I really don't like "frosh" in any instance, but it was the only way to get the headline on a single deck. No excuses. Sincere apologies. Here's tonight's football notes ...

TAMPA -- Don't rule out senior linebacker Kion Wilson, battling an ankle injury, from playing in Saturday's game at Connecticut just yet.

Linebackers coach David Blackwell said Wednesday that Wilson is improving and will likely be a gametime decision on Saturday, but if he can't go and true freshman Sam Barrington gets his first start at middle linebacker against the Huskies, Blackwell is excited about the potential.

"I have the ultimate confidence in him, there's no question," Blackwell said. "He's been ready. There's no doubt, if it comes to that."

USF coach Jim Leavitt went a step further, saying that Barrington -- with 31 tackles in 11 games -- is the best freshman linebacker the Bulls have seen.

"He's going to be our middle linebacker of the future, so this would be his first shot of really getting in there," Leavitt said. "He'll play better as time goes. He's played pretty good. He's a special guy, he really is. He's as good a freshman (linebacker) as we've ever had. That doesn't mean he'll be better than those guys in the end. It'll be interesting to see how he does."

USF was able to get in a normal practice before heavy rains hit campus Wednesday afternoon, but Leavitt said that could be a preview of Saturday, with temperatures expected in the high 30s with a chance of snow.

"We've had the worst weather every time we've gone up there," Leavitt said.