Herbie does 180 on Bulls

Posted Aug 31, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Sep 1, 2009 at 09:00 AM

This is what ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit had to say about USF’s football program before last season.

“The difference (from) this year (and 2007’s 9-4 season) for USF is now they’re no longer a cute story,” said Herbstreit, an ESPN analyst and a former Ohio State quarterback. “Now they are a legitimate team that everybody wants a piece of.

“Once upon a time, they had only a couple of footballs and, what, a trailer? It was like a fun story. Well, it’s not a fun story anymore, when you win nine games and people want a piece of you.”

Herbstreit not only thought the Bulls would win the Big East in 2008, but thought they should be favored to win it.

“They return 17 starters (in 2008) and a great quarterback (Matt Grothe), (defensive end George) Selvie on the other side,” Herbstreit said. “The expectations are through the roof.

“How, as a young program, will they handle those expectations? Will they press a little bit to try to live up to that? Or can they continue to just play their game? Now they have this big bull’s-eye on their chest.”

USF was nowhere near a Big East title, finishing 8-5 overall, but only 2-5 in league play.

So now take a look at what Herbstreit had to say about USF’s football program before this season began: (insert dead silence and crickets chirping in the distance).

Actually, Herbstreit wasn’t asked specifically about the Bulls, but if his “Ninth Annual Herbie Awards” are any indication, he’s done a complete 180 on USF.

Herbstreit lists the nation’s various bests in different categories. He ranks the seven best “dual threat” quarterbacks. USF’s Matt Grothe, likely only six days from becoming the Big East’s career total offense leader, did not make Herbie’s list.

Scroll down to the “Off the edge: best defensive ends.” There are six players listed. USF’s two-time All-American George Selvie was not one of them.

As far as his pick to win the Big East? He went with Rutgers with West Virginia as his sleeper.