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Pierson: coming attraction

As the USF junior rotates at his right end position, his potential shows more each game.

By PETE YOUNG, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published October 18, 2002

TAMPA -- The NFL has zeroed in on Florida for decades, wearing out roadways en route to wellsprings of talent in Tallahassee, Gainesville and Miami.

These days, though, pro scouts are rerouting their trips to include north Tampa because South Florida has begun to churn out professional prospects.

It started in April 2001, when the Bulls had three players drafted with consecutive picks, an NFL record, to start the fourth round. It may continue this spring, when several seniors should be drafted.

Then there is USF junior defensive end Shurron Pierson. He might be in a class by himself.

In tests of speed, strength and explosiveness, Pierson, 6 feet 3 and 245 pounds, is one of the most impressive specimens in the country.

Digest these numbers: 480-pound bench press, 32 bench repetitions at 225 pounds and a 42.5-inch vertical leap, team bests, plus a 600-pound squat, 4.40-second 40 yards and 4.2 percent body fat.

And he is just 20 years old.

"He's a great player; he has the potential to be a really great player," USF senior linebacker Kawika Mitchell said. "He knows it, we all know it on the team. I trust in him that it's going to come out, I don't doubt that."

Bad news for Bulls opponents: It's coming out.

Just ask Southern Miss tackles Jeremy Bridges and Jason Jimenez. In USF's 16-13 win last weekend, Pierson had a school-record four sacks of USM quarterback Dustin Almond. Last season he set the school record with 10 sacks. Nine came in the final four games.

The Bulls play Saturday at East Carolina. Quarterback Paul Troth, beware.

"He hasn't had his best game yet," USF coach Jim Leavitt said of Pierson. "I promise you, when he does, it'll be something because he's got a lot of ability."

Pierson was a nonqualifier out of Wildwood High and sat out his freshman season. His furious finish to last season and a superb spring created high expectations. Pierson got off to a slow start, however, as Division I-AA Florida Atlantic used various double teams and blocking schemes to frustrate him.

Since then, talented freshman Terrence Royal has been rotating with Pierson at right end, and Pierson's production has picked up. He has 5 sacks, 4 quarterback hurries and 22 tackles in 6 games. (Royal has 16 tackles, five for losses.)

"(Pierson) got four sacks last game, so the media and the public think he played much better, but they don't evaluate every play," Leavitt said. "I think he's done some pretty good things throughout. Circumstances can change and create more opportunities for sacks.

"The first game he did not do as well as he should have. That's why we moved Terrence in there. He's a talented player also and you need a four-man rotation at defensive end (along with Chris Daley and Tim Jones at left end). Shurron is practicing hard and playing hard."

Pierson's sacks have come in flurries. Getting them regularly is his goal.

"The first couple games I came out a little flat (against FAU), and coach has been getting after me a lot, and my teammates have too," Pierson said. "I made a promise to myself that I was just going to come out and play my game, stop thinking so much and just play football. Just go hard and make things happen."

Pierson appeared to pick things up considerably in the 24-17 win Oct. 5 at North Texas. Last weekend, with Southern Miss attempting 48 passes, Pierson crashed the pocket, making two crucial sacks late in the fourth quarter to help preserve the three-point win.

"I was just being aggressive and reacting on the run," Pierson said. "Earlier, I wasn't playing up to my potential, and I knew I wasn't, and I guess I deserved (to be second-string behind Royal). But I've learned from it, and it's made me stronger."

A stronger Pierson? There's a frightening thought.

"He's big, he's extremely fast, he can jump really high, he can lift all kind of weights. He has great talent," Mitchell said. "He hasn't always had that intensity and focus. If he had that all the time, he'd be dangerous.

"He had four sacks this weekend, 10 last year, we have five more games. Who knows what he can do."

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