Bulls notebook: Holtz likes what he sees

First-year Bulls coach Skip Holtz had high praise for his team on the first day of fall practice, though he quickly acknowledged he has far from a finished product.

"Just exciting right now, just to have the opportunity to get out here," Holtz said Thursday. "I was really encouraged with a lot of the retention from what we did in the spring, a lot of carryover. It's Day 1. There are 119 (Division 1) schools right now that have a great morale and retention on Day 1."
Holtz said the immediate goal is throw everything at the team in the first five days as sort of a gauge, then re-teach the specifics.

"When you get into the season, you have a smorgasbord of offense and defense," Holtz said. "You go into games and you say. 'OK, you like this and this and this,' and then that week you try to get those preached up."

In the process of learning new schemes under a first-year staff, the Bulls have many question marks, especially on offense.

One priority in camp is to find a backup for sophomore QB B.J. Daniels. Freshmen Jamius Gunsby, Bobby Eveld and redshirt freshman Ryan Eppes took reps Thursday. The Bulls also are looking for playmakers at receiver in the absence of the injured Sterling Griffin and A.J. Love. Neither are expected to participate in fall camp but should return at some point this season, Holtz said.

"We've got to piece that together," offensive coordinator Todd Fitch said. "(Sophomore WR) Evan Landi is going to be a key figure for us. If he can move the chains for us on third-and-6, he's going to have a great role."

AYCOCK ABSENT: Of the newcomers, only freshman RB Dontae Aycock was a no-show at practice, Holtz said. The former Chamberlain High standout, who transferred from Auburn this summer, is expected today.

TE Kevin Gidrey, a senior transfer from East Carolina, and WR T.J. Knowles, a sophomore JuCo transfer, are eligible to play this season. Aycock, Colorado RB transfer Darrell Scott and Notre Dame WR transfer Spencer Boyd will sit out a year per NCAA transfer rules.

BULL BITS: The team will practice on campus today, Saturday and Sunday, then take off for Vero Beach Sports Village to practice there through Aug.19. ... Gunsby is wearing No.8, Matt Grothe's old USF number, and Todd Chandler has No.95, George Selvie's number. ... Holtz decided the look for fall practice will be white helmets.