Poole remains solid Florda recruit despite media reports

Media reports that Brian Poole is opening up his recruitment because of last week's trip to Notre Dame are overblown and not realistic.

The Southeast High defensive back remains firmly committed to Florida and his mother said his heart has always been with the Gators.

Poole, rated the number one cornerback in the country by one recruiting website, said last summer that he planned to take all five recruiting trips allowed by the NCAA. His mother said Alabama could be his next visit.

He also has said every week that Florida is his first choice and that he regularly talks with Florida coaches, including head coach Will Muschamp.

Muschamp told Poole to be ready to make an impact next season. That is often seen as a recruting tool, but in this case it seems legitimate. The Gators have problems in the secondary and Poole already has the size and skills to work his way right into that secondary.

Some people might not like the idea that Poole is taking his visits though he has committed to Florida. But it's not his fault. If a school wants to pay his way to their campus because they still want a chance to "steal" him why shouldn't he go.

His mother said the trip she made to Notre Dame last weekend with his father was nice, but she didn't seem overly excited about it. Anything can happen, but it is highly unlikely Poole will not be wearing a Gators uniform next season.

Dick Vitale tribute nets needed dollars for cancer research

The V Foundation for Cancer Research and the New Jersey Friends of V, announced that two recent New Jersey events___the Inaugural Jimmy V New Jersey Dinner and the Duffy Alberta Charity Golf Classic, netted more than $100,000 for cancer research.

The Jimmy V New Jersey Dinner was dubbed “Welcome Home Dick Vitale” and honored the longtime supporter of The V Foundation and New Jersey native, Dick Vitale. It resulted in a bonanza of good will and much needed bucks for cancer research.

During the sold-out event, East Rutherford’s Mayor and Vitale’s former player, Jim Cassella, announced that an East Rutherford playground and basketball court will be named in Vitale’s honor.

“I was in awe and emotionally touched when I discovered that the basketball courts and playground in East Rutherford would be named in my honor,” said Vitale. “I’m also very excited about The V Foundation’s emerging presence in New Jersey and I’m optimistic about ongoing fundraising efforts in my home town.”

The Duffy Alberta Charity Golf Classic was held in Haworth, New Jersey, on October 10^th to honor Charles “Duffy” Alberta, one of Vitale’s former players who passed away in January following a battle with cancer. This event was held in conjunction with the “Welcome Home Dick Vitale” event.

"The Duffy Alberta Charity Golf Classic has given us the opportunity to honor my dad’s legacy while raising much needed research dollars to help families touched by this terrible disease,” said Chris Alberta, Duffy’s son. “By designating the proceeds from our event to The V Foundation, we pay tribute to Dick for his impact on my dad’s life and his own passion for eradicating pediatric cancer."

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.

Brian Poole visits Notre Dame, but don't expect him to switch from Florida

Brian Poole visited Notre Dame this past weekend, but don't expect him to flip from his commitment to Florida to the Fighting Irish.

It was the second time the Southeast High star visited Notre Dame in two years. His visit last year as a junior was unofficial and this time his parents came with him leading some to speculate he might change his mind.

Anything is possible and his dad, Brian Poole Sr., told the media that nothing is basically etched in stone.

Poole, who is expected to play cornerback next season, has steadfastly maintained two objectives; that he is committed to Florida and that he is going to take all of his five visits.

He was at the Florida-Alabama game and has been in regular touch with Gators head coach Will Muschamp.

Muschamp has told Poole to be ready to play next year and make an impact. The 5-11, 190 pounder already has the size to play defensive back in the SEC and his speed is off the charts.

As his dad said anything is possible, but it's highly unlikely Poole will change his mind. Week in and week out he has said he wants to be a Gator and knows he could step on the field early at Florida.

One person rooting for Poole to choose Notre Dame is ESPN super guru basketball analyst Dick Vitale, who is close to the school where his daughters played tennis and his son-in-law was a quarterback.

Tee Shepard and Ronald Darby, two cornerbacks, have verbally committed to Notre Dame. Darby is taking other visits while it is said Shepard could move to safety, a position Poole can also play.

Lenita Williams, Brian's mother, said the trip to Notre Dame went well and that they were impressed with the football program's high graduation rate. She made the trip with Brian and his dad.

She said Brian is considering taking other visits and has mentioned Alabama as a likely place, but says her son's heart is with the Gators.

Should Skip Holtz seek out Michigan State for advice on penalty woes

Should USF head football coach Skip Holtz contact Michigan State's Mark Dantonio for advice on how to get out of a penalty funk.

In its last two games (both losses), USF committed 19 penalties for 198 yards. The worst came Saturday when the Bulls were flagged 10 times for 109 yards in a heartbreaking 37-34 loss to Cincinnati.

Michigan State had similar penalty problems, but in the Spartans 37-31 victory over Wisconsin Saturday night they were perfect in the discipline department and did not receive one penalty, which is rare as a Florida snowfall.

The previous week Michigan State was whistled 13 times for penalties totaling 124 yards against Michigan and even had a player, William Gholston, suspended for punching a player.

USF's Darrell Scott seeks redemption against Cincinnati

After Connecticut turned his fumble into the deciding points in a tough loss last week Darrell Scott wanted redemption.

The junior running back never got it. He was pulled him from the game and never returned.

It was a tough pill to swallow for Scott, who has added a new dimension to the University of South Florida running game that has been stagnant the last few years.

Scott was disappointed, but not angry. He knows redemption is a process and has already gotten quite a bit of it by winning a starting job.

The California product was the country’s most ballyhooed high school player when he signed with Colorado. He later was often referred to as the number one bust in the national recruiting Class of 2008.

Criticism seemed to follow him like a shadow even as recent as last summer when some questioned how he could carry 240 pounds on his six-foot-one inch frame.

A likeable, personable individual, Scott took everything in without a complaint and to his credit worked hard on the scout teams last year after he transferred to USF.

Skeptics rightfully questioned what his 146 rushing yard performance really meant against over matched FAMU earlier this season. But he seemed to be on the verge of realizing his promise with a solid 12 carry 76 yard performance at Pittsburgh.

He had 58 yards on 13 carries against Connecticut when his fumble about midway through the third quarter was returned for a 10 yard touchdown and gave UConn what proved to be the deciding points. He was exiled to the bench for the remainder of the game.

Scott said his fumble lost the game though there was plenty of blame to go around with three other turnovers, numerous failed third down conversion attempts and failure to score a point after five trips inside the UConn 35.

“My mistake was crucial so that is why I put it on my shoulders,” Scott said. “I definitely wanted to go back in because I wanted to redeem myself. I didn’t ask. It is the coach’s decision and I just had to ride the wave. Things didn’t pan out the way I wanted and I just had to clear my head after the game.”

Scott said the fumbles at Pittsburgh and Connecticut were the only two of his collegiate career and he just wants to move forward.

USF head coach Skip Holtz intimated that all is forgotten with Scott and that his playing time won’t be reduced.

“We don’t have a doghouse. Darrell played 50 plays in that game and on 48 you would give him a double plus grading,” Holtz said. “His understanding of the blocking schemes is getter better and he is hitting people and falling forward with all that power. We have two talented backs with him and Demetris Murray. We will continue to preach ball security and they will both continue to play.”

Scott believes he is not close to his potential and has a few things he needs to work on along with protecting the ball. He wants to be that break-away runner again that wooed so many college scouts when he was in high school.

“I don’t feel that I am there yet. I can definitely improve on my open field moves,” Scott said. “On the fumble, I didn’t tuck it all the way and somebody from the side or behind me poked it out. But I can’t let it bother me. If you do that it will put doubt in your mind when you get to the line of scrimmage and hesitate and that will mess up your game.”

With some family and friends living in Tampa, Scott feels he has finally found the right place to let his talents blossom. He believes the Bulls offense is the perfect fit for his style of running.

“A big thing for me now is that I am real comfortable with this offense, which is better suited for me and I am healthy compared to when I was at Colorado,” Scott said. “I am very confident with our offensive linemen; that if one of them is supposed to go off and get the linebacker I know he will do that. I can trust in that and do what I have to do, which is hit the hole fast.”

“Right now we are really trying to stay focused because we know these fans want us to win. We want to make our fans happy, but ultimately we want to make ourselves happy.”

Florida commit Brian Poole has Oscar winning night for Seminoles

Southeast super star and Florida commit Brian Poole "only played" six positions in his team's double overtime victory over Sarasota Riverview Friday night.

But Poole showed why Florida head coach Will Muschamp can't wait to get him to Gainesville next season and has been telling him to get ready to play immediately.

Poole scored four touchdowns and accounted for both of the Seminoles touchdowns in overtime throwing a 10 yard scoring strike in the first overtime and running for an eight yard touchdown, which accounted for the winning points in the second overtime.

Besides those heroics, Poole returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown and scored on a 50 yard run on his team's second offensive play of the game.

The senior capped off his big night, but knocking away a pass in the endzone in the second overtime to end the game.