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Bulls to key on Pitt RB Lewis

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By GREGG BECNEL

Tribune correspondent

Published: October 22, 2009

TAMPA - The key for the University of South Florida when it plays at No. 20 Pittsburgh on Saturday is to contain RB Dion Lewis.

After midseason slumps in each of the past two years - and after last week's loss against Cincinnati - if the Bulls want to avoid the "here we go again" mind-set, they must force the Panthers to become one-dimensional.

Slowing Lewis, however, won't be easy. USF's rushing defense (119 yards per game) is second-to-last in the Big East, while the 5-foot-8, 195-pound freshman leads the conference in rushing and is third in the nation with a 131-yard average.

"His feet are always within his body; they never get outside his framework, and they're always moving. He does a great job with balance, does a great job with vision seeing the field," defensive coordinator Joe Tresey said. "You just don't know where he's going to appear sometimes. He just gets behind people and, boom, he's outside on the perimeter outrunning people. ... He's the best back we've seen so far this year without a doubt."

WELCOME BACK: Senior WR Jessie Hester, who has been limited by ankle and hamstring injuries, recorded his first catch of the season last week when he turned a short slant pass into a 28-yard touchdown.

"It was a big confidence boost for him as well as our offense," QB B.J. Daniels said. "He has been working at getting healthy again for a long time so for him to get a touchdown on the first drive was really big."

Hester, whose school-record 22-game streak with at least one catch ended in Week 1, finished with three receptions for 41 yards.

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