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Selvie Ponders Future Options

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By GREGG BECNEL

Tribune Correspondent

Published: December 21, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - University of South Florida junior DE George Selvie said he hasn't made a decision if he'll enter the NFL draft or return for his senior season, but joked how USF could increase the chances he returns.

"We're requesting gold pants and black jerseys. If we got that, that would boost the chances of my return," Selvie joked.

USF's first two-time All-American, Selvie is projected as a first-round pick NFL if he leaves early. Selvie said he will "enjoy the holidays" and discuss his options with his family before making a decision.

WHITE HATS: Another first for USF: white helmets. The Bulls wore gold helmets in pregame warm-ups, but returned to the locker room to find white helmets.

"I thought about pulling out the white helmet for the West Virginia game, but it was WVU QB Pat White night," USF coach Jim Leavitt said. "Then I figured what the heck, let's wear the white helmet Saturday. If we play bad I'll just put them away and never use them again. If we win then we'll keep them around."

QB Matt Grothe hopes to wear the white helmets next year. "I liked them a lot," he said. "It looked like the old-school New York Jets."

SITTING BULLS: Senior SS Carlton Williams and TE Cedric Hill and junior CB Jerome Murphy were suspended for the first half because of a violation of team rules. Williams, who had 26 consecutive starts, said he missed curfew during the week.

NO LOVE FROM TURF: USF sophomore WR A.J. Love tore his left ACL on the game's first play when he was tackled on an end-around. WR Taurus Johnson said the injury occurred when Love slipped on the new field turf covering first base.

NO SELLOUT: The hometown Bulls couldn't help the inaugural bowl fill Tropicana Field (33,000 capacity) with an announced crowd of 25,205.

USF distributed 8,500 of its 10,000-ticket allotment while Memphis returned all but 1,000 of its 10,000 allotment.

ODDS AND ENDS: USF's four-year senior class finished with 32 wins, the most in school history. This year's class was 32-19, topping the 2002 and '03 classes that went 31-13. ... With USF failing to get a 100-yard rusher against Memphis, this marks the third season the Bulls have not had a 100-yard back in an entire season. The other times were 2001 and 2002. ... Sophomore TE Trent Pupello (neck) did not play. ... With the Trop not using the north outfield stands, the St. Petersburg Bowl was the third time USF played in a game with seating on one side of the field. The others: the 2006 Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, Ala., and 1999 at Western Kentucky. USF also won both games.

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