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RECRUITS COULD SET STANDARD FOR USF

 
Published Feb. 6, 2008|Updated Feb. 15, 2008

Today could easily be the biggest day in the short history of USF's football recruiting.

Never before have so many high-level prospects had the Bulls on their final list of schools and waited until national signing day to announce their decisions.

So the Bulls already have a class ranked fifth in the Big East and around 56th nationally by both major recruiting sites. When the faxes are done rolling in today, this could be a top-40 class ranked among the Big East's best, arguably the best since the program's first game in 1997.

The biggest names in play for the Bulls are likely B.J. Daniels, a quarterback from Tallahassee, Tommy Streeter, a 6-foot-6 receiver from Miami, and Corey Liuget, a defensive lineman from Hialeah. All are rated four-star recruits by Rivals.com and/or Scout.com; USF already has commitments from three such prospects in linebacker Kion Wilson, who enrolled in January, and defensive end David Bedford and receiver Anthony Jones.

The Bulls aren't known for the late flurry, but that's what they could have today, potentially winning over athletes committed elsewhere, such as Liuget (Illinois) and Miami cornerback George Baker, who had been an Auburn commitment. They're in the mix for two Pinellas County stars, in Boca Ciega quarterback Orhian Johnson and Largo cornerback Leonard Johnson.

Guard Justin Green of Palm Beach Gardens will not sign with USF after his high school coach was told by USF that Green had not met academic requirements, the Palm Beach Post reported Tuesday. USF will hold a scholarship for Green, the Post reported.

USF is holding a Signing Day Party at Splitsville in Channelside from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Check the Times' USF blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf throughout the day today for updates on signings and notes on the newest Bulls.

SHIRTS APLENTY: USF's new deal to make Under Armour the "official outfitter" of its football, baseball, soccer, golf and tennis teams will pay the Bulls $1-million over five years, but the deal will also give the Bulls about $1.9-million in UA apparel, accessories and shoes by the end of the contract in January 2013.

Football gets $215,000 in gear, and the coaches get another $20,000 worth, and that doesn't count 1,000 shirts for USF's annual football camps, or 200 shirts for Jim Leavitt's annual golf outing. Even athletic director Doug Woolard gets $2,000 worth of UA products. Under Armour also will be the title sponsor for two USF softball tournaments, giving $70,000 in product over five years.

The apparel deal includes incentives should the Bulls play well enough to give UA a higher level of exposure: $25,000 for playing in a BCS game in football, which doubles to $50,000 if the Bulls make the national championship game and $100,000 total if they win a national title.

The deal does not cover basketball - USF's men are with Adidas, while the women wear Nike - but when those deals are up after the 2009-10 season, the agreement calls for USF to negotiate exclusively with UA.

THIS AND THAT: Baseball coach Lelo Prado wants to take his team to the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., and has moved in the walls at Red McEwen Field to match the dimensions of Rosenblatt Stadium, where the Series is played. The park is now 330 feet down the lines, in from 340, though centerfield will remain 400 feet. ... Giants linebacker Kawika Mitchell is the fourth former USF player to earn a Super Bowl ring, joining long-snapper Ryan Benjamin (Bucs), receiver Scott McCready (Patriots) and tackle Kenyatta Jones (Patriots).

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com and at (813) 226-3346. Check out his blog at blogs.sptimes.com/usf.