Ray Bellamy trying to pave the way for Southeast product A.J. Love

Ray Bellamy offers advice

As an undrafted free agent A.J. Love is  a long shot to make the Minnesota Vikings opening day roster.

But in Ray Bellamy, Love is learning from a person who could be the master of long shots.  It helps that both are receivers, but it's the history here that could prove invaluable to Love, the Southeast grad who had to overcome two ACL surgeries during his career at USF.

When he came out of old Lincoln High in 1966 during segregation days, Bellamy did what most would consider the impossible.

Major college football in the South during that time was all-white. Bellamy and the University of Miami had a dream that they turned into reality.

Bellamy broke the color barrier for major college football in the South in 1967. It was an enormous task, but so were the other things he did.

Bellamy become the first Africa-American president of the University of Miami Student Government. The fact that he was an excellent student despite coming from parents who were not educated was another one of his great achievements.

"I just believed I could do certain things that most people considered impossible," is one way Bellamy sums up his accomplishments.

Bellamy believes in Love and likes his work ethic. He won't make a prediction about his future, but
says anything is possible and insists staying positive is crucial.

A.J. Love signs with Minnesota Vikings

A.J. Love catches pass against Miami

A.J. Love, coming off a litany of injuries and setbacks of various kinds since his high school days at Southeast, may have pulled off another coup when he signed a contract with the Minnesota Vikiings today.

The undrafted wide receiever out of the University of South Florida becomes the 12th receiver on the Vikings 90 man roster and joins former USF teammate Mistral Raymond, a defensive back from Palmetto, a sixth round pick in 2011.

The 6-2, 208 pound Love caught 74 passes for 1,092 yards and eight touchdowns during his career at USF.  But those stats could areleading misleads becuase of the time he missed due to injury.

A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) caused Love to miss all of the 2010 season. He returned in 2011 and after getting back to his old form suffered some nagging injuries that included a sprained ankle and missed signficant playing time.

His best season came during his junior year when he averaged 18.8 yards per reception and showed his big play capabilities with 26 recepions for 489 yards and four touchdowns.

Before his ACL injurty, he was being touted as one of the top receivers in the Big East Conference and a likely NFL draft pick.

USF's Sterling Griffin lost for the year; Bulls hope A.J. Love can step in

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the USF football team they just did.

Receiver Sterling Griffin, the one shining light for an inconsistent offense, will miss the rest of the season after fracturing his right ankle in Saturday's game against Cincinnati.

Unfortunately, it is the same ankle that caused Griffin to miss all of last season when he dislocated it and fractured the bottom of his fibula.

The sophomore was the Bulls leading receiver and favorite target for quarterback B.J. Daniels showing a knack for getting open and holding onto everything thrown his way. He leads the Bulls with 40 catches for 493 yards.

The Bulls are hoping sixth year senior A.J. Love can return to full health and help out. The Southeast High product missed all of last season with a torn ACL and has seen limited action since injuring his ankle against Pittsburgh.

The one bright spot is the emergence of some new receivers in the Bulls lost to Cincinnati. Redshirt freshman Deonte Welch had a career game with five catches for a team leading 130 yards and showed great promise.

Andre Davis also shined catching four passes for 60 yards, including a 10 yard TD pass with a defender draped all over him and 1:27 left in the game that gave USF a temporary lead.

USF head coach Skip Holtz said reserve cornerback Ricardo Dixon tore his ACL against Cincinnati and is lost for the season.

All the injuries happened in the same end zone where Cincinnati scored the game winning touchdown with 12 seconds left.

A.J. Love catches first TD pass in two seasons

USF put up a lot of points in its 70-17 rout over FAMU last Saturday, but the one touchdown that had to bring the most enjoyment to the coaching staff and players came on the Bulls first touchdown.

A.J. Love, the former Southeast standout who missed all of last season because of an injury, caught a 43-yard touchdown pass from B.J. Daniels less than two minutes into the game. He finished with two catches for 53 yards.

It was the first touchdown reception for Love since he caught two TD passes in the Jan 3, 2010 International Bowl against Northern Illinois. In that game he caught a 47 TD pass and had a 7 yard TD reception to increase the Bulls lead to 20-3 in a 27-3 victory.

Love had three catches against NIU for 56 yards and was considered the Bulls top receiver heading into the spring when he unfortunately tore the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) in his knee. He missed all of last season and was granted a waiver by the NCAA to receive a sixth year of eligibility.

Love has some knee swelling, but says not a concern

USF receiver A.J. Love has experienced swelling on his surgically repaired knee that recently limited his workload.

The Southeast High product, who missed all of last season because of torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), is hoping to have a big season after the NCAA granted him a sixth year to play.

Bulls head coach Skip Holtz said he is not concerned about the swelling and is just being cautious with a guy who is expected to be a crucial part of the receiving corps.

For his part, Love said he is fine, feels he is in for a big season and is ready to resume a leadership role on the team. The 6-2, 208 pounder said he never felt better and is not worried about the injury.

FSU vs USF in Orange Bowl?

It’s never too early to look at Bowl Games even with college football over-saturated with 35 of them. That’s especially true when your team is projected to be in its first BCS bowl against an in state rival.

USA TODAY’S special pre-season college football edition has Florida State facing University of South Florida in the Orange Bowl. It would be a first for USF to go to a BCS Bowl and the Bulls would have to win the Big East Conference for the first time.

USA TODAY also says to keep an eye on A.J. Love the talented receiver out of Southeast High, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA.

Love has been having a good off season and USF coaches are expecting big things from the six-foot-two, 205 pounder, who has breakaway speed and good pass catching skills.

FSU lost starting quarterback Christian Ponder, who was drafted in the first round by Minnesota. However, E.J. Manuel, who becomes the full-time starter, has experience throwing for 861 yards and four touchdowns with four picks last season.

USF will be counting on an infusion of new running backs to go along with some returning vets and hopes to get more consistency out of returning quarterback B.J. Daniels.

Love on target to play for USF next season

A.J. Love did not play in USF’s spring game and won’t be participating in any contact drills until fall practice, but Bulls head coach Skip Holtz said the wide receiver has fully recovered from his ACL surgery.

Holtz said the big thing now is for the receiver is to get his confidence back following nine months of rehabilitation after his surgery. The coach believes the Southeast High product, who will be going into his sixth year at USF, will be ready in the fall.

“It doesn’t do us any good to turn (to him) and say go. I am not trying to put him out there on leg,” Holtz said. “It’s a matter of that he has to get there mentally. He is there physically. He is pretty much cleared to say his knee is stable, and strength and stability are good. It is not an injury deal. Anytime you have to overcome an ACL it’s a mental thing.”

Bulls offensive coordinator Todd Fitch echoed similar thoughts and thinks this could be a special season for Love.

“A.J. is going pretty good. It’s the full speed and tackling that they are leery of right now,” Fitch said. “He has been in practice doing everything except contact tackling. He is a guy we certainly want to have. He is a senior who has played a lot of football. We lost him last season obviously and he has good physical presence with his body type so if he is back healthy and ready to go I would certainly think it would be a big help.

“A guy who is coming back from an injury like that generally speaking they can have a special year because it means so much to them and we are hoping that is what is going to happen with him.”

Southeast's A.J. Love looking to resume career for USF

The USF football team began spring practice this week with a lot of questions needing to be answered.

Near the top of the list is receiver A.J. Love, who was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA after tearing his ACL in last year’s spring game.

The former Southeast High pass catcher figured to be one of USF’s top receivers last year and had people calling him a possible Big East first team selection.

It never happened but Love is back and coach Skip Holtz is hoping for big things from the 6-2, 205 pounder, particularly in the leadership department.

Love, who is a cousin of Southeast great Peter Warrick, will turn 24 before next season ends and Holtz is hoping that maturity will bring the kind of leadership he got last season from Mistral Raymond, the defensive back from Palmetto.

In 2009, Love tied for the team lead with four touchdown receptions and came on strong at the end of season the season. A big play receiver in high school his 18.8 yards per catch average in his junior year is the third highest in school history.

Southeast's Love awarded sixth season at USF

USF wide receiver A.J. Love, who missed all 12 games this season due to a knee injury, was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA on Monday.

The former Southeast High standout is expected to be back to full strength for the spring season in 2011.

"I was happy and excited to find out I'll be able to come back for another year and play with the guys," Love said. "It's an early Christmas gift. I had a lot of people helping me out including (Associate Director of Athletics/Compliance) Steve Horton and (Director of Sports Medicine) Steve Walz, so I'm just looking forward to getting back out on the field."

Love, who missed his true freshman year with a thumb injury, has played in 33 career games, making 65 catches for 970 yards and seven TDs. Last season, as a junior, Love posted 26 receptions for 489 yards and four TDs. He added 31 grabs for 370 yards and two TDs as a sophomore and eight catches for 111 yards and a TD as a redshirt freshman in 2007.

In addition to his play on the field, Love earned his degree in communications earlier this month and will begin work on a second bachelor's degree in mass communications this spring.

Bad luck continues to dog USF receivers

Just when you think things couldn’t get any worse for the USF receiving corps_ Well they do.

Colby Erskin, who has spent more time in rehab the past five years than on the football field is now out for the season again.

After being granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA, Erskin tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee for the fourth time in last Saturday’s practice. It’s the same knee he has had three previous surgeries on for tearing his ACL.

USF head coach Skip Holtz reportedly was very skeptical about allowing Erskin to play this season, but apparently gave into his wishes.

His injury is just the latest in a run of bad luck that has dogged the USF receiving corps this year. First A.J. Love tore his ACL in the spring game and then highly regarded Sterling Griffin broke his ankle. Both were starters and Love was being touted as one of the top receivers in the Big East Conference.

Carlton Mitchell opted to go to the NFL while three other receivers chose not to return to the team (Patrick Richardson, Ed Alcin and Jason Sherman).