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Special Teams A Concern For Bulls

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By BRETT McMURPHY, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 10, 2007

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - So far this season, the University of South Florida's special teams play has had more peaks and valleys than a Busch Gardens roller coaster.

"Some really good things and some things not so good," USF coach Jim Leavitt said this week.

Some good examples: Mike Jenkins' 100-yard kickoff return for a TD and George Selvie's blocked field goal against Cincinnati. Some not so good: Delbert Alvarado's blocked punt against Cincinnati and Rutgers successfully executing a fake field goal for a TD and a fake punt.

"Looking at the special teams overall," Leavitt said, "I can't give it a real grade."

Since the program started in 1997, Leavitt has made multiple references that he is the special teams coach. This week, however, Leavitt said that he is not the special teams coach, but that he and his assistants are involved in every aspect of special teams.

"I get involved with special teams quite a bit," Leavitt said. "That's how the structure is. I get with the assistants to get the plan together. Some people hire a special teams coordinator to do those things."

USF has never had one.

Regardless, special teams miscues have been costly.

Against Rutgers, USF allowed the Scarlet Knights to score on a 15-yard pass on a fake field goal as Rutgers extended its lead to 10 points in the third quarter before winning 30-27.

Last week's blocked punt by Cincinnati was recovered by the Bearcats in the end zone for a touchdown, igniting 24 consecutive points by Cincinnati in the first quarter.

"That's two blocked punts out of 800, and that's two too many," Leavitt said of the program's history.

Actually, the Bulls have had four punts blocked the past three seasons and 11 blocked in 11 seasons.

"There's been some pretty good things, but you want to be perfect," Leavitt said. "You don't ever want to have a special teams breakdown in life.

"And it's going to happen. We've had a few of those. They've been costly."

The Bulls lead the Big East in punt return yardage allowed, but rank 98th nationally out of 117 Division I-A teams in kickoff return yardage (23.8 yards) and 101st in field goal accuracy (59.1 percent).

This season, USF has returned eight of 42 kickoffs at least 25 yards, compared to their opponents returning 17 of 44 kickoffs at least 25 yards.

Probably the most frustrating aspect for USF fans has been the inconsistency of Alvarado's kicking.

Alvarado has made 13 of 22 field goals, but is only 9-for-16 from 30 yards or longer.

"The inconsistency with Delbert has been tough," Leavitt said.

Tough, but not unusual. In the past four years, USF has made only 56 percent of its field goals (40 of 71), compared to 69 percent (53 of 77) by its opponents.

"I work with the kicker when he makes it," Leavitt joked. "I don't know anything about kicking. Just get it through the uprights."

South Florida (6-3, 1-3 Big East) at Syracuse (2-7, 1-3)

KICKOFF: Noon, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, N.Y.

TV/RADIO: WFTS, Ch. 28; WFLA, 970 AM

THE LINE: USF by 1661/27

KEEP AN EYE ON

USF - Will the Bulls come out sleep walking with the noon start in a half-empty dome? In their past two losses, USF has been outscored 54-20 in the first half.

Syracuse - The Orange will retire Larry Csonka's jersey at halftime. Perhaps SU will try to sneak the former Miami Dolphins great into the game in the second half to spark the Big East's worst offense?

AT STAKE

USF - The Bulls are looking to avoid losing four consecutive games in the same season for the first time in program history.

Syracuse - With one Big East win this season, the Orange can double their league victory total from last year if they pull off the upset.

KEY STAT

USF - The Bulls have the Big East's worst red-zone offense, scoring only 76 percent of the time inside the opponents' 20. The only other Big East team with a success rate below 87 percent is Syracuse (82 percent).

Syracuse - The Orange have scored more than 20 points only once in their past 16 games - a 38-35 win at Louisville on Sept. 22.

INJURY UPDATE

USF - WRs Amarri Jackson (knee) and Dontavia Bogan (hip) and RT Walter Walker (knee) are out.

Syracuse - DT Tony Jenkins (knee) and TB Curtis Brinkley (leg) are out, QB Andrew Robinson (ribs) and LB Ben Maljovec (knee) are questionable.

KEY MATCHUPS

When USF has the ball - The Bulls' running backs should be able to expose an Orange defense allowing 4.9 yards a carry.

When Syracuse has the ball - Whether it's Andrew Robinson or Cameron Dantley (the son of former NBA guard Adrian Dantley) at QB, they'll quickly become acquainted with USF DE George Selvie. SU has allowed a Big East-worst 37 sacks, and Selvie leads the nation with 13.5 sacks. Talk about an Orange crush.

PREDICTION

The Battle For the Basement. Who's Really Least In The Big East? Call it whatever you want, but one thing is certain - if the Bulls lose today, it would be without question the worst loss in school history. This is the first time since moving to Division I-A in 2001 that USF is more than a two-touchdown road favorite. A big reason is that Syracuse ranks last in six of the Big East's eight major offensive and defensive statistical categories.

Score: USF 21, Syracuse 10

Brett McMurphy

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928 or bmcmurphy@tampatrib.com.

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