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Few sparkling plays in 52-21 loss at Utah

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 8, 2001

SALT LAKE CITY -- How would you, coach Jim Leavitt, account for your team's performance in its 52-21 loss Saturday at Utah?

"I have no idea why we played like that. We have no excuse for that performance," Leavitt said. "There were no positives in anything we did. Everything we did was disappointing."

Everything?

"Everything."

Well put. The Bulls were awful. Utah (4-1), rated No. 47 by USA Today's Jeff Sagarin, looked like it was rated No. 7. The Utes steamed to leads of 21-0 after one quarter and 38-0 early in the third.

USF (2-3) was outclassed and overmatched, humbled and humiliated.

Okay, that's enough. Amid it all, what were the bright spots?

Quarterback Marquel Blackwell. As weird as it seems, considering the offense was ineffective for almost the entire first half, Blackwell played extremely well in difficult circumstances. Taking a beating from a fierce pass rush, Blackwell completed 28 of 55 for 281 yards with 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, which was returned for a touchdown. Blackwell also was hampered by numerous dropped passes.

Backup safety Kevin Verpaele. The sophomore, who plays frequently in nickel and dime packages, made eight tackles, including three of the Bulls' five tackles for loss. Before the game got out of hand, Verpaele was busting up plays in the backfield.

Linebacker Kawika Mitchell. The junior, who leads the Bulls in tackles, had a team-high 12.

Safety Joe Morgan. The senior had the first interception of his career and made 11 tackles.

Receivers Huey Whittaker and Hugh Smith. Whittaker (9 catches, 101 yards) and Smith (5 catches, 106 yards) surpassed the 100-yard mark. But both contributed to the excessive number of dropped passes.

WHO ARE THOSE GUYS?: As happens in blowouts, several unfamiliar players got in the game late.

Redshirt freshman quarterback Ronnie Banks accumulated the first statistics of his career, completing 4 of 6 passes for 55 yards and guiding USF to a touchdown in the final seconds, capping it with a 10-yard pass to Jason Bingham.

Freshmen Bruce Gibson and Travis Lipp had their first receptions, and Lipp returned a punt. Walk-on senior Alvin Salter had a catch on the final drive.

GETTING DIRTY: After just four penalties were called in the first half, there were 19 in the second, including multiple personal fouls against both teams.

Afterward, Utah cried foul.

"They were the cheapest people I ever played against in my life," Utah center Dustin McQuivey said.

The schools meet next season at Raymond James Stadium.

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