The still-young Bulls will take on C-USA and a tough schedule backed by talent and confidence.
By PETE YOUNG
Published August 28, 2003
[Times photo: Stefanie Boyar]
Senior defensive back J.R. Reed has 11 interceptions over the past two seasons, a school record.
TAMPA - Third place? Ninth? Fourth? Seventh?
The predictions for South Florida in its first Conference USA season are sprinkled across the board. But the believers slowly are accumulating.
The C-USA coaches pick USF third. The Sporting News pegs the Bulls fourth. Sports Illustrated has USF No. 49 out of 117 Division I-A teams, second-highest among C-USA teams.
On the flip side, representing the skeptics, are collegefootballnews.com and Phil Steele's. They are picking USF ninth and seventh, respectively. Collegefootballnews.com predicts USF will finish fourth to seventh and rates it No. 81 in I-A.
The steep variance of opinion isn't surprising. Though USF was 4-0 versus C-USA teams last season, it still is extremely new to football. As with a skyrocketing stock, the question is, when will USF level off?
The answer hinges largely on the performance of quarterback Ronnie Banks. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound junior has been a three-year understudy to USF's best player ever, Marquel Blackwell.
Can Banks direct a seamless transition?
"We're real confident about Ronnie," coach Jim Leavitt said.
Those words have been echoed by teammates on both offense and defense. And though Banks is new to the lineup, most of the rest of the team isn't. Five full-time starters return on defense, and the Bulls can field an offense where everyone in the huddle except Banks is a returning starter.
All five offensive linemen are back, and none is a senior. Junior tackle Derrick Sarosi and junior center Alex Herron have started since the beginning of their redshirt freshman seasons and have all-conference potential.
Several receivers have multiple years of experience, led by seniors Chris Iskra (expected to miss the opener at Alabama with a dislocated elbow) and 6-5 Huey Whittaker. Senior Elgin Hicks and junior Brian Fisher also are capable of having breakout seasons, and freshmen S.J. Green and Trae Williams have been electrifying in the preseason.
Like the past two seasons, the Bulls seem ready to share the load in the backfield. Junior bruiser Clenton Crossley is likely to get the most carries, but seniors Vince Brewer, DeJuan Green and Quinton Callum and sophomore Billy Henderson will get a turn.
The strength of the defense should be the secondary. Free safety J.R. Reed has 11 interceptions over the past two seasons, a school record. Strong safety Kevin Verpaele is an exceptional tackler and a vocal leader. Both seniors are team captains.
Cornerback is the deepest position. Senior Ron Hemingway, junior Kenny Robinson and sophomore D'Juan Brown have starting experience, and juniors Sidney Simpson and Bruce Gipson also could start.
Middle linebacker Maurice Jones, a ripped 6-2, 245 pounds, is an all-conference-caliber player. This is his first season in the middle after starting the past two on the outside, and he has been a force in scrimmages.
The ends have star potential. Left end Tim Jones, a junior who moved from tight end early last season, and right end Terrence Royal, a sophomore, showed big-play ability in part-time roles in 2002. Both specialize in wreaking havoc in the backfield and could accrue double-digit sack totals.
The interior defensive line is a concern. Lee Roy Selmon Jr., who missed the past two seasons with two knee injuries, has stayed healthy and secured a starting spot. He was a part-time starter his freshman and sophomore seasons. Junior Craig Kobel was buried on the depth chart until making a big move this spring. Senior Cedric Battles and junior Matt Groelinger also could start, and Georgia Tech transfer Scott Wolf and redshirt freshman Ramon McCollough are in the mix. Only one of those six, the 295-pound McCollough, is listed above 280, and over the past two seasons the six have combined for just 97 tackles, 50 by Battles.
This might be USF's best team to date, but it will play its toughest schedule and is replacing its most vital player, Blackwell. The schedule begins with storied Alabama in Birmingham and features eight Conference USA games, so equaling last season's 9-2 mark seems unlikely.
But . . .
"We're still not getting enough respect yet," Reed said. "But they'll have to respect us after this season. We'll be the conference champs."
