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Leavitt Focusing On Louisville

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By GREGG BECNEL

Tribune Correspondent

Published: October 21, 2008

TAMPA, FL - The University of South Florida is in the middle of a rigorous stretch in which it will play three games in 12 days.

After easily disposing of Syracuse last week at home, the Bulls play at Louisville on Saturday and then five days later play at Cincinnati on a Thursday night.

But USF coach Jim Leavitt, who doesn't allow himself to look too far into the future, is focusing solely on the Cardinals, who have outscored the Bulls 72-17 in their previous two meetings in Louisville.

"We have one game; that is against Louisville," Leavitt said. "We have a normal week. We have Louisville. So that is the stretch. It is not bad. We will practice this week and get ready for Louisville. That is all that I am thinking about."

RAYS OF INSPIRATION: Leavitt said he will use the Rays' magical season, which will end in the World Series, as inspiration for his team.

"I've been inspired by them," Leavitt said. "We've talked to our team about the Rays on Monday about how impressive [they are] because I didn't feel like anybody really cared who got the credit. … It's a great story."

Leavitt, ever-focused, even went out of character and multi-tasked Sunday night, watching the final two innings of Game 7 of the ALCS during film study.

"I watched when it was the eighth and ninth innings," he said. "I was watching film and I had the game on, and I was screaming like a fan in my office. And right when I yelled when they got the last out, I heard coaches throughout the hallways yelling. And I kind of smiled and I thought, 'All right, now let's get focused back in on Louisville.' "

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