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All Square After 4 Meetings

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By ADAM ADKINS | The Tampa Tribune
and BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 20, 2008

Today's game between USF and Memphis is the fifth meeting between the former Conference USA rivals. Here's a quick look back at the previous meetings:

MEMPHIS 31, USF 15

(At USF; Nov. 27, 2004)

WHAT WE REPORTED: Following South Florida's 31-15 loss to Memphis, several Bulls gathered at midfield to shake hands with Tigers RB DeAngelo Williams. It was the closest they got to him all day. "He made us look silly," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. Williams rushed for a career-high 263 yards, including TDs of 51 and 44 yards, eliminating the Bulls (4-6, 3-5 C-USA) from bowl contention and clinching their first losing record since the program's inaugural season in 1997.

REMEMBER? Because of ESPN2, there was an 11 a.m. kickoff, USF's earliest ever, played before an announced crowd of 21,392, USF's second-smallest home crowd ever.

USF 21, MEMPHIS 16

(At Memphis; Nov. 29, 2003)

WHAT WE REPORTED: Make fun of the coaches' trailers, even call them Southern Florida, but do not question the character of USF's football team. A week after a devastating loss killed their bowl hopes, the Bulls upset Memphis 21-16 behind a record-breaking day by senior FS J.R. Reed. "It's probably the biggest win we've ever had because of the situation," USF coach Jim Leavitt said afterward, voice cracking. "Everybody thought we were dead, and we were." Reed had a school-record and Conference USA record-tying three interceptions, and scored TDs on a 96-yard kickoff return and 45-yard fumble return. Reed was simply red hot in the coldest game in USF history (46 degrees).

REMEMBER? Memphis outgained USF 458 to 192, but the Bulls forced a school record-tying seven turnovers. USF's offense only had two plays longer than 14 yards.

USF 31, MEMPHIS 28

(At USF; Nov. 9, 2002)

WHAT WE REPORTED: With South Florida leading the nation in penalties, Coach Jim Leavitt has slowly become an expert on them. Still, he had some doubts on the game-deciding penalty that clinched USF's heart-stopping 31-28 victory against Memphis. With eight seconds remaining at USF's 42, Tigers QB Danny Wimprine threw deep for WR Antoine Harden. USF CB Maurice Tucker was positioned for the interception, but Harden shoved Tucker and caught the ball before skipping into the end zone. The play was nullified by offensive pass interference. "No question their guy pushed," Leavitt said. "I'm usually screaming at that point, but I decided to sit back and let them make the call."

REMEMBER? The win extended USF's home winning streak to 18 games, tied for the nation's second-longest streak.

MEMPHIS 17, USF 9

(At Memphis; Sept. 22, 2001)

WHAT WE REPORTED: South Florida's visit to Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium was the first in the Bulls' brief history. And if their second-half effort was any indication, the Bulls might be returning some day as C-USA champions - for a bowl game. USF nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback, but lost 17-9 as the game ended with the Bulls at Memphis' 2.

REMEMBER? USF QB Marquel Blackwell threw his 61st pass on the game's final play, but it sailed over the head of WR Huey Whittaker in the end zone. Blackwell was 25 of 61 with three interceptions.

USF'S NEW SPECIAL TEAMS COACH

For all those fans who suggested USF coach Jim Leavitt should have a special teams coach, it turns out he does - DL coach John Hendrick.

Hendrick said Leavitt asked him to take over special teams responsibilities after the Kansas win Sept. 12. Hendrick coached special teams eight years as an assistant at Mississippi State.

"I'd like us to be one of the top special teams units in the country," Hendrick said. "I'd like to see us be a weapon with our kick returns and punt returns."

WEST: DON'T BLAME ME FOR 0-14

While the Tampa Bay Bucs' inaugural draft class in 1976 is most remembered for Hall of Fame DL Lee Roy Selmon and QB Steve Spurrier, Memphis coach Tommy West, a Tennessee tight end, was a 16th-round selection. However, the Bucs drafted him as a linebacker.

"I was here for like three or four weeks and then they traded me to Kansas City, so I wasn't here long," West said. "Thank goodness. At that time, it was a good thing if you got out. That would have been like escaping prison."

West said he was around long enough to meet and remember most of the players, but he said he doesn't consider himself part of the 0-14 inaugural Bucs, still the only winless NFL team.

"I had nothing to do with that 0-14," West said. "I get blamed for enough dang losses as it is. They blame me enough at my place for plenty, so I'm taking no credit for none of those."

IS DOME HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY?

USF, Memphis and Conference USA officials said they won't release specific ticket information until today, but it appears the 33,000-seat Tropicana Field may not even be half full.

St. Petersburg Bowl executive director Brett Dulaney said "20,000-plus tickets" have been sold, but that basically accounts for the required 10,000 allotment given to each team. Estimates have USF selling at least 9,000 tickets, while Memphis only sold about 1,000 and returned the rest.

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