Lots of news and notes to share from USF's first media luncheon of the season -- little different format this year with no player access, but we were able to talk with assistants and Skip Holtz, with players available after tonight's practice.

First up, the ever-changing list of true freshmen expected to play got another tweak, as Holtz said that four freshmen are now locks to play -- running back Marcus Shaw, safety Mark Joyce, and two walk-ons: quarterback Bobby Eveld and receiver Stephen Bravo-Brown. It's curious that cornerback Terrence "T-Rex" Mitchell, who I'd have thought was most likely to take the field, is among four players Holtz said were "on the bubble," along with receiver Deonte Welch, tackle Quinterrius Eatmon and quarterback Jamius Gunsby.

The Mitchell deal could be entirely motivational -- if the Bulls were somehow able to redshirt him, it would say a lot about their confidence in the depth of the secondary, but I really think you'll see him on the field Saturday, if not on the opening kickoff. ... Read more

If he keeps up this pace, USF coach Skip Holtz won't have to do much recruiting at all in December and January. The Bulls have picked up two more commitments -- making 14 total, and nine since the start of July -- with the additions of linebacker Antoine Pozniak of East Syracuse, N.Y., and offensive lineman Brynjar Gudmundsson of Wellington, just west of West Palm Beach.

Let's start with pronunciations -- it's ANT-wan POZZ-nee-ak and BRIN-yar GUDD-mon-son, and thanks to their current coaches for the help there. Pozniak is perhaps the first sign of Holtz turning to one of his old East Carolina pipelines, as Pozniak, who will enroll at USF in January, is playing this fall at Oak Ridge Military Academy near Greensboro, N.C., a program where coach Otis Yelverton has two former players on the current ECU roster.

"Antoine has a great work ethic -- you don't have anyone down there who will work harder," Yelverton said. "He lives in the weight room. The guy is built like Tarzan, real cut up. He knows he has the opportunity of a lifetime to play for Skip Holtz at South Florida." ... Read more

Running back Marcus Shaw has been added to the list of true freshmen likely to play for the Bulls this season, as coach Skip Holtz said Monday that he's shown enough to be in the rotation for playing time.

"We've got a logjam," Holtz said on the Big East's weekly media teleconference. "Over the last two weeks, when you look at the job that (Bradley) Battles has done and (Demetris) Murray and even the young Marcus Shaw, they've put themselves in the mix. We've got four tailbacks that will all play and can all play. I look at four guys who are doing a nice job that all will play a role and I think all will play on Saturday." ... Read more

Sunday night's bad weather kept the Bulls from practicing, and pushed Skip Holtz's usual interview session from the practice fields to the cavernous Hall of Fame area of USF's main athletic facility -- he's making fun of the acoustics in the room in the opening seconds before he starts his comments. Holtz doesn't have much experience against a I-AA opponent like the Bulls will face Saturday in Stony Brook, but he said his team couldn't possibly overlook the Seawolves after months of waiting. ...