When the South Florida Bulls face the Charlotte 49ers in Friday night's American Conference opener at Raymond James Stadium, it's "Flashback Friday,'' a nod to the program's first season in 1997. USF will wear its "RoboBull'' helmets that were utilized during the inaugural year.
To get you in a nostalgic spirit, here's a USF football trivia quiz that should determine how much you remember (or more likely, how much new material you can learn, unless you're a 40-something or older).
Try your luck with these 29 multiple-choice questions — one for each season of USF football (answers are listed below).
1. Who was the first prep All-American to sign with USF football?
a). DB Anthony Henry
b). OL Cedric Bell
c). DB Jay Mize
d). QB Chad Barnhart
2. Who scored the first USF touchdown ever?
a). RB Rafael Williams
b). WR Charlie Jackson
c). RB Jermaine Clemons
d). RB Otis Dixon
3. On Sept. 6, 1997 — the date of USF's inaugural football game — what song was No. 1 in America, according to the Billboard Hot 100?
a). "2 Become 1'' by the Spice Girls
b). "How Do I Live'' by LeAnn Rimes
c). "You Make Me Wanna …'' by Usher
d). "Mo Money Mo Problems'' by The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Puff Daddy and Mase
4. USF football sold 17,000 season tickets in its inaugural season. Paul Griffin, the USF athletic director, made good on his pledge to dance down one of Tampa's notable busy roads if sales topped 10,000. Which road?
a). Fowler Avenue
b). Fletcher Avenue
c). Dale Mabry Highway
d). Hillsborough Avenue
5. When USF emerged from its locker room for the inaugural game, which coach led the Bulls out of the tunnel?
a). Kevin Patrick
b). Jim Leavitt
c). Earl Lane
d). Eric Wolford
6. Who sang the National Anthem at USF's inaugural game?
a). Taylor Swift
b). Tim McGraw
c). Belinda Womack
d). Sofia Chepenik
7. Who had the most pass receptions for USF in 1997?
a). WR Clif Dell
b). TE Trevor Hypolite
c). WR Charlie Jackson
d). RB Rafael Williams
8. Which player was the first to verbally commit to USF football?
a). DB Roy Manns
b). WR Cory Porter
c). WR Jariya McIntyre
d). DL Shawn Hay
9. The University of Tampa had been the last college football team to call Tampa Stadium home (1974). Which former UT player handled the coin toss at USF's inaugural game? (For the record: Opposing player C.J. Merriam correctly called heads, but deferred and USF took the ball).
a). QB Freddie Solomon
b). QB Buddy Carter
c). RB Leon McQuay
d). DL John Matuszak
10. USF won its inaugural game 80-3 by defeating which opponent?
a). Drake
b). Southern Illinois
c). Georgia Southern
d). Kentucky Wesleyan
11. QB Chad Barnhart, the 1997 starter, transferred to USF from which SEC school?
a). Florida
b). South Carolina
c). Arkansas
d). Auburn
12. When USF began football in 1997, who was Tampa's mayor?
a). Pam Iorio
b). Dick Greco
c). Sandy Freedman
d). Nick Nuccio
13. USF captured one road victory in 1997. Who was the opponent?
a). Elon University
b). Western Kentucky
c). Cumberland University
d). The Citadel
14. Which Tampa Bay area high school had the most players (four) on USF's first football roster?
a). Clearwater
b). Bradenton Southeast
c). Lake Wales
d). Hillsborough
15. When USF began football in 1997, who was the Bulls' men's basketball coach?
a). Bobby Paschal
b). Robert McCullum
c). Stan Heath
d). Seth Greenberg
16. The original "football complex'' was a collection of trailers. What were they dubbed by USF coaches?
a). The Ponderosa
b). The USF Football Complex
c). Bulls' Bay
d). Horns-Up Headquarters
17. Jim Leavitt, USF's inaugural head football coach, came from Kansas State, where he was co-defensive coordinator for a unit that ranked No. 1 nationally in total defense. Who was K-State's other co-defensive coordinator?
a). Rick Kravitz
b). Bob Stoops
c). Monte Kiffin
d). Gene Chizik
18. On Sept. 6, 1997 — the date of USF's inaugural football game — what movie was the top-grossing film at the American box office?
a). Men In Black
b). Air Force One
c). Batman & Robin
d). The Lost World: Jurassic Park
19. Which 1997 USF player was named honorable mention All-American by the Football Gazette?
a). LB Demetrius Woods
b). RB Otis Dixon
c). QB Chad Barnhart
d). PK Steve Riggs
20. As football completed its inaugural season, what national record did USF set institutionally during 1997?
a). Most campus trees planted in a calendar year
b). Fastest school in U.S. history to graduate 150,000 students
c). Most students participating in an "Ultimate Frisbee'' competition
d). Most parking tickets distributed
21. Which member of USF's inaugural football staff played for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
a). Kevin Patrick
b). Andre Waters
c). Eric Wolford
d). Calvin Magee
22. What over-the-air television station broadcast the first three games of USF's 1997 football season?
a). WTVT-Fox 13
b). WFLA-Channel 8
c). WTOG-Channel 44
d). WTSP-Channel 10
23. Who were the first TV announcers for USF football?
a). Gene Deckerhoff and TJ Rives
b). Jim Louk and Mark Robinson
c). Al Keck and Doug Graber
d). Ray Scott and JP Peterson
24. The 1997 football uniforms, designed by Sports Belle Inc., included a hue known as "South Florida Green,'' a look that was tested and tweaked by head coach Jim Leavitt, who insisted it become a "powerful, intimidating kind of green.'' What was ironic about Leavitt's involvement in the uniform's coloring?
a). Leavitt's cousin designed uniforms for three NFL teams
b). Leavitt was colorblind
c). Leavitt said his favorite color was blue
d). Leavitt originally wanted white-on-white uniforms at home
25. The longest play of USF's 1997 football season was a 94-yard kickoff return by which player?
a). Charlie Jackson
b). Jermaine Clemons
c). Marcus Rivers
d). Derrick Rackard
26. USF's Herd of Thunder (HOT) band wasn't formed until 1999. What did USF do for in-stadium music during the 1997 season?
a). USF used a rotation of local high-school bands
b). There was no in-stadium music
c). Taped musical selections were played
d). The University of Florida sent 40 volunteer musicians to Tampa and formed a temporary USF band.
27. One of USF's most memorable games in 1997 was a 24-23 home defeat against Georgia Southern, the No. 8-ranked team in Division I-AA. What was notable about how the game was decided?
a). USF blew a 23-0 lead
b). USF went for a winning two-point conversion with 1:45 remaining — disdaining a potential overtime — and didn't get it
c). Georgia Southern won on a walk-off field goal
d). Both teams scored on back-to-back kickoff returns in the final two minutes
28. The 1997 USF Bulls had just two seniors, so Senior Night ceremonies were brief. Who were the two seniors?
a). QB Chad Barnhart and RB Rafael Williams
b). LB Vassay Marc and WR Cory Porter
c). DB Roy Manns and QB Lance Hoeltke
d). PK Steve Riggs and TE Brian Erb
29. Who was the first player from the 1997 USF Bulls to earn a Super Bowl ring with an NFL team?
a). DB Anthony Henry
b). TE Trevor Hypolite
c). OL Kenyatta Jones
d). OL Ryan Benjamin
Answers: 1-b; 2-a; 3-d; 4-c; 5-a; 6-c; 7-b; 8-c; 9-a; 10-d; 11-b; 12-b; 13-c; 14-d; 15-d; 16-a; 17-b; 18-b; 19-a; 20-b; 21-d; 22-c; 23-c; 24-b; 25-a; 26-a; 27-b; 28-d; 29-c
–#GoBulls–
