The big arena of interest on Bull Insider has been conference realignment for as long as I can remember. The Bull Insider brain trust insists that the Bulls have to move up to P5 status or their athletic future is doomed. I disagree.

The perennial top 3 in the AAC left town for the Big 12. They are like Whale shit in the Big 12. Whale shit always lies on the bottom of the Ocean, but these guys lie 7 miles deep (36, 200 feet) in the Mariana Trench. To give you a little perspective on this; Mount Everest is the tallest place on earth at 29,026 feet above sea level. The Mariana Trench is 1.36 miles (7074 feet) deeper than Mount Everest is tall. The trench is 5 times wider than it is deep. No man has walked on the floor of the Mariana trench, but 6 have reached the floor in submersibles. Pretty awesome.

Hapless Houston is the only team with an in conference win so far this season. The Holgerson led Cougs are 3-4 (1-3) home win vs WVU 41-39 (Holgerson’s old team), UCif 3-4 (0-4), Cincy 2-5 (0-4). The combined in conference win total stands 1-11 thus far as compared to their 2022 AAC win totals of Houston 8-5 (5-3) & UCif 9-5 (6-2) and Cincy 9-4 (6-2). The 2022 AAC win total of 16-9 beats the Hell out of the Big 12 2023 win total of 1-11. This proves what we already knew, the P5 is a Hell of a lot stronger than the G5.

Under the 12 team NCAA playoff system it appears there is 1 seat available in the playoffs for G5 teams. The 3 leading candidates for 2023 appear to be Air Force, Tulane and Liberty. I am pulling for the Green Wave but we’ll see.
USF has to do 2 things they have never done, 1. Win a conference championship 2. Be deemed by the selection committee as the top G5 team in the country. As long as those odds are, they are better than how the Bulls would have as a P5 member for a LONG, LONG, LONG TIME!!!

As I perused the G5 conferences I was unable to determine a huge difference from conference to conference.

Maybe the AAC has a slight edge in 2023 with Tulane 6-1 (3-)), SMU 5-2 (3-0) (soon to depart), UTSA 4-3 (3-0), Memphis 5-2 (2-1), FAU 3-4 (2-1) and Rice 4-3 (2-1).

CUSA has Liberty Biberty 8-0 (6-0), Jacksonville St 7-2 (5-1), New Mexico St 6-3 (4-1) and WKU 4-4 (2-2).

MAC is the black & Blue division of G5. Toledo 7-1 (4-0), Miami OH 6-2 (3-1), Ohio 6-1 (3-1), Northern Iowa 4-4 (3-1)

The Mountain West has Air Force 7-0 (4-0), UNLV 6-1 (3-0), Wyoming 5-2 (2-1) and Fresno State 6-1 (2-1).

Sunbelt is awesome in terms of improvement over a very short period of time. JMU 7-0 (4-0), Georgia State 6-1 (3-1), Texas State 5-2 (2-1), Troy 5-2 (2-1) and Georgia Southern 5-2 (2-1).

My point is G5 teams are the most exciting teams in football to watch imo because they have everything stacked against them vs the P5 teams and they fight like hell for 60 minutes. They are well coached and they have very good athletes.
I am tired of the same P5 teams dominating the game every year. Alabama, Clemson. LSU, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Washington and USC. It’s totally boring. They all have big money, big facilities and no morals. I always pull for the underdog.

Golesh dropped the bat signal. You guys will like this one. I can’t spoil the commit though.

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Vea is out

Had an opportunity to attend the DC alumni gathering and it turned out to be a great time. It was extremely well done and couldn’t have picked a better venue than the 101 Constitution Roof Terrace (across the street from the Capitol). There were over 200 alumni that attended and President Law did a great job providing a state of the university update. She emphasized our new AAU designation and how we’ll continue to climb in academic ranking.

I also had a chance to chat with her for about 10-minutes and she had nothing but great things to say about Coach Golesh and truly feels he’ll be the one to take us to new heights. She’s also hoping we’ll be invited into the ACC and she’s really hoping we can make it to a bowl game this year and the importance of this as a starting point for USF football. Many that work at USF that attended and that I spoke to including President Law feel if USF is able to win the conference next year and make the playoffs that would be huge for our chances for getting into the ACC when FSU, Clemson, NC and most likely one other depart. I’m sure this is obvious to many but this was truly validated this evening. Really enjoyed chatting with her and she’s much different than Genshaft who wasn’t as warm and inviting. Just wanted to pass this along. Go Bulls!

Was voted into the AAC this morning according to Ross Dellenger. Possibly starting next year.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades the South Florida Bulls performance against Connecticut.

STORY

The Bulls try to snap a two-game skid in CT where it's cloudy and in the 50's (last I checked). Game time is 3:30 p.m. ET on CBSSN. Please keep all game chatter in this thread.

Here is a breakdown of all the 2023 freshmen class and who has burned their shirt, who is close and who isn't.

SHIRT BURNED
DB- Jarvis Lee (7 gms)- Lee has been a fixture on special teams playing in every game this season except UConn and three games on defense racking up 13 defensive snaps in three games.

REDSHIRT INTACT BUT COULD BE BURNED SOON
WR- Tyree Kelly (4 gms)- Kelly played a lot in the FAU game racking up 35 snaps at receiver. He played a little bit in the UConn game as well and depending on the health at that position he could see his shirt burned.
OL- Nikola Milovic (3 gms)- Milovic was on special teams the first three games and has not played since.
DB- Jameel Sanders (4 gms)- Sanders has played four games on defense racking up 21 total snaps at CB and NB for the Bulls. He did not play against UConn last week.
OL- Cole Skinner (4 gms)- Skinner played extensively in the UConn game behind Zane Herring playing 51 offensive snaps in his first offensive action this season and playing on special teams against Rice, Navy and UAB.

REDSHIRT INTACT LIMITED ACTION

PK- Ty Ippolito (1 gm)- USF has him listed having played in a game, but there are no PFF snaps for him.
OL- James Jenkins (1 gm)- USF has him listed having played in a game, but PFF disagrees. I am unsure.
OL- Drew Perez (1 gm)- Perez played on special teams against FAU and that has been his only action.
WR- JeyQuan Smith (1 gm)- Like Jenkins he is listed as having played in a game, but PFF does not have any snaps for him anywhere this season.
DL- Stantavious Smith (2 gms)- Like others he is listed as having played in two games, but PFF does not have any details on him playing

HAS NOT PLAYED YET AND HEADED FOR A REDSHIRT

DB- Tawfiq Byard
QB- Israel Carter
LS- Trey Dubuc
TE- Gerard Edimo
RB- Jaylen Johnson

TAMPA, Fla. (October 23, 2023) – Once you enter the University of South Florida men’s basketball practice court at the Pam and Les Muma Basketball Center, you can’t miss the catchy acronym — E.D.G.E. — that stands for “Everyone Dedicating Great Effort.’’

But for Bulls coach Amir Abdur-Rahim, it’s more than a slogan.

It’s a way of life.

“We live in this unbelievably great city, this beautiful city with great weather,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “You talk to different coaches on the road, when they came to Tampa, it was a vacation for them, a getaway. I don’t want it to be a vacation or a getaway anymore.

“I want us to have an edge in everything we do. I want us to have an edge in the classroom, in the study hall, and on the practice court. We’re going to play with an edge and practice with an edge. Those days of people coming to Tampa feeling like it’s a vacation just because of the nice weather, that’s over. We’re going to carry that edge every day and give our community and our campus a brand of basketball they can be proud of.’’

Abdur-Rahim, in his first USF season after guiding the Kennesaw State Owls to the Atlantic Sun Conference championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance, has brought in 12 new players (including three from Kennesaw State) to join holdovers Sam Hines Jr., Selton Miguel, and Corey Walker Jr.

The Bulls were 14-18 last season in Coach Brian Gregory’s sixth season and Abdur-Rahim said there’s something to build upon. “That team could’ve easily won 20 games … it wasn’t that far away,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “We have to close that gap and get there because we want this program to win lots of games and be a regular participant (in the postseason).’’

Since capturing the College Basketball Invitational championship following the 2018-19 season, the Bulls are 45-71 and the program hasn’t played in the NCAA Tournament since 2012.

Abdur-Rahim aims to change that.

“We have a Power Five (conference) job with Power Five resources,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “I’m not here to be good. I’m not here to be great. I’m here to be elite. And that’s how we’re going to approach every day in every aspect of our program.’'

The Bulls will have a fast-paced offense and an aggressive defense. Versatility will be a USF trademark. Abdur-Rahim describes his lineup as “position-less,’’ meaning the pivot players won’t be traditional back-to-the-basket performers. They will also do some ball-handling.

Abdur-Rahim said the bulk of his team’s offseason work focused on individual skills — shooting, passing, and dribbling — and he has seen great progress.

“It’s not about perfection, it’s about progression,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “It’s about getting better every day. And I think we have done that.’’

Abdur-Rahim’s transition has been aided by the presence of the three former players from Kennesaw State — senior guards Chris Youngblood (6-foot-4), Brandon Stroud (6-6), and Kasen Jennings (6-3) — who are intimately familiar with how the Owls rose from a one-win team (2019-20) to a 26-win conference champion and NCAA team last season.

Youngblood was Kennesaw State’s leading scorer (14.7 points per game) and an A-Sun first-team all-conference player. Stroud was the team’s leading rebounder (6.5) and the A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year.

“They have been great just because they know me, they know exactly what I want and what it looks like,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “But it has been a transition for them as well. At Kennesaw, they had older guys who had been there before. Now they’re being asked to lead.

“I say to them every day, ‘It’s time for you to help somebody else, (help them) get to know me and understand me even better. Because I’m not an easy person to deal with. My wife will tell you that. But we’re in this thing together and we’re going to grow together.’’

Abdur-Rahim said the USF holdovers — Hines, Miguel, and Walker — also have a key role and he appreciates their acceptance as well.

“I think they’ve had the hardest challenge of anybody because when they came here, they didn't come here with the expectation of playing for multiple cultures,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “I’m really proud of all three of them. I’m really appreciative of their buy-in and their effort.’’

Abdur-Rahim also expects big contributions from the USF newcomers, including former Tampa Catholic player Kobe Knox (6-5), a transfer from Grand Canyon; Kasean Pryor (6-10), a junior-college transfer who played at Boise State; Jose Placer (6-1), a 1,000-point scorer at North Florida; and true freshman Jayden Reid (5-10) from Westbury, N.Y.

“Every day, we’re going to care about our guys, love our guys, and make sure they know they’re more than just basketball players,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “We care about them as men … and the men they’re destined to become. If we continue to do that, the results on the court will match that and we’ll win at a high level.

“We’re going to recruit at the highest level possible without losing who we are from a character standpoint and culture standpoint. We want to put out a great product on the court so we can pack out the Yuengling Center, as I expect to do.’’

And everything the Bulls do will be with an edge.

Or E.D.G.E.

“Gritty … Not Pretty.’’ That’s another catchphrase you’ll see around USF basketball.

It’s a catchy rhyme, but it’s also a way of life, one that Abdur-Rahim hopes will permeate every day of practice, along with the Nov. 2 exhibition against Edward Waters College and the Nov. 9 season-opener against South Carolina State.

“Working hard and being elite every single day,’’ Abdur-Rahim said. “That’s what we’re going to be about at USF.’’

Season tickets for the 2023-24 USF men’s basketball slate are on sale now. To purchase season tickets, click here.

Houston 21
Tejas 24

Game in the 3rd. Houston with a good chance for the upset

I love the way he runs. I’m glad we’re finally sticking with him. He is so physical the way he runs. Fantastic back!

Naq'Quan Wright rushed for 186-yds and 2 TDs to pace South Florida to a road win at Connecticut.

INSTANT ANALYSIS

Head coach Alex Golesh and select players react to South Florida's victory over Connecticut.

VIDEO

South Florida closes out its non-conference slate with a clash at UConn.

PREVIEW by @jackward9

21-14 Memphis on pick 6. Memphis is a good team but UAB is giving them all they want. UAB just tied it up on at 21. If Dilfer can put together this kind of team in 1 year, he is putting the AAC on notice. The Blazers have heart and they love to play the game.

Asking for a friend but can we bring back #9 and #11? 11 was on the sideline last week and witnessed that debacle in person

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Was curious how they finally won a game. They won the turnover battle 4-0 vs Rice and scored on a 50 yard fumble recovery.

I know they came back against UTAH st and should have tied the game but missed an extra point. I think this was on CBS right before the Navy game as I recall seeing it and thinking when they scored the game would go into OT and the USF game would be shown on an app or some nonsense.

so you could say their last 2 games have been improvements in that they should have went to OT at home and then went on the road and beat Rice. While our last 2 games have been disasters. They also are coming off a bye week and get us at home.

Weather forecast shows mild temps (50's and 60's similar to this morning and tomorrow am, and the navy game) but rain both Fri and Sat.

This is pretty much a must win after the last two weeks. Get our asses handed to us up there and the wheels likely have really come off for the remainder of this season. Win and you are 4-4 going into the bye week and have Temple and Charlotte at home later in the season.

Bulls center recognized for leadership and excellence in serving the community



TAMPA, OCT. 19, 2023 – Starting USF Football center Mike Lofton (Clearwater) has been named to the watch list for the 2023 Wuerffel Trophy honoring college football’s most impactful leaders in community service.



The Wuerffel Trophy is presented to the FBS player who best combines exemplary community service with leadership achievement on and off the field. National voters consider nominees from over 100 major universities. The Wuerffel Trophy is named for Danny Wuerffel, 1996 National Championship winning quarterback of the University of Florida Gators – who is renowned for his commitment to service and leadership. The Wuerffel Trophy is the premier major college football award that places the majority of its voting emphasis on Community Service.



Lofton has started all seven games of the 2023 season at center for the Bulls after making three starts and playing in all 12 games in 2022, his first season at USF after transferring from the University of Central Florida.



An AAC All-Academic honoree, Lofton owns a 3.3 grade-point average in health science. A Bulls team captain, he is also highly involved in other athletics leadership positions, serving on the AAC Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well as USF’s Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the Black Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as well as participating in the USF Leadership Academy.



Lofton served as the host of the 2023 Stampede of Champions, a USF student-athlete run athletics awards event, and is active in community service participating in Think BIG for Kids, USF Day in Green and Gold, Victory Day (Special Olympics event) and several other team community events.

Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades the South Florida Bulls performance against FAU.

GRADES

“If you’re trying to become a solid program, which we’re trying to do – it’s a process that takes a long time considering where this place was – then you should see a consistency of performance in practice and concentration and intensity regardless of if you win or you lose,” he said. “It should just never waiver. So I think it would be a bad sign if you saw that, and I didn’t see that. I think that would be a sign of immaturity and I don’t want to see that. I want to see progress every day regardless of circumstance and that’s what we’ve seen.”

The Huskies (1-5) finally seem to have things coming together on both sides of the ball. Last week, the defense provided a spark and the offense capitalized when it needed to.

Winning the turnover battle​

UConn’s offense has not had a turnover since Roberson was intercepted on the opening drive against Utah State. Meanwhile, the defense has made three interceptions and recovered three fumbles in the last two games after forcing just one turnover in the first four.

“You go back a couple weeks when he threw that interception early and he was really able to overcome it, I think that was just a byproduct of him having that confidence,” Mora said. “Ball security, turnover ratio, that’s the No. 1 critical variable in winning a game. So we have to continue to emphasize it – it’s not something you just talk about, you’ve got to work on stripping the ball in practice and getting interceptions and on offense you’ve got to secure the football with five points of pressure and catch it and tuck it away right away.

“It’s also a function of effort, being aware of where the ball is so if the ball comes out you have a chance to get it, that’s effort. It’s something you always emphasize and you hope those spurts where it’s going well for you just happen at the right time and they continue.”