2006 Statistics

This team will live and die with the guy who has taken them to their latest heights, sophomore QB sensation Matt Grothe. The Lakeland native proves equally impressive not only running (team’s top rusher) and passing, but also as a genuine leader who can get his troops the tough yards in tough situations. What this guy does is produce big wins, and after doing it so well as a freshman, expectations are rightfully high. Many of the plays coach Leavitt runs allow Grothe to check off and/or make decisions on the run – literally. But look for more old school dropback plays with all of the line’s starters back. The line, big enough to stop top opponents, moves well with Grothe’s improvisations. The main area of concern has to be the running game (besides Grothe), which had trouble finding a “go to” TB for their one back sets. Look for big, fast five-star recruit Mike Ford to see reps in search of the right backfield fit. Juniors Benjamin Williams and Ricky Ponton aren’t bad by any stretch, but neither is the back to take USF to any “next levels”. Big senior Amarri Jackson joins juniors Taurus Johnson and Marcus Edwards to give the Bulls a broken-in set of snarlers. As a matter of fact, five of the team’s top seven receivers return. That includes last year’s leading TE Cedric Hill, who now gets the start. Knowing how valuable Grothe is to the team’s success, we do not expect to see him as the Bull’s leading rusher in new coordinator Greg Gregory’s schemes. In fact, if one back staying home cannot provide the blocking needed on pass plays, look for either a FB to be inserted or an extra TE to see more action. This is an underrated offense that, until it is recognized for its proven worth, will burn foes and win games for USF.

If it all starts up front, then the four returning starters the Bulls bring back there will assure this defense only gets better. Really, the entire two-deep of bigmen are back. End George Selvie proved last year as a freshman that he is a beast, finishing third in team tackles and tied for first in TFLs (15) and forced fumbles (four, as did his backup sophomore Chris Robinson). Inside, senior Allen Cray demands double-teams, or else. Three of the DLmen are sophs and four are tutoring seniors, meaning this line likely stays fresh and viable through 2009! (Sorry, we’ll go one year at a time.) When you again see USF allowing just over three ypc and only nine (or less) ground scores while earning 37 (or more) sacks, you will know they are vying for the Big East lead. Leading team tackler senior MLB Ben Moffitt is in search of any candidates that will help cover the outside and/or underneath. Losing Nicholas is going to hurt some of those numbers we just listed. But with two easy games to start before traveling to Auburn, new LBs evolving from the Bull’s rich Florida coffers look highly likely. Heck, in a pinch, given the range of Selvie, he could be a hybrid “up” lineman and sometimes drop back so as to confuse opponents. Coordinator Wally Burnham, who has been a coach here since the beginning in 2000, is a huge reason USF has the defense to sneak up on foes, so expect results in the LB corps by the end of summer. Seniors Trae Williams (seven INTs) and Mike Jenkins (10 PBUs) will be one of the best pairs of corners in all the land. The safeties are both big juniors who are huge in run support – the depth and experience in the secondary will also go a long way toward helping buffer the new choices at LB. Burnham’s boys allowed only one team to score more than 23 points last year in finishing 18th for defensive scoring. Any major holes on this side of the ball would be disastrous in the Bull’s ability to compete for the conference crown.