Loads of links now, chat tonight at 7

Kickoff is now less than 36 hours off (thanks, those of you with clocks), and I start this morning with a programming note: I'll be chatting at 7 p.m. tonight at Thebullspen.com, where we had a good showing with lots of great questions a few weeks back. Probably can only go an hour tonight, so get there early and I'll get to as many questions as I can.

Links? The day before a national TV showdown between two ranked teams, of course there's links to share.

-- Basketball recruiting? I'm working to confirm an official campus visit from a recruit this weekend, but can also report that Orlando's Keith Clanton, playing for former Bulls star Reggie Kohn at Orlando Christian Prep, has USF in his final four with a visit scheduled, according to the Orlando Sentinel's Buddy Collings. UCF, South Carolina and SMU are the other three, which bodes well for the Bulls.

-- Speaking of the Sentinel, Jeremy Fowler writes today about the challenges of providing security to college football stars like Matt Grothe and Tim Tebow.

-- The University Daily Kansan takes a closer look at Jeff Spikes, the redshirt freshman who's tasked to contain USF's George Selvie in just his third career start. Huge, huge matchup, very pivotal. The Topeka Capital-Journal also wrote about Spikes, and you'll read more about the attention Selvie is getting from opposing offenses in Friday's Times. The Kansas City Star looks at the time Jim Leavitt and Kansas coach Mark Mangino spent together on Bill Snyder's staff at Kansas State. I think the relationship is a friendly one, but not nearly as close as what Leavitt has with former colleagues like Bob and Mike Stoops.

-- Picks? The Lawrence Journal-World's Tom Keegan picks Kansas 20-17 ...  The Tulsa World likes "SF" to win by four ... the Warren Record of North Carolina takes USF, and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram takes Kansas 21-17.

Comments

[DELdaBULL]

B

[Mike Lakeland]

Deldabull, nice! I am Section 124 Row K. What row are you in, dude?

[steve oneal]

The fact that Buie and the rest of the d-line haven't stepped up is what dissapointed me. I'm just hoping with the big home crowd and sold out student section that our Bulls will be jacked up and ready to play big time. GO BULLS!

[DJ]

Reality=Joke

[j-dizzle]

u r right deldabull, btw section 112 in the house.. i didnt watch the replay of the utm game, but against ucf he had no less than 2, sometimes 3 people on him and he still got close a few times.. also in both games it seemed like the qbs were taking only 3 step drops and rolling the opposite way of him.. they are definitely planning there whole offensive game around selvie.. now we just need buie or one of the tackles to STEP IT UP!!

[G.A.]

I thought the offensive line looked good last week -- felt like a lot of the pressure on Grothe was a function of tight coverage by UCF's defensive backs on USF's receivers. Grothe was sacked three times, yes, but I remember thinking he'd had a lot of time on the deep passes in particular.

Again, losing Zach Hermann won't help the offensive line, though Jake Sims has played a significant number of snaps in both games so far ...

[Windbane]

I disagree that the OL is "porous."

[Reality]

Is The Champ out of jail yet? Did someone finally post his bond?

[G.A.]

Mike, I'm finishing up a story for Friday's paper on how Selvie has gotten the star treatment from opposing offenses -- double and triple-teams, tight ends, backs, QBs rolling out away from him ... USF's coaches say he might be playing at a higher level than he was last year, when he had 9.5 tackles for loss at this point (instead of one).

The coaches just want someone else to step up and take advantage of the attention being given to Selvie -- Jarriett Buie has zero tackles, but Terrell McClain has started to play well ...

[DELdaBULL]

I understand that Mike. I also have endzone seats (124 in da house). I am one of those crazies that like watching the lines play (btw, our offensive line is looking very porous). I also have one up on you because I have watched the games on tv via the DVR. When you get the chance you will be amazed (not one play where 2 bodies did not touch him - not one).

[Mike Lakeland]

What I meant by seeing the games in person was that it's hard to see everything that's going on in person, especially when you're always focused on the QB or RB. Just to clarify.

[Mike Lakeland]

Actually, Deldabull, I have only seen the games in person. I have seats in the endzone in RayJay, and you know how crappy the seats were at UCiF. My DVR recorded them, but I've been too busy to watch.

Like I said, I am not disappointed or complaining. I was just wanting someone else's perspectives. I'm sure I will see it when I watch the games on TV.

[DELdaBULL]

Mike,
Have you not watched the games? Selvie has been doubled, chipped, or sometimes tripled on every single play. The other 3 guys on the line must step up bigtime.

[Mike Lakeland]

Greg - do you think that Selvie has played thus far at the same level as last season thus far? I am not disappointed in him by any means, but he didn't "wow" with stats in the first two games.

Or are the defenses just double-teaming him?

Either way, George Selvie is the MAN!

[Sailingbull]

Is the Bullspen down today? I can't get my fix, what the heck?!?!?

[EW]

HERE COME THE BULLIEEEEEEEES!!! BULLIES BULLIES BULLIES BULLIES BULLIEEEEEEEEEESSS!

That is all.

[G.A.]

Somehow my brain translated a day and a half to 18 hours. Hold on, big hand's on the 12 ...

[DELdaBULL]

That is a 3 am kick off :)

[Pleased]

Hopefully for the basketball Bulls sake the head coach recruiting Clanton is showing a lot more class than football coach Leavitt....because his comments about Orlando and UCF are being plastered all over the media there!!

[Steve Stacy]

18 hours! Oh hell! I gotta call in sick!

[DELdaBULL]

GA,

Check your math. The game is tomorrow not today :(