By TOM ZEBOLD
USF Senior Writer

TAMPA - Kevin McCaskill says the Bulls are looking to take the next step and he's putting his best foot forward when it comes to doing his part.

That means the senior is moving his feet in a different direction than just at center - a position he's played since he was a kid in flag football.

The experiment of also working at guard started in the spring and has turned into a steady rotation between center and guard since the first scrimmage at camp. In the process, McCaskill's name has been routinely mentioned as a standout player by head coach Skip Holtz, offensive coordinator Todd Fitch and offensive line coach Steve Shankweiler.

"I think he's taking it much more serious now than he did maybe as an underclassman," Shankweiler said Tuesday afternoon. "It's showing in his performance on the field."

McCaskill really showed his worth to the coaching staff in an overtime victory at Miami last season. The Tallahassee native, who has 17 games of experience and has made only one start at USF, was forced into action against the Hurricanes when starter Sampson Genus went down with an injury.

"Two of the touchdown runs that tied the game and won the game came right over him," Shankweiler said. "He's been in that role before and we've just tried to expand his role to create a little more depth this year."

McCaskill often sports a smile during interviews and had one on his face when talking about his new dual role on the line.

"I really enjoy it," he said. "... It's different because I might know what the tackle does at center but I rarely work with the tackle during plays, and at guard you get to work with both. Just playing guard has been a great experience for me."

Although he's not a starter, McCaskill's role is a big one on a line that is searching for more depth beyond the first unit. Shankweiler said with confidence that the Godby High School graduate will serve as both the second center and guard this season.

"He's better than your average backup," the coach explained. "You'd feel comfortable, especially at center, you'd feel OK with him going and being the starter if you had to."

A jump from center to guard might sound simple to the casual football fan, but it certainly isn't when you break down the fundamentals of the move.

"It's not easy," Shankweiler said. "You can get into some bad habits fundamentally if you don't focus on it. He's doing a good job with it."