Not Twitter-rific; Leavitt “probably won’t” keep USF in Top 25

Posted Sep 6, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Sep 6, 2009 at 11:40 PM

USF coach Jim Leavitt said Sunday he was unaware at least three players were Tweeting messages from their cell phones Saturday during team meetings, the pregame meal, on the bus ride to Raymond James Stadium and even in the locker room about 15 minutes before kickoff.

“That was disappointing,” Leavitt said. “It’s something we’ll deal with.”

Leavitt didn’t specify what, if any, discipline there would be for WR Carlton Mitchell, QB B.J. Daniels and P Justin Brockhaus-Kann. Mitchell sent “Tweets” from the locker room about 15 and 55 minutes before Saturday night’s kickoff against Wofford.

Unlike the NFL, there are no Big East rules prohibiting coaches or players from sending Twitter updates from the locker room or field before or during games, Big East associate commissioner John Paquette said.

Not Top 25 worthy? Leavitt said he “probably won’t” rank the Bulls in his Top 25 ballot in this week’s USA Today/coaches poll. He ranked USF No. 18 on his preseason ballot.

“It will be real tough to rank us, but it won’t be because I didn’t think we did a great job,” Leavitt said. “It’s hard to fit us in the Top 25. It’s more of a product of us playing a I-AA team.”

Leavitt also said several teams that he didn’t have on his preseason ballot had impressive victories, including Tennessee and Boise State, and would be hard to leave out of his Top 25.