USF student section still Big East's biggest

Given how competitive the Big East has been in just about everything lately, I was convinced that USF's proud standing as having the conference's largest student section for football was going to be trumped.

After all, it was very "Price is Right" of USF last September, when four days before the big showdown with West Virginia, the Bulls announced that they had expanded their student section to 12,501 seats, which was one more than the Mountaineers. Given nearly a year, I figured the marketing folks somewhere would ramp up their student section to jump past USF's -- hey, they still could -- but after making calls around the league, the Bulls still have the most tickets allotted for students.

Here are the student sections for all eight Big East football schools, though as USF showed last season, these obviously can be tweaked in the next month or two ...

1. USF                12,501

2. West Virginia  12,500

3. Pittsburgh      10,000

3. Rutgers          10,000

5. Cincinnati       6,000

6. Louisville        5,500

7. Connecticut    5,000

8. Syracuse         3,000

-- One more note: There's a pinch-hitter in USF's lineup for the Big East preseason football media gathering in Rhode Island next week, with senior running back Ben Williams stepping in for center Jake Griffin, who had a scheduling conflict. As far as ready-made Stories-in-a-Box go, Williams' tale as a tiny walk-on who earns a scholarship and bowl MVP honors might be USF's best next week, though Tyrone McKenzie's story, having played for schools in three different BCS conferences and now settled in with his hometown Bulls, will likely also get written a lot this season.

Comments

[Jim]

Thanks Greg for the update. Excellent job. Look forward to you insight this fall. Go Bulls.

[Contestant]

$1 Bob

[The Champ]

Ari Stewart has a final five list of Miami (Fla.), Xavier, Wake Forest, Oregon and South Florida.The super athletic wing is rumored to have a decision in a couple of weeks.

Got that information from an UK board when Stewart cut his list and the Wilcats weren't on it.Wish one of the local guys would talk to Stewart for a true gauge of Ari's level of interest in us.

[A.T.]

I bet WVU will add 2 seats to their student section the week of our game to claim the biggest section in the conference. And cant wait to read all the conference media day coverage Greg.

Actually Greg I think you've got that wrong . . . the 3000 number for Syracuse is the number if students who are kidnapped and FORCED to attend the game!!! If I am not mistaken some of them could also be from the human sexual development class and the fall semester is dedicated to the Marque' De Sade!!!

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Greg,
You should do a story on USF's radio play by play guys. I have listed to Mick Hubert at UF. I've tuned into Gene Deckerhoff at Florida State. I have listened to Johnny Holliday the voice of the University of Maryland and I am telling you that Mark Robinson and Jim Louk are very solid.

Especially Robinson. I'm a big fan of Mark Robinson... guy is one of the most insightful voices on the radio. Calls it straight and narrow.

[Accountability]

I'm glad to see Ben Williams added to the lineup for the Big East preseason football media gathering in Rhode Island next week. He deserves it. Having joined the Bulls as a Walk-On and was finally given a WELL EARNED scholarship after being the starting RB for a year.

Go Williams and Go BULLS.

[Herman Momart]

Ari, man crush on mark robinson huh?

[Mick Hubert]

"And here's the handoff to Harvin...he takes it around the right end...jukes, and he's tackled for a gain of one! OH MY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Gene Deckerhoff]

"Weatherford is back to pass...throws it downfield to an open receiver...CAAAAUUUUUGHT!!!!!!!! Oh, wait....no, dropped. Oh wait, intercepted. Oh, wait...time was called before the snap."

[T. Bever]

12K+ students, 24K+ season tickets... nice to know we've got over 36,000 seats filled before visiting team allotment, single game and walkups.

Gotta think they're planning on opening the upper deck for every game save maybe the opener. Kansas, Pitt and Rutgers should push close to sellout.

[Cub Man]

Tyrone McKensie is such a heartwarming story of how an athlete can milk an education from three different universities, showing absolutely no loyalty to the schools spending tens of thousands of dollars for him, only to settle down at USF after the Bulls administration pulls a few strings at the NCAA home office.
Nice work, Bulls. You should be proud of this guy!

[Mike Lakeland]

Cub Man - I will take your mother out to a nice seafood dinner, and NEVER CALL HER AGAIN!

[T. Bever]

Thanks, Cub Man. We really are very proud of him! And I'm looking forward to wathing him rack up another 100+ tackles this season!

[Bull Daly]

Cub Man,

Never mind the fact that head coaches get fired or leave the program after they recruit the player. Players are allowed to transfer, so I dont know what your problem is. Maybe you blame Iowa St and Mich St for firing those head coaches. Where is the loyalty there?

[Ari Hinkelberger]

Who the hell would want to play for Iowa State. They are awful. Terrible. Horrible.

I would have transfered too.

[steve oneal]

cub boy, do you think that the big football programs are non profit organizations? They make tons of money off these kids.The football programs prop up the rest of the sports at most schools.