The South Florida Bulls enter Conference USA with unfounded optimism of being able to compete immediately.   There were high hopes in Tampa with the hiring of Coach Bobby Paschal and the building of a brand new arena (the aptly named Sun Dome) after bouncing around high schools and small venues for their entire brief history.  The plan is that the Bulls could at least get into the upper half of the conference and go from there.  That seems like a pipe dream in this super league but you have to have dreams and in Florida they dream big! 

The Sunshine State has many opportunities for just about everything and sports is one of them with their perfect climate (well except for Hurricane season).  Speaking of Hurricanes, the one team the Bulls did not get to play in the past is from across the boot in Miami.  The boys from ‘the other bay’ are like one step ahead of the Bulls in jumping up conferences primarily based on their phenomenal football program.  The Bulls are actually starting one of those too (you kind of have to in Florida) but the Hurricanes like the brash bunch they are have decided not to give this new program the chance to build a natural rivalry.  And why would they as this group are just babes in the woods who got a lucky break getting asked to join this super league while the Hurricanes had to work their way up after being an independent on their own in South Florida for so many years.  That is all going to change now as the Hurricanes are now on the Bulls schedule as are six other sunshine state schools as well as primary rival Central Florida, who is also joining the big time!  Yes, the even bigger University (talk about commuter school) from Orlando is joining CUSA as an easy mark and marketing for the huge (in area for sure) new league.  Nobody wants to be that team but both of these schools just do not have the pedigree or talent to compete at this level.  Yet!

Still, Coach Paschal does have some players and this brash new coach is known for recruiting and to say it is going to be easier to bring kids in to Tampa when their rivals are DePaul, Louisville and Cincinnati would be an understatement of biblical proportions.  Speaking of DePaul, they were the deciding vote of whether or not the ‘Bulls’ would be invited and there must have been some kind of deal made as the Chicago based team quietly changed their nickname soon after being accepted! 

Sophomore Charlie Bradley is the primary scoring option returning for the Bulls.  Bradley is a smooth as silk lefty who has a great stroke that extends well into the three point range.  Bradley can get to the hoop but is best when rising up for one of his patented jumpers.  The local kid done well has the ability to get by opponents and is one of the best wings in the sunshine state.  This slender six five wing knows how to play the game and though he is counted on to be the primary scorer he is an asset at all parts of the team.  Bradley might not be a star on some of the other teams in this conference but there is no doubt he would play and be a key ingredient to their overall success.  Here he is the main ingredient and when he is playing it looks like everyone trying to defend him ‘plays the fool.’ He is the best of all the Bulls and had one of the best freshman seasons in the country.  He is one bad mana jamma. 

Bradley came in as the only given on this team and Paschal had his hands full trying to find some players to complement his smooth wing.  His sidekick in crime soon became Freshman super stud Dominque Jones.  Jones from Lakes Wales is a tremendous athlete who can flat play.  Jones can score both inside and out and is one of the most talented combo guards in the conference.  He can rebound and distribute and can really defend.  He may not be the shooter of Bradley but he is every bit as good of a scorer.  Rose is regretting not getting this kid into the lineup until a few games had passed.  Oh well he showed he has the game and he should be something special in Tampa for the next three years. 

Another breakthrough player was freshman point guard Chucky Atkins.  The kid came right out of Disneyworld to take Tampa by storm.  Chucky can score and distribute and has a great motor.  Atkins does not look like he has the game to compete at this level but he does.  His biggest strength is his ability to get to the hoop but he has surprisingly good range from the perimeter.  He may not be Nick the Quick from the perimeter but be can shoot.  Atkins is also tough on defense and is a tough matchup for anyone as though he is only five eleven he has the tenacity and toughness to guard bigger point guards.  He combined with Jones and Bradley to give the Bulls a formidable perimeter game for Conference USA foes.  Maybe not at the level of a Marquette or Cincinnati but every bit as good as most of the rest of the teams in this Super conference. 

The front line for the Bulls was not quite as impressive.  They did have a few guys that fit their nickname to a T.  Sophomores Jim Grandison and Curtis Kitchen and Freshmen Gary Alexander, Hakim Shahid and Solomon Jones are true Bulls who love to pack it in the paint.  All are great board men and can really throw their weight around.  None of this quartet had much of an offensive game however and Paschal was looking for someone who could become an offensive weapon down low.  He rotated freely throughout the season trying to find the right guy down in the blocks to complement their solid backcourt.  The sophomores, Grandholm and Kitchen, began the season as the starters and the one thing they can do is take up space in the paint.  Grandholm is a seven footer who goes about 245 but had some limitations though size wasn’t one of them.  Kitchen (enter a cute nickname here) takes up more space (six nine 235) than a wait for it ‘kitchen sink’ and will set a screen that Wes Unseld would be proud of.  Kitchen however does not get off the ground much and does not shoot outside of about three feet.  Alexander may have been best suited of this group as he can really jump through the roof but he does not have a complete low post game and had some injury issues after being ineligible to start the season due to proposition 48.  He had one huge game against his home town Dolphins from Jacksonville when he scored 18 with 14 boards and three thunder dunks to lead the upset over Artis Gilmore and company.  He could be the answer but Paschal wanted more consistency.  BB Walden is another freshman who got some big minutes as the season progressed and is Mr. Consistent.  He is not a complete low post player yet but is developing and has the best chance of being the main guy on the blocks next year.  He is not quite as thick as some of his teammates but he is a good scorer who works hard and defends bigger guys well and works hard every night.  BB is well-liked by his teammates because he knows what it takes to get better!  And he is willing to do the work.  Jones barely played but he has some upside as he can really defend but his offense is a definite work in progress.  The kid with the most upside is Freshman Kentrell Gransberry who is the ultimate brahma on the team.  He really came on the last ten games and battled some big time players very well.  He has the size (and then some at six nine 270) and the game to really be something special.  Too bad he missed so much time this year because when he did play he was monstrous.  His dominance of Southern Miss led to their first win of the year and he played Hot Rod Williams to a push in their win versus Tulane.  He could be the man in Tampa at least down low next year. 

The best offensive weapon up front was another Freshman in Altron Jackson.  Jackson was also a slasher and loved getting to the hoop.  He loved coming off the bench for instant offense.  He is one of the best and most efficient scorers in the league.  Jackson has proven that you can make impact without eating up huge minutes but was stuck behind Bradley on the depth chart. The Bulls did not miss at the three with either stud on the court at least offensively.  Another solid option for the Bulls off the bench is Freshman combo guard Radenko Dobras.  This Yugoslavian kid decided not to go to Kansas (he chose South Florida sight unseen) and it was a gift to the Bulls.  He has the size at six seven to post up smaller guards and the quickness to beat bigger players.  He can pass and he can really shoot.  He ended up averaging double digits and gave the Tampa fans the kind of European style game they had not seen before.  Hopefully he stays in the states as the fans love him and he has a bright future with a great all-around game.  Sophomore Tony Grier was of the same ilk but lost time on the court as the season progressed to these other two.  The Bulls were in good hands with Jackson, Grier and Dobras coming off the bench.  Atkins had some solid backups as well primarily Dobras and Jones but Paschal did have another kid pushing for minutes after a great JV start.  First year player Reggie Kohn did not get much time but he showed well when he did.  Kohn is a terrific shooter from long range and can really pass.  He needs to get a little better defensively but he is solid backup who hit some big shots.   Derrick Sharp and Anthony Collins got some time but mainly split the JV job but could push Kohn for time next year. 

The South Florida Bulls had high expectations entering this new season in the tough and underrated Conference USA.  They had a new coach, a new arena and some rabid fans to heat up the Tampa nights.  Bobby Paschal has some young talent (maybe not as much as Louisiana-Lafayette which he just left) and will improve as the grow.  These colleges that have sprung up around burgeoning cities do have growing pains and Tampa is no different. The Bulls already have a great group of back court players who are young and improving daily.  Now if they can find some post players who can do more than rebound and they might go somewhere.  Of course when you are banging with Unseld and Cornbread and Mikan and Lucas you better have some low post moves or the ball is coming back atcha.  If they were playing in the Sun Belt that stuff might fly but in the C-USA it is just waiting to be put somewhere over the Rainbow.   Of course when most of your entire team is Underclassmen there is a lot of room to improve.  And grow.  Paschal and the Bulls this was not going to be easy but they had no idea they would finish dead last even in this new super conference.  Oh well there is next year and a solid group of players ready to challenge these great programs that have founded this conference for as long as they will have the Bulls around?  After all being in South Florida might have got them on the bus but it for sure did not reserve them a seat at the front!