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Selvie Shocked At Burnham's Decision

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: February 17, 2009

TAMPA - University of South Florida's All-American DE George Selvie expected to be coached by defensive coordinator Wally Burnham this fall for his senior season. However, that all changed when Burnham accepted the defensive coordinator's job at Iowa State Tuesday.

Selvie said he was "shocked" by the news.

"You never think a person like Coach Burnham will ever leave this place," Selvie said. "I guess bigger and better things come along. He made a decision and I'm happy for him."

Selvie said what he'll miss from Burnham, USF's defensive coordinator or co-coordinator the past eight seasons, is how he dealt with the players.

"His experience and being a players' coach, he cares so much for his players," Selvie said. "He'd pull us in the office and talk to us. He was always a friend for us.

"He'd like to have fun with his players. He was a coach, but he took the games as hard as if he had played in them. Anytime we lost, he blamed it more on himself than us. He sympathized with us."

Despite his age, the 67-year old Burnham was one of the most vocal individuals on the sideline.

"On the sideline during the game, he's the most fired up person out there," Selvie said. "He's on the sideline with us talking trash. You'd think he'd be a calm dude, but he has that fire in him."

Selvie chuckled remembering the sight of Burnham dancing in the Bulls' locker room after USF routed No. 9 Louisville, 45-14 in 2005.

"He was pretty good for an old-timer," Selvie said.

Burnham wasn't a bad defensive coordinator either.

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

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