Fitch talks positives for Eveld, Floyd with Daniels sidelined

Posted Aug 10, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Aug 10, 2011 at 10:09 PM

VERO BEACH It’s never a good thing when your starting quarterback is standing on the sidelines during practice nursing an injury, but with junior B.J. Daniels (left hamstring) limited the next few days, USF offensive coordinator Todd Fitch looked at the positives it presented for the next two in line, sophomore Bobby Eveld and true freshman Matt Floyd.

“I think obviously the reps (for Eveld) with the 1s, and the 2s with Matt, and it’s a great simulation for a game. You’re standing on the sideline like the Miami game and, ‘Here you are Bobby, go. Go play,’” Fitch said. “So it forces them to produce maybe not at a higher level, but maybe with a little more heightened awareness, and it gives them a little bit more catch-up time, where BJ’s been in a college system for a year, or two years or more than those other guys. So it’s definitely an accelerated learning curve, especially for Matt.”

There were plenty of extra reps to be had as the Bulls worked Wednesday evening in their “NASCAR” offense, a quick-tempo attack devised to help prepare the defense for what it will see against a handful of opponents this season, including Big East foes Pittsburgh and West Virginia.

Eveld, a Jesuit High product, welcomed the extra work as it gave him a chance to continue to improve on reading defenses, which has been his focus since the end of last season.

“I had a little bit of trouble last year obviously against UConn,” Eveld said in reference to his first collegiate start, when he was picked off three times. “I threw way too many interceptions, so I’ve been trying to protect the football a little bit more and just working to get quicker with my reads and more accurate with my throws.”

Daniels was primarily a spectator Wednesday, his only work coming early in practice when he mixed in a handful of throws with USF’s other quarterbacks at the passing drill net.

MATURE WEATHERSPOON IN HUNT FOR STARTING JOB: The lone opening in USF’s starting linebacker corps is on the strongside, and senior LB Curtis Weatherspoon has worked mostly in that role through the early portion of camp.

Weatherspoon, who came out of spring practice listed as the co-first team option at the position with redshirt freshman Reshard Cliett, knows the competition isn’t settled yet, but said he’s glad just to be in the running after working last season as a reserve.

USF coach Skip Holtz has liked what he’s seen thus far from Weatherspoon, who had 19 tackles in 2010, especially off the field.

“That’s where you see really the biggest turnaround with him is what he’s doing right now in the classroom, just the maturity and the way he’s handling everything. He’s being accountable and responsible, he’s working extremely hard and he’s dialed in here,” Holtz said. “You go into the meetings and he’s sitting up in his chair. You can tell it’s really important to him, and I think he sees that light at the end of the tunnel. All of the sudden this is his senior year and this is his last go-around, but he’s been doing a lot of good things on the field for us.”

PRAISE FOR YOUNG, LOCAL RECEIVERS: Two freshmen who have been mentioned for a chance at playing time this fall are WRs Andre Davis and Ruben Gonzalez, the local products in the Bulls 2011 recruiting class from Jefferson and Robinson, respectively. Both players have caught the eye of receivers coach Phil McGeoghan through the first week of camp.

“Andre Davis is very athletic. He’s special. Obviously Ruben Gonzalez has shown some flashes out here, and he’s done some really nice things. He’s picked up the offense,” McGeoghan said. “They’re into it, they’re excited. They want to be special. They want to be difference-makers.”

BULLS BITS: Former Syracuse QB Don McPherson, who finished second in the 1987 Heisman Trophy voting, spoke to the team before Wednesday’s practice. … Current ESPN College Football analyst Lou Holtz, the father of USF’s head coach, is scheduled to visit practice Thursday.