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Layoff Gives Leavitt Pause

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: October 16, 2008

TAMPA - University of South Florida coach Jim Leavitt isn't sure how his team has handled the long layoff following its 26-21 loss against Pittsburgh in the Bulls' Big East opener Oct. 2.

"We'll find out Saturday," Leavitt said. "Syracuse could be 2-0 in conference and we all know that. In the Big East, everybody's very good. Every game is going to go down to the end; I think that's pretty obvious no matter who we play against. There's so much parity in the Big East it's unbelievable. You got to be on, you got to play every snap, you got to play 60 minutes."

While some parity is definitely good, top-to-bottom parity makes for a mediocre conference. And the lack of one or two dominant teams in the Big East is what has hurt the league's image around the country.

"Whoever's going to win the conference will depend on who wants it the most," LB Tyrone McKenzie said. "We have to step up and be that team."

ODDS AND ENDS: Butler (Kan.) Community College WR Edgard Theliar, who played at Bradenton Manatee, verbally committed to USF. Theliar (6-3, 190) played last season at College of the Desert, where he had more than 1,500 yards receiving and 15 TDs, College of the Desert coach Dean Dowty said. ... Captains for this week are McKenzie, LB Brouce Mompremier, WR Marcus Edwards and C Jake Griffin. ... QB Matt Grothe, LT Ryan Schmidt, DE George Selvie and McKenzie all earned first-team honors on Phil Steele's midseason all-Big East team. RB Mike Ford, SS Carlton Williams, FS Nate Allen and CB Jerome Murphy were named to the second team, while Edwards, TE Cedric Hill and WRs A.J. Love and Jessie Hester made third team.

Gregg Becnel

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