Carlton Hill to play at free safety

We've mentioned the possibility of it here a while back, but now it's official: Carlton Hill, back at USF after a season of junior college football, will play free safety for the Bulls this fall.

For months, coach Jim Leavitt has said two things about Hill: that he'd probably be back at quarterback, and that he'd take advantage of his redshirt season and not play this fall. But defensive coordinator Wally Burnham had talked to Hill about playing defense, and he said Friday that's where he'll line up this fall, saying the plan is for him not to redshirt.

"I'm excited about being a part of this defense," Hill said. "I know how dominating they've always been, and this was my decision. We have a very competitive group of defensive backs."

Hill, who has played receiver and quarterback, both at USF and last fall at Pearl River Community College, said he last played free safety with any regularity as a senior at Jefferson County High in Monticello. He has good size at 6-3, 220 pounds, and has certainly shown his athleticism.

Leavitt, talking on J.P. Peterson's afternoon radio show Friday on 1470 AM, said Hill's move to safety was made possible by his comfort level with his depth at quarterback, with Grant Gregory and Anthony Severino backing up sophomore Matt Grothe.

"It's good enough for us to take Carlton Hill, who went in and played quarterback a few times two years ago and showed he has a lot of athletic talent, we were able to move him to free safety," Leavitt said on 1470.

If you're counting, Hill is the third former quarterback now in USF's defensive secondary, with Louis Gachette and Nate Allen. That doesn't count Gregory and Courtney Denson, who dabbled as defensive backs before moving back to offense.

-- For those of you clamoring for USF's official site to publicize the current season ticket special -- two adult and two children's season tickets for $300 -- it's up as a splash ad when you visit the site now. And who better to advertise such a special than senior linebacker Ben Moffitt, who has two young children with his wife Shauna.

Comments

[Mark]

That makes three former HS QB's as safeties....C Hill, Nate Allen, and Gachette.

[Bullsfan]

I love the size of our safeties. Allen is the smallest at 6"2 around 200lbs. These guys are all huge andd can fly. i wouldn't want to be a receiver going across the middle on us.

[Brian R]

I don't get this. Why not redshirt him. He hasn't played safety since high school. Redshirt him and give him a year at the position. I personally thought Carlton Hill would be better used at WR in 2008 and 2009 after he redshirted in 2007. He has the size and speed to be a next level type receiver. However, he also has the talent to be a dominating safety. I rather see him redshirt and get a year of coaching at the position before wasting a year of eligibility. The loss of Verpeale may have contributed to this move.

[Dave]

I agree with Brian, Hill is best used with the ball in his hands. However, depth at safety is a concern due to the Verpeale loss, so hopefully Hill adapts quickly. I always thought of him as an offensive talent- how was he on defense in HS?

[Bob S.]

Dave and Brian,

Every time C. Hill had the ball in his hands he gave it to the other team.

[Dave]

I think that is something that is cured with experience- Grothe turns it over a lot, too, but we all expect him to fix that this year. If Carlton Hill is split out wide, what corner could force him to fumble? The fumble against WVU was caused by a DE or LB- very few QBs could hold on.
Make no mistake though, I'm not advocating him for QB, just WR.

I believe C. Hill would be more valuable on offense. The move to FS must be based on how his speed, hands and routing running ability stack up against the other WRs. He appears to have the ability to be a good possession reciever with his size, the key would be to have the hands and route running ablity to do that.

[BA]

C. Hill is one of those very rare athletes that can virtually any skill position on O and any position in the defensive backfield.

I would not be surprised if he goes both ways this year and see lots of action. Stay out of trouble and keep your grades up.

Go Bulls!

[CJ Harmon]

i was anxious to see him at receiver. i am sure that he would not be on defense if heh as not shown something very positive there.

[Al]

Greg,

It's hard to tell from that "splash ad" if it's for Bulls football tickets or for some kind of family season dining plan at Chick-fil-A.

If you click on it the page it links to doesn't have a single word about the $75 tickets.

[G.A.]

Al, it's just a sponsorship program, where the family package is branded with a family-themed USF advertiser. Having said that, I think I eat at least $75 at Chick-Fil-A in a given year, so I might have to look into that season dining plan.