USF guard Dominique Jones was honored as College Athlete of the Year by the Polk County Sports Hall of Fame, according to his hometown paper, the Lake Wales News.

-- I'll follow up on this, but the Panama City News Herald writes that USF is among the basketball programs interested in Paul Cooper, a 6-foot-8 power forward at Gulf Coast Community College. USF already has a pair of women's basketball commitments for next year from GCCC guards Andrea and Andrell Smith.

-- Fantasy college football? Athlon ranks USF's Mike Ford as the Big East's No. 4 running back, and you have to go clear down to No. 17 to find USF's Mo Plancher, with Jamar Taylor coming in at No. 20. I have to wonder about the value of ranking this many Big East running backs, but freshman Bradley Battles, though likely to redshirt, is No. 29 here. No love for Demetris Murray?

-- Bit of a rambling piece, but somebody at Rootzoo.com makes a case for a "Big Four" in Florida with USF joining the ranks. Then again, they write that "perhaps there is a need for change" at head coach, despite Jim Leavitt being largely responsible for the essential premise of the story. Just passing it along ...

-- Another Big East team makes the New York Times' countdown of all 120 Division I-A teams: Connecticut is No. 68. Coming off a 3-4 record and losing four players in the top 60 of the NFL Draft, I have to think the Huskies are due for a down year ... Louisville was No. 76, Syracuse No. 103.