Big East: Matt Grothe
- Bill Stewart is taking a new approach in recruiting, not making commitments public until a recruit's parents have visited Morgantown, Mitch Vingle writes in the Charleston Gazette. Stewart says the Mountaineers have five commitments for 2011, though none have been revealed publicly.
- South Florida is at the top of the list for Notre Dame transfer Spencer Boyd, Greg Auman reports in the St. Petersburg Times.
- Former Bulls quarterback Matt Grothe will sign with Orlando's UFL team, Scott Carter says in the Tampa Tribune.
- UConn players are getting back at it, Desmond Conner writes in the Hartford Courant.
- West Virginia's offseason goals include work at offensive line, quarterback and receiver, Dave Hickman writes in the Charleston Gazette.
- Pitt's Antwuan Reed and Rutgers' Khaseem Greene made The Sporting News' All-Spring team.
- Some Matt Grothe fans have taken to Facebook to ask the Tampa Bay Bucs to sign him, Greg Auman notes in the St. Petersburg Times.
- Central Florida is planning a $70 million expansion of its athletic facilities in hopes of moving into a BCS league like the Big East, Iliana Limon reports in the Orlando Sentinel.
- Brodrick Jenkins is pushing for playing time in the West Virginia secondary, Dave Hickman says in the Charleston Gazette.
- Matt Grothe was overcome by emotion in his return to football at Tampa Bay's rookie minicamp, Greg Auman writes in the St. Petersburg Times.
- West Virginia's president has apparently helped set up a future Mountaineers game against Towson, Jack Bogaczyk reports in the Charleston Daily Mail.
- Forty years after losing his helmet in a brawl, former Syracuse All-American Joe Ehrmann got it back in the mail from an unknown sender, Donnie Webb writes in the Syracuse Post-Standard.
- The Big Ten will determine Cincinnati's athletic fate, Bill Koch writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
- And here's another story on the possible domino effect from Big Ten expansion in the Washington Post.
- Cincinnati coach Butch Jones officially named Zach Collaros his starting quarterback, Bill Koch writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer. It would have been a shock if he didn't.
- West Virginia kicker Corey Smith would rather forget his time at Alabama, Dave Hickman writes in the Charleston Gazette.
- Former South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe will get a tryout at Tampa Bay Buccaneers camp, Greg Auman reports in the St. Petersburg Times.
- Could Central Florida be close to joining the Big East? AOL Fanhouse's Brett McMurphy examines.
- The Sugar Bowl loss is helping motivate the Bearcats, Bill Koch writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
- News and notes from UConn's seventh spring practice, courtesy of the Hartford Courant's Desmond Conner.
- Tight end Nick Provo is glad to be back on the field, Nolan Weidner says in the Syracuse Post-Standard.
- Anthony Davis, who skipped Rutgers' pro day, held a private workout for several NFL teams, Manish Mehta writes in The Star-Ledger.
- Matt Grothe's comeback continued with a workout for scouts at South Florida's pro day, Scott Carter says in the Tampa Tribune.
South Florida was a popular place to be for its pro day on Tuesday, and with good reason. The Bulls have five legitimate draft picks and others who could earn a shot, and that drew representatives from 27 NFL teams to Tampa.
The big winner might have been receiver Carlton Mitchell, who continues to make his decision to skip his senior year look like a wise one. He ran a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash, down from 4.49 at last month's NFL Combine. With his size (6-foot-3) and speed, he'll be an intriguing option on draft day.
Cornerback Jerome Murphy, who's stock has been on the rise this offseason, improved his 40 time to 4.51 seconds. Defensive end George Selvie turned in a 4.88 in the 40, which was a slight tick faster than what he ran at the combine.
Jason Pierre-Paul ran well enough at the combine that he chose not to do so at pro day, but he did participate in the broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches) and the vertical leap (31.5 inches). Safety Nate Allen didn't the run the 40 because of a pulled quad injury, the same condition that kept him from running at the combine.
And quarterback Matt Grothe worked out. He measured in at 5-foot-11 and 1/2 and posted a 4.84 in the 40. That's faster than Selvie and the same time as linebacker Kion Wilson.
South Florida's official site has video of every drill, plus interviews with the participants.
The big winner might have been receiver Carlton Mitchell, who continues to make his decision to skip his senior year look like a wise one. He ran a 4.40 in the 40-yard dash, down from 4.49 at last month's NFL Combine. With his size (6-foot-3) and speed, he'll be an intriguing option on draft day.
Cornerback Jerome Murphy, who's stock has been on the rise this offseason, improved his 40 time to 4.51 seconds. Defensive end George Selvie turned in a 4.88 in the 40, which was a slight tick faster than what he ran at the combine.
Jason Pierre-Paul ran well enough at the combine that he chose not to do so at pro day, but he did participate in the broad jump (9 feet, 9 inches) and the vertical leap (31.5 inches). Safety Nate Allen didn't the run the 40 because of a pulled quad injury, the same condition that kept him from running at the combine.
And quarterback Matt Grothe worked out. He measured in at 5-foot-11 and 1/2 and posted a 4.84 in the 40. That's faster than Selvie and the same time as linebacker Kion Wilson.
South Florida's official site has video of every drill, plus interviews with the participants.
- West Virginia's governor hopes he's not needed but is ready to step in to make sure the West Virginia-Marshall series continues, Mitch Vingle writes in the Charleston Gazette.
- Whoever joins an expanded Big Ten might not be in for a full slice of the pie.
- Randy Edsall talks spring practice in the Connecticut Post.
- It was a so-so NFL combine weekend for Tony Pike and Mardy Gilyard, Joe Reedy writes in the Cincinnati Enquirer.
- Matt Grothe is hoping to be ready for South Florida's pro day, Greg Auman writes in the St. Petersburg Times.
- Anthony Davis was happy with his combine weekend, Keith Sargeant writes in the Home News Tribune.
We're approaching the top five in the Big East postseason player rankings, and you can probably figure out which five players those are without much trouble, if not the exact order.
So what about those who just missed the cut? Making a list of just 30 players across an eight-team league means some really good players have to be left off. Let's start with a look at those on my preseason list who failed to duplicate the honor in the postseason:
No. 3: Matt Grothe: A terrific career, obviously, but the South Florida quarterback's season was cut down by a knee injury before it ever really got going, and his pro potential is questionable at best.
No. 7: Victor Anderson: Another guy who's season was hampered by injury. Anderson posted only 473 rushing yards for Louisville, though he remains capable of big things in the next two years.
No. 10: Reed Williams: The West Virginia linebacker could have easily made this list, as he's not only an excellent player but a terrific leader. Just missed because he, too, was limited at times because of injuries.
No. 11: Ryan D'Imperio: The Rutgers linebacker wasn't nearly as productive as he had been, with his tackles dipping down to 76. But he wasn't fully healthy either.
No. 12: Scott Lutrus: Starting to sound like a broken record here. The Huskies linebacker missed huge chunks of time with various injuries and was surpassed on this list by teammate Lawrence Wilson. But he'll be a prominent preseason candidate for top 30 designation.
No. 15: Aaron Berry: The Pitt corner had a solid but not spectacular season.
No. 16: Robert Vaughn: The UConn safety dropped because of a poor overall performance by the Huskies' secondary.
No. 17: Scooter Berry: The West Virginia tackle missed significant time with injuries and a suspension.
No 19: Scott Long: My most controversial preseason pick had the misfortune of playing for a bad offense. But the Louisville receiver did get an NFL combine invite.
No. 21: Jessie Hester: The South Florida wideout struggled with injuries for much of 2009 and never regained his '08 form.
No. 22: Ryan Blaszczyk: The Rutgers offensive line disappointed, dragging its center's ranking down with it.
No. 24: Brandon Hogan: Improved as season went on; could easily make the preseason list this summer.
No. 25: Mike Williams: Was arguably the league's top receiver for half the year. But you don't quit your team midseason and expect to make a list of the league's best.
No. 27: Jock Sanders: A tough, tough omission from the list, especially considering he had 72 catches for West Virginia. What decided it for me was that he averaged fewer than 10 yards per catch and had only three touchdowns, and his production took a nosedive late in the season.
No. 28: Nate Byham: Still a terrific blocking tight end, but his pass-catching opportunities instead went to Dorin Dickerson, and I didn't want to put two Pitt tight ends on the list.
No. 29: Jon Dempsey: Had a fine year (107 tackles), but it was hard to tell by the end of the season whether he or Chris Campa was Louisville's best linebacker. No Cardinals made the postseason top 30, which gives you an idea of the challenge facing Charlie Strong.
No. 30: Moe Petrus: The UConn center was part of a terrific line, but Chris Jurek and Sampson Genus edged him out for the first- and second-team All-Big East center positions as voted by the coaches.
OK, now that we've exposed how far off my preseason list was, here are a few other players who barely missed the postseason cut:
Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati: An interesting decision here. He was outstanding in less than half a season's worth of work, including a record-breaking performance against UConn. And his potential is off the charts. Probably should have included him, but I just felt he didn't play enough in 2009. He'll definitely be on the preseason list, and probably awfully high.
Zach Hurd, UConn, and John Malecki, Pitt: Two of the best guards in the league, a position which sadly wasn't represented on this list. Guards are like the Rodney Dangerfield of football.
J.T. Thomas, West Virginia, and Adam Gunn, Pitt: Excellent linebackers in a league that's stacked at that position.
Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: He was at times the Bearcats' best weapon when defenses concentrated on Mardy Gilyard. You wonder how much the system inflates the stats of receivers. Binns, though, will surely appear on the summer list.
Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia: I thought he was one of the top two or three interior linemen in the league. Just missed.
I'm sure I'm failing to mention other worthy candidates, but I've already gone on and on long enough. Sound off on other players you think should have made it, or why I'm crazy for not including some of these on the list.
So what about those who just missed the cut? Making a list of just 30 players across an eight-team league means some really good players have to be left off. Let's start with a look at those on my preseason list who failed to duplicate the honor in the postseason:
No. 3: Matt Grothe: A terrific career, obviously, but the South Florida quarterback's season was cut down by a knee injury before it ever really got going, and his pro potential is questionable at best.
No. 7: Victor Anderson: Another guy who's season was hampered by injury. Anderson posted only 473 rushing yards for Louisville, though he remains capable of big things in the next two years.
No. 10: Reed Williams: The West Virginia linebacker could have easily made this list, as he's not only an excellent player but a terrific leader. Just missed because he, too, was limited at times because of injuries.
No. 11: Ryan D'Imperio: The Rutgers linebacker wasn't nearly as productive as he had been, with his tackles dipping down to 76. But he wasn't fully healthy either.
No. 12: Scott Lutrus: Starting to sound like a broken record here. The Huskies linebacker missed huge chunks of time with various injuries and was surpassed on this list by teammate Lawrence Wilson. But he'll be a prominent preseason candidate for top 30 designation.
No. 15: Aaron Berry: The Pitt corner had a solid but not spectacular season.
No. 16: Robert Vaughn: The UConn safety dropped because of a poor overall performance by the Huskies' secondary.
No. 17: Scooter Berry: The West Virginia tackle missed significant time with injuries and a suspension.
No 19: Scott Long: My most controversial preseason pick had the misfortune of playing for a bad offense. But the Louisville receiver did get an NFL combine invite.
No. 21: Jessie Hester: The South Florida wideout struggled with injuries for much of 2009 and never regained his '08 form.
No. 22: Ryan Blaszczyk: The Rutgers offensive line disappointed, dragging its center's ranking down with it.
No. 24: Brandon Hogan: Improved as season went on; could easily make the preseason list this summer.
No. 25: Mike Williams: Was arguably the league's top receiver for half the year. But you don't quit your team midseason and expect to make a list of the league's best.
No. 27: Jock Sanders: A tough, tough omission from the list, especially considering he had 72 catches for West Virginia. What decided it for me was that he averaged fewer than 10 yards per catch and had only three touchdowns, and his production took a nosedive late in the season.
No. 28: Nate Byham: Still a terrific blocking tight end, but his pass-catching opportunities instead went to Dorin Dickerson, and I didn't want to put two Pitt tight ends on the list.
No. 29: Jon Dempsey: Had a fine year (107 tackles), but it was hard to tell by the end of the season whether he or Chris Campa was Louisville's best linebacker. No Cardinals made the postseason top 30, which gives you an idea of the challenge facing Charlie Strong.
No. 30: Moe Petrus: The UConn center was part of a terrific line, but Chris Jurek and Sampson Genus edged him out for the first- and second-team All-Big East center positions as voted by the coaches.
OK, now that we've exposed how far off my preseason list was, here are a few other players who barely missed the postseason cut:
Zach Collaros, QB, Cincinnati: An interesting decision here. He was outstanding in less than half a season's worth of work, including a record-breaking performance against UConn. And his potential is off the charts. Probably should have included him, but I just felt he didn't play enough in 2009. He'll definitely be on the preseason list, and probably awfully high.
Zach Hurd, UConn, and John Malecki, Pitt: Two of the best guards in the league, a position which sadly wasn't represented on this list. Guards are like the Rodney Dangerfield of football.
J.T. Thomas, West Virginia, and Adam Gunn, Pitt: Excellent linebackers in a league that's stacked at that position.
Armon Binns, WR, Cincinnati: He was at times the Bearcats' best weapon when defenses concentrated on Mardy Gilyard. You wonder how much the system inflates the stats of receivers. Binns, though, will surely appear on the summer list.
Chris Neild, NT, West Virginia: I thought he was one of the top two or three interior linemen in the league. Just missed.
I'm sure I'm failing to mention other worthy candidates, but I've already gone on and on long enough. Sound off on other players you think should have made it, or why I'm crazy for not including some of these on the list.
There isn't a lot of news going on right now, but expansion and realignment is the topic that's on everybody's minds. I'll tackle your questions on that subject in a post later today. But first up, an expansion-free mailbag.
Brian C. from Nashville, Tenn., writes: No Syracuse at Washington [for your five most interesting nonconference games]? I fully understand, though Jake Locker could be the most talked about QB next year with him passing up draft. But why not Syracuse v. B.C.? 1) Old, heated rivalry. Dome will be loud and it should be an intense game.2) Last game was amazing game where Diamond Ferri went both ways. 3) Ends the season for both teams, could have SU fighting for a bowl and BC fighting for a New Year's Day bowl.
Brian Bennett: That's the inherent problem with doing top-five lists. You're going to miss out on some good games. I didn't mention, for example, Pitt vs. Utah, South Florida vs. Miami or Cincinnati vs. NC State, to name a few. I tried to limit the list to the five biggest games for the conference as a whole in terms of potential impact and overall credibility for the league. While Syracuse has a couple of high-profile games, I don't think the Orange will be a legitimate Big East contender this season, and therefore its games don't carry as much heft as some others.
Chris from Orlando, Fla., writes: Do you think Matt Grothe deserves an invite to the NFL Combine? I know there are lots of doubts about him as an NFL quarterback (size, decision making) but unfortunately his NCAA career was cut short and I think the Big East's all time offense leader at least deserves a good chance to prove himself.
Brian Bennett: Given his season-ending injury and the concerns you mentioned, I was not surprised at all that Grothe wasn't invited to the combine. He will have to go the undrafted free agent route in order to get a chance in the NFL. However, if he needs any reason for hope, he can look to Drew Brees. The Super Bowl MVP is listed at 6-feet, the same official size as Grothe. I'm not saying Grothe is as good as Brees, not by a long shot. But at least that shows size isn't everything.
Jim from Highland Park, N.J., writes: Love the player rankings. One note ... ranking Anthony Davis in the Top 10 is fair but all the criticism (not just you) on Davis is a little over the top. Did he dominate all the time? No, but who does? I actually think some of his bad plays had more to do with the other Rutgers linemen than Davis. There were many zone blocking schemes that broke down at other positions and impacted his zone. When it came down to one versus one, Davis dominated the best of the best in the Big East. Take the top five pass rushers and watch them versus Davis. Pure domination.
Brian Bennett: I'll agree with you to a point, Jim. Whenever Davis was matched up with one of the league's top pass-rushers, he usually came out on top. See his domination of George Selvie over the years. That was never the question. The concern, to me, was whether he brought that same intensity and focus to every matchup. And he simply didn't overpower people often enough in the running game. It's easy to forget that he was a true junior, however, and that he still has an incredibly high ceiling. Remember that some scouts tried to knock Kenny Britt last year based on little more than hearsay, and they look pretty silly now.
Josh from Orlando, Fla., writes: I really enjoyed your spring positions battles. I'd love to hear more about those throughout the offseason. I want to give you a heads up on a possible No. 2 receiver for Rutgers. Mark Harrison, true freshman last season, stepped into the No. 3 receiver position last year from the UConn game onward. He is a big, tall guy with a lot of talent. Expect him to challenge the group you mentioned this spring for that second receiver position.
Brian Bennett: You're right, Josh, and Harrison is a guy I should have mentioned. He made only five catches, but he averaged 16.6 yards per reception and has that rangy build you talked about. I also think D.C. Jefferson could emerge as more of a threat at tight end. A few more options in the passing game for Tom Savage could really increase the Scarlet Knights' chances of contending in 2010.
Andre from New Haven, Conn., writes: Spring position battles: forget UConn QB? Zach Frazer and Cody Endres almost split for time last season, each playing fairly well. This is a huge competition in my mind.
Brian Bennett: It will be interesting to see if Mike Box pushes either of those guys as well. While it should be a competition, though, I get the sense that this is Frazer's job to lose. He played really well down the stretch and has seemed like the more favored guy there.
Dave from N.J. writes: Brian,I was OK with most of your player rankings thus far, but you really lost me on the B.J. Daniels pick. He single-handedly lost games for USF this year. Reminds me of all of the potential of Jarrett Brown and then, in every game, makes a couple of head-scratching mistakes that ultimately lose the game. You shouldn't assume that he'll be great just because he's a freak athlete, especially at QB position. Lots of freak athletes never become great QB's -- just look at FSU's QBs. I'm not sure if Zach Collaros will be on your list but he has potential AND proved it on the field. So did Savage.
Brian Bennett: It's a tough balancing act between production and potential, and there's no question that Daniels made plenty of rookie mistakes last year. If he continues to make those same errors, then he'll never be much more than potential. But let's remember that A) he was a redshirt freshman thrown into the fire after the Grothe injury; and B) he had some really strong games, including the wins over Florida State, Syracuse and West Virginia and the end-of-season close loss at Connecticut. I think it's fair to project that Daniels will continue to improve as he matures.
Brian C. from Nashville, Tenn., writes: No Syracuse at Washington [for your five most interesting nonconference games]? I fully understand, though Jake Locker could be the most talked about QB next year with him passing up draft. But why not Syracuse v. B.C.? 1) Old, heated rivalry. Dome will be loud and it should be an intense game.2) Last game was amazing game where Diamond Ferri went both ways. 3) Ends the season for both teams, could have SU fighting for a bowl and BC fighting for a New Year's Day bowl.
Brian Bennett: That's the inherent problem with doing top-five lists. You're going to miss out on some good games. I didn't mention, for example, Pitt vs. Utah, South Florida vs. Miami or Cincinnati vs. NC State, to name a few. I tried to limit the list to the five biggest games for the conference as a whole in terms of potential impact and overall credibility for the league. While Syracuse has a couple of high-profile games, I don't think the Orange will be a legitimate Big East contender this season, and therefore its games don't carry as much heft as some others.
Chris from Orlando, Fla., writes: Do you think Matt Grothe deserves an invite to the NFL Combine? I know there are lots of doubts about him as an NFL quarterback (size, decision making) but unfortunately his NCAA career was cut short and I think the Big East's all time offense leader at least deserves a good chance to prove himself.
Brian Bennett: Given his season-ending injury and the concerns you mentioned, I was not surprised at all that Grothe wasn't invited to the combine. He will have to go the undrafted free agent route in order to get a chance in the NFL. However, if he needs any reason for hope, he can look to Drew Brees. The Super Bowl MVP is listed at 6-feet, the same official size as Grothe. I'm not saying Grothe is as good as Brees, not by a long shot. But at least that shows size isn't everything.
Jim from Highland Park, N.J., writes: Love the player rankings. One note ... ranking Anthony Davis in the Top 10 is fair but all the criticism (not just you) on Davis is a little over the top. Did he dominate all the time? No, but who does? I actually think some of his bad plays had more to do with the other Rutgers linemen than Davis. There were many zone blocking schemes that broke down at other positions and impacted his zone. When it came down to one versus one, Davis dominated the best of the best in the Big East. Take the top five pass rushers and watch them versus Davis. Pure domination.
Brian Bennett: I'll agree with you to a point, Jim. Whenever Davis was matched up with one of the league's top pass-rushers, he usually came out on top. See his domination of George Selvie over the years. That was never the question. The concern, to me, was whether he brought that same intensity and focus to every matchup. And he simply didn't overpower people often enough in the running game. It's easy to forget that he was a true junior, however, and that he still has an incredibly high ceiling. Remember that some scouts tried to knock Kenny Britt last year based on little more than hearsay, and they look pretty silly now.
Josh from Orlando, Fla., writes: I really enjoyed your spring positions battles. I'd love to hear more about those throughout the offseason. I want to give you a heads up on a possible No. 2 receiver for Rutgers. Mark Harrison, true freshman last season, stepped into the No. 3 receiver position last year from the UConn game onward. He is a big, tall guy with a lot of talent. Expect him to challenge the group you mentioned this spring for that second receiver position.
Brian Bennett: You're right, Josh, and Harrison is a guy I should have mentioned. He made only five catches, but he averaged 16.6 yards per reception and has that rangy build you talked about. I also think D.C. Jefferson could emerge as more of a threat at tight end. A few more options in the passing game for Tom Savage could really increase the Scarlet Knights' chances of contending in 2010.
Andre from New Haven, Conn., writes: Spring position battles: forget UConn QB? Zach Frazer and Cody Endres almost split for time last season, each playing fairly well. This is a huge competition in my mind.
Brian Bennett: It will be interesting to see if Mike Box pushes either of those guys as well. While it should be a competition, though, I get the sense that this is Frazer's job to lose. He played really well down the stretch and has seemed like the more favored guy there.
Dave from N.J. writes: Brian,I was OK with most of your player rankings thus far, but you really lost me on the B.J. Daniels pick. He single-handedly lost games for USF this year. Reminds me of all of the potential of Jarrett Brown and then, in every game, makes a couple of head-scratching mistakes that ultimately lose the game. You shouldn't assume that he'll be great just because he's a freak athlete, especially at QB position. Lots of freak athletes never become great QB's -- just look at FSU's QBs. I'm not sure if Zach Collaros will be on your list but he has potential AND proved it on the field. So did Savage.
Brian Bennett: It's a tough balancing act between production and potential, and there's no question that Daniels made plenty of rookie mistakes last year. If he continues to make those same errors, then he'll never be much more than potential. But let's remember that A) he was a redshirt freshman thrown into the fire after the Grothe injury; and B) he had some really strong games, including the wins over Florida State, Syracuse and West Virginia and the end-of-season close loss at Connecticut. I think it's fair to project that Daniels will continue to improve as he matures.
Best case/Worst case rewind: South Florida
December, 22, 2009
12/22/09
5:28
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Original take is here.
Best case in a nutshell: 11-1 and Sugar Bowl.
Worst case in a nutshell: 5-7
Reality: 7-5 and International Bowl
That's just crazy talk: "October arrives, but this time it's full of cheer, as South Florida beats Syracuse, Cincinnati, Pitt and West Virginia to equal its most Big East victories ever. At 8-0, the Bulls move into the Top 10 for the third straight year."
Not too far off: "[George] Selvie, whose numbers haven't been the same since the first five games of his sophomore year, gets contained by double teams again. ... October arrives and it's like Groundhog Day from the past two years. They beat Syracuse but lose to Cincinnati [and] Pittsburgh ... and November starts the same way with a loss at Rutgers. ... South Florida closes the year by losing in the snow at Connecticut."
What really happened: Is there such thing as a same-case scenario? The Bulls started 5-0 and got everybody's hopes up by winning at Florida State, even with star quarterback Matt Grothe lost to a season-ending injury. But South Florida couldn't hold its own in league play, as redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels was electric but erratic and the defense suffered key breakdowns. Cincinnati, Pitt, Rutgers and Miami all delivered blowout defeats.
In the end, it was the same old Bulls, and they got shipped off to Toronto after barely qualifying for the postseason.
Best case in a nutshell: 11-1 and Sugar Bowl.
Worst case in a nutshell: 5-7
Reality: 7-5 and International Bowl
That's just crazy talk: "October arrives, but this time it's full of cheer, as South Florida beats Syracuse, Cincinnati, Pitt and West Virginia to equal its most Big East victories ever. At 8-0, the Bulls move into the Top 10 for the third straight year."
Not too far off: "[George] Selvie, whose numbers haven't been the same since the first five games of his sophomore year, gets contained by double teams again. ... October arrives and it's like Groundhog Day from the past two years. They beat Syracuse but lose to Cincinnati [and] Pittsburgh ... and November starts the same way with a loss at Rutgers. ... South Florida closes the year by losing in the snow at Connecticut."
What really happened: Is there such thing as a same-case scenario? The Bulls started 5-0 and got everybody's hopes up by winning at Florida State, even with star quarterback Matt Grothe lost to a season-ending injury. But South Florida couldn't hold its own in league play, as redshirt freshman quarterback B.J. Daniels was electric but erratic and the defense suffered key breakdowns. Cincinnati, Pitt, Rutgers and Miami all delivered blowout defeats.
In the end, it was the same old Bulls, and they got shipped off to Toronto after barely qualifying for the postseason.
Big East's biggest disappointments
November, 18, 2009
11/18/09
2:39
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Ivan Maisel has an interesting piece up today about how the college football season has thus far been a disappointment. Bruce Feldman chimed in with his 10 biggest disappointments in the game this year. So I thought I'd join the fray with some of my disappointing players, teams or developments in the Big East this year (in no particular order):
Matt Grothe's injury: Shortly after breaking the Big East's career total yardage record, the South Florida quarterback was lost for the season with a knee injury. While Grothe's absence has allowed B.J. Daniels to become a promising young star, it still would have been nice to see Grothe get a chance to lead his team through the Big East in his senior year. Instead, all we got from Grothe in 2009 were some meaningless games against FCS competition and Western Kentucky.
Victor Anderson: Last year's Big East newcomer of the year rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman and seemed poised for even bigger things this season. Instead, he has only 473 yards and five touchdowns. I must stress that it's not Anderson's fault; he's been plagued by an assortment of injuries and hasn't really been fully healthy all year. Hopefully he'll be back in full force in 2010.
Wes Lyons: The 6-foot-8 West Virginia receiver had a great spring and was touted as a breakout player this season. Instead, the senior has once again faded to the background of the Mountaineers' offense, with just 16 catches in nine games. And for that matter ...
The West Virginia offense: Things started out so promisingly, with the Mountaineers piling up over 30 points in each of their first five games. The offense looked unstoppable with Jarrett Brown's big arm and Noel Devine's swift feet. Since that hot start, however, West Virginia has averaged a pedestrian 21.8 points in its last five games.
Mike Williams' decision: For half the season, Williams was one of the year's best stories. Then he quickly became one of the worst. Williams ranked among the top receivers in the nation after missing all of 2008 because of academic problems. But he got embroiled in some off-the-field issues and quit the team before the Pitt game, rendering all his previous good work moot.
Pitt's loss at NC State: The Wolfpack are 4-6 and have beaten only two FBS teams. One was putrid Maryland. The other was Top 10 Pittsburgh. It was a disappointing loss at the time but even more painful in retrospect, because the Panthers would be in BCS title contention if not for blowing a 31-17 lead with 19 minutes left to play.
George Selvie's sack total: I understand that Selvie was double- and triple-teamed most of his junior season. But this year, with Jason Pierre-Paul arriving as a menace at the opposite end slot, you would think Selvie would be freed up a lot more. But Selvie has only three sacks in nine games, making his hot start to his sophomore year look like more and more of a distant memory.
Tony Pike's left arm injury: Sure, Zach Collaros has performed at an incredibly high level since Pike got hurt at South Florida, and the Bearcats are 10-0. But given the way Pike was playing and the dearth of other no-doubt candidates, Pike could have been right in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race had he stayed healthy and productive this season.
What players, teams or developments in the Big East have disappointed you this season?
Matt Grothe's injury: Shortly after breaking the Big East's career total yardage record, the South Florida quarterback was lost for the season with a knee injury. While Grothe's absence has allowed B.J. Daniels to become a promising young star, it still would have been nice to see Grothe get a chance to lead his team through the Big East in his senior year. Instead, all we got from Grothe in 2009 were some meaningless games against FCS competition and Western Kentucky.
Victor Anderson: Last year's Big East newcomer of the year rushed for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman and seemed poised for even bigger things this season. Instead, he has only 473 yards and five touchdowns. I must stress that it's not Anderson's fault; he's been plagued by an assortment of injuries and hasn't really been fully healthy all year. Hopefully he'll be back in full force in 2010.
Wes Lyons: The 6-foot-8 West Virginia receiver had a great spring and was touted as a breakout player this season. Instead, the senior has once again faded to the background of the Mountaineers' offense, with just 16 catches in nine games. And for that matter ...
The West Virginia offense: Things started out so promisingly, with the Mountaineers piling up over 30 points in each of their first five games. The offense looked unstoppable with Jarrett Brown's big arm and Noel Devine's swift feet. Since that hot start, however, West Virginia has averaged a pedestrian 21.8 points in its last five games.
Mike Williams' decision: For half the season, Williams was one of the year's best stories. Then he quickly became one of the worst. Williams ranked among the top receivers in the nation after missing all of 2008 because of academic problems. But he got embroiled in some off-the-field issues and quit the team before the Pitt game, rendering all his previous good work moot.
Pitt's loss at NC State: The Wolfpack are 4-6 and have beaten only two FBS teams. One was putrid Maryland. The other was Top 10 Pittsburgh. It was a disappointing loss at the time but even more painful in retrospect, because the Panthers would be in BCS title contention if not for blowing a 31-17 lead with 19 minutes left to play.
George Selvie's sack total: I understand that Selvie was double- and triple-teamed most of his junior season. But this year, with Jason Pierre-Paul arriving as a menace at the opposite end slot, you would think Selvie would be freed up a lot more. But Selvie has only three sacks in nine games, making his hot start to his sophomore year look like more and more of a distant memory.
Tony Pike's left arm injury: Sure, Zach Collaros has performed at an incredibly high level since Pike got hurt at South Florida, and the Bearcats are 10-0. But given the way Pike was playing and the dearth of other no-doubt candidates, Pike could have been right in the thick of the Heisman Trophy race had he stayed healthy and productive this season.
What players, teams or developments in the Big East have disappointed you this season?
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
I have to admit, I love Halloween.
In fact, it may be my favorite holiday. I love the fact that it's not about anything other than eating candy, dressing up in costumes and embracing you fears of things that go bump in the night. And the fact that it comes at a great time in the sports calendar doesn't hurt either.
So, to celebrate this year, here's a list of some Halloween-related items that can be applied to the 2009 Big East season.
Trick-or-Treat -- The trickiest games left for No. 8 Cincinnati's national title hopes: next week at home against UConn, Nov. 13 against West Virginia and Dec. 5 at Pitt. The treats: at Syracuse this week, vs. Illinois on Nov. 28.
Monster Mash -- The hit of the Big East season? Offense. Four teams are averaging at least 30 points. Noel Devine and Dion Lewis are among the nation's top five rushers, while Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman have formed a dynamic duo. Tony Pike and Bill Stull have been among the most efficient passers. Mardy Gilyard, Mike Williams and Jonathan Baldwin have been frightfully good at receiver. There's nothing scary about watching Big East games this season.
Boo (Boo) -- South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe's season-ending knee injury has been the most disappointing boo-boo this season, as he didn't have a chance to cap his terrific career with an enjoyable senior campaign.
Nightmare on Floyd Street -- This could be the title of the 2009 Louisville football program. From BCS participant in January 2007 to a team that has lost eight straight Big East games, with little hope of a turnaround in sight. A loss to Arkansas State on Saturday would be the final nail in the coffin for Steve Kragthorpe.
Black Cat -- While Notre Dame has actually helped the Big East much more than hurt it, this year could be different. The Irish could take the league's spot in the Gator Bowl, meaning the conference's No. 2 team -- even if it has 10 or 11 wins -- could fall all the way to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte.
Graveyard -- Every team but Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West Virginia has already said goodbye to its BCS hopes this season.
Jack-o-lantern -- South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels had a tough task in replacing Grothe. He was excellent early on but has seemingly hit a wall in his development. The light needs to go on for the redshirt freshman if the Bulls are going to make any more noise in the Big East or have a chance against Miami.
Scary Movie -- Rutgers' opening 47-15 loss to Cincinnati at home is a film that Scarlet Knights fans would like to see burned and dragged off to hell.
Haunted House -- Nippert Stadium only seats 35,000 or so, but Cincinnati has the longest home-field winning streak in the Big East, dating back to 2007. Maybe it's because they play the theme from "Halloween" there that intimidates opponent. More likely, it's the Bearcats' talent.
Costumes -- Finally, here are some suggested costumes this year for Big East personalities:
I have to admit, I love Halloween.
In fact, it may be my favorite holiday. I love the fact that it's not about anything other than eating candy, dressing up in costumes and embracing you fears of things that go bump in the night. And the fact that it comes at a great time in the sports calendar doesn't hurt either.
So, to celebrate this year, here's a list of some Halloween-related items that can be applied to the 2009 Big East season.
Trick-or-Treat -- The trickiest games left for No. 8 Cincinnati's national title hopes: next week at home against UConn, Nov. 13 against West Virginia and Dec. 5 at Pitt. The treats: at Syracuse this week, vs. Illinois on Nov. 28.
Monster Mash -- The hit of the Big East season? Offense. Four teams are averaging at least 30 points. Noel Devine and Dion Lewis are among the nation's top five rushers, while Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman have formed a dynamic duo. Tony Pike and Bill Stull have been among the most efficient passers. Mardy Gilyard, Mike Williams and Jonathan Baldwin have been frightfully good at receiver. There's nothing scary about watching Big East games this season.
Boo (Boo) -- South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe's season-ending knee injury has been the most disappointing boo-boo this season, as he didn't have a chance to cap his terrific career with an enjoyable senior campaign.
Nightmare on Floyd Street -- This could be the title of the 2009 Louisville football program. From BCS participant in January 2007 to a team that has lost eight straight Big East games, with little hope of a turnaround in sight. A loss to Arkansas State on Saturday would be the final nail in the coffin for Steve Kragthorpe.
Black Cat -- While Notre Dame has actually helped the Big East much more than hurt it, this year could be different. The Irish could take the league's spot in the Gator Bowl, meaning the conference's No. 2 team -- even if it has 10 or 11 wins -- could fall all the way to the Meineke Car Care Bowl in Charlotte.
Graveyard -- Every team but Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and West Virginia has already said goodbye to its BCS hopes this season.
Jack-o-lantern -- South Florida quarterback B.J. Daniels had a tough task in replacing Grothe. He was excellent early on but has seemingly hit a wall in his development. The light needs to go on for the redshirt freshman if the Bulls are going to make any more noise in the Big East or have a chance against Miami.
Scary Movie -- Rutgers' opening 47-15 loss to Cincinnati at home is a film that Scarlet Knights fans would like to see burned and dragged off to hell.
Haunted House -- Nippert Stadium only seats 35,000 or so, but Cincinnati has the longest home-field winning streak in the Big East, dating back to 2007. Maybe it's because they play the theme from "Halloween" there that intimidates opponent. More likely, it's the Bearcats' talent.
Costumes -- Finally, here are some suggested costumes this year for Big East personalities:
- South Florida: Pumpkins. What do the Bulls and pumpkins have in common? Both cause a lot of excitement when they first appear in the fall. Then they both get carved up by October.
- Steve Kragthorpe: Zombie. He'd better hope his career can come back from the dead.
- Tony Pike: Mummy. The Cincinnati quarterback is used to having his left arm wrapped up; he just needs a little more casting to complete the outfit.
- Bill Stewart: Abe Lincoln. The West Virginia coach is an avid history buff, and he's the great orator among Big East coaches.
- Noel Devine, Jock Sanders, Tavon Austin, Dion Lewis, Victor Anderson, Jordan Todman: Oompa Loompas. They may be small, but you don't want to mess with them.
- Greg Paulus: Orange devil. To commemorate his career at both Duke and Syracuse.
- Brian Kelly: Dr. Frankenstein. Because he's a mad scientist who always stitches together random parts to make a monster.
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
If my rap's soup, my beats is stock.
In other words, it's time for the Big East weekly stock report. There has been some serious shuffling in defensive player of the year race as we reach midseason. But that derby is still wide open.
Stock up
1. Dion Lewis: His stock was already high, but after the Pitt true freshman running back accumulated 180 yards and two touchdowns against Rutgers, it's through the roof. Lewis even appeared on a couple of Heisman Watch ballots this week (including mine).
2. Lawrence Wilson: It's time to recognize the job the UConn linebacker is doing this season. He's leading the league in tackles and had 16 stops against Louisville on Saturday. With Scott Lutrus missing most of the year, Wilson has picked up the slack.
3. Backup quarterbacks: Zach Collaros and Geno Smith each stepped in and led his team to victory after Tony Pike and Jarrett Brown went down with injuries this week, respectively. Adam Froman, who started the season as a backup to Justin Burke, had a solid game for Louisville at UConn.
4. Compassion: If anything good can come of the Jasper Howard tragedy, it's the camaraderie and compassion shown by the entire Big East toward Connecticut. I've always thought the league was unusually close-knit, due in large part to its small size, and that showed in how coaches and players responded to this difficult situation
Stock down
1. Home-field advantage: Visiting teams have won six of the first eight Big East conference games. The lone exceptions were Pitt's win over UConn and the Huskies' win over Louisville. What is going on here? Didn't anybody see that "We Must Protect This House" commercial?
2. Quarterback health: Matt Grothe, Tony Pike, Jarrett Brown, Justin Burke, Zach Frazer, Tom Savage. All have gotten hurt and had to miss significant time at some point this season. The only quarterback to start and finish every game this year has been Pitt's Bill Stull.
3. South Florida on Thursday night: For the third straight year, the Bulls lost a big Thursday night game. Two years ago, it was at Rutgers. Last year, Pitt. Last week, Cincinnati. Next time the Big East office calls with a Thursday night offer, I suggest the Bulls say, "You know what, our DVR is on the fritz and we want to watch 'The Office' and '30 Rock.' So we're going to pass. But thanks.'"
4. Rutgers' run defense: The Scarlet Knights came into last week's game ranked sixth in the nation in rush defense, allowing just 2.3 yards per carry. Lewis and Pitt showed that those stats were largely a product of Rutgers' easy schedule.
Player of the year race: Offense
1. Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati: Has completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns. May miss this week's game with an injured left forearm.
2. Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh: Leads the Big East and is second nationally with 918 rushing yards, plus nine touchdowns.
3. Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: Averaging 6.4 yards per carry and has 734 rushing yards and nine scores.
4. Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati: Has 43 catches for 592 yards and seven touchdowns.
5. Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse: Has 45 catches for 712 yards and six touchdowns.
Player of the year race: Defense
1. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: Even though he's only been in a starting role for about four games, he's had a huge impact with 8.5 tackles for loss.
2. Lawrence Wilson, LB, UConn: See above.
3. Aaron Webster, S, Cincinnati: The leader of the Bearcats defense, he had his third interception at South Florida and returned it 83 yards.
4. Nate Allen, S, South Florida: Leads the league in passes defended and is second in interceptions, while ranking 14th in tackles.
5. Lindsey Witten, DE, UConn: Back on track last week, he now has a league-best 9.5 sacks, which ranks second nationally.
If my rap's soup, my beats is stock.
In other words, it's time for the Big East weekly stock report. There has been some serious shuffling in defensive player of the year race as we reach midseason. But that derby is still wide open.
Stock up
1. Dion Lewis: His stock was already high, but after the Pitt true freshman running back accumulated 180 yards and two touchdowns against Rutgers, it's through the roof. Lewis even appeared on a couple of Heisman Watch ballots this week (including mine).
2. Lawrence Wilson: It's time to recognize the job the UConn linebacker is doing this season. He's leading the league in tackles and had 16 stops against Louisville on Saturday. With Scott Lutrus missing most of the year, Wilson has picked up the slack.
3. Backup quarterbacks: Zach Collaros and Geno Smith each stepped in and led his team to victory after Tony Pike and Jarrett Brown went down with injuries this week, respectively. Adam Froman, who started the season as a backup to Justin Burke, had a solid game for Louisville at UConn.
4. Compassion: If anything good can come of the Jasper Howard tragedy, it's the camaraderie and compassion shown by the entire Big East toward Connecticut. I've always thought the league was unusually close-knit, due in large part to its small size, and that showed in how coaches and players responded to this difficult situation
Stock down
1. Home-field advantage: Visiting teams have won six of the first eight Big East conference games. The lone exceptions were Pitt's win over UConn and the Huskies' win over Louisville. What is going on here? Didn't anybody see that "We Must Protect This House" commercial?
2. Quarterback health: Matt Grothe, Tony Pike, Jarrett Brown, Justin Burke, Zach Frazer, Tom Savage. All have gotten hurt and had to miss significant time at some point this season. The only quarterback to start and finish every game this year has been Pitt's Bill Stull.
3. South Florida on Thursday night: For the third straight year, the Bulls lost a big Thursday night game. Two years ago, it was at Rutgers. Last year, Pitt. Last week, Cincinnati. Next time the Big East office calls with a Thursday night offer, I suggest the Bulls say, "You know what, our DVR is on the fritz and we want to watch 'The Office' and '30 Rock.' So we're going to pass. But thanks.'"
4. Rutgers' run defense: The Scarlet Knights came into last week's game ranked sixth in the nation in rush defense, allowing just 2.3 yards per carry. Lewis and Pitt showed that those stats were largely a product of Rutgers' easy schedule.
Player of the year race: Offense
1. Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati: Has completed 64.3 percent of his passes for 1,633 yards and 15 touchdowns. May miss this week's game with an injured left forearm.
2. Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh: Leads the Big East and is second nationally with 918 rushing yards, plus nine touchdowns.
3. Noel Devine, RB, West Virginia: Averaging 6.4 yards per carry and has 734 rushing yards and nine scores.
4. Mardy Gilyard, WR, Cincinnati: Has 43 catches for 592 yards and seven touchdowns.
5. Mike Williams, WR, Syracuse: Has 45 catches for 712 yards and six touchdowns.
Player of the year race: Defense
1. Jason Pierre-Paul, DE, South Florida: Even though he's only been in a starting role for about four games, he's had a huge impact with 8.5 tackles for loss.
2. Lawrence Wilson, LB, UConn: See above.
3. Aaron Webster, S, Cincinnati: The leader of the Bearcats defense, he had his third interception at South Florida and returned it 83 yards.
4. Nate Allen, S, South Florida: Leads the league in passes defended and is second in interceptions, while ranking 14th in tackles.
5. Lindsey Witten, DE, UConn: Back on track last week, he now has a league-best 9.5 sacks, which ranks second nationally.
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
Can we just copy and paste the midseason reviews from 2007 and 2008 here?
We kid South Florida. But the last three first halves have been eerily familiar: undefeated starts, including a big statement win, followed by a Thursday night loss in October.
The Bulls got there a little differently this year. They operated under the radar for the first three weeks, playing a couple of FCS teams and Western Kentucky. Then four-year starting quarterback Matt Grothe was lost for the season shortly after setting the Big East's career yardage record. The team looked like it was in trouble, but behind redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels and a dominating defense, the Bulls went to Florida State and won 17-7 in a milestone game.
Excitement once again reached a fever pitch in Tampa, but Cincinnati put a damper on that by winning 34-17 last week in a battle of two unbeatens. Now South Florida has to prove it's not going to sink back after a hot start. The defense is still outstanding, but Daniels has to overcome some rookie mistakes, and there are many obstacles remaining in the second-half schedule.
Offensive MVP: B.J. Daniels. Despite not taking over as the starter until the fourth game, Daniels leads the team in rushing and has passed for nearly 300 more yards than Grothe did. He's thrown for seven scores and run for another four. He needs to cut down on his turnovers and improve his decision-making, which should come with more experience.
Defensive MVP: Jason Pierre-Paul. Nate Allen is playing as well as any Big East safety, and George Selvie is his usual Tasmanian devil self. But Pierre-Paul has given the Bulls a new dimension as a defensive end who can finally take pressure off Selvie, and he done nothing but make big plays since taking over a starting role in late September.
Can we just copy and paste the midseason reviews from 2007 and 2008 here?
We kid South Florida. But the last three first halves have been eerily familiar: undefeated starts, including a big statement win, followed by a Thursday night loss in October.
The Bulls got there a little differently this year. They operated under the radar for the first three weeks, playing a couple of FCS teams and Western Kentucky. Then four-year starting quarterback Matt Grothe was lost for the season shortly after setting the Big East's career yardage record. The team looked like it was in trouble, but behind redshirt freshman B.J. Daniels and a dominating defense, the Bulls went to Florida State and won 17-7 in a milestone game.
Excitement once again reached a fever pitch in Tampa, but Cincinnati put a damper on that by winning 34-17 last week in a battle of two unbeatens. Now South Florida has to prove it's not going to sink back after a hot start. The defense is still outstanding, but Daniels has to overcome some rookie mistakes, and there are many obstacles remaining in the second-half schedule.
Offensive MVP: B.J. Daniels. Despite not taking over as the starter until the fourth game, Daniels leads the team in rushing and has passed for nearly 300 more yards than Grothe did. He's thrown for seven scores and run for another four. He needs to cut down on his turnovers and improve his decision-making, which should come with more experience.
Defensive MVP: Jason Pierre-Paul. Nate Allen is playing as well as any Big East safety, and George Selvie is his usual Tasmanian devil self. But Pierre-Paul has given the Bulls a new dimension as a defensive end who can finally take pressure off Selvie, and he done nothing but make big plays since taking over a starting role in late September.
More Cincinnati-South Florida notes
October, 15, 2009
10/15/09
2:00
PM ET
By
Brian Bennett | ESPN.com
Posted by ESPN.com's Brian Bennett
I'll be making my way over to Raymond James Stadium shortly and will be giving you constant updates from the Cincinnati-South Florida game. Here are a few leftover notes to tide you over until kickoff:
- South Florida coach Jim Leavitt handed out copies of this Sports Illustrated article to his players, highlighting a passage where Tony Pike talked about getting hit as a freshman in high school and wanting to quit.
"I remember telling my dad, 'I don't want to do this anymore. I hate football,'" Pike is quoted as saying in the story.The message Leavitt was trying to send to his players with that passage was clear.
"[Pike] basically let the world know he's not a physical guy and does not like receiving hits," Bulls linebacker Kion Wilson said. "So that's our goal, to get after him."
There's a small problem with the logic, though. I'm not sure how much the way Pike reacted to a hit some eight or nine years ago has much to do with where he is today. And the Bulls must be forgetting that he played against them last year with a broken arm.
Still, you can tell that South Florida's game plan revolves around hitting Pike whenever possible.
- South Florida has won many big games, including a victory at Florida State last month. But Wilson said this one is bigger because it would put the Bulls in position to win the Big East for the first time.
"There is so much this program hasn't accomplished yet," he said. "There are so many people who think we're not capable. This is a statement game for us. It will let us know how we'll compete the rest of the season in the Big East race." - Cincinnati has been scoring so fast -- an average of a little over two minutes per drive -- that the offensive linemen have been able to stay very fresh. Though sometimes, center Chris Jurek said, they're not sure to do with all the time they have on their hands.
"We'll go over to the sidelines to make adjustments," Jurek said. "But there's not much to adjust because everything is working."It will be interesting to see how the Bearcats react tonight if South Florida's defense knocks them out of an offensive rhythm for a couple of series, because that hasn't really happened all year.
- Leavitt and Cincinnati's Brian Kelly have both built programs in major metropolitan areas without the benefit of strong traditions. But the similarities pretty much end there.
Leavitt is a defense-first guy, having cut his teeth under Bill Snyder. Kelly, though he began his career on defense, is now known more for his offense. Kelly is the ultimate salesman, a smooth talker who feels at ease in front of any microphone or tape recorder. Leavitt gives a lot of short, terse answers and often acts like he'd rather be anywhere else than an interview session.Leavitt ran a 40-yard dash this spring to promote the Bulls' spring game and is known for sprinting onto the field and headbutting players. Kelly doesn't get into that.
"I look the way I do because gassers are not something I'm fond of," Kelly said. "I'm not that interested in that stuff. I'm always looking at what kind of sandwiches we have in the locker room prior to the game."
- Only one current Bulls player -- receiver Jessie Hester -- has ever beaten the Bearcats. Cincinnati has a three-game winning streak in this series and looks to become the first opponent to beat South Florida four straight years.
The last time these two teams played in Tampa, they put on one of the wildest Big East shows in recent history. Cincinnati led 31-14 after the first quarter. The two teams combined for 10 turnovers. The Bulls made a big comeback but couldn't close the deal, as two straight Matt Grothe passes in the end zone fell incomplete to end the game. The Bearcats won 38-33
ABOUT THIS BLOG
Andrea Adelson
Adelson joined ESPN.com in 2010 after spending time as a college football columnist at The Orlando Sentinel. She has covered college football since her days as a University of Florida student, and lives in Orlando, Fla.
