Now with August here and everything heating up faster than the asphalt, it’s back to business, and for those not paying attention to Bullspen.com, it’s only 31 days until the home opener against McNeese State.
All of that means lots of work from us media folk. Media days, the beginning of practices for all fall sports and special sections that preview the seasons for those sports.
Lots of info and news; I’ll try to get as much in as I can. If I don’t, it’s just 28 days until the next issue of the Oracle — as well as the first day of classes.
— So Carlton Hill is gone. His short-lived career at USF (and he has said he will strongly consider coming back to USF in 2007) was basically uneventful — well, at least on the field. From a couple arrests to Facebook controversy to grade problems, Hill probably feels more like a bust than the most highly touted recruit USF has ever landed.
With the USF Football Media Day on Tuesday, the media will probably mob senior quarterback Pat Julmiste or coach Jim Leavitt and ask just who will be the Bulls’ scoring threat. Will Julmiste say it will be him? Probably not, but Julmiste, with redshirt freshman Matt Grothe just a step behind him, will need to get the ball to either wide receivers Amarri Jackson or LSU transfer Amp Hill, or running backs Moise Plancher or Ricky Ponton will have to take the next step to fill the enormous shoes left behind by Andre Hall.
If Hill can keep that surgically repaired knee healthily, he has a good chance of leading the team at least in receiving touchdowns.
— The men’s soccer team, with nearly the exact same roster from the 2005 season that saw them to the second round of the NCAA tournament, was given a preseason ranking of No. 11 in the country.
I like this team. I’ve liked the players since I was the just the men’s soccer beat writer in 2004. Coach George Kiefer has built a team of great talent quietly, and knowing him, he wouldn’t want it any other way.
I talked to SID Paul Dodson about the ranking, which I thought could have been even higher, like No. 8 or 9 — the players, as always, are stoked with the props. But Dodson said Kiefer, as always, is downplaying it.
What will be interesting is when the Big East preseason rankings come out, and if USF is not picked to repeat atop the Red Division, it would be nothing short of an insult.
— And finally, Monday was the USF Football Media Golf Outing, where four-member teams comprised of coaches and local media compete for bragging rights for the coming year. My team consisted of Asst. Sports Editor Kevin Smetana, graduate assistant for defensive ends Mike Simmonds and SID intern Adam Hollen. We shot an 81 — a last-place finish. That’s right: last place. I don’t care. It was enjoyable, and as coach Jim Leavitt said, “If you’re going to cheat, go ahead. I’ve already given myself a five-stroke lead.”
Monday was still a great day to mingle with a bunch of good guys on the USF staff, who play golf just about every time Haley’s comet comes around. Simmonds, the former Buccaneers player and Jefferson coach, was very admirable and nice, as the duo of Mike & Mike were paired up in one cart.
Simmonds, I do believe, is about a foot taller than I am, and of course, he outdrove me many times, though he claims he’s no PGA Tour member. Neither am I. I did, however, get to talk to him about Jefferson senior quarterback Stephen Garcia and just where the highly ranked recruit will be headed next fall.
Many of you know that Garica has already made a visit with his family to USF and its athletic facilities, leaving extremely impressed. Simmonds said he’d been telling Garcia that USF had the means, but as you all know as well, many of the bigger schools are throwing their respective hats at the No. 15-ranked quarterback in the nation, who in the past two seasons has thrown for more than 5,500 yards and 55 touchdowns.
Simmonds mentioned Garcia came out of the Elite 11 camp, where the top 11 quarterbacks are invited to show off their skills, as the No. 3 quarterback. Simmonds said through the camp Garcia made more than 1,000 passes.
Simmonds also doesn’t expect his presence on the team to affect Garcia’s decision.
So Garcia was surprised by what USF had to offer. Not to mention Chris Simms and his father, Phil, really like Leavitt and his program, which could possibly pave the way for brother, Matt, to commit to USF.
Chris has a one-year contract with the Bucs this season, and how Chris’ future pans out has to have the most affect, even though Matt, the star of his New Jersey Prep High School, is only ranked three stars by Rivals.com.
With Hill taking leave, Julmiste out the door after this season, and Grant Gregory and Grothe still unproven, you figure USF has the resources to land one of these guys before this upcoming February.
As you can see, this should be a very eventful fall, meaning many more notes and fact-filled entries. Keep checking as I find myself dead tired watching two-a-day practices in the August heat.
Mike Camunas
