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Asiantii Woulard still considers USF
Despite the coaching change and his consideration of other schools quarterback Asiantii Woulard still has USF among his contenders.
Woolard on Big East defections: USF "remains very well positioned for national success"
The basketball-centric Catholic schools made it official Saturday, announcing plans to separate from the Big East's football schools. Those seven schools - DePaul, Georgetown, Marquette, Providence, St. John's, Seton Hall and Villanova - will leave on June 30, 2015, according to ESPN.com.
But while the once basketball tradition-rich Big East conference has taken a big blow, USF athletics director Doug Woolard appears confidence in those that remain. Woolard released a statement Saturday saying the conference has "13 strong members moving forward together" and "we will have an excellent league."
"The planned withdrawal of the seven Catholic institutions from the Big East Conference was certainly not unexpected, and we wish them the best moving forward," Woolard said. "The Big East model adopted in 1991 that encompassed both football and non-football playing members proved successful since its inception. This change, though, had been the subject of discussion for many years, and can now be viewed as part of the natural progression of conference realignment. ... Read more
Catholic schools announce Big East exit
The basketball-centric Catholic schools made it official Saturday, announcing plans to separate from the Big East's football schools. The Big East still plans a 12-team football league next fall, but the future is cloudy.
UConn AD says no plans for a new league
Connecticut athletic director Warde Manuel disputed a Sporting News report, saying his school and Cincinnati are not working on a plan for a new league: "We have not been in any discussion about creating another league with anyone," Manuel said Friday. "We're moving forward to strengthen the Big East with the teams that are committed to being in the Big East." The Hartford Courant story also has a spokesman for UConn president Susan Herbst denying an ESPN report that Herbst called the Catholic schools "pleading them to stay [in the Big East]."
Mike Aresco maintains optimism about Big East
Big East commissioner Mike Aresco talked to USA Today, trying to be optimistic about the Big East's future, but the best nugget in the story is that the league is considering distributing a big chunk of exit fee money to the existing full members, meaning USF could get a check for about $2 million.
What do swing-state polls have to do with the Big East?
You know this Big East situation is big when election prognostication guru Nate Silver weighs in. (Or maybe with the election over he's just bored.)
Sorting out Cosh's contract situation in USF coaching staff shuffle
New USF coach Willie Taggart decided to pretty much clean house when it came to Skip Holtz's staff, keeping only running backs coach Larry Scott.
Many of Holtz's old group could join him at his new gig at Louisiana Tech, as he's accepted the head coaching position there.
Now ex-defensive coordinator Chris Cosh does still have one year left on his deal with USF, however, so the school is on the hook to pay is $325,000 salary for 2013. That, of course, could change if Cosh gets a job elsewhere, with USF just paying the difference between the old and new salary.
Watch Skip Holtz at Louisiana Tech
Skip Holtz will be introduced as Louisiana Tech coach at a 5 p.m. Eastern news conference, which will be streamed live at www.LATechSports.com.
2013 BCS bid in jeopardy for Big East
Next year is the final year for the BCS before the playoff system takes effect, but Bill Hancock, the BCS executive director, told cbssports.com it's "premature and inappropriate" to determine whether the league will retain its automatic qualifier status in 2013 in the wake of wholesale changes to the league.
About the blog
South Florida Bulls fans, you've come to the right place: the USF Sports Bulletin blog. Tampa Bay Times sportswriter Greg Auman, who covers USF, will post news and thoughts on the Bulletin, and we invite your participation in the comments area.
Follow the Times' coverage of USF athletics on Twitter.
E-mail Greg Auman:auman@tampabay.com.
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