The University of South Florida's football team is expected to sign its best recruiting class ever on Wednesday. The gem of the Bulls' list of oral commitments is Seffner Armwood defensive end Ryne Giddins.

Two days after the University of Florida won the national championship, the Gators lost a major recruiting battle when Giddins committed to USF coach Jim Leavitt and the Bulls. Giddins also has scholarship offers from Miami and Florida State.

''Ryne is the highestprofile kid that has ever committed to USF,'' Seffner Armwood coach Sean Callahan said. ``USF has never been scared of recruiting against the best. They've been very aggressive.''

AIMING HIGH

That recruiting strategy appears to be paying off.

According to Rivals.com, USF signed only five four- or five-star prospects from 2005-2008. This year, the Bulls have oral commitments from six four-star prospects. Rivals rates Giddins nationally as the No. 3 overall weak-side defensive end.

Anything can happen on National Signing Day, but Giddins' oral commitment to South Florida is expected to snap Florida's two-year streak of signing Seffner Armwood's best linemen. In 2007, Torrey Davis, the state's top-rated defensive lineman, committed to Florida. Last year, former standout Matt Patchan signed with the Gators.

''Coach Leavitt has a done a good job putting that program together,'' Callahan said. ``We tell our kids to go to the school that is the best fit for you and not the school with the best weight room or the best pregame fight song.''

According to Callahan, Giddins chose South Florida over Florida because Giddins' mother wanted his son to stay close to home. Giddins grew up about 10 minutes from South Florida's campus.

Another Tampa-area recruit, former Miami Hurricanes quarterback Robert Marve, could also sign with South Florida because of the school's location. According to Robert Marve's father, Eugene, his son is strongly considering South Florida.

''They're on the short list,'' Eugene Marve said.

The list of Robert Marve's prospective schools also includes Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Purdue. Because of NCAA transfer rules, Marve will be forced to sit out next season if he signs with a school that competes in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

South Florida hosts Miami in 2009, then plays Miami at Dolphin Stadium in 2010, the season Marve would become eligible.

Similar to its aggressive recruiting philosophy, the Bulls haven't shied away from taking on instate teams on the playing field. In addition to the two games against Miami during the next two seasons, South Florida also plays Florida State (2009), Florida International (2009), Florida (2010) and Florida Atlantic (2010). No other football team in the state can boast such a robust two-year instate schedule.

TOP TRANSFER

Despite the obvious storyline of Robert Marve possibly returning to Dolphin Stadium as the starting quarterback of South Florida, Eugene Marve said his son is not considering schools based on their nonconference schedules.

''We look at the conference more than anything,'' Eugene Marve said. ``We don't look at particular schedules. We look at the strength of the conference.''

USF is expected to sign four players from Broward and Miami-Dade counties on Wednesday: defensive back Ricardo Dixon and quarterback Victor Marc of Hallandale, offensive lineman Steven Jacques of Hollywood South Broward and receiver Derrick Hopkins of Miami Monsignor Pace.

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