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By Compiled by SHARON GINN
© St. Petersburg Times, published October 6, 2000
Player spotlight/Scott McCready
The NCAA rarely hands out second chances, much less sixth ones. So when it granted USF receiver Scott McCready a sixth year of eligibility, he decided to make the most of it.
The London-born King High graduate is USF's leading receiver, with 21 catches for 248 yards and two touchdowns in five games. That's one catch fewer than he had in 1999.
McCready paced the Bulls against Baylor two weeks ago, making six catches for 90 yards, both career highs, in a 28-13 loss. He had six catches for 78 yards and a touchdown in Saturday's 20-10 victory over Troy State, then No. 1 in Division I-AA. It was the biggest win in school history.
"He's done a great job," Leavitt said. "I can't imagine where we would be without him. He's made some great catches, difficult catches. He doesn't make mistakes (and) gives great effort."
McCready, who transferred after two years on the bench at Louisiana Tech (1995-96), didn't play a full season until 1999. He sat out most of 1997 with a torn knee ligament and spent 1998 in London, out of school and out of football.
The NCAA agreed with USF that McCready deserved an extra year to complete his college career. He said he couldn't be more grateful.
"I think about it a lot," McCready said. "Every practice I have, every game I have. I could just as easily be sitting on the couch watching the games or reading about them in the newspaper. Every one catch I have is a bonus."
- Extra Points compiled by Sharon Ginn.
For some USF seniors, the game isn't the only thing on the line. Players such as cornerback Anthony Henry and linebacker Vassay Marc know a memorable performance against Southern Miss could help them launch a pro career.
For Marc, one of 70 players on the "watch list" for the Butkus Award, which goes to the nation's top linebacker, playing the No. 17 Golden Eagles is a golden opportunity. "(The NFL is) going to find athletes regardless, but they're looking at what you bring to the table in the bigger games," he said.
Even coach Jim Leavitt, who rarely singles out any game as being bigger than another, acknowledges his seniors might have extra motivation. "If I'm an NFL scout," Leavitt said, "this is probably the first film I'm going to pick out."
A year ago it might have made Leavitt mad, but now it just makes him laugh.
USF popped back into the ESPN/USA Today Division I-AA poll Monday -- at No. 23. Troy State, which USF beat 20-10 Saturday, fell from No. 1 to No. 8. James Madison, which the Bulls beat 26-7 nearly three weeks ago, is No. 13.
USF probably shouldn't be ranked because it is using about 80 scholarships and is no longer eligible for the I-AA playoffs. Leavitt figures not all the voters understand that and just enough of them are voting for the Bulls to keep them ranked -- barely.
"It's nice to be out of that "also receiving votes' (category)," Leavitt said jokingly. "I'm sure that we're putting a lot of fear in Southern Miss hearts."
2 -- Southern Miss Conference USA losses since the league began in 1996.
2 -- Division I-A ranking of Southern Miss' scoring defense.
11 -- Division I-A ranking of Southern Miss' total defense.
11.5 -- Average rushing yards per game of USF quarterback Marquel Blackwell in 1999.
76.6 -- Blackwell's average rushing yards per game in 2000.
377 -- Average total offense for Blackwell the past two games.
385 -- Days since the Bulls have won on the road, dating to a 21-6 victory at Western Kentucky on Sept. 18, 1999.