It’s hard to feel sorry for someone making seven figures, especially when it’s at the expense of an institution that can ill afford to misspend. But Skip Holtz, USF’s beleaguered head football coach, comes close.
He’s a hard-working, good guy with a likeable family and loves living here and wants to take the USF program to the next–national prominence–level. Personality-wise, he’s everything that his predecessor, Jim Leavitt, wasn’t. Most notably, pleasant.
It’s just that the next level for this program has turned out to be a disappointing step backwards. Leavitt won, but couldn’t win enough, especially in the Big East. Holtz, after 2 1/2 years, has an overall losing record. Earlier this month the Bulls, now 2-4, lost to both Ball State and Temple. Repeat: Ball State and Temple. That’s when student and alumni grumbling ratcheted up and the piling on began. More than just an anti-Holtz web site.
It’s never a good sign when the Athletics Director, Doug Woolard, has to give that dreaded mid-season “vote of confidence.” Worse yet, John Ramil, chairman of USF’s board of trustees, has called out Holtz for poor performance, including the Temple loss that he labeled “disgusting and unacceptable.” Ouch.
There was a time when a 7-5 season, also-ran Big East status and an invitation to the Meineke Car Care Bowl was yet another letdown to big hopes. It was a sign that the Bulls were still an exercise in unrealized potential. Still not ready for prime time. Still a huge underachiever. Now they would settle for that scenario in a heartbeat.
The season–and that Muffler Bowl bid–can still theoretically be salvaged. It begins Saturday at undefeated and nationally ranked Louisville. Win this one and Woolard, Ramil and others will quit referencing Ball State and Temple.
For now.
Go, Bulls.