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Birth Topped Clebert's Priorities

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 17, 2008

TAMPA - NFL scouts will have to excuse University of South Florida NT Richard Clebert if he appears a little distracted this week during practices for the East-West Shrine Game in Houston.

On Jan. 9, Clebert's wife, Allison, gave birth to their daughter, Ayana Alexis, and Clebert remained with his wife at the hospital for a few days.

Sunday morning, Clebert received a call from a Shrine game official inviting him to play. That night, Clebert got on a plane to Houston.

"He had been trying to reach me for days, but my voice mail was full and I had lousy cell reception in the hospital," Clebert said.

USF CB Trae Williams also is playing. K Bill Gramatica (2000) is the only other Bull to have played in the game.

"There's so many NFL scouts and coaches out here, it's kind of intimidating," Clebert said. "I'm being coached by Dick Vermeil; that's amazing."

"He's been doing excellent," said Clebert's agent, Jonathan Kline. "He's quick, big and strong. He's 320 pounds, has been clocked at 4.89 seconds in the 40-yard dash and he can do 43 reps on the 225-pound bench press - I don't want that guy chasing me."

Kline said the 6-foot-1 Clebert has a similar body type and the same strength and speed numbers as Philadelphia Eagles DT Broderick Bunkley, a 2006 first-round pick from Florida State.

Clebert is projected as a late-round possibility, but he's hoping a solid week in Houston, capped by Saturday's game (7 p.m., ESPN2) will improve his NFL draft status.

A highlight of the week, Clebert said, is trading helmet logo decals with players from other teams. Clebert, who will wear No. 91, said he's gotten stickers from Oregon, West Virginia, UConn, Auburn, Florida and Tennessee. He also got a state of Texas decal from Texas DL Frank Okam.

Clebert said he traded decals with most of USF's opponents, except Rutgers.

"I didn't want anything to do with Rutgers close to my helmet," Clebert said. "The Rutgers guys Pedro Sosa and Jeremy Zuttah have been talking trash, how they beat us. I told them, it was a fluke. All they had was Ray Rice."

BULLS BIG-APPLE BOUND? The men's basketball team is still looking to qualify for its first Big East Tournament, but CollegeRPI.com projects the Bulls will make it this season.

The top 12 teams advance to Madison Square Garden.

Here are the final Big East records projected by CollegeRPI.com based on its RPI rankings (with the final projected Big East record and current Big East record through Tuesday): 1. Pittsburgh (16-2, 3-1); 2. Marquette (15-3, 3-1); 3. Georgetown (12-6, 3-1); 4 (tie). UConn (11-7, 2-2), Providence (11-7, 2-2), Syracuse (11-7, 2-2); 7 (tie). Villanova (10-8, 1-2), West Virginia (10-8, 2-2); 9. Louisville (9-9, 2-1); 10 (tie). USF (8-10, 1-3), Notre Dame (8-10, 3-1), Seton Hall (8-10, 0-3).

(NOT A) TOUGH TICKET: When the men's basketball team plays West Virginia in downtown Tampa, there will be plenty of seats available. But it won't be from lack of trying.

Forum officials have been giving out coupons for free tickets at recent Lightning games and even offered fans at Tuesday's Lightning game a free ticket plus a $5 voucher for concessions.

Also, as soon as the USF-WVU game ends, fans will be able to watch the completion of the AFC Championship Game on the arena's videoboard above the court.

ODDS AND ENDS: Independence Community College DE David Bedford and Palm Beach Gardens OL Justin Green verbally committed to USF. Bedford had offers from West Virginia and Kansas State, while Green considered Clemson and South Carolina. ... USF got $1,845,000 for playing in the Sun Bowl, Big East associate commissioner John Paquette said. ... G Dominique Jones was named the nation's 13th best freshman by SI.com. Jones was the Big East's second-best freshman behind Syracuse's Donte Greene, who was ranked sixth in the nation. ... The football team is ranked 21st by Dennis Dodd of CBSSports.com in his "outrageously early" 2008 Top 25.

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