We've mentioned the possibility of it here a while back, but now it's official: Carlton Hill, back at USF after a season of junior college football, will play free safety for the Bulls this fall.

For months, coach Jim Leavitt has said two things about Hill: that he'd probably be back at quarterback, and that he'd take advantage of his redshirt season and not play this fall. But defensive coordinator Wally Burnham had talked to Hill about playing defense, and he said Friday that's where he'll line up this fall, saying the plan is for him not to redshirt.

"I'm excited about being a part of this defense," Hill said. "I know how dominating they've always been, and this was my decision. We have a very competitive group of defensive backs."

Hill, who has played receiver and quarterback, both at USF and last fall at Pearl River Community College, said he last played free safety with any regularity as a senior at Jefferson County High in Monticello. He has good size at 6-3, 220 pounds, and has certainly shown his athleticism.

Leavitt, talking on J.P. Peterson's afternoon radio show Friday on 1470 AM, said Hill's move to safety was made possible by his comfort level with his depth at quarterback, with Grant Gregory and Anthony Severino backing up sophomore Matt Grothe.

"It's good enough for us to take Carlton Hill, who went in and played quarterback a few times two years ago and showed he has a lot of athletic talent, we were able to move him to free safety," Leavitt said on 1470.

If you're counting, Hill is the third former quarterback now in USF's defensive secondary, with Louis Gachette and Nate Allen. That doesn't count Gregory and Courtney Denson, who dabbled as defensive backs before moving back to offense.

-- For those of you clamoring for USF's official site to publicize the current season ticket special -- two adult and two children's season tickets for $300 -- it's up as a splash ad when you visit the site now. And who better to advertise such a special than senior linebacker Ben Moffitt, who has two young children with his wife Shauna.