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Tampa Bay Area Shows Support For Bulls

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 29, 2007

Updated: 09/29/2007 01:55 am

TAMPA - University of South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard said he was overwhelmed by the support the school received from the Tampa Bay area.

Friday night, downtown Tampa featured a green and gold skyline, and the Regions Bank spelled out 'USF' in lights.

'We felt the potential here, but it's been like a light was turned on and the Tampa Bay area engaged with our program and university,' Woolard said. 'It's just a neat deal to participate, and the university really appreciates it.'

MOHAWK U: Several Bulls got mohawk haircuts for Friday's game, including QB Matt Grothe, WR Carlton Mitchell and DB Tyller Roberts.

The culprits who started the mohawk craze were LBs Ben Moffitt and Brouce Mompremier. Moffitt got his mohawk Wednesday night, but his wife cut it crooked, so he cut all his hair off.

Apparently, Moffitt's new look worked, as he had a career-high two interceptions, including his first TD.

RECORD CROWD: The Bulls' first sellout of 67,018 was the largest in USF history, the third-largest college crowd in Tampa and the sixth-largest crowd for a Big East league contest.

The crowd could have been bigger, but several individuals tried to use counterfeit tickets to get in and were turned away, USF officials said.

SEEMS LIKE THE FIRST TIME: Chuck Gerber, ESPN's executive vice president of college sports, was part of the pregame coin flip for USF's inaugural game in 1997. He said the atmosphere Friday night reminded him of that night, when USF defeated Kentucky Wesleyan 80-3.

'The first game it was very exciting around the stadium,' Gerber said. 'But it was different this time. When I got off the plane, there were 'Go Bulls' signs everywhere. Ten years ago, I don't know if they knew who the Bulls were.

'This program is an extraordinary story. A great story.'

USF NORTH? West Virginia's staff featured four former Bulls - quarterbacks coach Rod Smith, offensive coordinator Calvin Magee, offensive line coach Greg Frey and graduate assistant Alex Herron. Smith, Magee and Frey were all former USF coaches, while Herron played at USF from 2001-04.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES: Everyone in town seems to have Bulls Fever.

The electronic marquee outside the Mons Venus flashed: 'Home of the most beautiful women in the world!' and 'Go Bulls!' The sign outside Sam Seltzer's steakhouse read: 'Our Cows Love U.'

ODDS AND ENDS: Bucs coach Jon Gruden, wearing a USF hat, and Bucs WR Joey Galloway introduced USF's starting lineup for ESPN2. ... USF coach Jim Leavitt is tentatively scheduled to be on ESPN's 'College GameDay' live via satellite this morning and live via telephone during the Florida-Auburn game. ... Grothe's streak of consecutive attempts without an interception ended at 136 in the first half. ... About 70 former USF players were at the game, including Clenton Crossley, Johnnie Jones, Maurice Jones, Marshall Smith, Shawn Hay, Santiago and Bill Gramatica, Jay Mize and Terry Lucas. Celebrities at the game included boxer Antonio Tarver and Tracy McGrady of the Houston Rockets. ... USF already has sold about 45,000 tickets for the Oct. 13 home game with UCF, USF senior associate AD Bill McGillis said. ... USF freshman RB Mike Ford made his first start.

Brett McMurphy

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