Colleges

Bulls' rally came via big plays, backup quarterback

By GREG AUMAN
Published September 4, 2006

TAMPA - Trailing McNeese State 10-7 in the third quarter Saturday night, USF quarterback Matt Grothe told his offensive teammates not to panic. While they weren't scoring, they were moving the ball.

"We knew if we had one long, good drive, all the mistakes would be forgotten, and we'd keep going and going," said Grothe, a 6-foot-1, 190-pound redshirt freshman who passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third in relief of injured starter Pat Julmiste. "We had big-time plays, and that helped."

The big plays in USF's 41-10 victory demonstrated more explosiveness than the Bulls have shown in recent years. Last season, USF had four passing plays of longer than 45 yards; the Bulls had two Saturday, a 64-yarder to tight end Cedric Hill and a 47-yard touchdown to Marcus Edwards.

"It was a great ball," said Edwards, who totaled five catches as freshman last season but came up with three Saturday. "(Long pass plays) are a regular part of our offense. . . . You can expect more of that."

Asked if the Bulls could see a return to more downfield passing and the aerial attack USF had with former quarterback Marquel Blackwell, coach Jim Leavitt said: "I think it's always there. I don't think it's anything new. We just haven't always gotten the ball there."

Leavitt did not return calls seeking comment Sunday, but he'll have a tough decision to make as to how to split time between Julmiste and Grothe against Florida International on Saturday.

Julmiste, a senior, said he expects to make a healthy return from the thigh bruise that sidelined him against McNeese, but Grothe has made a compelling case to start. His two passing touchdowns Saturday are one more than Julmiste has in his past seven games.

NOTES: Freshman Keeley Dorsey's 52-yard touchdown run on the game's final play was longer than any rushing play the Bulls had last season. USF's team gain of 6.81 yards per carry was better than in any game last season. . . . After rushing for 286 yards Saturday, USF is ranked ninth nationally in rushing offense, and with 495 yards of total offense, the Bulls rank 12th in the country in that category. The Bulls rank 12th nationally in total defense (163 yards allowed) and fifth in pass efficiency defense. . . . USF did not allow a sack Saturday, but the Bulls will have their hands full this weekend against Florida International. Golden Panthers defensive end Antwan Barnes leads the nation with four sacks.

[Last modified September 4, 2006, 02:10:18]