In the past two years USF athletes with the initials “C.H.” haven’t had the best of luck. First point guard Chris Howard, who may end up being USF’s best all-time player never to play in a game, tore his ACL for the second time in nine months. He may be able to return in January - then again, he may be out for a second consecutive season. And now sophomore quarterback/receiver Carlton Hill, USF’s most highly touted football recruit, is leaving USF for junior college.

Hill said Sunday he doesn’t know which junior college he’ll attend, but there’s a “strong possibility” he could return to USF in 2007. If so, he would have two years eligibility remaining. Unfortunately since Hill is the Bulls’ biggest recruit in their nine-year history, Hill also could end up being the Bulls’ biggest bust. Fair or not, Hill was touted by every recruiting service as one of the nation’s top prep quarterbacks and he chose USF over Miami – also known by some as Quarterback U.

“I’m not frustrated,” Hill said Sunday. “I knew it would take time to be a great quarterback like I was hyped up to be [by the recruiting services out of Monticello Jefferson High School]. My main focus is school, to get my grades and get my degree—even if football is not in my future.”

USF coach Jim Leavitt said Hill has to “make some better decisions.” Academic problems sidelined Hill during most of spring drills and then his arrest last month on misdemeanor charges for possession of marijuana didn’t help. Especially since it was made known to Hill to avoid the wrong crowd (i.e. former USF linebacker Devon Davis, who has been arrested three times in the past two years).

I first met Hill in January 2005 and, for what it’s worth, I sincerely think he’s a good person. He has just made some really bad choices. “He’s not a malicious person,” Leavitt said. Hopefully he gets his off-the-field problems resolved and returns to USF in 2007.

While at this weekend’s Florida Sports Writers Association’s media days, Leavitt touched on several topics: the quarterback situation, the UCF series, the Miami series, the impact on the program from last year’s bowl game and USF’s incoming freshmen failing to qualify.

Here’s a link to Leavitt’s transcript. Since pitcher Casey Hudspeth avoided the “C.H.” jinx, let’s hope nothing happens to sophomore tight end Cedric Hill.