Brian Bennett Rushes More

Friday, February 13, 2009

Posted by DCS

Brian Bennett's next gimmicky stunt over at his ESPN Big East Blog is to compile a running list of "Mount Rushmores" of Big East football programs. He's providing four individuals per program, that define the building blocks of their perceived success. I don't really have a problem with any of the selections he made, but I'm somewhat surprised he didn't pick Tom Jackson (if only for his NFL Game Day career status) for the Louisville Mount Rushmore. Anyway, without further ado, here are B-Squared's first three mounts:

• Louisville
• UCONN
• Cincinnati

Just a couple of more links:

• Mitch Vingle of the Charleston Gazette reports that WVU ticket prices will not go up in 2009
• Greg Gregory speaks about his departure from USF

Here's a Shocker: Gregory is Officially Out at USF

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Posted by DCS

It doesn't happen often, but today, Brett McMurphy who authors the Bulls Report, scooped his journalistic rival Greg Auman of the USF Sports Bulletin. Today, he is the first to announce that former USF offensive coordinator Greg Gregory is officially leaving the program for the same post at the University of South Alabama (an upstart D-1A program this year).

It was a long and strange saga that began with Gregory notifying head coach Jim Leavitt that he was interviewing for the vacant tight ends coach position at the University of Florida, being relieved of his coordinator duties by Leavitt (all while still working on behalf of the Bulls), switching offices with former OC Mike Canales, and now officially leaving the program for the affectionately acronymed USA.

As McMurphy points out at the end of his piece, Leavitt will have to decide between elevating Canales to OC (as many expect he will) and hiring a wide receivers replacement from outside, or vice versa. Hey, I hear Mitch Browning is still maybe...sorta...available?

Greg Gregory: That whole thing about me going to coach with Urban Meyer...that was a joke. Can I have my job back?

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Posted by DCS

Sorry folks, for not being around for the better part of yesterday. I'll really briefly mention that Greg Gregory was not hired to coach tight ends at the University of Florida, as was speculated. Now, Gregory is sitting around as an idle staff member of the USF Bulls, but remember, he is no longer the offensive coordinator (he was stripped of those duties by head coach Jim Leavitt when Leavitt learned that he would be pursuing the UF opening). No update on what will happen with Gregory at this point, but one interesting tidbit to note is that the coach that Urban Meyer decided to hire is Brian White, who not all that long ago, was the offensive coordinator for the Syracuse Orange.

And with that, I give you a plethora of Big East football related information:

• Donnie Webb of the Syracuse Post-Standard discusses the outside possibility that UNC backup QB Mike Paulus (bro of Greg) may want to come home to Syracuse
• Frank Ahrens doesn't hold back on his feelings for Todd McShay and his assessment of Pat White on the Bleacher Report
• Cincy's Mike Mickens is going to sit out the Senior Bowl
• Brian Bennett of ESPN ponders whether or not Larry Fitzgerald is the greatest receiver ever to grace the Big East
• Paul Zeise of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Pitt has snared a new DE recruit
• Rutgers Spring practice begins March 10 and their Spring game is on April 18 (Scarlet Scuttlebutt) -- scroll down
• Greg Auman of the USF Sports Bulletin reports that the Bulls have nabbed another big time recruit

Leavitt Was Gator Baited

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Posted by DCS

According to Greg Auman of the USF Sports Bulletin, USF head coach Jim Leavitt fired offensive coordinator this past weekend due to Gregory informing him that he would be interviewing for the vacant tight ends coaching position at the University of Florida.

This is an interesting development to say the least, being that many felt Leavitt's reasons for letting Gregory go were purely performance-related. Even more interesting perhaps is that Gregory is apparently still "on staff" at USF and working on recruiting and other football-related activities.

Leavitt is still searching for an OC replacement and current Bulls wide receivers coach Mike Canales is apparently a viable option (he was USF OC from 1996-2000). Leavitt maintains that he never intended to "fire" Gregory, but to merely strip him of his role. He would have to find a new role on staff for Gregory if he were to stay at USF and if a new offensive coordinator was hired from outside of the program.

My take on the whole scenario: A bit of a brash move on Jim Leavitt's part. After hearing about UF, I might give Gregory an ultimatum, or a drop-dead timeline as to when I would need a decision from him. But to go ahead with a public firing is kind of silly and probably sends the wrong message to incoming/potential recruits, as well as other staff members. I do however, agree with Leavitt that he has to take quick action, especially when it relates to his primary staff.

I've got more for you:

• Brett McMurphy of the Bulls Report has some more USF odds and ends for you
• Syracuse has wrested Virginia DB Shamarko Thomas away from Louisville

The Big East Coaching Landscape Shifts Yet Again

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Posted by DCS

We had been waiting on a decision from Syracuse's Doug Marrone on who would be the school's next running backs coach. That decision was made last evening when it was announced that former University of Tennessee RBs coach Stan Drayton would be coming aboard.

Drayton, in addition to coaching at Tennessee under Phil Fulmer last season, also has coaching stints at the University of Florida, Mississippi State, and Villanova on his resume, among others. With the exception of having coached at Villanova and the University of Pennsylvania, Drayton's Northeast credentials are not all that overwhelming, although coach Marrone insists, "Stan has very strong ties in the Northeast."

Given that Stan Drayton is a native of Ohio and that he played his college ball there, he can be a factor for the Orange in recruiting Midwest players. His experience coaching at three different SEC Conference schools has certainly exposed him to the fertile recruiting grounds of the South. In 2007, he was named by Rivals.com as one of the top 25 recruiters in the country for his work in helping to build the nation's number one recruiting class at the University of Florida. Most notably in 2007, he managed to recruit the Pouncey brothers who were prominently featured on the offensive line of this year's National Champion Gators team.

As far as running backs that Drayton has coached, he can boast about his efforts with Brian Westbrook at Villanova and Jerious Norwood at Mississippi State. Moreover, Florida's rushing attack in 2007 averaged a shade over 200 yards per game, good enough for third in the SEC and 23rd nationally.

Stan Drayton is Doug Marrone's third hire from the University of Tennessee. One can absolutely make the assumption that offensive line coach Greg Adkins and Director of Football Operations Kevin Van Derzee played significant roles in singing the praises of Drayton. Even if Tennessee's offense wasn't all that impressive last season and that Drayton does not have any significant ties to the Big East (or Syracuse), Marrone is at least impressed with the coach's "orange" credentials, having already served stints at two other institutions where orange is an integral school color. Marrone also hopes to recreate the above (right) scene with Drayton in the middle of a pack of Orange players after winning a national title.

____________________________

University of South Florida head coach Jim Leavitt decided last evening to part ways with offensive coordinator Greg Gregory. Leavitt, citing that, "It is time for our program to move in another direction," will seek to replace a coach who is seen as largely responsible for failing to produce an efficient red-zone offense. The Bulls went 2-5 in the Big East this season, while unceremoniously swooning down the stretch and failing to improve on offense with 10 returning starters.

Gregory (in the above picture -- left), who took the offensive coordinator post after five seasons as the school's tight ends coach, was under consideration for the Army head coach position earlier this year. It's widely thought that current Bulls wide receivers coach Mike Canales will assume responsibility of the entire offense at this point, after having returned to the squad subsequent to a stint with Mike Stoops at the University of Arizona.

It is worth noting that UCONN head coach Randy Edsall is still in the process of filling an offensive coordinator position of his own. He is seeking to replace Rob Ambrose, who took a head coach position at Towson State University.