2008 South Florida Bulls Preview

When last season’s initial Bowl Championship Series standings were released, the South Florida Bulls were No. 2. Second! Had the Bulls won out, they very well could’ve been playing for a national championship in New Orleans. For an 11th-year program that began at the Division I-AA level, with coaches working out of trailers, it had to be a surreal moment.

Two Minute Drill

A Quick Look at the Bulls

South Florida seemingly has the necessary elements to contend for the Big East Conference championship. But once again, its bottom line will be an intangible quality — developing consistency. The offense had its moments but made too many mistakes (Exhibit A: eight turnovers against Cincinnati). The defense matured into a ball-hawking nightmare but had trouble stopping opponents in the four losses (particularly in the Sun Bowl meltdown against Oregon). South Florida’s leaders must step up. That means quarterback Matt Grothe must make more intelligent decisions and take fewer sacks. Last year he threw 14 touchdowns with 14 interceptions. Defensive end George Selvie and linebacker Tyrone McKenzie, already acclaimed on the national level, must raise their games. The kicking game, which could’ve cost the Bulls dearly, needs drastic improvement. With experience at quarterback and the skill positions, along with a solid returning corps on defense, the potential is there for South Florida to transform its season finale at West Virginia into the de facto Big East championship game. But without more consistency, the potential is also there for the Bulls to settle for a minor bowl trip.

It wasn’t for Bulls coach Jim Leavitt.

More than anything, it was a preview of what could be ahead, a signal that Florida football was no longer restricted to Gators, Seminoles and Hurricanes.

South Florida’s newfound national prosperity — a confluence of upsets against Auburn and West Virginia, plus a rash of unexpected results elsewhere — had mirage-like properties, though. From their perch at No. 2, the Bulls lost three straight games. Although a Sun Bowl berth was salvaged with three straight victories to close the regular season, Leavitt made it clear he wasn’t satisfied.

“Things will never be the same for South Florida football,” Leavitt says. “We always expected to go out and win the Big East. Maybe nobody else did. Now our name is out there everywhere. We’re not sneaking up on anybody. To stay at a top level for a number of years, that’s what we’re after now.”

Quarterbacks

Matt Grothe was one of only three quarterbacks in the FBS who rushed for at least 850 yards and passed for at least 2,500. The others were Central Michigan’s Dan LeFevour and Florida’s Tim Tebow, the Heisman Trophy winner. Some people have even described Grothe as a “poor man’s Tebow.” The comparison isn’t far off, although Grothe’s scrambling, improvisational style can be reminiscent of Doug Flutie. Grothe, who has twice been South Florida’s leading rusher, galloped for 872 yards and 10 touchdowns. To join Tebow in the legitimate Heisman conversation, Grothe must become a better decision-maker. Nine of his 14 interceptions occurred in South Florida’s four losses, including a career-high four against Cincinnati. Senior Grant Gregory, son of South Florida’s offensive coordinator, rolled up a passer rating of 165.7 in mop-up duty.

Running backs

Sophomore Mike Ford, after one of the nation’s most productive rushing seasons for a true freshman, is a strong candidate to earn first-team All-Big East honors. Ford, who had 645 yards and a team-leading 12 touchdowns, finished fast with 134 yards against Syracuse and 140 against Louisville in back-to-back weeks. When his 6'2", 225-pound frame breaks open and turns the corner, it’s an intimidating sight. With more action, Ford could easily double his rushing numbers. Coaches want him more active in the passing game and more precise in blocking assignments, and they believe a full offseason in the South Florida system will make him a more polished player. Senior Benjamin Williams, a punishing blocker and former walk-on, has become one of South Florida’s top success stories. He’s a capable runner (425 yards), a much-improved receiver (25 catches) and the personification of a team player.

Receivers

The Bulls feature no fewer than a half-dozen players who could easily emerge as the primary receiver in another system. South Florida prefers depth and interchangeable parts. There may not be All-America numbers from one player, but very likely, four or five receivers could surpass the 35-catch mark. Senior Taurus Johnson, an elusive and deceptively fast target, is leader of this group, although sophomore Carlton Mitchell, who set South Florida freshman records for catches (37) and receiving yards (537), is the most talented player. Mitchell, a burner with a big body, stunned coaches with his production. Jessie Hester, son of the former NFL player, impressed with his big-play ability, while Marcus Edwards, not a big-play man, is dependable in the clutch. Senior tight end Cedric Hill is mobile enough to be a solid option as well.

Offensive linemen

This should be a strong point. South Florida’s unit averages 310 pounds and returns four of its five starters. The lone newcomer is sophomore right tackle Jacob Sims, the top option to replace dependable Walt Walker, although there could be fierce competition for the job. Elsewhere, the starting spots have been solidified. The unit’s strength lies in the interior, where the guards are maulers. Ryan Schmidt, a regular since his transfer from Kansas State, has displayed a mean streak. Sophomore Zach Hermann impressed coaches by stepping directly into the lineup as a redshirt freshman. Senior center Jake Griffin finally separated himself from injury problems and became an anchor. Sims’ progress will be closely monitored, but there are no worries at left tackle, where versatile Marc Dile provides ample protection for Grothe’s backside.

Defensive linemen

This made-for-speed unit can create big-league havoc. Junior defensive end George Selvie, a first-team All-American, is the obvious player to watch. Selvie had 14.5 sacks and matured into an NFL-in-waiting rusher off the edge. Senior end Jarriett Buie must take advantage of the extra blocking attention on Selvie. Meanwhile, the interior linemen — junior tackle Aaron Harris, who had three of his 5.5 sacks against UCF, and nosetackle Terrell McClain, a 306-pounder — need to set a physical tone. A disturbing pattern emerged in the Bulls’ four losses — opponents averaged 228 rushing yards. They were pushed around. How they perform against larger offensive lines and power backs could be a major barometer of their season.  

Linebackers

For several seasons, this has been South Florida’s defensive strength. Once again, the Bulls have some options. Senior Tyrone McKenzie, the team’s leading tackler on the outside, will have a shot at replacing Ben Moffitt in the middle. The exact deployment of players may depend on the progress of junior college transfer Kion Wilson, but coaches were disappointed when his early enrollment was somewhat negated by a spring practice injury. Either way, McKenzie is counted upon as the defensive leader. He’ll get help in that area from senior Brouce Mompremier, whose sideline-to-sideline intensity always makes an impression. Chris Robinson, a converted end who had 6.5 sacks in 2006, will figure prominently at outside linebacker. Alonzo McQueen, a 255-pounder who doesn’t fit South Florida’s mold of sleeker, mobile linebackers, also figures into the rotation in the middle.

Defensive backs

It’s easy to focus on what the Bulls lost here — arguably the nation’s best cornerback tandem in Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams — but coaches prefer to concentrate on what they return. Hardly anyone spoke about the safeties — they will now. Senior strong safety Carlton Williams, almost unnoticed, has started 33 games in three seasons. His run support and dependability are among the defense’s most underappreciated features. The real find was junior free safety Nate Allen, who transformed from situational player to breakout playmaker. Allen led the secondary with 84 tackles while scoring twice on returns. The new starting cornerbacks, junior Jerome Murphy and senior Tyller Roberts, gained plenty of experience in reserve roles. The Bulls may need to find a place for senior safety Danny Verpaele, a former freshman All-American who sat out last season due to a team rules violation.

Specialists

Delbert Alvarado handled both punting and kicking duties in 2007, averaging 41.6 yards per boot and converting 19-of-29 field goals, including 10 of his final 11. However, his early season kicking struggles often made things adventurous for the Bulls and leave the door open for Justin Teachey and freshman Maikon Bonani to win the job should Alvarado falter once again. The return game is in experienced hands with kickoffs fielded by Murphy (24.5 ypr), one of the team’s fastest players, and the dependable Edwards handling punts.

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