College football

Rain, lightning follow Bulls to N.C.

By MIKE CAMUNAS
Published December 29, 2005

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - It seems the Bulls brought some Florida weather with them to the Meineke Car Care Bowl.

Rain and lightning forced the team to move Wednesday's practice into the shelter of Providence Day's Athletic Center. The Bulls will practice at the college preparatory school until Friday.

Coach Jim Leavitt's main concern was staying away from the lightning.

"Obviously, we wanted to come back out (to the field)," he said, "but we know about the lightning in Florida, so we had to stay inside."

Leavitt said the team finished kicking drills on the field as well as most of the other work in its 14th practice since USF's last game on Dec.3. He said the team will be doing less hitting today.

"We've hit each other enough already back home," Leavitt said. "We get kicking in and then we run around outside. (That's) what we need."

A FRIENDLY VISIT: Leavitt, running back Andre Hall, guard Frank Davis and cornerback D'Juan Brown visited patients at Levine Children's Hospital on Wednesday, an experience Hall called "humbling."

"We're fortunate right now (to be playing football)," Hall said. "I hate to see those kids like that, but it changes you."

HITCHIN' A RIDE: Bulls players will take a three-lap ride in a stock car at the Richard Petty Driving Experience at Lowe's Motor Speedway today.

"No, I'm not going to (take the ride)," Leavitt said. "I'll change a tire or two if they ask me, though."

[Last modified December 29, 2005, 00:52:13]