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Bulls Preparing For Cold Conditions

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 22, 2007

TAMPA - When the University of South Florida visits Pittsburgh on Saturday, forecasts call for a high of 40 with a low of 29. And that's not a good thing since the Bulls have never won when the temperature is below 45 at kickoff.

However, USF QB Matt Grothe said he prefers the cold.

"I like to play in the cold weather," Grothe said. "The sun will be out, so it won't be too cold. It's just a matter of playing football. Weather's not going to be a factor.

"I think I play better in the cold because you always have to move around. If you stop moving you get cold."

USF coach Jim Leavitt said in the past he considered having his team practice on an ice rink to prepare for a cold weather game.

"We don't play a lot in cold weather," Leavitt said. "I don't really particularly want to bring it down here to practice in it. We just have to mentally envision coldness during practice. I don't know what you really do.

"We could have all our guys wear earmuffs during practice just to simulate psychologically coldness and then work with them all on those things maybe. I haven't really sat and thought about all the different things you do. We have won in some cold games and we have lost in some cold games."

BOWL BOUND: Last week's win against Louisville clinched a bowl berth for USF. Leavitt said now the most important thing is to keep winning.

"It is real important winning games," Leavitt said. "We know we are going to the bowl now, I feel pretty solid about that.

"Any bowl for me is an honor. I think the more you win, usually there is more discussion. You are certainly going to have more opportunity at discussion by winning than losing. This game is big. It is big for a lot of reasons. It is going to be a great game against a very good team."

Brett McMurphy

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