Bulls sluggish in first practice since classes started

Posted Aug 25, 2010 by Scott Carter

Updated Aug 24, 2010 at 11:16 PM

By PHIL NEARY
Tribune correspondent

The USF football team hit a little bump in the road on Tuesday, practicing for the first time with classes in session.

The drop-off at practice was noticeable.

“I’ve never had a real good first day of practice with school,” Bulls coach Skip Holtz said. “Right now they have a lot going on … picking up their books, finding their classes, doing all those types of things. They came out here and worked today, just didn’t have the type of energy and passion I would have liked to have.”

The Bulls, after practicing 20 times in 18 days, took Monday off on the first day of fall classes. They returned to the practice field Tuesday looking more sluggish than at any time during their 12-day stay in Vero Beach.

“They’re tired. Everybody’s back on campus. There’s a lot more going on all of a sudden,’’ Holtz said. “They’re probably not going to bed real early. They’re sitting in class all day. You just have to learn how to balance it.’’

Quarterback B.J Daniels described Tuesday as a “flat” practice, but acknowledged the team’s continued improvement on offense throughout camp.

“We still have long way to go,’’ Daniels said. “Right now we’re just trying to patch things up we already know.’’

The Bulls open the season on Sept. 4 at home against Stony Brook.

EVELD MOVES UP: Freshmen quarterbacks Bobby Eveld (walk-on) and Jamius Gunsby have been neck-and-neck in the race for backup quarterback, but Holtz said with Gunsby still nursing a hip flexor, he’d probably go with Eveld.

“I don’t know that it’s pretty clear, but since Gunsby didn’t go Sunday, didn’t go (Tuesday) – three or four days of work is huge for a freshman quarterback,’’ Holtz said. “Right now I’d go with Bobby Eveld.”

Gunsby, who has been bothered by a nagging hip injury since the team was in Vero Beach, was re-aggravated the injury in Saturday’s scrimmage. Holtz said Gunsby is listed day-to-day.

SUITING UP: Holtz mentioned five of the freshmen who have the made biggest case to forego a redshirt this season: OL Quinterrius Eatmon, CB Terrence Mitchell, S Mark Joyce, Eveld, and WR Deonte Welch.

Holtz said he’s looking for 15 to 20 plays a game from the group other than Eveld.

“If they can do that, they’ve come a long way,” Holtz said. “I don’t think any of those five are ready to play today, but what you’ve got to look at is five weeks into the season when you’re getting into conference play. Can those guys get into the rotation and really help you? I believe those five can.’’

BULL BITS: Senior linebacker Sabbath Joseph (concussion) wasn’t in pads on Tuesday … Holtz said the team will be in full pads today before practicing in shorts on Thursday … The team has its third and final scrimmage scheduled for Friday. “That’ll be kind of our dry run from a game standpoint,” Holtz said.