Bulls' latest exposure not so positive

Playing before a national TV audience on ESPN last Thursday night at Rutgers provided another huge dose of free exposure for USF.

But was it worth it?

The Bulls not only got trampled on the field, but also ESPN's A-team announcing crew had little good to say about the Bulls once the game got out of reach.

Even before the second half started and USF trailing 13-0, ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews provided a glimpse of the atmosphere around the Bulls.

"It was very loud, very intense, and very scary in there," Andrews reported someone told her of Coach Jim Leavitt's halftime speech.

As the second half wore on and Rutgers ran away to a 31-0 victory, analyst Craig James chirped in.

"USF's defense has given it up," James said after Joe Martinek's 37-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter. "They've gone back to Tampa already."

In the waning minutes of the telecast, ESPN lead play-by-play announcer Chris Fowler questioned if the Bulls could avoid a total collapse in their final three games.

"Where does USF go from here?" he wondered aloud on-air. "They've got Louisville, then the Canes come in for a game highly anticipated in Tampa. But this team needs to show some heart, some energy."

Finally, color analyst Jesse Palmer commented that it appears the Bulls are headed in the same direction once again, a trend that is starting to become alarming to Bulls fans.

"You can't use the excuse any more that the program is only 13 years old," Palmer said. "You've got Florida to recruit from. Fans expect to compete for Big East championships. Why can't they be consistent? It's not just this year. Three straight years, they start 5-0 and just crumble."

They say any publicity is good publicity. In this case, that might not be true.

RUN, MARCUS, RUN: USF's coaching staff will pay close attention to Friday's DeSoto County-Robinson Class 2A playoff game.

DeSoto star RB Marcus Shaw is a USF commitment who has rushed for 2,361 yards and 27 TDs this season. In DeSoto County's 61-27 win against Estero this season, Shaw gained a career-high 344 yards - on eight carries.

KICKING IT NCAA STYLE: The men's soccer team opens NCAA Tournament play tonight at home against Stetson. The Bulls are coming off a loss to Notre Dame on penalty kicks in the Big East Tournament on Sunday.

However, Bulls coach George Kiefer said playing without Francisco Aristeguieta (red card) for much of the game has USF prepared.

"The game against Notre Dame I thought was great for us," he said. "We had some real adversity thrown at us and responded well to that."

Tonight's game starts at 7:30 at the USF Soccer Stadium.

BULL BITS: Softball coach Ken Eriksen signed five players Tuesday, including local products Stephanie Medina (Chamberlain) and twin sisters Ashli and Courtney Goff (Sickles). ... Senior QB Matt Grothe, who suffered a season-ending knee injury this season, is wearing Keeley Dorsey's No. 10 jersey Saturday against Louisville, serving as one the Bulls' captains during the coin toss. ... Former Bull Kentrell Gransberry has signed with the NBA Development League's Springfield Armor.