TAMPA - Every time he'd go to the trainer's table, Sidney Simpson would hear it again. "When are you going to get a pick?"
The senior defensive back from Miami has been with the Bulls since 2000, but it wasn't until Saturday that he was able to pull in his first interception. And his second, which he returned 36 yards for the final touchdown in USF's 41-17 win against East Carolina.
"Now, the trainers can't mess with me anymore," said Simpson, who was the third Bulls player to return an interception for a touchdown.
Simpson spent much of this season as a one-armed bandit, limited by a cast on his broken right hand. He had both hands free Saturday, but it was his eyes that made the interception easy. USF was in its "Tampa 5" nickel defense, which calls for Simpson to mirror the quarterback, shifting to the side he turns to, and Simpson recognized the ECU formation.
"We noticed they had been running mirrored routes, where if the inside guy runs a slant, the outside guy runs a slant," Simpson said. "The guy in front of me was running a slant, so I knew the other guy was too, so I just sat there. He threw it and I just broke on it."
Simpson had scored a touchdown before, on a blocked punt he returned as a freshman in 2001, but he still had to smile as he looked up and saw nothing between him and the end zone. And even though he has his interceptions now, Simpson still will take his share of ribbing, as he has from teammates Trae Williams and Javan Camon, who served as his welcoming party in the end zone.
"We watched the film (Monday), and they were messing with me again, saying they actually beat me to the end zone," he said.
Much like Simpson, USF has been waiting for interceptions this season. Williams had one in the season opener, but the Bulls didn't pick off another pass in the next five games. Now they have three in their last two wins, including two for touchdowns, and Simpson said one reason is that the Bulls are having fun on the field again.
"We have our confidence back," he said. "The whole problem was we weren't having fun and didn't have our confidence. Now we have that back, and hopefully we can get to a bowl."
BASKETBALL: With forward Maurice Mobley quitting the basketball team, coach Robert McCullum now has a sixth scholarship at his disposal for the incoming recruiting class. The Bulls will need to focus on post players during the spring signing period, having covered the perimeter well with the three players signed in the past week.
One strong possibility is Dennard Abraham, a 6-foot-9, 250-pound forward from South Plains College in Levelland, Texas. Abraham was considering Texas Tech, but Bob Knight has signed six players in the past week, filling his scholarships. The only other school Abraham has visited is Towson State, near his native Baltimore, and that bodes well for USF's chances this spring.
As for this week's newest Bulls, McCullum said Tuesday that McHugh Mattis, the 6-6 guard/forward from St. Petersburg College, "may well be the most athletic player on our team" next season, as well as one of the most versatile, comfortable at either guard position or at small forward.
THIS AND THAT: Baseball coach Eddie Cardieri announced four signings Tuesday, including shortstop Addison Maruszak of St. Petersburg Catholic and catcher Braulio Pardo of Gaither. Pardo's uncle, Al, was a big-league catcher with the Orioles and Phillies from 1985-89. ... Softball coach Ken Eriksen added a local to his recruiting class in Crystal River first baseman Ashley Bullion, who had committed to the Bulls in May. "Ashley is a player that will run through walls to win," Eriksen said. "Being a hitter from the left side that can hit for power will add a bit of danger for opposing teams. I'm glad she'll be on our side." ... About 60 USF athletes will participate in today's Great American Teach In, including many at Pizzo Elementary on the USF campus.
