Leavitt: Ford Expected to Play in Bowl

Posted Dec 11, 2009 by Scott Carter

Updated Dec 11, 2009 at 07:34 PM

Below is my practice report set to run in Saturday’s edition of The Tampa Tribune. Leavitt addressed RB Mike Ford’s availability for the International Bowl and said he plans to closely watch the team’s young players during practice as he begins to ponder next season>

TAMPA – Junior RB Mike Ford’s latest driving-related arrest isn’t expected to keep him out of the International Bowl, USF coach Jim Leavitt said after Friday’s practice.
Ford was arrested early Thursday morning on a misdemeanor charge of driving without a valid license. Ford, who has at least three other driving-related arrests during his time at USF, was driving a moped during the latest incident.

“You don’t want to do anything wrong, ever, in life, but Mike was riding a moped and he happened to ride his moped on a sidewalk,’’ Leavitt said. “We know he is not supposed to ride a moped on the sidewalk. He’s also got to get his license. We have really been on him about that.

“We want to get that corrected. Will that keep him out of the bowl game? Probably not. Usually, moped incidents are not things [that] would keep him out of bowl.’’
Ford is USF’s third-leading rusher with 243 yards. He has also scored five touchdowns after being suspended for the season’s first two games due to a violation of team rules.

SENIOR HOLIDAY: The Bulls returned to practice Friday for the first time since losing at Connecticut in the regular-season finale. However, the practice field had a little more room than usual.

“Seniors are off Friday, [today], and Sunday,’’ Leavitt said.

Seven Bulls graduate today and several others are on track to graduate in May. With no seniors around, Leavitt spent extra time looking at the younger players who are the future of the team.
“All the guys out here are guys that are probably going to be here next year,’’ Leavitt said. “We redshirted so many very talented players. There are probably at least 12, 13 guys that will play next year.’’

BULL BITS: Leavitt plans to hit the recruiting trail following Sunday’s practice and stay on the road until Tuesday evening. “The recruiting is critical right now,’’ he said. “Everybody is out there scrambling right now.’’ … As for Northern Illinois, the Bulls’ opponent in the International Bowl, Leavitt has started to watch film and offered this immediate impression: “They are very physical. They are very tough. They played some awfully good teams. It will be a tremendous game. It will be a very physical football game, one that we’re going to have to play extremely well to win.’’

—Scott Carter