Jim Leavitt vehemently disagreed with Nick Saban’s remark that USF’s quick success is because the Bulls have lesser academic standards.

Read the full story.

What do you think about admissions standards for football players at state schools?

I think Coach Saban has a major case of sour grapes.

Well, I think the fact that their called the “Bulls” is very appropriate.  Since they’re using players who couldn’t even get into FSU (not the best of schools) the fact that their calling themselves a college football team is a lot of Bull (as in bullony).

These kids can get into FSU, they could get into UF. It’s not the requirements that get’s kids into school. It’s the coaches. And Ken, why hate on our team? You just made cuz your “Tide” rolled off to a 3-2 record.. Poor baby...Guess Saban wasn’t the proclaimed savior he was supposed to be...Mike Ford wasn’t eligible to go to Alabama so instead he went to a Juco school to get his grades up. Oh and you tried to get or starting CB Mike Jenkins, but he turned you down. Guess he likes women with more teeth than you do....

Ken your an idiot.  Have a reasonable take at least.  Must be an obsessed UCF fan.

Nicky the Slicky Saban - 05 October 2007 09:54 AM

Ken your an idiot.  Have a reasonable take at least.  Must be an obsessed UCF fan.

I’ll agree that Ken is an idiot, but his spelling skills lead me to believe that he went to Alabama, not UCF.

I stand corrected.  It’s somewhat difficult “fishin” out the whereabouts of bloggers.

For starters, Nick Saban and Alabama are not direct competitors with the USG Bulls.  Therefore, I believe that Nick Saban’s comments were not from heated emotions such as would accompany a big game.  Rather, I believe that Nick Saban’s comments were well thought out and that Leavitt’s comments are the defensive strategies of someone who’s guilty (i.e. of taking academically ineligible players). 

If they have been taking players who tried to get into more traditional football schools, but couldn’t, it would seem that at best, the playing field is not level, and at worst, this is not a legitimate college team.  If this is true, and it seems that it is, it also seems that the mascot “Bull” fits this team very well… and the pun was intended.  It seems that these little start up schools have no shame… especially in Florida.

Hal, it is USF not USG. Also, it is obvious you have no clue what you are talking about; “Guilty of taking academically ineligible players”, “playing field is not level”, “not a legitimate college team”? And then you follow this up by saying “if this is true”? Come on Hal, the only “Bull” that you have knowledge on is what is coming from your mouth… and the pun was intended. By the way Hal, USF (not USG) is far from a “little start up school.

I noticed that the USF folks are ready to behead people who criticizes their football program’s admissions allowances (oh, excuse me… I meant admissions policies), whether it’s Nick Saban, Ken, me or anyone else.  The response is to show animosity toward anyone who isn’t on their side.  Some desperate person accused Nick Saban of sour grapes.  But how often did this intelligent man say something sour when he lost games at LSU?  (Success there didn’t come immediately.)

I will say this.  I’m not an Alabama fan.  I didn’t attend that school.  I’m not really much of an LSU tiger fan, or a Gator fan or a Seminole fan either.  I’m a truth fan.  And I would love to see the NCAA investigate the USF Bull program.  If they’ve got nothing to hide, Bull fans shouldn’t mind.  In fact, I’m going to write the NCAA to ask them to look into the Bull’s recruiting practices.  I’ll tell you this, when the Gator’s suddenly got really good in the early 80’s, that was suspicious too.  The NCAA looked into it and the result was probation.  I think something here seems amiss as well.

Hal, your reference to “beheading” is quite comical. Your problem is that you do not know the difference between “criticism” and responding to false allegations.

There is no “animosity” or “sour grapes” in our response, they are proud statements directed to individuals who suddenly are experts on the subject due to a comment from a public figure.

I hope the NCAA does investigate our recruiting practices because the outcome would quiet individuals like you who resent the achievements of the USF Bulls program over the past 11 years.

Despite the fact that I am a USF alumnus and a die hard Bulls fan, the Auburn and West Virginia games were close. Had the Bulls lost closely despite playing a great game, all this uproar would not have come about. Nobody would have cared about academic standards or recruiting practices. Had t all the traditional schools not lost the games they were favored to win, the Bulls would not have broke the top ten. Again nobody would have cared. Just 3 weeks ago, the Bulls beat Auburn and were still ranked behind them in one poll. Again nobody cared. I suspect Saban took some heat from the Alabama boosters about losing to FSU(what did I get for my millons) and had to take it out on somebody. It would have been sacrilegous to take a shot at Bobby Bowden , so Jim Leavitt and the Bulls were the next in line. If we going to follow the line of thought as some of the critics, then Appalachian State should be investigated along with the Bulls. A good friend told me something a long time ago-” If you dont have anything good to say , just dont say anything”

I have to agree with Lou. Had the Bulls lost to Auburn and WVU no one would be saying anything about the program. Saban is taking shots at Leavitt because he knows that Bama wanted him for their head coaching position. Bama offered Leavitt the job on two seperate occasions. Leavitt turned them down. Why would Leavitt turn down Bama? Because at Bama he’d be just another coach. At USF he has a legacy as the father of the program. He has an aura at USF similar to what Spurrier had at UF and Bobby Bowden has a FSU. He built the program from the ground up, he gets paid very well and the program is growing by leaps and bounds. The wins this program has put up over the years has made it more attractive to recruits. Especially recruits in Florida who might have chosen to go out of state. I think schools like Bama dont like it when kids they target in recruiting turn them down to go to USF or another such school. I think USF is doing things right and I think they have a clean program. Leavitt doesnt seem to be the type to skirt the rules and I am fairly sure that USFs admissions standards are on par with other colleges of their size.

steveo420 - 04 October 2007 02:43 PM

These kids can get into FSU, they could get into UF. It’s not the requirements that get’s kids into school. It’s the coaches. And Ken, why hate on our team? You just made cuz your “Tide” rolled off to a 3-2 record.. Poor baby...Guess Saban wasn’t the proclaimed savior he was supposed to be...Mike Ford wasn’t eligible to go to Alabama so instead he went to a Juco school to get his grades up. Oh and you tried to get or starting CB Mike Jenkins, but he turned you down. Guess he likes women with more teeth than you do....

Information can sometimes be a scary thing.  According to the NCAA website where academic statistics are kept (Google it), Alabama ranks 204th in the nation for football player graduation with a rate of 44%.  USF graduates 61% - well above the national average.  Apparently all those MENSA players Alabama recruits don’t really need a degree after their four years of football.

I think Saban’s just ticked off because he lost two quality players to USF! This team has worked too hard for some jackass to go shooting off his mouth about something that shouldn’t even concern him. Why is he even giving his thoughts on USF’s football program? He’s angry because he lost 2 players that would be making key contributions to his team this year. I think he’s a horrible coach anyway! He won at LSU because they’ve been bringing in quality players for years. And guess what? They’re still doing it without him. He went to the Miami Dolphins and showed just how lousy he was by losing way too many games, never making and decent attempt at creating a roster that could have been competitive, and then bolting the first chance he got!! He even went as far as to say that he was commited to staying at Miami. Then he saw the situation at Alabama (all the money they offered him) and hit the door running! So, to Nick Saban: JUST SHUT UP YOU JACKASS!!!!

I’ve been fortunate enough to be in classes with a good number of these young men in the past two years.  They show up for class, take the same tests and contribute intelligent, polite commentary. 

I’ve noticed that since USF has finally received the recognition that this program really deserves, we’ve just become a larger target for those who aren’t at our level....  by the way… where’s Rutgers this year??  Anyone see them?  Weren’t there discussions of ‘over-rated’, ‘investigate the admissions’...etc… when they were sitting in the catbird seat last year?

Jealousy and envy are such a poor waste of emotion.

GO BULLS!