TAMPA – Skip Holtz calls winter workouts Stage 1, spring practice Stage 2, summer conditioning Stage 3, fall camp Stage 4, and the start of the season Stage 5.

In his eight months as the University of South Florida’s first head football coach not named Jim Leavitt, Holtz has finished the first four stages and mastered many of his off-the-field duties, firmly placing a winning smile on a program that needed a big hug when he showed up.

But Stage 5 is finally here, and that’s the part of his new job that Holtz is most excited about.

In a little more than 24 hours, we’ll finally see what a Holtz-coached team looks like on the field in the season opener against Stony Brook.

Holtz also likes to say that “every football team has a life expectancy of one year.’’

In USF’s case, that saying seems a perfect fit entering the 2010 season. So much has changed since Leavitt and his players celebrated an International Bowl win in Toronto in January. And so much will change from Holtz’s first team to his next.

However, for now it’s all about this team and these players. With that in mind, here is a look at 10 pressing questions surrounding the Bulls as they close in on Saturday night’s season opener:

1. Did USF make the right call in hiring Holtz to replace Leavitt? All indications point to a resounding yes. If in five years the Bulls have yet to win a Big East title, then the answer will be different, but Holtz has been the perfect remedy for what ailed the Bulls when he was hired.

2. Can the Bulls avoid their annual second-half slide? Other than playing at Florida, USF’s first five games are very winnable. But the last seven are a different story, so another second-half collapse is entirely possible with a young team and tough schedule.

3. What happens if sophomore quarterback B.J. Daniels suffers the same fate as Matt Grothe a year ago? Let’s put it this way: there’s not another B.J. Daniels on the roster.

4. How important a role will Evan Landi play? Huge. If Daniels gets hurt, freshman walk-on Bobby Eveld has emerged as a candidate to take over. However, with Landi starting at receiver and still the team’s second-most proven quarterback, Landi is very important to this team.

5. Which receiver will emerge as the top target? Senior Dontavia Bogan is expected to be that player, but Bogan has had a very average camp. Landi has come on, as has freshman walk-on Stephen Bravo-Brown and T.J. Knowles. Still, Bogan is the one who needs to be.

6. Do the Bulls have an impact freshman? Former Hillsborough High standout Terrence Mitchell has the best chance to be that player. Mitchell is expected to play cornerback and return kicks following a stellar camp.

7. Is there another Jason Pierre-Paul on the roster? Pierre-Paul came out of nowhere a year ago to become a first-round NFL pick. Two defensive players to watch this season – linebacker Mike Lanaris and defensive back Mistral Raymond. Both players are expected to surpass past production in a big way.

8. Who is going to lead the team in rushing? Holtz doesn’t want B.J. Daniels to, but that may be difficult. The best-case scenario is for sixth-year senior Mo Plancher to carry most of the load.

9. Can USF pull off the upset at Florida on Sept. 11? The Bulls won on the road at Florida State last season, but they’ll need a better performance in Gainesville to shock The Swamp.

10. Will the special teams be more special? They have to be for USF to have a good season. The Bulls finished near the bottom of Division I in several categories a year ago, including 120th out of 120 in punt-return coverage.