Former Gulf High quarterback Alton Voss, who abruptly left USF last summer after redshirting his first year on campus, appears headed back to the program as a walk-on.

Voss, who cited a lack of desire to continue playing football as his reason for leaving, has met with Bulls coach Jim Leavitt about returning to the team this fall. Robin Burge, the father figure who essentially raised Voss, said the former Bucs two-way standout could re-enroll for summer classes.

"He told me he's going to give 200 percent," Burge said. "He said, 'Leavitt's never seen me like he's going to see me. I'm going to be a wild man.' ... He wants to get back in the fray of things. He's biting at the bit."

Voss would have a chance to earn a scholarship if he moved up the depth chart; the Bulls will have redshirt freshmen B.J. Daniels and Evan Landi and true freshman Isaac Virgin as Matt Grothe's backups. But Burge said Voss' heart now is set on playing defense. At Gulf, he excelled at safety as well as quarterback.

Voss drove to California last month intending to enroll at College of the Sequoias, a top junior college, but the coach there said Voss had too many upper-level credits to be accepted into the program. Division I-AA Savannah State also has expressed very strong interest.

But Burge said Voss had settled on trying to ultimately reclaim his scholarship at the Division I level.

"He wants to play," Burge said. "He doesn't want to sit around anymore."

GREG AUMAN, JOEY KNIGHT