Leavitt: Don't Judge Bulls By One Game

EL PASO, Texas - After the University of South Florida was thoroughly defeated by Oregon in the Sun Bowl on Monday, Coach Jim Leavitt said the Bulls' season shouldn't be judged by one game.

"When you lose like that, you've got to be careful not to define your whole team by 30 minutes of football," Leavitt said. "You don't want to do that as a coach. I don't want our players to do that.

"It's not the end of the world. It feels kind of yucky right now. The sun will come up tomorrow. We'll keep building, trying to build the program."

The Bulls return the majority of their team, looking to build off a second consecutive season that tied a school record with nine victories.

Wide receiver Taurus Johnson, one of nine offensive returning starters, said he expects the Bulls to be even better in 2008.

"I wish we could have given the seniors a win in their final game," Johnson said. "We have some key starters back on offense, but we're losing some good leaders on our team - linebacker Ben Moffitt, cornerbacks Trae Williams and Mike Jenkins and right tackle Walt Walker.

"But I think we'll have a stronger team next year."

Of USF's 22 offensive and defensive players who got the majority of starts in 2007, USF returns nine on offense and six on defense, along with kicker/punter Delbert Alvarado, who rebounded nicely from an early-season slump to make 10 of his last 11 field goals while also averaging 41.6 yards per punt.

"To lose like that is a sour note, but it doesn't make the season disappointing," USF defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said. "Bowl games often end up like this.

"I've never been beaten this badly, but they do end up this way for one reason or another."

The Bulls trailed 18-14 at halftime before Oregon scored 31 consecutive points on its way to the 56-21 rout, setting a Sun Bowl record for most points scored. It also was the most ever allowed by USF.

"We can't let this loss take away from what we accomplished this year," USF defensive line coach Dan McCarney said. "It's hard right now. We don't like losing, it stinks. It gives you a gut ache, but we had a great year and I'm so proud to be a small part of it.

"The standards and expectations are real high at South Florida."

On offense, the Bulls return their top five wide receivers and eight of their top nine receivers plus starter Colby Erskin, who was lost before the season with a knee injury. Also, USF's top six rushers will be back.

"We look pretty good for next year," USF defensive end George Selvie said. "Most everyone comes back on offense, but we're losing two great cornerbacks and a great middle linebacker. Someone has to step up."

Replacing four-year starters in Moffitt, Jenkins and Williams will be the biggest challenges before next year's season opener. USF also loses defensive linemen Richard Clebert, Allen Cray and Woody George.

"If people said this wasn't a positive season, I'd be real disappointed," Leavitt said. "Nine wins, that's decent. Getting to the Sun Bowl, our guys deserved it. I think it was a heckuva season.

"We know we have to get better as a program anyway. Is winning a bowl game big? I think it is. I enjoy myself more when we win. I just feel bad for our players because we wanted to win."

As USF's players trudged out of the Sun Bowl locker room after Monday's loss, a USF staff member noted Florida was routed in similar fashion by Nebraska in the 1996 Fiesta Bowl, yet came back the following season and won the national title.

Reporter Brett McMurphy can be

reached at (813) 259-7928