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Bulls' Kicker Working On Little Things

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: August 6, 2008

TAMPA After Delbert Alvarado's roller-coaster 2007 season, that included a Big East record 56-yard field goal and missing four of six field goals at Auburn, the University of South Florida junior kicker knows what he must do this season.

"I've got to step it up," Alvarado said Tuesday.

Alvarado spent the summer working with former USF and NFL kicker Bill Gramatica.

"He's helped, working with him," Alvarado said. "That was different. We've really never had anyone to help us out from that perspective. I'm just trying to work on little things.

"I've got to step it up. It's about time. Coach [Jim Leavitt] basically told me being OK isn't good enough. You've got to step above that."
Alvarado, who made 19 of 29 field goals, finished third in the Big East last season in punting.

NOT THE WEAKEST LINK: Much has been made about how difficult it will be for CBs Tyller Roberts and Jerome Murphy to replace NFL draft picks Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams. Roberts said they welcome the challenge.

"We never want to be labeled the weak link," Roberts said. "Everyone says, 'you lost Trae and Mike, how do you replace those guys?'

"We can't. But we can just go out and play our game."

ODDS AND ENDS: USF was not ranked in Sports Illustrated's Top 20. USF opponents ranked were: No. 14 West Virginia, No. 15 Kansas and No..19 Pittsburgh. … Leavitt on Tuesday's practice: "We were not very good today. They were slow, on the ground too much. Complacent. We didn't stay on task. We certainly wouldn't have won a football game today, I can assure you."

Senior LB Tyrone McKenzie said the biggest surprise after the first two practices has been freshman CB Quenton Washington. "He comes ready to work," McKenzie said. "He has a good attitude. If you have those two things going for you, the sky's the limit." … Gainesville High OL Kendall Kelly verbally committed to USF Monday, choosing the Bulls over scholarship offers from Arkansas, Louisville, Middle Tennessee, Ohio and Charleston Southern.

Brett McMurphy

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