do whatever I have to do here to get back as quickly as possible."

Against Louisville, Collaros was 15 for 17 for 253 yards and three touchdowns. In the past six quarters against Louisville and USF, Collaros is 19-of-24 for 325 yards, three TDs and one interception, with 21 carries for 184 yards and two TDs.

Pike had surgery last week on his left (non-throwing) arm. His status remains day-to-day, but he probably won't play Saturday at Syracuse. He did not practice Tuesday.

"After the job Zach did, you can't be upset," Pike told the Cincinnati Enquirer. "You've got to get in here and stay positive and continue to help him and let the other guys see you. I feel good about where we're at and I'm ready to hopefully get back out there."

Around the league

Pike and Pitt's Bill Stull are among 15 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award. Cincinnati's Mardy Gilyard and Syracuse's Mike Williams are among 10 semifinalists for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top wide receiver. The 20 semifinalists for the Bryant Award, which goes to the national coach of the year, include Cincinnati's Brian Kelly, Pittsburgh's Dave Wannstedt and West Virginia's Bill Stewart are among 20 semifinalist for the Bryant Award, which is given to the national coach of the year. ... Rutgers has scored five touchdowns on defense or special teams this season, while the Scarlet Knights' offense has accounted for 19 TDs in seven games. ... In 2½ years under Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe, the Cardinals have scored less than 24 points in 12 of 31 games (losing all 12). In the previous four years under Bobby Petrino, Louisville scored less than 24 points only four times in 50 games (going 2-2). ... If Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis finishes as the conference's leading rusher, he would be the first freshman to lead the league since West Virginia's Avon Cobourne in 1999. ... Even with UConn QB Cody Endres throwing for a career-high 378 yards, the Huskies fell to 1-14 all-time against ranked teams after last week's loss at West Virginia.

Former USF Coordinators Explain Bulls' Troubling Falls originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>grant gregoryjim leavittwally burnhamzach collarosBrett McMurphyThu, 29 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST Big East Rewind: No Longer the Pittshttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/26/big-east-rewind-no-longer-the-pitts/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/26/big-east-rewind-no-longer-the-pitts/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/26/big-east-rewind-no-longer-the-pitts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Pitt PanthersJust three weeks ago, we called Pittsburgh the Pitts-ophrenic Panthers after their up-and-down performances earlier this season against Buffalo, N.C. State, Louisville and UConn.

Uh, is it too late to take that all back?

As impressive as Cincinnati has been all season, Pittsburgh might be playing the best overall of any Big East team. The offense is balanced and the defense gets more dominating each week. Saturday, the Panthers (7-1, 4-0 Big East) scorched South Florida 41-14.

Since allowing 505 yards at N.C. State, the Panthers have improved their defensive numbers in each of the past four games. Pitt allowed 305 yards to Louisville on Oct. 2, 303 to UConn on Oct. 10, 286 to Rutgers on Oct. 16 and 212 to USF on Saturday.

Led by DE Greg Romeus, the defense just continues to get stronger and stronger. The offense also is doing its part. QB Bill Stull ranks third nationally in passing efficiency and RB Dion Lewis is the nation's fourth-leading rusher. Against USF, Pitt never had to punt.

The Panthers are off this week before closing the season against Syracuse (Nov. 7), Notre Dame (Nov. 140, at West Virginia (Nov. 27) and Cincinnati (Dec. 5).

Some things we may have actually figured out in the past week

1. Sorry Brian Kelly, Randy Edsall is the Big East coach of the year

Yes, we already anointed Cincinnati's Brian Kelly as the league's coach of the year in this column a couple of weeks ago, but Randy Edsall deserves the honor as much, if not more. What Edsall did the past week in an incredibly difficult situation was inspiring to say the least. The class, dignity and professionalism that Edsall displayed in dealing with the tragic death of Jasper Howard situation was extraordinary. Perhaps other coaches would have done as admirably, but I doubt it. Then Edsall somehow managed to take the Huskies into Morgantown and nearly pulled off the upset. UConn outgained WVU 501-387 -- the first team to gain 500 yards on WVU this season -- but couldn't overcome four turnovers and a late Noel Devine TD in the 28-24 loss.

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2. Rece Davis is a genius

While showing highlights of Pittsburgh's 41-14 rout of South Florida, ESPN's Rece Davis remarked the following about the Bulls: "Once again just as the leaves drop, South Florida falls off the face of the Earth." Yes, as the calendar nears Halloween, USF's season turns into all tricks -- no treats. In 2007, USF started 6-0, only to finish 3-4. Last year, USF started 5-0, only to finish 3-5. After this year's 5-0 start, the Bulls are 0-2 and could very well be sitting at 5-4 after hosting West Virginia Friday and traveling to Rutgers Nov. 12. After that 5-0 start, the Bulls have been outgained in each of their Big East games against Syracuse, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh.

3. The end is near for Steve Kragthorpe at UL

When Steve Kragthorpe was hired at Louisville in 2007, it was generally regarded as a solid hire. Kragthorpe came to UL from Tulsa where he led the Golden Hurricane, 2-21 the two seasons before he took over, to bowl trips in three of his four seasons. At Louisville, though, it just hasn't worked out. In 2007, gut-wrenching, close losses to Kentucky, Syracuse and UConn kept the Cards from a bowl berth. Last year, the Cards looked to have turned the corner after upsetting No. 14 USF to get to 5-2. However, they promptly ended the year on a five-game losing streak. This year has been more of the same: a 2-5 start with their only wins against Indiana State and Southern Miss (on a last-second field goal). UL will not play in a bowl game for a third consecutive season for the first time since Ron Cooper was coach from 1995-97. That will leave AD Tom Jurich with no other choice than to replace Kragthorpe.

Re-Tweeting Week 8

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: Off to their best start since 1954, the Bearcats have committed a national-low four turnovers
2. Pittsburgh: In only loss at NC State, Panthers allowed 505 yards. In last two wins vs. Rutgers and USF, allowed only 498 combined
3. West Virginia: Last time WVU visited USF was also a Friday night in 2007 and No. 5 Mountaineers were upset. Does history repeat?
4. UConn: Huskies' three on-the-field losses have been by two, three and four points. RIP Jasper Howard
5. Rutgers: Since allowing 47 points in opener to Cincinnati, Rutgers is allowing only 10.5 points per game in past six games
6. South Florida: TGFS -- Thank God For Syracuse. Since joining Big East in 2005, USF is 5-0 vs. the 'Cuse, 10-16 against rest of Big East
7. Syracuse: After defeating Akron, Syracuse returns to Big East play vs. Cincinnati. Since 2005, SU is 3-27 against the Big East
8. Louisville: When scoring less than 24 points under Steve Kragthorpe, the Cardinals are 0-12

Follow Brett McMurphy on Twitter at twitter.com/BrettmcmurphY

Big East Rewind: No Longer the Pitts originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brian kellyjasper howardnoel devinerandy edsallsteve kragthorpeBrett McMurphyMon, 26 Oct 2009 15:33:00 EST Cincinnati Wins With Backup Planhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/cincinnati-wins-with-backup-plan/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/cincinnati-wins-with-backup-plan/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/16/cincinnati-wins-with-backup-plan/#commentsFiled under: ,

Brian Kelly, Zach CollarosTAMPA, Fla. -- Just a few days ago, quarterback Zach Collaros was running Cincinnati's scout team offense. Late Thursday night inside a near empty Raymond James Stadium, Collaros was the recipient of bear hug from offensive tackle Samuel Griffin, who then lifted him off the ground.

"He was just amazing," Griffin said.

With senior starter and darkhorse Heisman Trophy candidate Tony Pike knocked out early in the second half with an arm injury, Collaros came in to lead the No. 8 Bearcats to a 34-17 victory at No. 21 South Florida.

Pike left late in the first half with a sprained left wrist -- on the same arm he broke last season -- but returned in the second half. Pike lasted only eight plays in the third quarter before leaving for good, after, according to Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly, the plate in his arm from last year's injury moved
More Coverage: Injured Pike Out for Next Week


With 10:22 remaining in the third and Cincinnati clinging to a 17-10 lead, Collaros trotted onto the field.

He handed off on his first play for a 1-yard loss. He carried on second down for no gain. On third-and-11 from the 25, Collaros missed the signal from Kelly, forcing Cincinnati to burn a time out.

"We went over the signals again," the coach said of their sideline exchange. "He said he got it the second time."

Collaros took the shotgun snap, took one step back and then raced up the middle. He broke a tackle at UC's 40 and then raced untouched 75 yards for the touchdown.
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"I'm like 'Wow,' " Griffin said. "I'm chasing him down the field thinking 'let's score.'

"We're playing these Florida dudes, they're supposed to be fast, but no one caught him."

Pike said it was "unbelievable."

"On the sidelines, we're a little down and stuff," said Pike, who missed two games last season after breaking his left arm. "For him to break out a run like that to give us some momentum back. It propelled us the rest of the way."

USF defensive coordinator Joe Tresey knows all about Collaros. Tresey, the former Cincinnati defensive coordinator, was the one that recruited Collaros to Cincinnati three years ago.

"Man," Tresey said. "The irony of ironies."

Collaros later added another 3-yard touchdown run and finished with 132 yards rushing. He also threw for 72 yards. Cincinnati was the only BCS school to offer a scholarship to Collaros, who was 30-0 as a starting quarterback at Steubenville (Ohio) High School and won two state titles.

"I loved his moxie and savvy and he didn't lose a game as a high school quarterback," Kelly said. "Sixty thousand [fans]. On the road. Just lost your star quarterback and the No. 2 guy comes in and does what he does.

"It's because of his make up. He's got the intangibles I look for in a quarterback."

And unfortunately for the Bearcats (6-0, 2-0 Big East), they're looking at another starting quarterback. Just last season, Cincinnati used three different quarterbacks because of injuries.

"I don't want to bore you with the details, but I've been down this road before," Kelly said. "We have some things we're prepared for in a worst case scenario."

The worst case scenario for Pike is that his left wrist will require surgery.

"The plate that's in there has shifted," Kelly said. "We don't know what that means exactly until he gets seen by a specialist [on Friday]."

Before his injury, Pike completed 12-of-25 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns.

"It's frustrating, but obviously with what Zach did you have a level of comfort," Pike said.

Zach CollarosCollaros, who played the part of USF quarterback B.J. Daniels during practice this week, is use to running the scout team. He said he especially enjoyed playing the part of West Virginia's Pat White and, here's another irony, USF's Matt Grothe, who was lost for the season earlier this season with a knee injury.

"I was always a big Matt Grothe fan before I got to college," Collaros said. "He's been playing forever."

How long Collaros remains Cincinnati's starter depends on when Pike can return.

While Cincinnati is once again having to adjust to an injured starting quarterback, USF is also experiencing its own deja vu.

For the past two seasons, USF has climbed in the national rankings with 6-0 and 5-0 starts only to collapse once the Bulls entered Big East play.

The Bulls (5-1, 1-1) self destructed with penalties (12 for 113) and turnovers (two) in losing their fourth consecutive game to the Bearcats.

"I'm going to look at the film, tell them what they did right and what they did wrong ... and we'll move on," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "I don't have any other magical formula I can use."

Pike said the Bearcats' offense has been the difference against USF.

"It's our tempo -- they have a great defense -- but it wears teams down later in the game," Pike said.

No matter who the Bearcats have at quarterback.

"We're kind of accustomed to it, which isn't a good thing," Collaros said. "You never want to see your starting quarterback go down. But it's next man in. We preach that."

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TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Tony Pike #15 of the Cincinnati Bearcats watches play from the sidelines after an injury against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Pike
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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Tony Pike #15 of the Cincinnati Bearcats watches play from the sidelines after an injury against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Pike

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: ESPN commentator Erin Andrews interviews coach Brian Kelly and quarterback Zach Collaros #12 of the Cincinnati Bearcats after play against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zach Collaros;Brian Kelly;Erin Andrews

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Zach Collaros #12 of the Cincinnati Bearcats talks with injured quarterback Tony Pike #15 during play against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zach Collaros;Tony Pike

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: A cheerleader for the Cincinnati Bearcats watches play against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images)

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Safety Drew Frey #26 of the Cincinnati Bearcats celebrates an interception against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Drew Frey

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Tony Pike #15 of the Cincinnati Bearcats rushes up field against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Tony Pike

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Zach Collaros #12 of the Cincinnati Bearcats rushes for a touchdown against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zach Collaros

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Zach Collaros #12 of the Cincinnati Bearcats rushes for a 70-yard touchdown against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zach Collaros

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    TAMPA, FL - OCTOBER 15: Quarterback Zach Collaros #12 of the Cincinnati Bearcats rushes up field against the University of South Florida Bulls October 15, 2009 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Zach Collaros

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Cincinnati Wins With Backup Plan originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 02:26:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyFri, 16 Oct 2009 02:26:00 EST For USF's Mike Ford, Father Knows Best, Even From the Grave http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/14/for-mike-ford-father-knows-best-even-from-the-grave/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/14/for-mike-ford-father-knows-best-even-from-the-grave/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/14/for-mike-ford-father-knows-best-even-from-the-grave/#commentsFiled under:

Mike FordTAMPA, Fla. -- Mike Ford hears dead people.

Since his father, Robert Ford, died on July 6, 2007, Mike Ford said he talks with his dad. Every single day.

"He's here with me, and I hear voices, him telling me to do something," Ford told FanHouse. "I literally hear it. Like me and you talking right now. It's crazy. At first, it was kind of scary. And it's not even when I ask for help.

"I just hear a voice. He's telling me to do this or do that."

Dealing with his father's death is just another obstacle for the University of South Florida running back. As a child, he nearly drowned in the Gulf of Mexico. In high school, he struggled academically, which cost him a scholarship to Alabama. Two years later, he ended up at USF and admits he was overweight his first two seasons with the Bulls. This season, the junior was suspended for USF's first two games for what school sources said was a second failed drug test.

Despite the adversity, Ford has persevered. His coaches, teammates and family said Ford has showed a renewed commitment and desire.

"Mike's been through so much throughout his life," said USF wide receiver Carlton Mitchell, who was Ford's roommate this summer when Ford found out he had been suspended. "I commend him on how he handles himself. It's not easy to deal with the stuff he's going through.

"I pray for him a lot for his situation. He's like my brother. Mike and I are pretty close."

Not as close as Ford and his father, who also overcame a lot.

Robert Ford didn't learn to read until his mid-40s. He was a maintenance worker at USF's Sarasota, Fla., campus where some students there discovered he couldn't read and offered to tutor him.

Ford died of a heart attack a little more than two years ago.

"I do miss him a lot, I do miss him a lot," Ford said. "My family is waiting for me to break down. They know me and my dad were close.

"I cried [when he died], but it's not the cry they're looking for. It's sniffles and stuff. I guess as long as I'm hearing him, I guess he's here. I never go a day without thinking about him."

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Amarri Jackson, a former USF wide receiver and Ford's cousin, knows all about Ford's close relationship with his father.

Jackson remembers nearly 20 years ago when Ford, then five, and Jackson, seven, were with their families on a swimming trip to Sarasota's Lido Beach. Ford and Jackson decided to do "something crazy" and sneaked away from the adults, floating out into the Gulf of Mexico on their inner tubes.

Ford fell through his tube. Minutes later Ford's lifeless body bumped against a fisherman's boat. The fisherman pulled Ford from the water and, upon reaching the shore, paramedics brought him back to life.

Jackson, who played at USF from 2005-07, was a big reason Ford came to USF. After being denied by Alabama, Ford spent a season at Hargrave (Va.) Military Academy and then Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Mississippi.

Ford arrived at USF in January 2007. His father died six months later.

"It took a large toll on him," Jackson said. "It was someone that Mike could turn to. Knowing his daddy was there whenever he needed him, that was a big loss for him. That's some of the reason for some of the things that led to the suspension.

"I think it hits him when he realizes his dad's not there. He might say it doesn't effect him, but I can tell at times he's looking for him."

At Sarasota High School, Ford was one of the nation's top recruits. As a senior, Ford had 37 touchdowns and rushed for 2,836 yards, including 11 consecutive games with at least 200 yards. The only other player with comparable talent at that level, said his high school coach Bob Perkins, was Daunte Culpepper, now in his 11th season in the NFL.

At USF, Ford made an instant impact. In only the second game of his freshman season, he carried 21 times for 74 yards in USF's upset at Auburn. That year, he also had consecutive 100-yard games against Syracuse (28 carries, 134 yards) and Louisville (24 carries, 140 yards) and finished with 12 touchdowns.

"He's had some big games," USF running backs coach Carl Franks said. "He has the capability of having some big games anytime we play. He's a strong runner, a hard runner. The more physical football games are perfect for what are his strong suits."

Last season, though, Ford's production declined greatly. He was slowed by a high ankle sprain -- and by his high intake of fast food. Checkers Drive-In was his favorite -- "I'd either go with the wings or the hot and spicy chicken," he said -- with McDonald's a close second.

During his first two years at USF, Ford said he ate fast food "two-to-three times a day. I think I spent 1,500 [dollars] in three months at McDonalds and Checkers," he said. "I loved it. I felt like it really didn't effect me, but at the same time you do put on weight.

"When I got here [in 2007], the first time I ran a sprint, I'm like 'Am I moving?' People were commenting [how] could you be so slow? It was true, especially for a dude that used to run a 4.3, 4.4 40."

After last year's disappointing sophomore season, Ford rededicated himself in the spring. The 6-foot-2, 225-pounder improved his diet and, for the first time, become a regular in the weight room.

"One of the biggest things any young man must learn when he comes from high school to college, is that I am responsible for me," Franks said. "It's not always going to be somebody else that is taking care of things for me. That is something Mike has made great strides in understanding. That's not something unique to one individual: things are not going to get done by themselves."

Added Jackson: "He's more motivated than I've ever seen him."

Ford says his suspension this season was not for a failed drug test. However, when asked what he would tell kids what he learned from his suspension, Ford says: "If a coach tells you don't do something, don't do it. If your parents tell you don't do something, don't do it. If your friends tell you don't do something, don't do it. I listened, but I get sidetracked some times. Just say no. Just listen.

"I had to pay my dues," he added. "It's just like committing a robbery or something. If you go and get caught you have to pay your dues. If you did it, you did it. There's a consequence behind everything. I paid my dues and got back out there the third week [of the season] and was ready to play. It made me more motivated."

Mitchell laughs when recalling this past summer when he shared an apartment with Ford. They both enjoyed fishing in the pond about 20 yards behind the apartment. One day Ford walked in the back door holding the biggest catch of the summer -- a three- to four-foot alligator. Ford promptly placed it in a tank where Mitchell kept his pet iguana and then walked back outside. He returned a minute later with a second alligator.

"He kept them overnight," Mitchell said. "There's never a dull moment with him."

An academic casualty out of high school, Ford made USF's honor roll as a freshman with a 3.0 GPA. Besides "coming in with not the greatest academic background," Franks said Ford has overcome a lot of distractions in his life.

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In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)
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    In this photo taken on Sept. 26, 2009, Nebraska running back Rex Burkhead (22) carries the ball against Louisiana-Lafayette during an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb. Burkhead injured a foot in practice on Monday, Oct. 12, 2009, and Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini said the freshman would be out "for a while." (AP Photo/Dave Weaver)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno smiles during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    ** RECROPPED VERSION ** Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno smiles during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno addresses the media during his weekly news conference on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009 in State College, Pa. Penn State host Minnesota on Saturday in an NCAA college football game. (AP Photo/Pat Little)

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    In this photo taken Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, Texas senior quarterback Colt McCoy is shown before his team's 38-14 win in an NCAA college football game against Colorado in Austin, Texas. Texas, ranked No.3, is set to play No. 20 Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2009 in Dallas. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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    In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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    In this Sept. 26, 2009, photo, Michigan cornerback Boubacar Cissoko (33) trails Indiana wide receiver Tandon Doss (2) on a long pass during an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich. Michigan has suspended Cissoko indefinitely for violating team rules. Coach Rich Rodriguez made the announcement Saturday night, Oct. 10, after Iowa beat the Wolverines 30-28. (AP Photo/Tony Ding)

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"Mike has shown the ability to persevere, keep on, keeping on," Franks said. "That's one of those tenets we talk to our team about -- the ability to persevere and keep trying. That's probably one of the greatest attributes that anybody in life can have because life will deal you a lot of circumstances that are going to distract you and cause pain for you and cause things in your life to not go the way you want them to go. But you control your life."

On Oct. 3 at Syracuse, Ford celebrated his 23rd birthday by rushing for a season-high 68 yards. It was easily his most productive game this season.

"He's building as he goes," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "Mike's been making steady improvement (since returning), getting a little bit better all the time, which is really important."

Franks said he believes Ford can "become a dominant force." USF will need such a force Thursday night when the 21st-ranked Bulls host No. 8 Cincinnati.

"I still have a little bit more to go," Ford said. "It felt good [at Syracuse], my motor got to running and stuff. The more carries I get, the stronger I get."

Sometime before kickoff, Ford expects to hear from his father.

"Even if I'm sitting there by myself, he'll come," Ford said. "I've talked to my aunt about that a couple times and she's like, 'I believe you when you say that.'

"It's not like an imagination thing. I really hear him. It's been happening since after he passed away. It's like I could never get the feeling why -- why did this happen? One thing I never do is ask God why did this happen? I had to accept the fact. I realized he won't be coming back soon. But I'll see him one day.

"He's the one that told me you have to pay your dues and don't give up. I'm not giving up."

Jackson is confident in his cousin.

"He's made it though a lot of things that were close calls, starting with the [near] drowning," Jackson said. "He's made it though the obstacles. Your chances get slimmer as you get older. Time moves, it doesn't wait. We have these talks all the time. Just stay focused. He's ready and I think he'll finish off this season strong."

For USF's Mike Ford, Father Knows Best, Even From the Grave originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>mike fordBrett McMurphyWed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST Payback Bowl? South Florida's Tresey Takes Aim at School That Fired Himhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/payback-bowl-south-floridas-tresey-takes-aim-at-school-that-fi/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/payback-bowl-south-floridas-tresey-takes-aim-at-school-that-fi/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/13/payback-bowl-south-floridas-tresey-takes-aim-at-school-that-fi/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Brian Kelly, Jim TreseyTAMPA, Fla. -- Defensive coordinator Joe Tresey said he never saw it coming.

A couple of months after Cincinnati won the Big East title and played in the Orange Bowl and just days after National Signing Day in February, Tresey was fired by Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly. Tresey had spent the past three seasons as Kelly's defensive coordinator -- one year at Central Michigan and the past two seasons at Cincinnati.

"Yes I was surprised," Tresey told FanHouse. "I think it was over a 3-to-4 day period [that he talked with Kelly]. We had a discussion about going to the 3-4 [defense]."

Sources told FanHouse that Kelly's decision was based on Tresey interviewing for the Miami defensive coordinator position after last season. Tresey basically had the job locked up, but insisted on coaching UM's defensive backs. Miami coach Randy Shannon wanted Tresey assisting with another position and that ended up being a deal breaker, sources said.

Tresey counters his departure from Cincinnati was just about Kelly wanting to change defensive philosophies.

"He came back [after signing day] and wanted someone that had run [the 3-4]," Tresey said. "I was familiar with it. I was going to run it. But I think he felt deep down in my heart, I wasn't doing somersaults. I would have done a good job, he knows that."

Kelly claims it was a matter of changing defensive alignments.

"I wanted to go from teaching Spanish to teaching Russian, in terms of going from [a 4-3 to a 3-4] defensive structure," Kelly said earlier this season. "It's not in his wheelhouse. He was not comfortable with that.

"Philosophically, where I wanted to go, I was going to put him in a tough position. I felt like it would be better for both of us if we went in a different direction."

After getting axed at Cincinnati, Tresey, 51, paid for his own plane ticket to Tampa and got an interview with South Florida coach Jim Leavitt. After a second interview, Tresey was named USF's defensive coordinator in March.
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So far, Cincinnati's loss has been USF's gain. On Thursday night, Tresey's new team faces his former one when the No. 8 Bearcats (5-0) visit No. 21 USF (5-0)

Under Tresey, the Bulls have forced 3.2 turnovers a game, which ranks as the nation's third-best per game average. Two years ago at Cincinnati, Tresey's defense tied for the national lead in turnovers forced and interceptions.

"We practice stripping the ball, a lot of ball drills," Tresey said. "It's one of our goals. Everybody in America as a defensive coordinator practices this stuff. I've been fortunate to be around it the last four-to-five years. It's just one of those things. Sometimes they just happen and they come your way. You keep working it and keep talking about it."

Kelly knew Tresey would be successful and the Bulls would be "first and foremost" fundamentally sound.

"They will not do anything defensively that is not sound," Kelly said. "He's probably one of the best I've been around in the preparation end as far as putting your kids in a good position to succeed.

"And he's just a super guy, a good person. When you meet him you go, 'That's a good guy! That's a good guy!' And he's a sincere guy. There's no BS about Joe Tresey."

Tresey doesn't deal in BS. That's how he was raised by his parents, Joe and Ann, in Warren, Ohio. His father spent his whole life working in steel mills, his mother was a waitress.

He grew up in a 1,200-square foot ranch-style home without air conditioning or a garage with his parents and sister in what he called the "snow belt."

"I thought it was a nice house," Tresey said. "It's all I ever knew."

Cincinnati senior safety Aaron Webster knows all about Tresey and his, uh, let's just say colorful, animated use of the English language.

"This guy is a really intense guy," Webster said. "People take it the wrong way. They think because he's so intense, he's rude. He really isn't. He really loves the game and his players. I respect him for that."

Tresey's coaching style could be described as high-decibel, high-octane and high-energy. When Tresey was hired, he told the Bulls what he expected from them and what to expect from him.

"He came in and told his life story," USF nose tackle Terrell McClain said. "The way he expresses his feelings is because he used to work in the steel mill. That's some crazy stuff."

Added USF safety Jerrell Young: "Tresey definitely takes it to another level. I've never had a coach like that: high school, Little League, anywhere."

Tresey realizes his style of coaching might require an adjustment period for some.

"Probably [a player's first impression of me is] I'm a little bit Type A, a little bit over the wall sometimes," Tresey said. "But you know what? I make it a point to tell them I care about young people. I do what I do, I've done it for 30 years, because I love being around them."

Webster said he enjoyed his two years playing for Tresey.

"For me, Joe Tresey is hands-on," Webster said. "He tries to find what you're bad it and improve it right from the get-go. He wants to improve on your flaws.

"He's also -- I don't want to say over the top -- he's an exciting guy, though. He gets in your face and let's you know how he feels. He's a very different guy.

"If you want somebody different and new, Joe Tresey is your guy."

Despite coaching together for the past three seasons, Tresey and Kelly haven't spoken since February. Tresey still has friends on the Bearcats' staff, but said they've laid out the ground rules for this week. No phone calls and only a quick pre-game handshake.

Tresey said he's never coached against a school he was fired by.

"Never," he said. "That only happens in the NFL for the most part.

"This is a crazy profession, crap happens all the time. Really, I'm only focused on our kids, focused on beating Cincinnati. I've give very little thought [about facing his old team]. That's over with. That was six months ago.

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In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)
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    In this Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009, photo, Florida State tight end Caz Piurowski is checked by team trainers following his knee injury during an NCAA college football game against Georgia Tech in Tallahassee, Fla. Florida State announced Monday, Oct. 12, that Piurowski will miss the remainder of the season due to the injury. (AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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    Arizona's Nick Foles, left, talks with teammates before taking to the field for the final series against Washington during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. Foles gave up two interceptions near the end of the game one scoring the winning touchdown as Washington wins 36-33. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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    Washington's Kavario Middleton catches a pass for a touchdown against Arizona during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. Washington won 36-33. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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    Washington players including Taylor Bean, front, celebrate the 36-33 win over Arizona of an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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    Washington head coach Steve Sarkisian congratulates quarterback Jake Locker after the 36-33 win over Arizona in an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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    Washington's Devin Aguilar, right, celebrates with Senio Kelemete, left after Aguilar scored a touchdown against Arizona during the third quarter of an NCAA college football game in Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. Washington won 36-33. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)

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    BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall watches his team during the second half of their NCAA college football game against UNLV at Sam Boyd Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009 in Las Vegas. BYU defeated UNLV 59-21. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)

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"I've had my time from an emotional standpoint to deal with that. It's well over. It's well over."

USF senior defensive end George Selvie isn't so sure.

"He's saying he's not worried about it, but in the back of his mind 'he's like, I get a chance at my old team.' Just going out there against Cincinnati and his old head coach [will be special].

"I think it's a big game for him. I think he really wants it. He's crazy, but I think he's crazier this week. He's just ready to play. He's just fired up."

Tresey maintains it's just another game.

"This is about South Florida and Cincinnati," Tresey said. "If I drop dead tomorrow, they're still playing the game. The game will go on."

Payback Bowl? South Florida's Tresey Takes Aim at School That Fired Him originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brian kellyJoe TreseyBrett McMurphyTue, 13 Oct 2009 10:00:00 EST Notebook: QB Injuries Ravage Big Easthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/notebook-qb-injuries-ravage-big-east/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/notebook-qb-injuries-ravage-big-east/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/07/notebook-qb-injuries-ravage-big-east/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Adam FromanOn Monday, Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe was asked who would be the Cardinals' starting quarterback Saturday against Southern Miss.

"I don't want Southern Miss to know who the quarterback is," Kragthorpe said. "You guys will find out when they walk out on game day."

Forget the Abbott and Costello routine "Who's on first?", "Who's starting at quarterback?" has become the all-too-common theme in the first month of the Big East.

Last year, the league was stockpiled with clear-cut starting quarterbacks at West Virginia (Pat White), South Florida (Matt Grothe), Rutgers (Mike Teel), Pittsburgh (Bill Stull), Louisville (Hunter Cantwell) and Syracuse (Cameron Dantley). At Cincinnati and UConn, Tony Pike and Tyler Lorenzen ended up getting the majority of the starts, but the Bearcats and Huskies each used three different starting quarterbacks last season.

This year because of injuries, determining a starting quarterback at several league schools has been more like musical chairs.

Last season in the Big East, 12 players started at least two games at quarterback. This year, the league already has had 11 players start at least two games at quarterback -- and if Adam Froman starts for Louisville Saturday, he will be the 12th league QB with at least two starts this season.

Injuries have had a great impact on the position throughout the league and the No. 1 example is at South Florida where QB Matt Grothe was lost for the season with a torn ACL. In a cruel irony, Grothe's injury occurred a week after he passed White as the league's all-time leader in total offense.

Overall, the league's list of wounded QBs who have missed a start because of an injury could fill a MASH unit: USF's Grothe (knee), UConn's Zach Frazer (knee), Louisville's Justin Burke (bruised sternum) and Rutgers' Tom Savage (concussion).

Rutgers' coach Greg Schiano, who has had Savage and Domenic Natale split four starts this season, was asked about Savage's availability for Saturday's game with Texas Southern. Schiano's answer summed up how most of the coaches in the league are feeling about their own situations.

"We hope to have him back," Schiano said.

Buckeye State Bragging Rights

Forget health care, the big debate in Ohio these days is who has the better football team? Cincinnati or Ohio State.

The Buckeyes have the storied tradition, the only two-time Heisman winner, the dotting of the I, the most BCS title game losses, etc. Cincinnati has -- uh -- the better chili.

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This year, though, the Bearcats also might be better on the field. At least in the eyes of the Associated Press voters.

The Bearcats are No. 8 in this week's AP poll, one slot ahead of No. 9 Ohio State. It's the first time since 1951 that the Bearcats are ranked higher than Ohio State. Ohio State won the last meeting 37-7 in 2006, but unless they meet in a bowl game, they won't play again until 2012.

"By that time hopefully we've continued to accelerate our program where Ohio State has something to gain by playing us," Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly said. "In years past, this [which is the best team] wasn't really a conversation because Cincinnati wasn't the kind of program that would merit that kind of conversation."

While the AP voters gave Cincinnati the slight edge, it's not even close according to one member of the Kelly household.

Kenzel Kelly, Brian's 8-year old son, recently pitted Cincinnati against Ohio State on his PlayStation. The final score was Cincinnati 91, Ohio State 0 - and it wasn't even that close.

"I promptly took him to McDonald's," Brian Kelly said.

Big Four Billboard Boasting

Near downtown in Tampa, Fla., USF's marketing department put on a USF-sponsored billboard: "Big 4: Welcome to the Club Bulls Fans." It's in reference to USF's win at Florida State two weeks ago and the Bulls' quest to make the state's Big Three of Florida, Florida State and Miami a Big Four.

The billboard has the No. 3 crossed out and includes team logos of UF, FSU, UM and USF.

USF coach Jim Leavitt, who called the win at FSU the "biggest in school history, no question," was not thrilled about the new billboard.

"I had nothing to do with it, I don't know how it got up and I don't know who put it up," Leavitt told the Tampa Tribune. "We have not won national championships and we have not won conference championships. What gives us the right to sit there all of a sudden like we've won all these championships and done all this stuff? That's not me. That's never been me.

"I don't want people to sit there and think I think we're all that -- because we're not. We're a program that's trying to get competitive. We're a program trying to build."

The Bulls, who are 1-0 against FSU, 0-1 against Miami and have never played Florida, get their next crack at a Big Three/Big Four program Nov. 28 when they host Miami.

Around the League

Last season, UConn's Donald Brown led the nation in rushing with 2,083 yards. This season, the Huskies are ahead of Brown's pace -- albeit it's the combined numbers of Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman. Dixon and Todman are combining for 191 yards per game, compared to Brown's 160-yard per game average last season. "Andre is more of a slasher, while Jordan is a little bit shiftier," UConn coach Randy Edsall said about his dynamic duo. ... Pitt QB Bill Stull has gone from being booed by the home fans in the season opener to No. 5 nationally in passing efficiency. The difference? "This may be too simple, but the No. 1 thing is he's not throwing interceptions," Pitt coach Dave Wannstedt said. ... Louisville has held second-half leads in two of its three losses this season, but has been outscored 41-24 in the fourth quarter this season. Pitt outscored UL 28-0 in the second half of Friday's 35-10 win. "The first three series of the second half were catastrophic," Kragthorpe said. ... How hard has it been for USF to replace kicker Maikon Bonani, who suffered a back injury this summer falling from a Busch Gardens skyride? Delbert Alvardo and Eric Schwartz have combined to miss six of nine field goals - with five of the six misses from 40 yards or closer.

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Middle Tennessee State quarterback Dwight Dasher (9) avoids the tackle of Troy's Bear Woods (48) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 06: Matt Moore, a former college football player at Texas Christian attends The 24th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner benefiting The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis (national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis) at The Waldorf=Astoria on October 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Miami Project) *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 06: Matt Moore, a former college football player at Texas Christian attends The 24th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner benefiting The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis (national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis) at The Waldorf=Astoria on October 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images for The Miami Project) *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore

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    NEW YORK - OCTOBER 6: Matt Moore, a former college football player at Texas Christian University, attends The 24th Annual Great Sports Legends Dinner benefiting The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis (national fundraising arm of The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis) at The Waldorf-Astoria on October 6, 2009 in New York, New York. (Photo by Brian Bedder/Getty Images for The Miami Project) *** Local Caption *** Matt Moore

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    Middle Tennessee State quarterback Dwight Dasher (9) avoids the tackle of Troy's Bear Woods (48) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Troy receiver Chip Reeves (8) celebrates with teammate Sergio Perez, rear, after scoring on a 52-yard pass reception in the first half of an NCAA college football game against Middle Tennessee in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Troy linebacker Boris Lee (2) breaks up a pass intended for Middle Tennessee State receiver Malcolm Beyah (4) in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. At left is Troy defender Tebiarus Gill. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Troy running back Shawn Southward (20) reacts after scoring in the first quarter during an NCAA college football game against Middle Tennessee State in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. Middle Tennessee States's Emmanuel Perez (91) and Jeremy Kellem (20) walk away. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Troy receiver Chip Reeves (8) is pursued by Middle Tennessee State's Marcus Udell (3) on a 52-yard touchdown reception in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Middle Tennessee State wide receiver Desmond Gee runs for a first down as Troy's Tebiarus Gill (10), Bryan Willis (26) and Boris Lee (2) defend in the first half of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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    Troy running back Shawn Southward (20) dives to the end zone as Middle Tennessee State safety Jeremy Kellem (20) tries to make the stop in the first quarter of an NCAA college football game in Troy, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

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Notebook: QB Injuries Ravage Big East originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 11:02:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyWed, 07 Oct 2009 11:02:00 EST Rewind: Fab Four Emerge in Big Easthttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/rewind-fab-four-emerge-in-big-east/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/rewind-fab-four-emerge-in-big-east/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/05/rewind-fab-four-emerge-in-big-east/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,


The past week was fairly routine and predictable for the Big East: Cincinnati, South Florida, West Virginia and Pittsburgh all won fairly easy as they were expected against lesser competition.

The season isn't even to the halfway mark -- heck not every team has even started Big East play yet -- but that quartet has emerged as the Big East's Fab Four.

Entering the season, the consensus of all the preseason magazines and .com's was that any one of five teams would win the league. Those four plus Rutgers were considered good enough to win the league in a race that would be too close to call.

The Scarlet Knights lost to a Cincinnati buzzsaw in their season opener, but have allowed only 35 points in winning three consecutive games against subpar competition since, so they might be better than they showed in Week 1.

Whether Rutgers or, maybe even Connecticut, deserves to be included in the upper half of the league should be known fairly soon. In the next two weeks, UConn visits Pitt Saturday and the following week Rutgers hosts the Panthers.

Some things we may have actually figured out in the past week

1. I guess Cincinnati really doesn't need the ball that much.

In its past two games combined, Cincinnati's offense has had the football for only 35 minutes and 27 seconds or about the same amount that some teams have in one game. Yet, the Bearcats are doing plenty with their limited opportunities. In the two wins against Fresno State and Miami, Ohio, Cincinnati has scored nine offensive touchdowns in 35:27, or an average of one touchdown every 3 minutes and 56 seconds it has the ball. You want efficiency? Check this out: the Bearcats' nine TD drives the past two games averaged to a remarkable 1:54, a virtual two-minute drill. Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly isn't worried about the time of possession disparity or slowing down the Bearcats' scoring drives by saying "I'd rather score quickly."

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2. West Virginia's worst enemy is ... West Virginia.

OK, maybe this was obvious after the six turnover night at Auburn, or the four turnovers against East Carolina, or ... West Virginia is averaging 465 yards a game -- and nearly as many turnovers a game. The Mountaineers have lost 14 turnovers in the past three games. But they aren't biased toward a particular turnover. Against East Carolina, the Mountaineers lost three fumbles. At Auburn, they had five interceptions. In Thursday's win against Colorado, they lost four fumbles. "We're sloppy," WVU coach Bill Stewart said. WVU's offensive numbers -- second in the Big East, 13th nationally -- would be even more impressive if the Mountaineers could ever hold onto the dang football. In WVU's three games against FBS teams, the Mountaineers have more turnovers (14) than punts (10). Beware the Mountaineers if they can ever stop giving the football away.

3. USF is really, really good -- or maybe just taking advantage of an easy schedule.

For the third time in as many seasons, South Florida is back in the national rankings. Despite losing senior QB Matt Grothe to a season-ending knee injury in their third game, the Bulls (5-0) are No. 23 in this week's AP Top 25. Off this week, they might sneak into the top 20 this weekend if enough ranked teams lose. The Bulls' most impressive win so far was clearly at Florida State, but the Seminoles are struggling big-time this season. Also, two of USF's wins were against FCS teams (Wofford and Charleston Southern) and a third victory was against Western Kentucky, possibly the nation's worst FBS team. All of their first five opponents currently have losing records and are a combined 7-17. It won't take long to find out if the Bulls are legit contenders or pretenders. USF's next four opponents (Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, West Virginia and Rutgers) has a combined record of 15-3.

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In this Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 photo, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden is shown walking the sideline during the second half against Boston College of an NCAA college football game at Alumni Stadium in Boston. Boston College won 28-21. The chairman of the Florida State University trustees wants Bobby Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Jim Smith said Monday, oct. 5, 2009, the arrangement with Bowden as head coach and his successor, Jimbo Fisher, as offensive coordinator isn't working. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)
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    In this photo taken Sept. 12, 2009, Illinois' QB Eddie McGee (10) heads down field against Illinois State during the second half of the NCAA college football game at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Ill. Illinois will start backup quarterback Eddie McGee on Saturday against Michigan State instead of Juice Williams. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

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    In this photo taken Oct. 3, 2009, Illinois' quarterback Juice Williams (7) scrambles out of the pocket against Penn State during the first half of the NCAA college football game in Champaign, Ill. Illinois will start backup quarterback Eddie McGee on Saturday against Michigan State instead of Juice Williams. (AP Photo/Seth Perlman)

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    In this Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 photo, Florida State head coach Bobby Bowden is shown walking the sideline during the second half against Boston College of an NCAA college football game at Alumni Stadium in Boston. Boston College won 28-21. The chairman of the Florida State University trustees wants Bobby Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Jim Smith said Monday, oct. 5, 2009, the arrangement with Bowden as head coach and his successor, Jimbo Fisher, as offensive coordinator isn't working. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

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    In this photo made Oct. 3, 2009, Florida State offensive coordinator Jimbo Fisher makes a call during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Boston College at Alumni Stadium in Boston. Boston College won 28-21. The chairman of the Florida State University trustees wants Bobby Bowden to retire at the end of this season. Jim Smith said Monday, Oct. 5, 2009, the arrangement with Bowden as head coach and his successor, Jimbo Fisher, as offensive coordinator isn't working. (AP Photo/Greg M. Cooper)

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    Washington State running back Logwone Mitz, top, attempts to leap in for a touchdown but is stopped short by the Oregon defensive during the second half of their NCAA college football game in Eugene, Ore., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. Oregon beat Washington 52-6.

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    In this Oct. 3, 2009 photograph, Mississippi State linebacker K.J. Wright (34) attempts to block a first half pass by Georgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt (9) during their NCAA college football game in Starkville, Miss. Josh Nesbitt is making it tough on defensive coordinators. The Georgia Tech quarterback did a little bit of everything the last two weeks, baffling defenses in wins over Mississippi State and North Carolina. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)

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    Stanford running back Toby Gerhart (7) scores a touchdown past UCLA cornerback Alterraun Verner (1) in the first quarter of their NCAA football game in Stanford, Calif., Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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    Houston quarterback Case Keenum and UTEP defender Aaron King chase a fumble during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 in El Paso, Texas. Keenum was unable to recover the ball and it was instead picked up by UTEP's Roddray Walker and run 70 yards for a touchdown. (AP Photo/Victor Calzada)

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    Houston's Brandon Brinkley agonized after UTEP's Donald Buckram scored his fourth touchdown of the evening during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 in El Paso, Texas. UTEP linemen celebrated with Buckram in the background. (AP Photo/Victor Calzada)

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    UTEP defender Roddray Walker sprints 70 yards for touchdown after recovering a Houston fumble during the fourth quarter of their NCAA college football game Saturday Oct. 3, 2009 in El Paso, Texas. (AP Photo/Victor Calzada)

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Re-Tweeting Week 5

Ranking the league from top to bottom and summarizing each team, in 140 characters or less.

1. Cincinnati: Start the hype: No. 8 Bearcats visit No. 23 USF Oct. 15 in nationally televised contest of league's only unbeatens

2. USF: Behind new defensive coordinator Joe Tresey, Bulls are third nationally forcing 16 turnovers

3. WVU: Just call RB Noel Devine "The Human First Down." Against Colorado, he had career-high 220 yards on 22 carries

4. Pitt: Bill Stull, former whipping boy of Pitt fans, is now fifth in nation in passing efficiency (11 TDs, one interception)

5. UConn: Huskies best chance for upset at Pittsburgh Saturday will be taking advantage of league's second-worst rush defense

6. Rutgers: Another FCS cupcake (Texas Southern) Saturday moves Rutgers to 4-1 before hosting Pitt on Oct. 16

7. Syracuse: Is turnover-machine hyphenated or two words? Greg Paulus' five interceptions part of SU's seven TOs in USF loss

8. Louisville: Flag day coming Saturday when nation's No. 6 (So. Miss) & No. 8 (UL) most penalized teams meet

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Rewind: Fab Four Emerge in Big East originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 05 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyMon, 05 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST Not Much Sunshine in Sunshine Statehttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/not-much-sunshine-in-sunshine-state/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/not-much-sunshine-in-sunshine-state/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/27/not-much-sunshine-in-sunshine-state/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

The Sunshine State's college football teams awoke Sunday in a state of flux.

Florida's Tim Tebow was injured. Miami was bruised. Florida State was exposed. South Florida was, well, giddy. It was just as nuts nationally, too, where four top-10 teams lost this weekend. Six times already this season a team ranked in the top 10 has lost to an unranked team. What comes next? Every game could be a potential adventure as September rolls into October.

"As a whole team we have to learn how to finish the game," UM head coach Randy Shannon said Sunday after reviewing the Hurricanes' 31-7 loss at Virginia Tech 24 hours earlier. "The first two weeks I thought they [players] did a nice job with maturity, doing their responsibility, what they needed to get done.

"Now they took a step back."

Top-ranked UF, meanwhile, just wants to steady its nerves after Tebow suffered a concussion in the Gators' 41-7 victory at Kentucky Saturday. Tebow returned home to Gainesville, Fla., Sunday after spending the night at a Lexington, Ky., hospital.

Tebow, the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner, sustained a scary blow to the back of his head when he was sacked by UK defensive end Taylor Wyndham and fell backward into the knee of offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert late in the third quarter.

Wyndham was "sorry" that Tebow was injured.

"I really don't want to be known as that guy," Wyndham told the Lexington Herald-Leader. "I want to be known for other plays and making big plays and stuff.

"When I got up and saw he was hurt, I was kind of upset about it. It's football, but you always hope that nobody gets injured. It was a good hit, a clean hit. I'm sorry he got hurt; I wish the best for him."

The Gators (4-0) are off Saturday; they play at No. 4 LSU on Oct. 10. It might be several days, maybe longer, before Tebow's status becomes clearer. Backup John Brantley replaced Tebow and completed 4-of-6 passes for 30 yards, including an 8-yard TD pass to Riley Cooper in the fourth quarter. If Tebow isn't able to play against the Tigers, Brantley would make his first career start.

Speaking of first career starts, USF quarterback B.J. Daniels returned to his hometown of Tallahassee, Fla., and helped the undefeated Bulls punk the Seminoles, 17-7.

A week after playing their best of the game of the season in a victory over then-No. 7 BYU, the Seminoles fell flat against a Bulls team that was more motivated, better prepared and, quite frankly, just as athletic.

USF head coach Jim Leavitt called it a "historical win."

It was agonizing for FSU fans.

The performance has once again fanned the flames of whether the program is improving under Bobby Bowden, whose team returns to ACC play on Saturday at Boston College. Bowden pointed out Sunday that the Seminoles still have plenty to play for -- winning the ACC Coastal Division and a berth into the ACC Championship game in Tampa, Fla.

"There's too much season left to be negative," Bowden said.

While FSU's offense is averaging 28.5 points and 401.5 yards per game, the Seminoles continue to lack big-play potential under offensive coordinator, and head coach-in-waiting, Jimbo Fisher.

FSU struggled against USF, losing four fumbles and finishing with 19 yards rushing. The Seminoles managed only seven points despite having eight possessions in Bulls territory, including first-and-goal at the 3 and first-and-goal at the 7.

"Obviously, we're not over it [overall performance] consistently," Fisher said.

"We don't have enough guys over it consistently. We've got a few guys who stayed over it. Again, we're up and down."

That was a similar message echoed by Shannon, whose Hurricanes must regroup in a hurry at home on Saturday against No. 8 Oklahoma.

The game could mark the return of Sooners quarterback Sam Bradford, who sustained a third-degree separation of his right shoulder in the Sooners' season-opening loss to BYU on Sept. 5. However, many believe a more likely scenario would be to have Bradford back for the Sooners' Big 12 opener against Baylor on Oct. 10.

Bradford reportedly flew to Birmingham, Ala., on Friday to see renowned sports surgeon James Andrews.

"We prepare for Oklahoma's offense," Shannon said.

"We can't prepare for Sam Bradford and the other quarterback. Their offense is what makes the offense go. They're not going to change the plays because of who the quarterback is. They're going to run the offense."

Despite wet weather in Blacksburg, Va., Shannon was disappointed by the Hurricanes' effort. There were turnovers, dropped passes, a blocked punt and blown protections.

"We're not where we want to be at," Shannon said.

"I keep saying that type of thing. It's a great situation for us to learn as a football team. We won two big games but we had to come back and get ready for the third team, Virginia Tech, and we didn't do it. Now we have to step up and say, `What do we want to get done against Oklahoma? Are we going to bounce back, go out there and have a great game plan, go out there and execute?' "
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Not Much Sunshine in Sunshine State originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sun, 27 Sep 2009 20:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>tim tebowJim HenrySun, 27 Sep 2009 20:40:00 EST Homecoming King Daniels Leads South Florida to Historic Winhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/26/daniels-returns-home-for-south-floridas-historic-win/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/26/daniels-returns-home-for-south-floridas-historic-win/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/26/daniels-returns-home-for-south-floridas-historic-win/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Welcome home, B.J.

Quarterback B.J. Daniels, who actually lived on the Florida State campus as a youth, returned to his hometown Saturday and helped deliver a historic victory for the University of South Florida. While the 17-7 defeat probably won't serve as an epitaph for the 18th-ranked Seminoles, it certainly damages their national resurgence and disrupts the pecking order in the Sunshine State.

It appears the Big Three is evolving into the Big Four. In a hurry, too.

"It's Florida State. To come up here and beat them in their stadium, they are ranked right now, they have so much prestige, so many wins," said USF All-American defensive end George Selvie, who spearheaded a powerful pass rush that produced five sacks and forced a crucial fourth-quarter fumble that slowed any FSU comeback.

'It was great to come up here, being the underdog, and beat this team and change history. They are part of the Big Three; we have a chance to make it the Big Four."

Of course, one of the bigger storylines was Daniels' return to his backyard, where the redshirt freshman was a two-sport star at nearby Lincoln High School.

Daniels' father Bruce used to work as the housing director at FSU, and the Daniels family lived on campus until B.J. was 7. Daniels grew up a fan of FSU quarterback Charlie Ward and had dreams of playing at FSU, but the Seminoles never actively recruited him. Other opportunities developed, and the Bulls offered Daniels the chance to play both basketball and football.

It was an easy decision.

And an incredible showing Saturday.

Pressed into his first career start after Matt Grothe was lost for the season last week with a torn ACL, the poised and confident Daniels ran for 126 yards, threw two second-quarter touchdown passes and accounted for 341 total yards offense to help the Bulls (4-0) remain undefeated.

While USF coach Jim Leavitt felt Daniels pressed a tad in the second half, wanting to win the game by himself -- who could blame him? -- he rarely blinked under the pressure.

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It was USF's first win over the state's Big Three -- Florida, Miami and FSU.

"You can't even make this stuff up," said Bruce Daniels, who stood with family, friends former prep classmates and teammates of his son near the USF buses that would caravan the Bulls five hours back to their Tampa campus. Added David Wilson, Daniels' high school coach at Lincoln: "He's just a soft spirit and it (pressure) doesn't affect him."

The defeat will surely impact the Seminoles (2-2), who were coming off one of the most impressive victories of the season at then-No. 7 BYU last Saturday. FSU was thoroughly whipped along the line of scrimmage, finishing with just 19 net rushing yards and converting 2-of-12 third-down conversions. Quarterback Christian Ponder was pressured relentlessly, completing 25 of 37 passes for 269 yards, most of it coming on short throws.

Ponder's fumble when sacked by Jason Pierre-Paul with 5:53 remaining helped the bullish Bulls seal the game.

"Boy, I will tell you what, they are a whole lot better than I thought," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "I knew they were good, but when they're playing Western Kentucky, Wofford, Charleston Southern... you just aren't sure of the people they are playing. They are good. They beat the heck out of us.

"They whipped us."

Yes indeed.

USF stopped the Seminoles on four plays from the three-yard line early in the second quarter, a series that Bowden said "told the story right there." The Bulls then needed just five plays to cover 99 yards to get the game's first touchdown as Daniels dismantled FSU with one big play after another. Polite and personable, Daniels said he wasn't nervous considering the circumstances.

"Not at all. I am really not a nervous person," he said.

"I was excited to get out there and play hard for my team. All week I"ve been preaching to my teammates it's not about me, it's about the Bulls stepping up and making a name for ourselves. It was nice to come home and play in front of my friends and family, but it was much bigger than that."


When the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard before a sold out crowd of 83,524 at Doak Campbell Stadium , the large contingent of green-clad USF fans in the south end zone erupted in celebration. A "Whiteout"-- FSU fans were encouraged to wear white shirts to match the Seminoles' white jerseys and pants -- had turned into a wipe out .

"Everyone is disappointed," Ponder said.

"I think everyone realizes that we had a good opportunity to win this ball game and we did everything we could to lose it. USF played great. We're disappointed and come Monday, we are going to have to deal with it."

USF didn't want the party to end.

Hall of Famer Lee Roy Selmon, USF's former director of athletics who is now involved with the school's fund raising foundation, hugged players as they came off the field. "It doesn't get any sweeter than this," Selmon said. As Daniels gave a quick television interview, teammates Mike Ford puckered up and kissed Daniels on the cheek. Grothe did something FSU wasn't able do to much - slowed Daniels down enough for a mighty bear hug.

Naturally, USF fans didn't want to leave. They chanted "USF, USF," long after the Bulls entered their locker room and FSU fans had made their way to the exits. Leavitt admitted he was nearly overcome by emotion when he saw the fans' excitement. It also was the Seminoles' largest home crowd in four years.

"I nearly broke (down) -- we've built our program from the grassroots," Leavitt said.

"It's great for the University of South Florida, it's great for the city of Tampa and the Tampa Bay area, my home St. Pete, the whole deal. It's a very historical win. It does, to me, change history. I've been on record clearly saying that you have to beat one of them ... you have to beat them to even really get talked about. You can't come close. I told our team if we come close, it doesn't matter. You have to beat them.

"So, at least now, people ask me about 'should you be in the Big Four,' I'd say, 'well at least we should be talked about once in a while, that we are a team that's competitive.' It's one game. We know that."

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Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier, top, jumps over Indiana linebacker Tyler Replogle (46) for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)
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    Connecticut's Cody Endres throws one of his two touchdown passes against Rhode Island during the first half of Connecticut's 52-10 victory in their football game in East Hartford, Conn., on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. Endres passed for 289 yards in the game. (AP Photo/Fred Beckham)

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    Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier, center, is congratulated by teammates after converting a two-point play during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against Indiana in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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    Florida State defensive coordinator Mickey Andrews yells at his defense during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game against South Florida, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Tallahassee, Fla. South Florida won 17-7.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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    Florida State wide receiver Rod Owens, center, fumbles the ball as he is hit by South Florida's Jerome Murphy, left, during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Tallahassee, Fla. South Florida defensive end Craig Marshall, right, recovered the fumble. South Florida won 17-7.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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    Cincinnati head coach Brian Kelly looks up at the scoreboard during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Fresno State, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Cincinnati. Cincinnati won the game 28-20. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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    Fresno State head coach Pat Hill checks the scoreboard during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Cincinnati, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Cincinnati. Cincinnati won the game 28-20. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)

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    Michigan quarterback Tate Forcier, top, jumps over Indiana linebacker Tyler Replogle (46) for a touchdown during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)

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    Minnesota's Lee Campbell, left, and Nathan Triplett tackle Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka, center, during the second quarter of an NCAA college football game in Evanston, Ill., Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. Minnesota won 35-24.(AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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    Connecticut's Mike Lang scores on a 50 yard reception while being covered by Rhode Island's Jordan Dalton, diving, during the second half of Connecticut's 52-10 victory in an NCAA football game in East Hartford, Conn., on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Fred Beckham)

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    South Florida punter Delbert Alvarado, right, makes a touchdown-saving tackle in the fourth quarter on Florida State's Greg Reid as he returns a kickoff during an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 26, 2009, in Tallahassee, Fla. South Florida won 17-7.(AP Photo/Phil Coale)

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The season-long, 10th anniversary celebration of Florida State's 1999 national championship team continued Saturday, when 40 players from the first, wire-to-wire No. 1 team -- and the only unbeaten team in Bowden's career -- were introduced prior to kickoff.

Former greats such as Peter Warrick and Brett Williams shared their feelings on whether the Seminoles were close to regaining their past glory at halftime. Warrick believes the Seminoles need a proven leader on the field, while Williams felt the team had made improvements with its preparation, attitude and technique.

That all might be true, but the Seminoles need to regroup in a hurry for ACC play next week at Boston College. A conference title and automatic BCS berth remain goals.

"Now you see what kind of character you have - some guys will come back and mope," FSU receiver Bert Reed said. "We have to have the leaders like we did after the Jacksonville State game and not let that happen and practice hard and want to get better. We let the little things slip today - protection, ball handling, dropping balls."

Daniels and the Bulls made the little things count.

And the Big Three is evolving into the Big Four.

"He just does what he does all the time," Leavitt said of Daniels.

"He tried to press too much the second half, tried to force things, he wanted to win the game, I think himself. The passion and the drive he had was really remarkable. It's a great story."

Homecoming King Daniels Leads South Florida to Historic Win originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>b.j. danielsB.j.Danielschristian ponderChristianPonderJim HenrySat, 26 Sep 2009 18:30:00 EST Daniels Steps Up, Leads Undefeated USF In Win Over FSUhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/26/daniels-steps-up-leads-undefeated-usf-in-win-over-fsu/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/26/daniels-steps-up-leads-undefeated-usf-in-win-over-fsu/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/26/daniels-steps-up-leads-undefeated-usf-in-win-over-fsu/#commentsFiled under: ,

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) -- Redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels ran for 126 yards and threw two touchdown passes in his first start Saturday to lead undefeated South Florida to a 17-7 win at No. 18 Florida State in the first meeting between the schools.

Daniels was filling in for senior Matt Grothe, out for the season with a knee injury. A Tallahassee kid not heavily recruited by the Seminoles, the 6-1, 210-pound Daniels totaled 341 yards of offense.

It was the first time since Nebraska's Steve Taylor ran for 139 yards against the Seminoles in 1986 that an opposing quarterback rushed for over 100 yards against them.

Florida State (2-2) lost four fumbles, including a critical one by quarterback Christian Ponder that allowed USF to ice the game.

South Florida (4-0) stuffed Florida State's running game, sacked Ponder five times and continually had Florida State's offensive line on its heels.

The Seminoles couldn't keep the South Florida pass rush, led by defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and George Selvie and tackle Craig Marshall, off of Ponder. The Bulls sacked him five times and forced the crucial fumble in the fourth quarter.

Ponder completed 25 of 37 passes for 269 yards, most of it coming on short throws since he didn't have time to go downfield.

South Florida stopped the Seminoles on four plays from the 3-yard line early in the second quarter. USF then needed just five plays to cover 99 yards to get the game's first touchdown.

Daniels hit a wide-open Theo Wilson on a 77-yard pass to the Florida State 8 to set up a TD throw to Ben Busbee on the next play. That put the Bulls up 7-0.
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Another huge pass play, this one a 73-yard scoring pass from Daniels to Sterling Griffin, gave USF a 14-0 lead at the half.

The Bulls could have been ahead by more at halftime, but Eric Schwartz missed a pair of 37-yard field goal tries.

It was the first time since the third game of the 2008 season, a 12-3 loss to Wake Forest, that the Seminoles went scoreless in the first half.

FSU totaled over 500 yards of offense and scored 54 points in an easy win at then-No. 7 Brigham Young last week, but managed only 19 yards rushing Saturday.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Daniels Steps Up, Leads Undefeated USF In Win Over FSU originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 26 Sep 2009 15:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>b.j. danielsB.j.DanielsFanHouse NewswireSat, 26 Sep 2009 15:48:00 EST Bull Rushing Florida's Big 3http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/bull-rushing-floridas-big-3/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/bull-rushing-floridas-big-3/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/25/bull-rushing-floridas-big-3/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

South Florida bullsBarry Smith admires South Florida's ascent in the college football ranks.

Smith, a former All-American receiver at Florida State who also played in the NFL with the Green Bay Packers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, has resided in Tampa, Fla., for nearly 30 years. Smith has watched the Bulls capture Tampa Bay's hearts and tickle the nation's fancy, this after holding their first team meeting under a shade tree in 1997 as the school had no proper football facilities on campus, located off I-75 in Northeast Tampa.

Now in its 13th season, USF has an opportunity to take another leap forward when it meets FSU for the first time. Is there room among the Sunshine State's Big Three -- Florida, FSU and Miami -- for a fourth team?

"The kids of today, being in a major city, playing in a major football stadium, playing in a major conference, if they [Bulls] can just tighten up their November run, maybe they are playing in one of those BCS games," Smith, who finished his FSU career in 1972 and is listed in virtually every career receiving category with 2,535 yards on 127 receptions and 27 touchdowns, told FanHouse Thursday.

"They are just a heartbeat away. There's no question they are getting the talent."

The Bulls have been on the fast track under Jim Leavitt, the only head coach in the program's history. USF has had just two losing seasons and have appeared in four consecutive bowl games. They play their home games at $168.5 million Raymond James Stadium, also home to the Tampa Bay Bucs.

Naturally, the Bulls' No. 1 goal is to win the Big East, which would earn them their first BCS bowl bid. However, the opportunity to play FSU is just as big and a victory will help prove the Bulls can bark with the state's big dogs on the front porch.

George Selvie"Miami, Florida State, they've been the big brother programs," said USF senior All-America defensive end George Selvie.

"Getting a chance to go up and actually getting a chance to play your big brother and beating them one time. It's a great opportunity to do it and you can go, 'I got you that one.'"

The Big Three have all won multiple national championships -- plus, they are once again ranked at the same time in the AP Top 25 for the first time since 2006 -- making it hard to imagine USF being considered as part of this club. However, the Bulls can make a statement against FSU Saturday and at home against Miami on Nov. 28.

Leavitt has said numerous times that for the Bulls to make the state's Big Three a foursome, they must defeat one of them.

"To change history and do things like that, I think you have to win," Leavitt said. "We'll go up and play the best we can."

Nearly a 15-point underdog, USF's upset chances took a blow when record-setting quarterback Matt Grothe was lost for the season with a torn ACL suffered last week against Charleston Southern. In a strange twist of fate, that means redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels, who also plays basketball at USF, will make his first career start in his hometown of Tallahassee, Fla.

Daniels was the Big Bend Player of the Year in both football and basketball at Lincoln High School but was not actively recruited by the Seminoles.

"I feel pretty confident," Daniels said.

"I feel like I've been here forever, even though it's only my second year. I've taken a million reps, both on the field physically doing it and on the sidelines doing it mentally. The mental aspect part, I know I'm ready. And Saturday, it will just be time to go."

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USF is 9-1 against schools from the state of Florida, though only one of those games, a 2005 loss to Miami, were against the state's Big Three. In addition to Daniels, Saturday's game will be a huge reunion. FSU lists 72 players on its roster from Florida; USF lists 92 players. Of those numbers, 56 played at the same Florida high schools.

Leavitt certainly realizes how a victory can help in recruiting. If the Bulls can beat the Seminoles or the Hurricanes in November or the Gators in Gainesville next September, Leavitt, who once hoped to play for the Seminoles when he was a quarterback at Dixie Hollins High in St. Petersburg, Fla., can level the playing field when he meets recruits.

Count FSU coach Bobby Bowden impressed by the Bulls' accelerated learning curve.

"I can't think of a team that made faster progress," Bowden said.

"Coach Leavitt has done a tremendous job. To me, you've got a wonderful spot for it to happen. If they'll give him the facilities he needs, he'll be able to build as strong a program there as anywhere in the United States of America because of that area."

USF reached as high as No. 2 in the national rankings in 2007, but it dropped its next three games to tumble out of the polls. While the Bulls didn't meet expectation last year -- they climbed as high as No. 12 in the polls before dropping four of five games -- they steadied themselves and won their bowl game to finish 8-5.

USF fans have long circled the FSU game on their calendars.

"I personally think it's great that coach Leavitt wants to measure his program against the state's Big Three -- that's the only way you know where you stand and if you are progressing," Tampa resident Bobby Gonzalez, 49, a Bulls season-ticket holder since the program's inception who plans to attend the game, told FanHouse Thursday.

"It's exciting that USF is trying to reach that level and to be playing the big-time programs like we are doing now."

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In this photo taken on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, Texas defensive end Sergio Kindle, left, looks back at Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts, right, after sacking him for a 9-yard loss and a fumble during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas. The sack caused a fumble that set up Texas' last touchdown. Texas won 34-24. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)
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    In this photo taken on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, Nebraska kicker Alex Henery smiles during a news conference in Lincoln, Neb. Henery is a reliable kicker on the field and a reluctant celebrity off it. He kicked five field goals last week to account for all of Nebraska's scoring in the 16-15 loss at Virginia Tech, and holds a school-record 57-yarder in the game against Colorado last year.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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    In this photo taken on Sept. 12, 2009, Nebraska kicker Alex Henery (90) kicks a field goal against Arkansas State, in an NCAA college football game in Lincoln, Neb. Henery is a reliable kicker on the field and a reluctant celebrity off it. He kicked five field goals last week to account for all of Nebraska's scoring in the 16-15 loss at Virginia Tech, and holds a school-record 57-yarder in the game against Colorado last year.(AP Photo/Nati Harnik)

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    In this photo taken on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2009, Texas defensive end Sergio Kindle, left, looks back at Texas Tech quarterback Taylor Potts, right, after sacking him for a 9-yard loss and a fumble during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game in Austin, Texas. The sack caused a fumble that set up Texas' last touchdown. Texas won 34-24. (AP Photo/Harry Cabluck)

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Smith has enjoyed watching USF's journey, too, and appreciates the experience of helping build a program. He played in FSU's fourth bowl game (Fiesta Bowl, 1971), was on the expansion Buccaneers in 1976 and has donated millions to FSU athletics -- the complex housing the Seminoles softball and soccer houses are named after Smith and his wife.

"I am a big Jim Leavitt fan," said Smith, also a member of FSU's Sports Hall of Fame. "He's had a chance to move on to other places throughout his tenure here, but he wants to stay here and build a program and I think that's pretty cool."

Despite the geographic confusion surrounding USF's name -- at the time of establishment in 1956, USF was the southernmost public university in the state of Florida -- Bowden believes the Bulls will be on the same map and mentioned in the same breath with the Seminoles, Gators and Hurricanes.

Saturday's sellout game of 82,300 will be one of the top three crowds ever to see the Bulls play, joining the 2005 game at Penn State (107,282) and 2007 game at Auburn (87,451).

"It's going to happen, there's no doubt it's going to happen," Bowden said.

"You take the last three years ... hasn't South Florida been ranked higher than us and Miami every year? Can it be sustained? It's hard to sustain anything. Who else sustains anything? Will they have a chance to sustain it? I would think they have about as much of a chance as anybody else."

Bull Rushing Florida's Big 3 originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>B.J. DanielsB.j.DanielsBarry Smithmatt grotheMattGrotheJim HenryFri, 25 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST Big East Notebook: Where QB Stands for Quality Basketballhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/24/big-east-notebook-where-qb-stands-for-quality-basketball/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/24/big-east-notebook-where-qb-stands-for-quality-basketball/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/24/big-east-notebook-where-qb-stands-for-quality-basketball/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Greg PaulusBig East coaches continually are trying to fight the perception that their league is much more than a basketball league.

"I guess everyone thinks we're a basketball league," West Virginia coach Bill Stewart said. "They're full of baloney."

Perhaps, Stewart and his fellow football coaches should stop trying to fight that image.

Especially since nearly half of the league's eight football teams feature starting quarterbacks that also played college basketball.

The best known is former Duke point guard Greg Paulus, now starting for Syracuse. Also, West Virginia senior quarterback Jarrett Brown played in 13 games two seasons ago for the Mountaineers' basketball team.

And then USF freshman QB B.J. Daniels, who will make his first start Saturday at Florida State, played in 16 games for the Bulls' basketball team last season.

Paulus said before the season his experience at Duke would help him at Syracuse.

"Having the experience and the opportunity to play for Coach K and Duke, it prepared me for everything," Paulus said.

"Playing in a lot of big games and playing in that type of atmosphere has allowed me to learn from that culture, to build on some of the things I had in high school and I'm trying to bring some of that here to Syracuse."

Paulus threw for a career-high 346 yards and two touchdowns in Saturday's win against Northwestern.

Stewart said Brown benefited greatly from his time spent on the Mountaineers' basketball team.

"You know what helped him the most?" Stewart said. "When he went over to old Bobby Huggins and played basketball that really helped Jarrett mentally and got him in better shape. I think that helped him a lot. It made him tough."

When being recruited out of Tallahassee's Lincoln High School, Daniels told schools he wanted to play football and basketball. If he wouldn't be allowed to play both sports, he wasn't interested.

USF and Memphis were the schools that would allow him to play both and he chose the Bulls.

Daniels said even though he is now the starting quarterback, taking over for the injured Matt Grothe, he doesn't plan on giving up basketball just yet.

"He's a phenomenal athlete, a highly competitive kid," USF basketball coach Stan Heath said. "It's a big challenge for him (making his start at FSU). I think getting on the hardwood in front of a crowd last year, might help him understanding that experience.

"It is a rarity (to play football and basketball); you rarely see it. Both sports are so demanding. If you're not spending year round on basketball, you're not going to be at the same level as other guys. The same thing with football. To see a guy able to do both of those at this level is phenomenal, a Charlie Ward type guy."

Don't Blame This Guy
Following Louisville's 31-27 loss at Kentucky Saturday, Louisville coach Steve Kragthorpe was, well, let's just say pretty fired up.

When a reporter asked Kragthorpe what he said to Trent Guy, whose fumbled punt return set up UK's winning touchdown late in the fourth quarter, he issued a warning to the media.

"I told Trent I'm going to kick his ass if he feels bad and I mean it," Kragthorpe said. " ... There was not only one play you can point to and say that was the determining factor.

"I'll just tell everybody right now that if you get on Trent Guy, don't ever come around me. Don't ever come around me if you say anything ... about Trent Guy. I'm going to read everything. I'm going to watch every TV station tonight. Don't say a word about Trent Guy because that guy's a stud and I got his back. ... I'm just telling you, don't do it."

Also during his postgame press conference, in which he repeatedly used the word "ass," he said: "Excuse my language. That's Biblical, though. 'Ass' is in the Bible."

On Monday, Kragthorpe apologized for his contentious press conference.

Apology, Part 2
Kragthorpe wasn't the only one in the Big East issuing an apology after last week's games.

Pittsburgh athletic director Steve Pederson apologized after the public address system at Heinz Field began playing music as soon as Pitt's game with Navy ended.

Usually that's not a problem, except the Navy players were singing their alma mater. This practice is usually met with silence by opposing teams out of respect for the Navy student-athletes and future members of the armed forces.

In 2003 when USF played at Army for the first time, USF senior J.R. Reed told all of his USF's teammates and coaches at the end of the game to stand and honor the traditional singing of Army's alma mater.

"Coach (Jim Leavitt) looked confused at first, so I told him we needed to stand here and pay respect to them," Reed said.

Several fans of the Naval Academy along with servicemen and women attending the Navy-Pitt game were upset that the music drowned out Navy's alma mater, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported.

Pederson said it was an honest mistake and the music began in anticipation of a post-game fireworks show.

"It has come to our attention that a miscommunication at the end of Saturday's game led to some confusion during the singing of Navy's alma mater," Pederson wrote in an E-mail to the Post-Gazette. "We have the utmost respect for this honored tradition and sincerely apologize for any impressions to the contrary."

By the Numbers
UConn RBs Andre Dixon (149 yards) and Jordan Todman (103 yards) each surpassed 100 yards rushing in the win at Baylor. It's the second time in three games that both players have topped the century mark in the same game. ... A week after Mike Williams' streak of 11 consecutive games with at least one touchdown catch ended, the Syracuse wide receiver set a career high with 11 receptions for 209 yards and two TDs in the win against Northwestern. ... West Virginia WR Jock Sanders ranks third nationally, averaging 9.67 receptions per game, while Pitt RB Dion Lewis (132.7 yards per game) ranks sixth in rushing. ... USF's visit to Florida State Saturday will be the first meeting between the Bulls and Seminoles. It will be the 32nd opponent that FSU coach Bobby Bowden has faced. Bowden has a 30-1 record against schools he's facing for the first time.

Big East Notebook: Where QB Stands for Quality Basketball originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:46:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyThu, 24 Sep 2009 12:46:00 EST Grothe's Season Ends, but Not His Dreamhttp://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/23/grothes-season-ends-but-not-his-dream/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/23/grothes-season-ends-but-not-his-dream/http://ncaafootball.fanhouse.com/2009/09/23/grothes-season-ends-but-not-his-dream/#commentsFiled under: ,

TAMPA, Fla. -- Just before noon Sunday, Matt Grothe, along with his parents, his two younger brothers, his girlfriend and his uncle, sat inside an office at the University Diagnostic Institute on the University of South Florida campus.

Grothe, USF's star quarterback, had undergone an MRI on his left knee about an hour earlier, but deep down he already knew the results.

Grothe knew that he had played his final game for USF.

"It's as expected," Dr. David Leffers said. "He has a torn ACL."

A senior, Grothe had just been told his USF career was over. He could not play at Florida State Saturday, he could not pad his Big East total offense record and his quest to win the school's first Big East title was over.

"OK," Grothe responded. "How long do we have to wait for the surgery?"

Monday night Grothe was supposed to be practicing for the biggest game in the program's 13-year history: a visit to FSU.

Instead, he watched from the sideline in street clothes.

"It's nice to have Matt out here because that's our leader," USF offensive coordinator Mike Canales said. "That's the guy that leads and he's still leading and getting the guys motivated and going and just staying strong with what he sees and believes."

Grothe's USF career is over, but he's already planning on his comeback. His dream is still alive of playing professionally a year from now.

Before next season got here, Grothe had big plans for this season. He planned on leading USF to victories against Florida State and Miami and winning that coveted Big East championship.

However, that all changed late in the second quarter of a 59-0 rout of Charleston Southern Saturday night.
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With three minutes remaining in the first half there were only a handful more plays and then USF would trot into the locker room with a 28- or 35-point lead.

Before the game, USF's coaches already had determined that Grothe and some other key starters wouldn't play in the second half, so they could rest for Saturday's tilt at FSU, while allowing some younger players to get some game experience.

That was the plan, anyway.

On second-and-2 from USF's 22, Grothe, on a designed run, ran to his left and dipped to the outside before he was tripped up from behind. Then as he planted his left leg he was tackled by Charleston Southern's Antwain Harvey.

His left knee immediately buckled. He had torn his ACL.

"The way he was yelling," USF wide receiver Carlton Mitchell said, "it tore me apart."

The final play of Grothe's spectacular USF career was a 9-yard gain with 2:54 left in the half.

This had to be a sick joke. USF's official game sponsor was "Howl-O-Scream" and the Bulls' biggest nightmare came true.

A week after Grothe became the Big East's all-time leader in total offense, his career ended in the most meaningless game in program history: a game against a team from the FCS, formerly known as Division I-AA, that does not even count toward USF becoming bowl eligible.

"You play every play like it's your last and it could be," said Matt Grothe Sr., Matt's father, as he fought back tears. "That's the way he's played his whole career."

Matt GrotheGrothe's USF career might not be over if he would have come out of the Charleston Southern game after suffering an AC joint sprain in his right (throwing) shoulder, the same injury that has sidelined Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford of Oklahoma.

He injured his shoulder on the series before he tore his ACL, but in typical Grothe fashion, decided to tough it out and stay in the game.

"I jumped over somebody and got hit underneath the shoulder," Grothe said. "I can't throw the ball. I think I threw it one time [in the game] after the injury, but there was so much adrenaline I couldn't feel [the injury]."

Grothe said he didn't tell his teammates or coaches about the shoulder injury until after the game.

"We were up 21-0 and I was going to get on the head phones and tell [Canales in the press box] that I don't want to go back in because my shoulder hurts," Grothe said. "But then our defense made a big play [forcing a punt], and I was like, 'No, I'll go back in for one more series.'

"The rest was history."

Under Grothe, the Bulls made history and reached unprecedented heights. The new program, which just began in 1997, was ranked No. 2 in the nation in 2007 and Grothe's "Grohawk" haircut was the rage all through out Tampa. Youngsters all over the city, much to their parent's dismay, wanted to get a "Grohawk" Mohawk to be like Matt.

He was not only the face of USF's program, but also the Big East.

"If we were doing a Mount Rushmore for the league," Big East director of communications Chuck Sullivan said. "Matt would be on it."

At USF's annual Fan Appreciation Day, Grothe's autograph line was always the longest. Yet he signed, signed and signed until everyone was accommodated. At this year's event in August he went through three Sharpies. For almost two hours, he signed 377 items, from bull skulls to body parts to baby clothes.

He held 5-month-old Colton Blakenfeld and smiled for one of the countless cameras pointed his way.

"I didn't ask him to kiss the baby," said Colton's father, Jay. "But if I did, he probably would have."

Justin Cooper of St. Petersburg was the final person in line to get Grothe's autograph that day. Cooper waited in line for more than an hour.

"My brother went to USF and I became a fan by watching them on television," Cooper said. "I like the way Grothe plays. He's cool. Tell him it was worth the wait."

Grothe was more than just a football player to USF fans.

"Matt's a franchise guy, we all know that," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "What he's [done] in college football is extraordinary. He's one of the great names out there. I feel real bad for him."

After Saturday night's game, Canales got emotional talking to the offense about losing Grothe.

"He would give everything he could to be on that field right now and don't you dare take a rep off or a snap off all through practice this week," Canales said. "When you step on the field, you better play your butts off for No. 8, because that's our leader. I think people understand the magnitude of what's going on."

In the second game of his freshman year, Grothe won the starting job. That season he led USF to six come-from-behind victories and was named the Big East's rookie of the year. He led the Bulls to three consecutive bowl games and the first bowl victory in school history.

"The best thing about Matt is he has the ability to make the big play at the needed time," said former USF offensive coordinator Rod Smith, now quarterbacks coach at Michigan. "He just has the knack about him - that's what winners have. It's hard to explain.

"He makes a play whenever you need one or we were in a big-time situation. He always came through in the clutch."

Grothe's gunslinger approach -- it's no coincidence his favorite player is Brett Favre -- is what endeared him to USF fans.

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"Matt, I have never followed and believed in a USF player as much as I have followed and believed in you," wrote Hector Jimenez, a 1996 USF graduate who lives in Georgia, on The Tampa Tribune's Web site, TBO.com. "Thanks for the four bowls, beating Auburn, the No. 2 and No. 10 national rankings.

"Thanks for making me believe that as long as the game was within reach and you were in the game, USF had a chance to win. Thanks for making USF relevant!"

Since he began playing football at the age of 7, Grothe was a born leader. His youth coach, Kenny Strong, remembers that 1993 season when Grothe led the Lakeland Junior Jaguars to an undefeated season.

Although the league allowed a coach to stand on the field to help the players out, Strong always remained on the sideline.

"The officials would say, 'Coach you can be on the field,' but I would just walk off the field," Strong said. "I'd tell them, 'I've got a kid out there that knows how to run the offense.'

"Matt was a unique character, a coach on the field. I had such confidence in him."

Grothe's leadership abilities showed when he arrived at USF. In his first game as a redshirt freshman, starter Pat Julmiste was injured in the second quarter.

Grothe jogged into the huddle and immediately took command.

"As a freshman, it's hard to tell a guy who's been here five years what to do," said Nick Capogna, a senior center during Grothe's freshman season in 2006. "I heard him getting on me and I'm like, 'Who the hell is this kid?' He's definitely become a leader at such a young age."

Grothe also wasn't shy about showing his emotions or speaking his mind.

In 2008, he blasted USF's fans for screaming derogatory slurs at the University of Kansas cheerleaders before a home game. He also said he thought college football players should be compensated for the amount of money each school makes from selling replica jerseys with a players name on it.

Before playing rival Central Florida last season, UCF fans got his cell phone number and bombarded his cell with hundreds of voice and text messages. His father even received a death threat before the game.

After throwing a third quarter touchdown pass, Grothe ran through the end zone, putting his right hand to his ear, like he was receiving a phone call. Grothe, who has remained upbeat since the injury, said watching USF will be "awkward -- not uncomfortable, but awkward."

Getty Images"It's just a new chapter in my life," Grothe said. "I told them [his teammates] they can't call me Matt or Grothe any more. From now on, it's Coach Grothe."

Grothe finished his USF career with 10,875 total yards - 8,669 passing with 52 touchdowns and 2,206 rushing with 23 touchdowns in 42 career games.

"The biggest thing was I had was fun while I was playing here," he said. "Hopefully it can continue with an NFL team, CFL [Canadian Football League], UFL [United Football League] or whatever I can do."

Grothe is scheduled to graduate in December with a criminology degree. He will remain a team captain and travel to all the games and go to midfield for the pre-game coin toss, he said.

"Matthew's taking it well," Grothe Sr. said. "He's still all about USF and anything he can do to help.

"This is a sport where people hit and people run. Unfortunately this happened, because fans and players thought this would be a real good season and it still can be.

"That's still Matt's team."

Matt's team continues practicing for their biggest game ever as Grothe can only watch on.

"Matt proved some people wrong," his father said. "And his dream isn't over. He has goals he still has in football and in life, and if I know Matt, he'll reach them."

Grothe's Season Ends, but Not His Dream originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Brett McMurphyWed, 23 Sep 2009 17:15:00 EST