Know Your Enemy: USF

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Holtz won't waste any time getting a jump on the rest of the Big East football programs when his Bulls take to the field for the start of spring practice next Tuesday, March 16.
Holtz has been out and about doing some serious mending of bridges that were set on fire over the years by former coach Jim Leavitt. By all accounts, Holtz has done a good job and sees the huge potential in the Tampa area from both a recruiting and fan standpoint.

You can bet Holtz noticed that the USF fan base has a lot of room for growth and he intends to help it.

Publicity aside, it's time for work on the field and Holtz will have a lot of work to do to have his team ready for September.

First, he needs to find some quarterbacks. Starter B.J. Daniels is recovering from shoulder surgery and won't be available for any meaningful work.

Evan Landi started his progression to wide receiver last year but that may have to go on hold otherwise Holtz may look to Victor Marc or possibly Isaac Virgin. Virgin, who was being moved to tight end, is 6'4", 245 and is a size duplicate of former East Carolina great David Garrard, now quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Second, Holtz needs to find someone to run the football whose initials are NOT B.J.

With Mike Ford booted from the program, the Bulls will have Mo Plancher back after he was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, which makes him an obvious front runner at the position. Bradley Battles, Richard Kelly, and Jamar Taylor will be around but you can bet that Holtz will look for new ways to use speedster Lindsey Lamar.

Another task is to find replacements for defensive ends George Selvie and Jason Pierre Paul, who now seek employment in the NFL. Craig Marshall is back and now may be the time for Julius Forte and Ryne Giddens to step up and claim starting positions.

The Bulls have no less than seven returning offensive linemen but that is an area where improvement is needed for the program.

Defensively, USF was overrun too often last season and that needs to change if the Bulls are to mount any serious charge for the 2010 Big East title.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3...-new-holtz-era

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No Depth Chart Yet

The South Florida Bulls will step onto the practice field in about two hours, and they'll do so without a depth chart. Well, at least not one that's public knowledge.

New coach Skip Holtz says he won't release a two-deep until after its first scrimmage on March 27.

"Everyone starts from scratch,” Holtz said. “I haven’t seen one of these players in a pads and a helmet, so it would be unfair to draft a depth chart without seeing them fly around the practice field. They all have a clean slate and everyone will be competing for a starting spot.”

There's healthy competition at running back, receiver, all over the defense and even on the offensive line, where seven players who saw significant time are back.

Holtz also announced that center Sampson Genus and running back Aston Samuels would be limited this spring because of injuries, joining quarterback B.J. Daniels. Those who will be held out of all drills include cornerbacks Tyson Butler and Ricardo Dixon and receiver Jason Sherman.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast

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Don't expect too much deep analysis here. The media was allowed to watch the first 30 minutes, which consisted of some running and jogging, some skeleton pass and defense drills and field goal units. There was no contact during that window, though it was good to see a Big East team on the field in pads for the first time this spring. And one thing hasn't changed: The Bulls still pass the eyeball test just standing around in their uniforms.
It's impossible to miss B.J. Daniels in practice. The quarterback is wearing a bright red jersey that really stands out against the rest of the team's green and white tops. It was either that or a protective halo around him, I suppose. And during stretching, several coaches stopped by to check on Daniels to see how he was doing. There's no doubt the quarterback is the franchise.
Speaking of which, Daniels threw along with walk-on quarterbacks Glenn Fagan and Eric Johnson, who are both new to the program. It has to be a strange time for the receivers, as the walk-ons deliver wobbly ducks and Daniels throws bullets. Daniels and his receivers were out of sync much of the time I watched them Monday. Remember, they're all learning new routes and a new offense, and this was only the fourth spring practice. South Florida has a lot of wideouts. But who is going to emerge as the go-to receiver on this team? That's a big question.
Depth won't be a problem for the offensive line. It looks like there are lot of capable big bodies.
It was hard to gauge much of anything about the defense as there was no contact during the viewing period. Junior-college transfer Claude Davis has an impressive frame and seems to run well. The most impressive player on defensive was Jason Pierre-Paul. He's working out with the team as he gets ready for the NFL draft, going through their drills in shorts and a T-shirt.
Good to see Maikon Bonani back and kicking in practice. He looks like he's bulked up a little, too. The Bulls had two field goal units going at the same time, one located about 10 yards diagonally across from the other. I guess you never know when you need to practice running a double field-goal attempt.
It's definitely a new era at South Florida. At one point, Skip Holtz came over to talk to a few people on the sidelines and started chatting about the upcoming Big East track meet, which will include a couple of his players. Jim Leavitt would have ripped somebody's head off if they tried to converse with him during practice.
Initial, knee-jerk reaction of questionable value: This team has a lot of talent, as usual, but it's awfully young and has a lot of work to do to pick up the new system. That makes me wonder if the Bulls can contend for the Big East title in 2010. But it's only March 22.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post...orida-practice

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I've sprung

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Recent offensive philosophy at South Florida has revolved around spreading the ball to a wealth of pass catchers. The new coaching staff has set as its goal to have a 1,000-yard receiver. The question is, do the Bulls have someone capable of doing that?

They bring back five players who caught at least five balls at wideout last year in A.J. Love, Dontavia Bogan, Sterling Griffin, Pat Richardson and Evan Landi. But none has ever established himself as a star.

"That gives us a great nucleus to the receiving group," offensive coordinator Todd Fitch said. "Is there a difference maker in that group? I'm not sure. But I think there are some really good football players."

If there's anyone that fits the profile of a No. 1 guy, it's probably Love. The senior averaged 18.8 yards per catch last season and had 121 yards late in the year against Louisville when Mitchell was hurt. Though that was his first 100-yard game, Love confidently answers "of course" when asked if he can be the main target this year.

"What it means to me is being the go-to guy," he said. "When a tough situation arises, you're going to get it done."

Love had a solid junior year but suffered a knee injury in the 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl. He said he was still tender on the leg until he grew more comfortable on it late in the year.

Right now, the 6-foot-2, 205-pounder is listed as the starter at the 'X' receiver position, which signifies the top wideout. Fitch said he won't really know who is the most dependable guy until the Bulls go through some scrimmages this spring.

"I always watch the quarterback to see who he goes to," Fitch said. "I think B.J. [Daniels] feels very comfortable with A.J. and Dontavia Bogan right now.

"A.J. has good size and is put together pretty well. He works hard at his craft and is a good route runner. And he has deceptive speed -- you're not going to clock him at 4.4 or 4.3, but I see him on tape from a year ago and watch him early in camp, and he gets behind DBs. So he has the ability to get vertical and use his body."

The Bulls are also anxious to see what Landi brings to the table. He's a former quarterback who made the switch to receiver, and the staff likes him so much that they've decided to leave him there even though Daniels is limited this spring by offseason shoulder surgery and currently has no scholarship backup. Fitch also likes the group's size, as Love, Landi, Bogan and Griffin are all at least 6-foot-1.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post...ve-at-receiver

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No Big East team lost more talent on defense from last year's team than South Florida.

The most obvious holes to fill are at defensive end, where George Selvie starred three years and where Jason Pierre-Paul became a sensation in just one season. They were, in many ways, the faces of the defense.

Claude Davis hopes to take the same route as Pierre-Paul, from junior college to immediate superstar. Unlike Pierre-Paul, the 6-foot-4, 247-pound Davis enrolled early and is going through spring practice.

"He's athletic," Snyder said. "We've just got to teach him what to do. He's of the Selvie mode. He's running around crazy right now, but he does run around."

Ryne Giddins, the highest-rated recruit to sign with a Big East school in 2009, could emerge as the starter at the other end spot. Giddins played in three games last year before an ankle injury ended his season. Redshirt freshman Julius Forte and senior Craig Marshall are also in the mix, and South Florida has good experience and ability in the middle.

Snyder says the defensive line is "SEC-like" in its depth, and he's doing many of the same things that the previous coaching staff did up front. One difference is that the line will have a strong and weak side this year, so the ends will flip depending on how the offense lines up.

"That's a little bit of an adjustment, but other than that, it's the same," Marshall said. "[Selvie and Pierre-Paul] are a big loss, but I think we have people that can fill the void. We've got some playmakers at defensive end."

Snyder also likes the depth at linebacker, though the position is mostly young, too. He called senior Jacquain Williams -- a juco import who played in every game last year -- an "unbelievably pleasant surprise." Williams could start at the sam, or strong side, linebacker. Sophomore Sam Barrington looks ticketed for the middle after an impressive freshman campaign.

The secondary, especially at cornerback, is a concern. Snyder says the Bulls are "young and thin" there, and that a newcomer -- with highly-touted freshman Terrence Mitchell being an obvious candidate -- likely will have to come in and contribute right away.

The defense lacks experience at most spots, but it still has South Florida's trademark: speed.

"It's hard to move and get after people when you don't have speed," Snyder said. "And we do have speed. We're going to have to get after people a little bit."

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post...nse-with-youth

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The redshirt sophomore quarterback led them to five wins in 10 games as a starter last year in what amounted to a baptism by fire. Four-year starting quarterback Matt Grothe tore up his knee in the third game, thrusting Daniels into the spotlight. His first start came at Florida State, where he led South Florida to a program-rattling victory. A star, it seemed, was born.

While Daniels performed admirably in his first major college exposure, he also suffered some inevitable freshman ups and downs. He pulled off some highlight-worthy big plays while amassing more than 2,700 total yards (772 of them rushing) and 23 touchdowns. He also completed just 53.7 percent of his passes, threw nine interceptions and struggled in blowout losses to Pitt, Rutgers and Miami.

"I would say I did OK last year," Daniels said. "Looking back on it now, there are a lot of things I wish could have done differently. But I don't regret it at all."

Daniels was not only the leading ball carrier for the Bulls in 2009, he was continually running around in the pocket trying to avoid the rush and make something happen. He either ran or passed the ball on almost exactly half of all South Florida's plays. The new coaching staff would like to reduce some of that workload this year, especially since there is no other scholarship quarterback on the roster this spring.

Offensive coordinator Todd Fitch plans to put Daniels under center more and ask him to hand off to the running backs instead of calling his own number all the time.

"B.J. is so talented that he could be one of our top running backs if we really wanted him to be," Fitch said. "With his feet and his ability to improvise, we'll use him in certain situations like that. But we don't want him to be the leading ball carrier. We want to take some of the running pressure off him with backs and maybe some receivers."

Like Grothe, Daniels has the uncanny ability to elude trouble. But he also has a stronger arm than Grothe, and he has often said he'd prefer to be a pocket quarterback. So he's excited about the possibilities of a new system.

"As far as running around, I don't think that will happen too much," he said. "It's not what I look forward to doing."

Right now, he's limited in what he can do. Offseason surgery on his non-throwing shoulder necessitates that red jersey, and he says he still doesn't have full range of motion in the arm. He can throw, of course, but it will be another few months before he's capable of doing any contact work.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post...-florida-bulls

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Lindsey Lamar has been moved from running back to receiver. He may be the fastest player on the team, and offensive coordinator Todd Fitch has said he wants to use Lamar in lots of different ways.
Isaac Virgin has moved from tight end to fullback
Jeremiah Warren has moved from tackle to guard, while Jamar Bass is now No. 1 at left tackle. The other offensive line spots are Sampson Genus at center, Chaz Hine at guard and Jake Sims at tackle.
Eric Schwartz is ahead of Maikon Bonani at kicker.
David Bedford and Craig Marshall top the depth chart at defensive end. Former top recruit Ryne Giddins and junior college hotshot Claude Davis are listed behind Bedford at one of the end spots.

http://espn.go.com/blog/bigeast/post...st-depth-chart

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The depth chart is the first of the spring and the first of the Holtz tenure.

Among the notable items on the depth chart are a few position changes:

* Sophomore Lindsey Lamar has been moved from running back to wide receiver, where the coaches hope to display his world-class speed.

* Redshirt-freshman Isaac Virgin, who reeled in a long catch in Saturday’s scrimmage, has moved from tight end to fullback and is currently backing up Richard Kelly.

* Junior Jeremiah Warren has moved from offensive tackle to offensive guard, while part-time starter Jamar Bass is in the top spot at left tackle.

* Defensively, sophomore Jon Lejiste is in the lead spot at strong safety after playing primarily at nickel in 2009.

* Redshirt-freshman Luke Sager is second on the depth chart at defensive tackle behind Terrell McClain. Sager was previously listed as a defensive end.

* As expected, senior Jacquian Williams has stepped into the lead role at strong side linebacker, while sophomore Sam Barrington is in the No. 1 spot at middle linebacker.

* Sophomore tight end Jeff Hawkins, who played sparingly in 2009, debuted as the top tight end. He is backed up, in order, by Andrew Ketchel and Andreas Shields.

* Eric Schwartz is listed No. 1 at kicker, ahead of Maikon Bonani, who redshirted last season due to injury. At punter Justin Brockhaus-Kann is ahead of freshman Renato Proia.


http://www.gousfbulls.com/ViewArticl...CLID=204918391

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TAMPA — As nice as it was to run his own program at Marshall, Mark Snyder doesn't necessarily mind being free of all the other things that can get between a head coach and actual hands-on coaching.

In his first month as USF's defensive coordinator, the 45-year-old Snyder is reminded of his days as defensive coordinator at Ohio State, where he helped the Buckeyes win the 2002 national championship and three bowls in his four seasons.

Ask Snyder if he was heavily involved in his defense at Marshall, and he says "not as much as I would like to have been," because of the time demands on a head coach. The defense he hopes to build at USF, he says, will look "a lot more like Ohio State." And the Bulls' defensive speed, compared with his talented Ohio State teams? "We're right there," he says.

He is USF's third defensive coordinator in as many seasons, following Wally Burnham and Joe Tresey. This spring will be a challenge, merging three languages — his Marshall terminology, that used by two assistants at East Carolina last year, and the scheme from last year's Bulls team. His approach to defense is something his new players can understand and appreciate.

"My philosophy on defense is that I want the kids to have fun," he says. "Defense is all about enthusiasm. What gets kids excited the most? Negative-yardage plays, sacks, turnovers, interceptions. Most of the time, those are created with pressure."

'Under' defense

"I'm an under guy," Snyder says, explaining that his base defense features a five-man front with two linebackers, bringing an extra player to the line to complement four defensive linemen. That fifth player is usually the strongside linebacker, lined up opposite the tight end, but Snyder likes the versatility of being able to walk up a safety or other player to apply pressure.

In senior Jacquian Williams — whom former coach Jim Leavitt called the fastest linebacker he had coached — Snyder has a player who can rush the passer or drop back in pass coverage against a tight end or running back. "He has a chance to really be special," coach Skip Holtz said.

Rush vs. end

USF has been able to flip-flop its defensive ends from one side to the other in past defenses, but Snyder's scheme has two distinct positions among the outside defensive linemen: the "rush" and the "end." "The end is a little thicker, heavier, maybe a little stronger," Snyder said. "The rush is your athlete. We're going to do a lot of things with that rush position."

USF could have new impact players at "rush," such as junior Claude Davis, a junior college transfer who joined the team in January, or redshirt freshman Ryne Giddins from Armwood.

Big shoes

Gone are five starters expected to be taken this month in the NFL draft — defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul and George Selvie, safety Nate Allen, cornerback Jerome Murphy and linebacker Kion Wilson.

That means big shoes for five new starters, though they should have experience: seniors Craig Marshall and David Bedford are currently first team at defensive end, with sophomore Sam Barrington at middle linebacker, sophomore Kayvon Webster at cornerback and senior walk-on Mistral Raymond at free safety.

Front seven

Despite the losses, USF has strong leadership in the front seven, including weakside linebacker Sabbath Joseph and other seniors such as Williams, Marshall, Bedford and tackle Terrell McClain. "Our front seven is probably the thing I'm most encouraged about," Holtz said. "There's 12 guys to rotate on your defensive line, and I've never had that many."

http://www.tampabay.com/sports/colle...efense/1084249