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Bulls Expected More This Year

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 22, 2008

ST. PETERSBURG - With 17 returning starters and a preseason Top 25 ranking, count University of South Florida athletic director Doug Woolard among those who expected more from the Bulls than an 8-5 season and the St. Petersburg Bowl championship.

"I think this program, certainly as competitive as USF coach Jim Leavitt is, will always be disappointed if they don't win a Big East championship and that's where he's always going to head to," Woolard said. "It's always going to be a goal. You hear him say that and I think that should be our goal every year.

"Only one team is going to do it, but that certainly will be the goal for this program, year in, year out. Finishing this way is such a positive feeling for everybody and we can continue to build on that for next year."

Since USF, Cincinnati and Louisville left Conference USA for the Big East four years ago, both Cincinnati and Louisville have won a Big East title.

USF and Syracuse are the league's only teams in the past four years that have not finished first or second in the Big East, but Woolard said Saturday's 41-14 victory against Memphis is a big momentum builder.

"It was a great way to finish," Woolard said. "To have a bowl game victory like this that everybody played so well in. It gives you some momentum going into next year."

When next year arrives, offensive coordinator Greg Gregory already has determined one thing he'll do differently.

"I do know this: We are not going to hold back on the quarterback running," Gregory said. "When we run the quarterback, we are a far better football team."

For the third consecutive season, junior quarterback Matt Grothe was USF's leading rusher. However, after getting 178 and 198 carries the past two seasons, Grothe only had 146 carries this season - four carries less a game than his sophomore season.

"The biggest thing is we're hoping we get running back Mike Ford in real shape," Gregory said. "We need to find out if he can be a big-time back. He's shown flashes, Jamar Taylor and Moise Plancher have shown flashes, but you'd like to be more consistent with our run game."

Ford, who rushed for 645 yards as a freshman, was plagued by an ankle injury all season and limited to 407 yards.

"The win ended it right for the seniors after the struggles we went through," Grothe said. "This makes Christmas that much more enjoyable."

NOT QUITE THE FIRST: Leavitt, who received a $25,000 bonus for getting USF to a non-BCS bowl, said the Bulls "probably" accomplished something for the first time "in the history of college football" by winning two inaugural bowl games.

Actually, the Bulls were the fifth team to do so. The four other teams: Cincinnati (1997 Humanitarian, 2007 International); TCU (1937 Cotton, 1999 GMAC); Tulane (1935 Sugar, 2002 Hawaii) and Hardin-Simmons (1936 Sun, 1947 Alamo).

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be reached at (813) 259-7928.

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