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Bulls Like What They See In New Coaches

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By BRETT McMURPHY | The Tampa Tribune

Published: March 25, 2009

TAMPA - University of South Florida quarterback Matt Grothe has had only a few spring practices to work with new offensive coordinator Mike Canales, but Grothe likes – no, make that, loves – the new look.

"I love the new offense," Grothe said after Tuesday's practice. "The difference? It's kind of hard to explain. There are a lot of new ideas. I think I'm getting pushed more than I ever have been. I feel like I'm learning a lot."

Promoted from wide receivers coach, Canales replaces Greg Gregory, who was coordinator the past two seasons. Under Gregory, the Bulls put up their best offensive numbers in consecutive years in school history.

"We'll still mix it up and do what we do," Grothe said. "But I think we'll do what we do at better times."

Grothe, who has led the Bulls in rushing in each of the past three seasons, said he still will continue to get his share of carries and wants to run with the ball.

While Grothe and the Bulls' offense are adjusting to a new coordinator, the defense has an even bigger adjustment under new coordinator Joe Tresey, who was at Cincinnati the past two seasons.

"We're just learning right now," USF senior defensive end George Selvie said. "Right now, we're kind of thinking too much before the plays. Once we get into it, I think it will be a great defense for us."

Selvie said Tresey's defense and what the Bulls ran under former defensive coordinator Wally Burnham are "pretty similar."

"But there's a lot more movement, so we can get the defensive line coming free," Selvie said. "That's about it. It's pretty much the same. I'll be able to move side to side with slanting and different stunts."

USF coach Jim Leavitt said there will be numerous differences between his new coordinators and what the Bulls have done in the past.

"Everybody's different," Leavitt said. "It'll be different. They're [Canales and Gregory] are different people, different personalities. There are different ways of doing things. There are specific things with the offense – a lot of philosophy that's very different, offensively and defensively. Some generalities are the same.

"We're a spread offense, but the way you run the spread is very different. You look around the country, there's a lot of ways to do it.

"If we score a lot of points and don't turn the ball over, then it's a good way. It we don't, than it's not. If defensively, the same thing: stop 'em and do all the right things, it's great. We're [still] a 4-3 defense, but there are different ways to do it. It's different, you know."

Leavitt said after Tuesday's practice that sophomore reserve nose tackle Darren Powe has been moved to offensive guard.

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