Gators TE Pupello to transfer to USF

Tight end Trent Pupello, who played sparingly in two games at Florida, is returning home to Tampa and will transfer to USF in January, his father Joe said Wednesday.

Pupello, rated as a four-star recruit out of Jefferson High two years ago by Rivals.com, will sit out the 2008 season and have two years of eligibility remaining. His father said he was transferring because of a "private family matter" and was leaving on amicable terms with Gators coach Urban Meyer.

"Trent has always had a high regard for Coach (Jim) Leavitt and the University of South Florida," Pupello said. "He felt like this would be his best move."

Pupello, listed at 6-foot-2 and 276 pounds on UF's official roster, will sign a grant-in-aid with USF on Friday and will be able to practice with the Bulls this spring. Tight end is a relatively thin position for the Bulls, with junior Cedric Hill and sophomore Ben Busbee getting most of the snaps this year and seldom-used reserves Andrew Ketchel and Shane McElwain also on scholarship. Pupello redshirted his first year in Gainesville and saw limited action this season in lopsided wins against Troy and Florida Atlantic. The Gators considered using him at defensive end, but he'll play tight end at USF.

Unless USF has players graduating in December, the Bulls appear to be maxed out on scholarships for this spring, with former signees Charlton Sinclair and Craig Marshall expected to enroll in January, as well as linebacker Kion Wilson of Pearl River Community College. Three of those four new Bulls will count toward USF's 2008 recruiting class, which is limited to 25 players by NCAA rules.

Comments

[Dave W]

We have a lot of TEs coming in according to Scout. Anyways, if they want to move to more 2 TE sets, this can't hurt. Any chance of a hardship waiver?

On the scholarship thing, that means that for the Spring we're out, but we can still sign players for Fall 08, right?

wait were limited to only 25 recruits? so we only have room for 7 more???

[JR]

wait were limited to only 25 recruits? so we only have room for 7 more???

[Anhvu Nguyen]

Greg,

What about former Florida running back Chevon Walker? He just left Florida and the school paper said he was considering USF. Also, Jarrod Fayson just left Florida and it is reported that he cannot transfer to another Florida School. Why is that? He would fit in well here since he is from Tampa.

[JL]

So far we are tied with Akron...NCAA soccer!

Go Bulls!!

Make a Goooooooool!

Listening on the radio! You gotta thank Al Gore for inventing the internet! And for flying in his private plane to help with Global Warming!!!

Sorry, had to get political for a second...

http://www.sportsradio1350.com/pages/listen_live.html

[WhatNoExemption]

Someone at USF needs to get back to work and call the NCAA, I like that we have not lost a request. Come on USF.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

CJL has mentioned in the past how he kinda feels bad for these kids transfering in from big programs, because most of the time they aren't better than the kids who are already there.

I suspect Busby has been waiting along time to secure the starting TE job -- I find it hard to believe that he is going to relinquish it to some transfer.

Good luck with the playing time Mr. Transfer.

I love how people think they can just transfer in here and play. We were the #2 ranked team in the country that beat an Auburn team that Florida lost to.

We aren't that bad.

[JL]

On a different note...

What is up with this USF hockey team???

http://www.icebulls.org/pages/2.html

[JL]

Good point Ari. I am sure this kid is good, and hopefully the "family issues" get resolved for him quickly.

However, the kids we currently have are good as well an we should not get all excited because someone transfers from UF.

[Brian]

I am personally tired of these transfers. We haven't had much success with them. If a guy can't play for UF then why do we think he will play for us? We only get two years out of him and have to put him on scholarship for a third year because of transfer rules. What a waste of a scholarship. McKenzie made sense. You don't get too many All Big 12 linebackers asking to transfer to you. A kid riding the pine at UF will probably ride the pine at USF. We are better off getting a JUCO with 2 years left that has proven himself at the JUCO level which is better than high school.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Yeah -- i am just a little tired of the transfers. I think McKenzie is the only one that has really worked out that well lately. Kwaki Mitchell was a stud, but that was before we were really that good.

I think we have risen to the point where transfers actually hurt us a bit. Brian brings up a good point... A transfer takes away a scholarship from a possible freshmen recruit.

The only guy that should be taking transfers at this point is Stan Heath.

We are a pretty big time program right now.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

How about the Men's Soccer Team..

GO Bulls!

1-0 victory over Akron in the 2nd round of the NCAA tourny..

Awesome.

[Tom]

I hope this kid doesn't think he can just transfer from UF and get playing time. Like so many of our transfers, they could've come here as freshman. This trend should be ending now that we will begin stockpiling talent. I didn't know it was that LONG of a drive to Tampa from Gainesville. He better be legit or he will be riding the pine or switching over to the O-Line.

[Tom]

One thing to add, does the freshman sensation (A. Hernandez TE) at UF have anything to do with this?

[Sanjay]

Greg, including Pupello, Kion Wilson, Sinclair and Marshall I only count 20 commits for next year. What 5 scholarships am I missing or do you have commits that no one else knows?

[G.A.]

Sanjay, I wasn't saying the class was at 25; I'm saying USF can't sign more than 25 initial scholarships in the same year, and 3 of the 4 in January count toward the fall class. USF might sign 30 on signing day, but only 22 of them can accept scholarships starting in fall 2008.

[Al Gore]

I never said that I invented the internet; I said that I helped push funding so scientists could build the internet.

I guess I should have pushed for more funding to educate stupid conservatives who believe every smear campaign from talk radio blow hards.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Greg -- where is the post on the Men's soccer team..

Big win today.

[Adam]

Other transfers...

Mike Ford and Jamar Taylor have been huge for us this season. The Elon game wasn't over until Ford started pounding the ball.

Jamar had a huge TD against WVU.

I am all for giving the guys here an edge in the battle, but if he can come in and help us, I am all for him having a shot to play as well.

No offense to anyone we have, but I am fairly certain that we don't have anyone over 3 stars on our offense execept Ford (not that I am a big believer in the star system). Adding that kind of talent could be huge for us. Cedric Hill has had a great season, and I see him being involved even more next year, we are starting to use the TEs, so having a reliable receiver that can get open is huge.

[JL]

"I never said that I invented the internet; I said that I helped push funding so scientists could build the internet."

ha
haha
hahahahha
hahhahahahahahahha

Easy the Scientist Gore...don't get all flustered. I know what you meant when you told Wolf Blitzer:

"During my service in the United States Congress, I took the initiative in creating the Internet. I took the initiative in moving forward a whole range of initiatives that have proven to be important to our country's economic growth and environmental protection, improvements in our educational system."

[JL]

Anyway, this is a sports blog!!

I love the reaction of all the liberals!

Oh wait, I will turn off my computer, because my carbon footprint is becoming a crater!

[Sanjay]

Greg thanks for the clarification.

Adam, off the top of my head - Carlton Mitchell, Edner Alcin, Jason Sherman, Jake Griffin and Jamar Taylor all were 3 stars. I think Walter Walker was as well.

[G.A.]

Ari, had a post on soccer when they went to OT, another when they won. And led the weekly notes with soccer Wednesday. You looking before you post?

[TdT]

Does USF decide which of those 22 players recieve the scholarships and which do not, or does it work in order of the time the players commited? So like can USF give all of the scholarships to the best players and leave the okay ones without scholarships, or do they not have that choice?

[Dave]

I think there may be some walk ons that deserve a scholarship before handing them out to transfers. They have been here helping this team get to where they are. One that comes to mind that has been here for going on 3 years is Houston Hess, and I believe he has been a big part of special teams. Greg you have always reported well on the walk on situation can you give some insight on this?

[steve oneal]

Ari you just can't seem to make up your mind. You talk about not wanting or needing any transfers and I just notice on UF blog here you say come on down mr fayson. We would dance in the streets for you. Which is it, take transfers or don't take transfers? You definitely dispel the stereotype of women not being able to make up their minds. You flipflop more than a politician. GO BULLS!

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Jareed Fayson is a totally different animal.

The guy is sick. Just absurd. I don't know why he can't find his way on to the field at UF.

They were even using him as a RB some last year. The kid is nasty.

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Greg,

You were right, there was a soccer post up when I complained. I don't know why I didn't see it.

My apologies.

[G.A.]

Having more commits -- or signees -- than scholarships is a delicate process. Coaches have to anticipate some kids not qualifying, but if they overbook and more kids than expected make grades, they have to find kids who are willing to defer their enrollment to the following January, where they can count toward the next year's class.

They call it "greyshirting," and USF points out that a greyshirt gets 5.5 years on scholarship instead of 5, and has a spring to adjust to college life before having to juggle daily football practice with their courseload. I don't believe they give the scholarships out in the order received; it's more a matter of finding out which kids were content to redshirt and are OK waiting a half-year to start their college life as as student.

As far as walk-ons getting a scholarship, USF is right up against the 85 limit right now -- they haven't really been this close in the last few years, so they're less likely to enter fall with available scholarships. Walk-on kicker Justin Teachey went on scholarship this fall, but he's the only one I'm aware of, after as many as eight walk-ons going on scholarship in 2006.

As a general rule, it's in USF's best interests to wait until a walk-on is in his third year in the program to award him a scholarship; then he counts toward the 85 total limit, but not toward the maximum of 25 initial scholarships in a given year (impacting the max for signing day). There are already several walk-ons who earned scholarships that way, such as Jared Carnes, Jamaal Jenkins, Teachey and Colby Erskin. Not sure who the next would be -- many times, it's easier to do that for a senior, where the scholarship is only tied up for one year and then is available again.

Hess was limited by injuries some this season, so he didn't seem to have quite the impact he did on special teams a year ago. Long-snapper Eric Setser is probably the walk-on filling the biggest role on the field right now as a second-year starter, but other guys who made it on the field consistently as walk-ons this year were defensive end Matt Aycox, tight end Quincy Okolie and special-teamers Lucas Darr and Micah Morgan. There are guys who have been consistent workers on the scout team, like fullback Mike Padilla or receiver Antwon Hanks; and players who compete for spots on the two-deep, like tackles Jacob Sims and Joe Herzhauser. Still lots of good walk-ons in this program, for sure.

[Tampabaysportsfanatic]

Pupello is a good tight end and great athlete. You guys will be happy to have him on the field when he can play. The Gators weren't giving him time because we don't run many two TE sets and Ingram got the starting job and Aaron Hernandez has stepped up as a frosh. I don't think you guys will be disappointed with him.