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Bulls Beat: Heath Impressed By Big East Foes

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 10, 2008

TAMPA - University of South Florida men's basketball coach Stan Heath is only three games into his first Big East season, but he's already impressed.

"This year the Big East is way up and the SEC is down compared to what it was," Heath said. "I picked the wrong time to switch leagues."

Through Tuesday, the Big East has the second-best conference RPI behind the ACC, according to CollegeRPI.com, while the SEC, Heath's former league, ranks sixth.

Last year, the SEC was the No. 1 conference in RPI and the Big East was seventh.

"This is what I've noticed, you don't realize until you're up close and personal, is how athletic the Big East is, how talented and how swift and strong these guys are," said Heath, who has coached in the SEC at Arkansas and Big Ten at Michigan State. "The combination of size, athleticism and strength in the Big East is pretty impressive."

USF-KU WON'T MOVE: Next season's Kansas at USF football game will remain Sept. 13. ESPN had approached the schools about moving the game to Friday, Aug. 29, but USF athletic director Doug Woolard said "my latest conversation with ESPN is that the game will remain as scheduled."

HILL GONE: Carlton Hill, who was the highest-rated high school recruit to sign with USF, said he will not return to USF this semester and will attend Division II Miles College, located just outside Birmingham, Ala.

In 2004, Hill signed with USF over Miami. He played as a freshman at USF, then transferred to Pearl River Community College in 2006. He sat out last season at USF because of academics, but USF coach Jim Leavitt had said Hill could return in 2008.

"I'm getting older, I'm not getting any younger," Hill said. "I don't have time to wait behind QB Matt Grothe. I want to get my years out of the way. If I make it to the NFL, I make it, but I'll be doing something productive and I'll definitely get my degree."

REMEMBER ME? LSU defensive line coach Earl Lane, who was at USF from 1996 to 2005, won a national championship with the Tigers on Monday night, but still follows the Bulls.

"How 'bout those Bulls?" Lane said. "I'm so proud of the season those guys had, I can hardly stand it. I think USF football is going to get better and better."

Lane coached defensive line Ricky Jean-Francois, the BCS title game defensive MVP, who chose LSU over USF despite his parents' objections.

Celhomme Jean-Francois, Ricky's father, told the Tribune on signing day in 2004: "Me and his mom don't want him to go to LSU. Ricky was happy with South Florida. Those people at LSU washed his brain."

After Monday's win against Ohio State, Ricky Jean-Francois said he made his own decision. "I told my mom and my dad I want to go to LSU," Jean-Francois said. "And I wasn't taking no for an answer. I'm a stubborn person, too."

SOFTBULLS ADD 2: Pinellas Park sophomore LHP Sara Nevins, considered one of the nation's top high school pitchers, decided there was no reason to wait two more years to pick a college and verbally committed to USF, said her father, Joe Nevins.

The 6-foot Nevins, who won't attend USF until fall 2010, chose USF over national powers UCLA and Arizona, along with N.C. State and Florida.

"It's close to home and has the academic program she wants to get into," Joe Nevins said. "She likes Coach Ken Eriksen. It was a good fit for her."

The Bulls also picked up a commitment from Fort Myers junior RHP Lindsay Richardson, said Walt Rozanski, her summer league coach with the Tampa Mustangs.

OUTSIDE THE TOP 25: The football team was not ranked in the final Associated Press Top 25 rankings, released Tuesday. USF finished with five points, which was tied for 34th with Appalachian State.

It is USF's third-highest ranking in the final AP poll. In the final AP polls in 2002 and 2006, USF finished 29th.

ODDS AND ENDS: In the Big East coaches' preseason polls, USF's softball team was picked to finish second, while the baseball team was picked to finish third. Senior 2B Dexter Butler was named to the preseason All-Big East baseball team. ... The next two Big East baseball championships will be held at Clearwater's Bright House Networks Field May 20-24, 2008 and May 19-23, 2009.

USF Shorts

HONOR ROLL: Senior C Kentrell Gransberry was named to the Big East honor roll after leading USF to a 1-1 start in the Big East.

SOUNDBITE CENTRAL: "We can definitely do it at the University of South Florida. We're going to get there. It's just a matter of time. I can't wait to see USF at Omaha." - Baseball coach Lelo Prado about his former school, Louisville, reaching last year's College World Series.

LOOK OUT FOR: Seeking its first Big East win, the women's basketball team hosts Syracuse on Saturday.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Where will the men's basketball team finish in Big East play? To vote and monitor results, visit TBO.com, Keyword: Bulls.

BLOG BONUS: Better late than never. More than 30 years after winning the Outland Trophy as an Oklahoma defensive end, Lee Roy Selmon finally will pick up his hardware today in Omaha, Neb. To read more, go to TBO.com, Keyword: Bulls

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