The Long Snapper (2/11/10)
ESPN.com’s Brian Bennett puts USF at fifth in his Big East power rankings. He has the Bulls behind Pittsburgh, West Virginia, Cincinnati, and Connecticut and tied with Rutgers. Bennett does however mention that USF may have been the hardest team for him to rank. Although it won’t please Bulls’ fans, I have to agree with him. USF is a hard team to predict every year and a new coaching staff doesn’t make that any easier in 2010. Add that together with a tough road schedule and the Bulls could finish with three losses just as easily as they could finish with six. Skip Holtz was a good hire and should do good things at USF, but let’s give him some time to get his system running in Tampa before expecting the world.
Is Jason Pierre-Paul that good? He seems to have first-round talent, but #3 overall? That seems like a stretch for a guy who played only one year of major college football. Todd McShay (hate accordingly) has released his latest mock draft and has Pierre-Paul going #3 overall to the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers. While the Bucs are in desperate need of a consistent pass rush, they would be reaching for the former USF defensive end at their current position. If they are really dead set on Pierre-Paul (which they aren’t, McShay just thinks they should take him…of course he also thinks Tim Tebow would be better off forgoing the NFL altogether), this would be a perfect trade down scenario. Then again, trading down from such a high spot isn’t nearly as easy these days. McShay also has former Bulls’ safety Nate Allen being selected in the first round.
On Wednesday, Arizona Cardinals’ defensive backs coach Teryl Austin met with Urban Meyer to interview for the Florida defensive coordinator position. Austin wants the job and the Gators seem very close to offering it to him. It’s unclear whether Austin would be the sole DC if offered the job or if Chuck Heater will retain the co-defensive coordinator title. Meyer has been rumored to want to hire an NFL guy to replace George Edwards (another NFL guy) and Austin could be his man. If the feeling on both sides is mutual, a deal could be struck quickly.
Rumors are everywhere about Florida receiver Andre Debose possibly needing a second surgery on his hamstring. That doesn’t appear to be the case though and Debose is said to be making good progress. Though he’ll be limited throughout spring practice, Debose is working hard to get back to full strength and get to 100% by the time the 2010 season starts. Debose is a talent the Gators desperately need to be healthy for the upcoming season. If at full speed, he should provide an immediate spark for the offense.
As a new recruiting rule comes into play, Texas is not the least bit happy. The new rule states a coach-in-waiting must abide by the same rules as the head coach. What it boils down to is those named to be the next coach can now only make one off-campus visit with a prospect and can’t do it between April 15 and May 31. Other assistants can have more, but the coach-in-waiting is restricted. The Longhorns believe they have been singled out with the new rule and aren’t pleased with it. Texas feels that way because they are one of only two schools who have such a designation at the moment (Maryland is the other). The NCAA, however, views having a coach-in-waiting as an advantage those schools have over others. If Mack Brown were to up and resign (ala Urban Meyer), there would be no transitional period leaving prospects to wonder who the next guy will be. They already know. So the NCAA is attempting to limit that coach’s exposure to recruits.