Senior guard Huners: 'I want to earn my spot'

Senior guard Matt Huners spent much of last season recovering from knee surgery in the previous spring, so he only played sparingly in three games.

This fall, he's trying to show coaches he has returned to the form that had him grading out as USF's top offensive lineman in 2006. He's being limited in practice to reduce the workload on his knee, but said he feels confident that he's getting back to his old self.

"I'm confident enough, but I need to work on some stuff to make sure I'm ready to play," said Huners, a 6-foot-3, 290-pound Palm Harbor University graduate. "I told the coaches I really don't want to sit out if I don't need to. I need to get in there and show my teammates and coaches I don't need to be babied through (practice). I want to earn my spot and earn my playing time."

Huners has shown enough promise that coaches are working senior Ryan Schmidt -- one of two returning starters at guard -- at left tackle, creating a lineup with five linemen who all have at least one season of starting experience.

Huners said he expects more playing time for the top reserve linemen, because USF has four seniors and needs to prepare younger players to be ready after this season.

"I think we're going to take some breaks this year," Huners said. "We've got (sophomore Jake) Sims, and we have to get him some reps so he can go against live action."

GREEN DAY: I've already had a few e-mailed questions, asking why freshman quarterbacks B.J. Daniels and Evan Landi were wearing green (offensive) jerseys instead of the gold jerseys quarterbacks usually wear. The easy answer: Jim Leavitt wants them to get a feel for getting tackled on the college level.

Offensive players wear green at practice, defensive players wear white. The gold jerseys are non-contact jerseys designed to protect the quarterbacks -- it's what Matt Grothe and Grant Gregory have worn at all practices, and what Daniels and Landi wore until Friday's afternoon practice. He's keeping the top two out of full contact as a safety precaution, but can let the freshmen have more physical work at practice. Leavitt went so far Friday as to put Landi on the scout kickoff team during special-teams drills, which is standard for a redshirting player.

Comments

[Dave W]

Huners is tough, that's for sure. He could be a very important player even if he doesn't start.

Is Landi really a QB prospect? Everything I read indicated he would switch positions. Is he just keeping the seat warm for Victor Marc? I really can't imagine him ever being a starting QB with BJ here and Marc and maybe another highly touted QB coming in right behind him. If Landi is so athletic, couldn't he be better used at safety or wideout?

[G.A.]

Jim, I don't think I'm going. There's a possibility I go and bring my 5-year-old son Riley, who's been playing soccer and likes the sport. Not sure yet, but if you see a bald guy with a goatee and a cute kid walking around, that's me ...

[Jim]

Thanks Greg are you going to the USF vs UT soccer game tonight? If so see you there.