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.

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).