USF's downward spiral continues as Jimmy Baxter quits.
By PETE YOUNG
Published January 14, 2004
At about 3:20 p.m. Tuesday, while the South Florida men's basketball team was reviewing videotape before practice, guard/forward Jimmy Baxter strolled into the USF Soccer Stadium, put down his gear and jogged a warmup lap around the track.
His USF career as a two-sport star officially was over. Baxter, the leading returning scorer for the Bulls, has left the basketball team in midseason and is a full-time track athlete.
"This is where I feel at home right now. I love it," Baxter said. "I have to follow my heart."
His heart has Olympic aspirations in the high jump, where Baxter is a two-time Conference USA champion and has a best leap of 7 feet, 5 inches. With the Olympics this summer, Baxter got the itch to get focused.
"I think they're pretty good," USF track coach Greg Thiel said of Baxter's chances at the Olympic Trials this summer. "He's so close to those (top) guys that if it's his day, he's got a great shot at making it."
Baxter, a 6-5 senior from St. Petersburg, has balanced both sports throughout his USF career, always joining the track team after basketball season. But he has struggled on the court this season - his scoring average is down almost five points, to 9.8 - while USF has compiled a 6-6 record under first-year coach Robert McCullum.
His absence leaves the basketball team with seven healthy scholarship players, plus James Holmes, who might miss another game Saturday with a sprained ankle. Five players have departed since McCullum took over in April. Also, Sam Barber left the team for a week early in the season but returned.
McCullum said he asked Baxter to think about it for a day or two to make sure it was what he wanted to do, just as McCullum had done with Barber. Baxter reaffirmed it Tuesday and told his teammates.
"I wanted to let them know I still love them, and I'll be at every home game supporting them," Baxter said.
Baxter said he has been ready to commit to track full-time on other occasions. Last season his mother, Eula Baxter, talked him into staying with basketball after he had told then-coach Seth Greenberg he was going to take the season off. This time he didn't waver.
"I just know right now at this point with basketball, I wasn't feeling the vibe that I expected to feel my senior year," he said.
Baxter is getting married in May to his fiancee, Monica Thompson, and has two daughters, and making the Olympics has financial rewards.
"(The Olympics), that's the ultimate goal," Baxter said. "So I decided to get started on my track and field. I've got to do what's right for my daughters."
Sunday in Nashville, Baxter was presented the NCAA Award of Valor by USF athletic director Lee Roy Selmon at the NCAA Convention.
"I had some time to think while I was up there after I gave the speech to thousands of people," Baxter said. "I got to talk to Lee Roy Selmon about it, and he just basically told me to do what you feel."
Baxter said he regrets not redshirting in basketball this season, focusing on the high jump and then returning to play ball next season.
A former Boca Ciega star, Baxter has been one of USF's most optimistic players, and he has been consistently supportive of McCullum. After USF was clobbered by No. 10-ranked Louisville on Saturday at home, 85-40, the worst home defeat in school history, Baxter was the lone USF player to address the media. He talked about the Bulls getting back to practice and "busting our butts" to improve. Two days later he quit.
The other personnel departures since McCullum's arrival in April are Sheldon Franklin, who left school after the NCAA Clearinghouse questioned his college entrance examination; Yusuf Baker, who was dismissed for academic reasons; Danny Oglesby, who quit at the start of fall practice; and signee Ricardo Freeman, a junior college point guard, who said he was encouraged by McCullum to sign a release from his letter of intent.
McCullum signed two players in the spring, Bradley Mosley, one of USF's top players this season, and Holmes, who has played sparingly.
USF has three players arriving next fall - signees Collin Dennis and Solomon Jones, and transfer Chris Capko, a former walk-on at Florida. It will likely sign more during the spring signing period.
The attrition is taking its toll, as evidenced by the Louisville debacle. Last week shooting guard Marlyn Bryant tore an ACL, He will miss the rest of the season. Several walk-ons are practicing, including Capko, Alton Darling (who played in Saturday's loss), and Brian Graham, a former walk-on at Central Florida whom McCullum expects to dress for the first time Saturday.
"I don't know if I've ever been in a situation where we've been down to so few players," McCullum said. "The games are not the (main problem), it's practicing that is the big issue. Many teams play just seven or eight guys. But you need more than that to practice."
