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Area QB has Bulls salivating

© St. Petersburg Times,
published November 9, 2001

St. Petersburg Catholic quarterback Chris Davis has generated enormous recruiting buzz.

During the preseason, the 5-foot-11, 175-pound senior was rated among the nation's top 25 recruits by USA Today. And he currently is rated No. 2 nationally by the Sporting News and No. 13 by TheInsiders.com.

South Florida badly wants him to be the successor to junior Marquel Blackwell. Just about everyone else in America wants him, too. Florida, Florida State and Miami are recruiting Davis as a wide receiver.

Others, such as Boston College, which offered him a scholarship more than a year ago, want him as a quarterback.

Davis has a good arm and is electrifying in the open field. In 10 games, he is 83-for-126 (65.9 percent) for 1,288 yards and has rushed for 992 yards and 17 touchdowns on 97 carries (10.2 average). Davis is so coveted that if he committed to USF, it would send shock waves through the recruiting community.

The Bulls' chances of landing Davis hinge on three questions. First, does he want to remain a quarterback? In which case, USF's no-huddle, shotgun spread formation would be ideal for him. Second, does he want to stay close to home? And third, would he be able to tell Bobby Bowden, Steve Spurrier et al., "Thanks but no thanks"?

As perfect a fit as Davis might be, USF is considered a long shot.

WITHHOLDING JUDGMENT: The preseason magazines and national polls have weighed in on the men's basketball team, and the verdict is ... wary.

In the AP poll, USF received one No.25 vote, and the Sporting News has the Bulls at No.60. The consensus ranking is about 50th.

Those numbers translate to "on the bubble." At-large bids to the NCAA Tournament usually go to No.12 seeds and higher, meaning a team must be in the top 48 or so to earn a berth. The remainder of the field is filled with conference champions.

Virtually all publications pick the Bulls second in the National Division behind Memphis.

MORE LOCAL PROSPECTS: Two area defensive backs also are on the recruiting wish list, Jefferson's Jeremy Burnett and Tarpon Springs' Roshawn Marshall.

Burnett (6-1, 185), a four-year starter, told TheInsiders.com he will visit USF, Rutgers, Iowa and Minnesota. Marshall (5-11, 180), a natural cornerback and gifted kick returner, is a top-flight prospect. Low grades, however, forced him off the basketball team last winter.

- Pete Young covers USF sports. He can be reached at (813) 226-3346 or via e-mail at

young@sptimes.com.

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