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By PETE YOUNG
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 31, 2001
DeKALB, Ill. -- The Bulls received the opening kickoff Thursday against Northern Illinois and came out in the run-and-shoot -- four receivers, shotgun, no huddles. Instead of catching the Huskies off guard, it seemed to surprise USF. Marquel Blackwell threw three straight incomplete passes, the third hitting Hugh Smith in the chin.
The Bulls quickly recovered on their next series. Blackwell hit Smith for 9 yards on the first play and connected with junior DeAndrew Rubin for a 57-yard touchdown on a streak down the left sideline for a 7-0 lead. It was the longest scoring reception of Rubin's career.
Blackwell continued to eschew huddles and use the shotgun for most of the game, and USF frequently used four receivers.
BABY BULLS: South Florida traveled with 65 players, 24 of whom were freshmen or redshirt freshmen. Of those, 17 were on offense and seven on defense.
Several played significant roles, including two starters, redshirt freshmen Derrick Sarosi at right tackle and Alex Herron at center.
WEATHER WARNING: Though some locals were complaining about the humidity (as if they have any idea about that), it was a moderate 85 degrees and partly cloudy during the day and about 80 at the 7:30 p.m. kickoff. A storm alert had everyone on edge, however, as forecasters expected heavy rain to strike around nightfall. It didn't.
STILL WAITING: USF defensive end Tchecoy Blount, who has started 17 games in three seasons, did not make the trip. The senior is academically ineligible pending the result of course work from the summer.
FOR THE RECORD: Rubin was first Bulls player to touch the ball in Division I-A play when he returned the opening kickoff. He took it from the goal line to the USF 25-yard line.
AMBITIOUS?: Northern Illinois kicker Steve Azar's streak of 14 straight field goals ended early in the first quarter. When NIU's opening drive stalled at the USF 34, Azar's 52-yard attempt landed well short. Azar also missed 52-yarder in the second quarter.
WE CAN RUN IT?: USF didn't attempt a running play until its third possession, when Vince Brewer rushed for no gain.
NEW TO THE STAGE: Wide receiver Huey Whittaker, a 1999 graduate of Springstead, played his first game for USF. The Bulls' tallest receiver at 6 feet 5, Whittaker made his first career catch late in the first quarter, a middle screen, and gained 14 yards on third and 19. Whittaker played for Hudson Valley (N.Y.) Community College in 1999 and redshirted last fall.
NO RESPECT: The statistics passed out in the press box after the first quarter identified USF as "Central Florida." The NIU sports information department promptly apologized.
BIG NIGHT IN THE MAC: USF coach Jim Leavitt said USF's first Thursday night game wasn't his idea, but Northern Illinois talked him into it. Turns out the Bulls didn't have much of a choice if they wanted to open their season against the Huskies: Half of the Mid-American Conference teams played Thursday night.