Old school Bulls to participate in halftime flag football game

Posted Apr 6, 2009 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Apr 6, 2009 at 10:51 AM

With all of the promotions leading up to Saturday night’s spring football game – Coach Jim Leavitt’s 40-yard dash, fans getting a chance to call a play (please don’t call Voodoo 5), fans getting to be sideline radio reporters, fans competing in a version of an mini-NFL combine and the chance to shoot their favorite beat writer out of a cannon (with no net!) – here’s yet another one: a flag football game at halftime between former Bulls.

Old-school Bulls fans (not sure how old school you can be since the football program only began 13 years ago), but anyway “older” Bulls fans will recognize these players, some who are approaching – gasp! – 30 or actually have already turned 30. Hopefully, they can put down their walkers long enough to participate in the flag football game.

Among those expected to compete include: Rj Anderson (1998-99), Bernard Brown (1997-01), Casey Cobb (2000-03), Otis Dixon (19997-00), Mark Feldman (2000-04), Jason Fox (2006-08), Shawn Hay (1997-00), Dudley Hill (1998), Lance Hoeltke (1997), Ron Johnson (1998-00), Vassay Marc (1997-00), Jason Malouf (1997-98), Jay Mize (1997-00), Marcus Rivers (1997), Derrick Sarosi (2001-04), Lee Roy Selmon Jr. (1999-04), Marshall Smith (1997-00), Tony Umholtz (1997-99) and Kevin Verpaele (2000-03).

All of the former players are part of the USF Gridiron Alumni Association. The group, which was formed last year, is open to any former USF football players. There are no membership fees.

The USF Gridiron Alumni Association will hold a Friday social and a Saturday bowling event at Splitsville before the USF spring game. For information, call (813) 918-3123.

Wake up! In Joey Johnston’s new feature on TBO.com – the Wake-Up Call (how’s that for cross promotion/pollination?) – Johnston, a USF alum by the way, lists USF’s WNIT championship in with some of the school’s top athletic accomplishments.

Johnston writes: “In terms of overall impact, I’m putting USF’s WNIT title on the school’s select accomplishment list - such as the men’s basketball team capturing the Sun Belt Conference Tournament title in 1990, men’s basketball’s NCAA Tournament at-large bid in 1992, men’s basketball winning the old Florida Four Tournament in the early 1980s, the largest football victories (Pittsburgh in 2001, Louisville in 2005, West Virginia in 2006, Auburn in 2007, West Virginia in 2007), men’s soccer making the Elite Eight in 2008, softball making the NCAA Super Regional in 2006 and baseball coming within reach of the College World Series in 1996 (the Bulls lost in 13 innings against Florida in a chance to earn the regional final).”

Also, Johnston reports USF’s Rugby team recently captured the USA Rugby South title, beating defending champion East Carolina 27-24 in the final. USF (9-0) has scored 364 points, while allowing just 98. USF, ranked ninth nationally, is seeded No. 6 for the Sweet 16/Final 8 round, scheduled for April 18-19 in Sanford. The Final Four is May 1-2 at Stanford University.

Finally, here’s a TBO.com photo gallery from Tampa International Airport when the Bulls arrived with their WNIT trophy on Sunday.