Colleges

Leavitt relishes Miami, not UCF

By GREG AUMAN and IZZY GOULD
Published July 31, 2006

TAMPA - A day after Central Florida coach George O'Leary reiterated his desire to play USF on an annual basis, Bulls coach Jim Leavitt was less emphatic when asked whether he wanted the rivalry renewed be-yond this season.

"It seems like an awfully good game," said Leavitt, whose team beat the Knights 31-14 in Tampa last year. "It's fun to have people want to play us. . . . To be honest, I used to be really involved in scheduling. . . . (Athletic director) Doug Woolard handles all that now. I'm not trying to pass that off, but the truth of the matter is it's between Doug and" UCF athletic director Keith Tribble.

Woolard is on vacation until Aug. 7, but the schools are expected to renew their contract for another two years to help USF fulfill scheduling obligations as part of its exit agreement with Conference USA.

USF is scheduled to host Miami in 2009, with two more games scheduled for 2012-13. Leavitt said the schools have discussed the possibility of playing annually.

"Miami's won more national championships than anybody else in the state of Florida," he said. "I don't want to speak for anybody else, but I think that game has a chance to be played every year."

NOT HERE: Newspaper reports have had former Florida cornerback Avery Atkins transferring to Division I-AA Bethune-Cookman in his hometown of Daytona Beach, but Wildcats coach Alvin Wyatt said he's not aware of Atkins coming to his program.

"I wish," Wyatt said.

"I haven't heard anything on it. People have been telling me what's in the papers and on the Internet. As far as we're concerned at (B-CC), we do not have his services. I had heard they were making an attempt to get back to the University of Florida."

UF coach Urban Meyer had initially refused to grant Atkins a release from his scholarship before changing his mind and granting his request.

BOWDEN CHIMES IN: Florida State coach Bobby Bowden has handled his share of quarterback controversies.

Some recent battles include Thad Busby and Dan Kendra, Chris Rix and Adrian McPherson, then Rix and Wyatt Sexton.

Last year it was Drew Weatherford and Xavier Lee.

The Weatherford-Lee battle has cooled with Lee falling off after he missed spring practice to recover from offseason shoulder surgery, Bowden said.

Naturally, Bowden was asked whether he had any advice for Meyer regarding Chris Leak and Tim Tebow.

Meyer believes there's a quarterback controversy among Gators fans after Tebow gained on the popular vote with his performance in the Orange and Blue game. He completed 15 of 21 passes for 197 and a touchdown. Leak was 17-of-43 for 145 yards and an interception.

Meyer insists there is no controversy. Leak is No. 1. Tebow will learn from Leak. Both players have accepted those roles, Meyer said.

"From what I'm seeing (Meyer's) saying the right things, and he'll probably do the right things," Bowden said. "Leak is his quarterback. The other kid is completely untested. He might be a great one. But Leak's got three years under his belt. I think (Meyer) knows what he's doing.

"But boy, he'd better hope when he puts Tebow in he doesn't have a great day."

REAL SPECIAL TEAMS: Edward Waters College in Jacksonville came to media day boasting one stat that it researched and believes has never been matched.

The Tigers' special teams blocked a kick, extra point or punt in each of their 10 games in 2005.

How did they do it?

"I've stolen things from everybody," EWC coach Lamont Massie said. "If it's out there we've incorporated it into our program."

[Last modified July 31, 2006, 06:03:43]