South Florida practiced for slightly less than two hours Monday. The 7 p.m. practice was the first since Thursday. USF coach Jim Leavitt said he was concerned with the Bulls limited practice time, but the team’s attitude was encouraging.

?We haven?t practiced but two days and we didn?t practice on Tuesday. We went Wednesday and Thursday then we didn?t practice Friday, Saturday or Sunday,? Leavitt said. ?Then on Monday we didn?t get out here until night ? so out of seven days we?ve had two practices until tonight.?

Leavitt said losses in pace and timing are his biggest concerns about the limited practice time. Leavitt did express he did not think South Florida was ready for Saturday?s game at Memphis. The Tigers had a scheduled bye week Saturday so the cancellation of all Division I-A games did not effect Memphis.

Rubin returns

Leavitt did express some concerns about the turf toe injury of junior wide receiver DeAndrew Rubin. Rubin, who sustained the injury in the second quarter against Pittsburgh Sept. 8, participated fully in practice Monday.

?He looked to me about 70 percent tonight. He?s not ready yet but he?s trying. He needs time,? said Leavitt.

Blowin’ in the wind

Hurricane Gabrielle rolled through Tampa Friday, wreaking havoc on the Bulls practice field that was constructed for the training of last years Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens. The fence and privacy screen on the south side of the two-field facility was ripped from its posts. Leavitt jokingly said he wasn?t as concerned with the fences on Friday as he was with the football trailers, where he spent the bulk of the storm.

?Friday I was here in my office hoping that the windows in my trailer wouldn?t blow out. One of my administrative assistants was here with me,? Leavitt said.

“We were putting garbage cans in all of the bathrooms and three other places where we had leaks and we were catching water. So that was basically what I did Friday.?

Bernard ineligible

Mike Bernard, a senior center on the USF basketball team, has been ruled ineligible and will miss a portion of the upcoming basketball season.

The 6-foot-11, 280 pound senior, who is a native of England, played in 21 games for a team in the British Basketball League as a 17-year-old. The NCAA considered Bernard?s involvement in the league an unfair advantage. Bernard was not paid for his involvement with the BBL.

It is unclear how long Bernard?s suspension will last. In past rulings, the NCAA has penalized players by suspending them one game for each illegal game played. If that precedent holds true, Bernard could miss as much as two-thirds of the Bulls upcoming season.

Bernard, a junior college transfer, played in 22 games in his first season with the Bulls, averaging 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game.

Jarrett Guthrie