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RB Plancher works with first unit; UCF series has (phone) sex appeal
Posted By Brett McMurphy at Sep 01, 2008 at 09:26 PM
Updated Sep 01, 2008 at 09:41 PM

With University of South Florida RBs Ben Williams and Mike Ford slowed at Monday’s practice with ankle injuries, junior Moise Plancher worked with the first-team offense.

Plancher started the season opener in 2006, only to suffer a torn ACL on the first series. Last week he was fifth on the depth chart, but rushed for 65 yards and two TDs against Tennessee Martin.

“Mo did enough to deserve reps anyway, he’s earned the right to get reps,” USF coach Jim Leavitt said. “How much [RB coach] Carl [Franks] plays him [Saturday at UCF], I don’t know.”

Leavitt said last week Plancher was actually playing better than he was when he won the starting job as a freshman in 2006.

Ford, who wore a protective boot on his left foot Monday, and Williams both hurt their ankles Saturday.

Sophomore back-up TE Trent Pupello (ankle), also hurt Saturday, was on crutches Monday and Leavitt said he didn’t know if he would be available. Freshman DL Cory Grissom (ankle) is not expected to play at UCF, Leavitt said.

“If they’re not 100 percent they won’t play,” Leavitt said. “We won’t have a chance against Central Florida if we don’t have guys going 100 miles an hour.”

NO, WHAT ARE YOU WEARING? UCF scheduled a media conference call with Coach George O’Leary Monday. However, the 800-number provided by a UCF official mistakenly had one digit wrong. Instead of getting O’Leary’s conference call, media members instead got a phone sex line.

“Hi sexy, you’ve reached the one-on-one fantasy line. Where the girls are … ” the recording said. A woman that answered said this was not the number for O’Leary’s conference call, but told me she would pretend to be George O’Leary if I really wanted. I told her no thanks.

UCF rescheduled the call for Wednesday.

ODDS AND ENDS: Senior OT Ryan Schmidt (knee), who left Saturday’s game, practiced Monday. … Leavitt said he thinks freshman CB George Baker will get academic approval from the NCAA Clearinghouse today. Baker, though, will be redshirted this season. … Freshman LB Quavon Taylor, who was suspended a week for missing team meetings and a practice last week, returned to practice Monday. … Freshman DB Charlton Sinclair asked a teammate during Monday’s practice: “Are we flying or driving to Orlando?” The Bulls will drive. ... USF volleyball player Marcela Gurgel, a junior outside hitter, was named the Big East’s player of the week Monday.

Send Us Your Comments

Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 09/02 at 09:40 AM

Eric, I know the UCF SID that sent out the wrong number. It was an honest mistake, he had one number incorrect - or as Maxwell Smart would say “missed it by this much.”

Posted by Eric Sachse, on 09/02 at 09:21 AM

That O’Leary phone sex line mix up is the funniest thing I have read in a while.

Maybe that UCF official has this number on their speed dial.

Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 09/02 at 08:14 AM

Allen, Yes, Leavitt said Baker would be redshirted.

Posted by Allen Brown, Tampa on 09/02 at 02:59 AM

I’m glad Baker should be cleared. Brett, I guess Leavitt is still planning on redshirting him?

It looks like we have some potentially explosive returners in Theo Wilson and Patrick Richardson, so it would benefit our future at CB to redshirt Baker I would guess. I would have said the same thing about Daniel Bryant and BJ Daniels, though. BJ did show a lot of ability, so he should be fun to watch.

Posted by Allen Brown, Tampa on 09/02 at 02:58 AM

Good point, Terry. I hope he starts this week. I think it’s a good sign that he’s working with the 1st team. It is hard to tell who is the best back based on that game, but I agree that Plancher looked very good.

7 people had a longer carry than Mike Ford (4 RBs, Grothe, and 2 WRs), who had twice as many carries as anyone else. I think Mike Ford has the most potential for running the ball, and he’s very good on the goal line, but I think we’ll be ok if he’s out a week.

Posted by Terry Lucas, Phoenix, AZ on 09/02 at 12:11 AM

Plancher looked the best of all the backs out there IMO. If anything, I would start him to honor his cousin. This game means more to Mo than any one Bull can understand. Nothing would be better than having Mo provide his own moment of silence when he walks into the endzone after scoring a TD. Give Mo the rock this week… he’s scored in every game he has played in… the kid has some saint following his every cut.