I'm believing this is false. I have checked numerous sites and none mention anything about this. The only reason I have found as to why there hasn't been football at USF until 1997 is... (directly from the source http://www.sportsfrog.com/2007/10/16/usf-football-history/)

"Somewhere along the way, it was thought by some that an academic institution could not be taken seriously if it was allowed to mix learning with intercollegiate athletics.

The school’s first president, John Allen, and the state’s governor at the time, LeRoy Collins, were both committed to building USF as a top academic institution. Allen in particular was the one most against the idea of intercollegiate athletics..."

" Allen resigned in 1970, and by then he had done well in making USF a strong academic school in a short period of time. But the school still lacked sports..."

"by 1993 then athletic director Paul Griffin began to get the wheels in motion to bring intercollegiate football to USF."
Source(s):
http://www.sportsfrog.com/2007/10/16/usf-football-history/


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