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GREENVILLE, N.C. - By the ninth game of the season, the lineup usually has been settled for weeks. Not so for South Florida and East Carolina, at least not at the most important position, quarterback.
The Bulls and Pirates had redshirt freshmen quarterbacks - Pat Julmiste for USF, James Pinkney for ECU - making their first career starts Saturday in USF's 38-37 double-overtime win.
Julmiste struggled, completing 4-of-6 for 15 yards. Two miscues, a fumble and a miscommunication on a shotgun snap led to ECU scores. He was replaced by erstwhile starter Ronnie Banks.
Pinkney had a little more success, completing 16-of-34 for 146 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.
MENTAL EXHAUSTION: USF might have little support if it makes it to a bowl game. The fans won't have any emotions left. Needing to win its final four games to become bowl eligible, USF has knocked off the first two in double OT. (The Bulls won 24-17 Oct. 31 against Cincinnati.) USF (6-3, 4-2) must beat UAB (Nov. 22) and Memphis (Nov. 29) to have the requisite six Division I-A wins to qualify for a bowl.
ALL IN THE FAMILY: Santiago Gramatica's 40-yard field goal in overtime gave him 195 points for his career, surpassing brother Bill (193, 1998-2000) as the school's all-time leading scorer.
PLAYMAKER: Fifth-year senior safety Kevin Verpaele scored his second touchdown of the season (and career) late in the first quarter, running 50 yards with a fumble for a 14-0 lead. It is the second-longest fumble return in school history, behind J.R. Reed's 63-yarder in 2001 vs. Houston. Verpaele had a 29-yard interception score Sept. 27 at Army.
BEEN A WHILE: Cornerback Bruce Gipson's first-quarter punt block was USF's first since Shurron Pierson's in the 2002 season opener vs. Florida Atlantic. It led to the Julmiste-to-Elgin Hicks score to put USF up 7-0.
WE'RE NOT IN FLORIDA ANYMORE: It was 58 degrees at the 2 p.m. kickoff and colder at the postsunset finish.
ON THE RETURN: Reed has ranked among the NCAA leaders in kickoff return average most of the season but has not had enough attempts to qualify in the official rankings. He needed two attempts Saturday to meet the minimum, and he had returns of 27 and 34 yards in the second quarter and 31 and 21 in the third.
ETC.: Purple-and-gold clad East Carolina took the field to Jimi Hendrix's Purple Haze. ... An injured shoulder knocked starting left tackle Derrick Sarosi out of the game, and Frank Davis replaced him. ... ECU has scored 17 in the first quarter this season, less than two a game. ... Vince Brewer's 11-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter was his first carry since Oct. 18 vs. Charleston Southern. ... Brewer's second carry, a 7-yard gain, put the senior over 1,000 rushing yards in his career.