USF for the fans
By Greg Auman
Published August 31, 2007
COACH: Jim Leavitt
STAFF: Wally Burnham (associate head coach/defensive coordinator/linebackers); Mike Canales (pass game coordinator/receivers); Troy Douglas (safeties); Carl Franks (running backs/recruiting coordinator); Greg Gregory (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks); Dan McCarney (assistant head coach/defensive line); Rich Rachel (cornerbacks); Larry Scott (tight ends); Mike Simmonds (offensive line).
CONFERENCE: Big East.
CONFERENCE TITLES: None.
NATIONAL TITLES: None.
RADIO: TBD.
WEB SITE: Gousfbulls.com.
2007 schedule
Saturday Elon 7
Sept. 8 at Auburn 9
Sept. 22 North Carolina TBA
Sept. 28 West Virginia 8
Oct. 6 at Florida Atlantic 4
Oct. 13 Central Florida TBA
Oct. 18 at Rutgers 7:30
Oct. 27 at Connecticut TBA
Nov. 3 Cincinnati TBA
Nov. 10 at Syracuse TBA
Nov. 17 Louisville TBA
Nov. 24 at Pittsburgh TBA
3 games to watch
Sept. 28 vs. West Virginia: The Mountaineers, with national championship aspirations, try to avenge last year's loss on their home turf. With a Friday night ESPN audience all to themselves, can the Bulls stop Steve Slaton and Pat White and pull off another major upset against another top-10 team?
Oct. 18 at Rutgers: Another weeknight ESPN showdown, this one a rematch of last year's 22-20 thriller, which Rutgers won when USF missed a two-point conversion in the final minute. The Bulls need a win here to keep the conference crown in play into November.
Nov. 17 VS. Louisville: Two years ago, the Bulls stunned Louisville in Tampa in their Big East debut. Quarterback Brian Brohm is a top Heisman candidate, taking his high-scoring offense against perhaps the Big East's best defense. What's more, it's the final home game for USF's seniors.
3 key stats to watch
GROTHE'S OFFENSE
Matt Grothe contributed toward 68 percent of USF's total offense last season, passing for 2,576 yards and doubling as the team's top rusher. With an improved running game, expect this number to drop in 2007.
tackles for loss
Defensive end George Selvie totaled 14.5 as a redshirt freshman last season, part of an 86-tackle season. Pressure from a young defensive line is crucial to keeping USF's defense among the Big East's best.
touchdown receptions
Taurus Johnson, Marcus Edwards and Amarri Jackson combined for seven last season. If things go right in a more balanced offense, those three receivers could easily double that total in 2007.
2006 results
vs. McNeese State 41-10 W
vs. Florida Int'l 21-20 W
at Central Florida 24-17 W
at Kansas 13-7 L
vs. Rutgers 22-20 L
vs. Connecticut 38-16 W
at North Carolina 37-20 W
at Cincinnati 23-6 L
vs. Pittsburgh 22-12 W
vs. Syracuse 27-10 W
at Louisville 31-8 L
at West Virginia 24-19 W
Papajohns.com Bowl
vs. East Carolina 24-7 W
Raymond James Stadium
TICKETS: Individual home game tickets are available for $20, $26 and $31 plus fees, through Ticketmaster or by calling 1-800-GoBulls. Season tickets start at $129, with a family pack of two adult and two child season tickets selling for $300.
PARKING: Most of the parking is south of the stadium, south of Tampa Bay Boulevard between Himes Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway, or north just before Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. There are also lots east of Himes and across Dale Mabry at Legends Field.
DIRECTIONS: From the north: Take Interstate 75 south to I-275 and turn off at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Go west to the stadium, turning into parking lots A or 3.
From the south: Take I-275 north to the N Dale Mabry exit (41-B). Go north on Dale Mabry Highway to the parking lots as above.