College football

Sun Dome playing new board game

Think of Tuesday's news as USF finding a real-estate broker to help sell the naming rights to the Sun Dome, and getting nearly $2-million in facility upgrades as a result.

By GREG AUMAN
Published September 28, 2005

Tennessee-based Action Sports Media is providing USF with four video scoreboards - valued at more than $1.8-million - as part of improvements to USF's campus basketball arena, just in time for the Bulls' first season in the Big East.

"It is our intention to provide fans with the best experience possible when supporting all of our programs at USF, from arrival to departure," athletic director Doug Woolard said.

Two of the video screens, placed in opposite corners of the arena, will show highlights and replays during games, and the other two will show graphics and sponsor information.

"I feel we'll have the best video presentation in the state, if not the country," associate athletic director Tom Veit said.

Naming rights, expected to fetch more than $500,000 a year, likely won't be in place in time for the upcoming basketball season, and USF has full approval on any potential sponsor.

As part of a revenue-sharing agreement, Action Sports will profit from advertising on the boards.

The Sun Dome also is expected to have a new maple playing surface in time for USF's Midnight Madness event, which ushers in the first practices Oct.14.

COMING HOME: Miami will play the Bulls in Tampa in 2009 as the return game for this weekend's trip to the Orange Bowl, Woolard said. The date has yet to be determined, but it's likely to be an early-season meeting because of the two teams' conference commitments.

The Bulls have two openings in 2006, likely to be filled with one "guarantee" home game against a Division I-AA team and a road game to open a home-and-home series with an established I-A program.

UNBEATABLE: Football's weekend obscured a huge pair of road conference wins for the men's soccer team, which at 4-0 has the only unblemished league record in the Big East.

Keeper Dane Brenner posted back-to-back 1-0 shutouts at West Virginia and Pittsburgh, and the Bulls broke into this week's Soccer America ranking at No.25.

Saturday the Bulls play host to Villanova (4-4, 3-1), which is close behind USF in the Big East's Red Division. Of the top five teams in the Big East points standings, four are in the Red.

THAT'S AMARRI: Even at midfield after Saturday's upset of Louisville, receiver Amarri Jackson was deflecting praise to teammates, raving about the downfield blocking on his touchdown runs, including a great one from tackle Thed Watson on his 12-yard reverse.

By Tuesday, the selfless Jackson was celebrating another team's success.

His cousin, Chris Hannon , a 6-foot-4 senior receiver at Tennessee, had six catches for 55 yards as the Vols overcame a 21-0 halftime deficit to beat LSU in overtime.

"He called me after my game, and I called him," Jackson said. "They pulled it off as a team effort, and that's the type of team we feel like we are, just together. The vibe on this team is it doesn't matter who's making the plays."

RECRUITING: Softball coach Ken Eriksen picked up an area commitment this week in Brittany Villa , a shortstop at Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa. Villa hit .450 last season in helping AHN to a 17-4 record, and her academics are strong enough that she also considered Columbia, NYU and Kent State.

"Staying close to home was part of it, but Coach Eriksen has a really impressive program here," said Villa, who carries a 4.6 weighted grade-point average and will have most of her tuition covered by the state's Bright Futures scholarship program.

--Greg Auman covers USF athletics. He can be reached at auman@sptimes.com Check out his "USF Bulletin" blog online at sptimes.com/blogs/usf.

[Last modified September 28, 2005, 02:30:38]