Josh Bidwell: USF Needs To Watch Out

December 29th, 2007

Tampa Bay Bucaneer’s punter, and former Duck, Josh Bidwell is in the unique position of having played for Oregon and currently living in the University of South Florida’s hometown. Exclusive to Duck Sports News, here’s what Josh has to say about this year’s Sun Bowl matchup:

The Sun Bowl this year pits the University of South Florida, which is here in Tampa, Florida, against the Oregon Ducks. Both teams’ seasons this year were eerily similar in that both teams were the number 2 ranked and most talked about teams at one point during the season, but both teams also drastically fell down the rankings by the end of the season. Unlike the Ducks though, the South Florida Bulls were not crippled by key injuries as the Ducks were and as such, the tone here in Tampa is one of great confidence. No one believes that a Dennis Dixonless Oregon team can hang with this, very healthy South Florida team. It is going to be a great match up and I know that the South Florida program, which has only been in existence for 7 years or so, is going to be very motivated and excited about this bowl game. There is a buzz here amongst the local fans that this could cap off, still, the greatest season in USF history…I hold quite a different opinion of course.

I have been asked about the bowl game by only two or three people from the local media here. I think they are tired of me telling them the same thing over and over. Oregon is a great team with whoever we put on the field to play. So, USF needs to watch out!

- Josh Bidwell

“When It’s Fourth and Long.”

August 1st was the release date of my first book, “When It’s Fourth and Long.” The book gives a detailed insight into my battle with Testicular Cancer and a look at some hard events I had to endure during my childhood. I was also able to put quite a bit of fun insights into actual life in the NFL during my experiences these past 9 seasons. There are fun stories of my days as a teammate of Brett Favre’s and my week in Hawaii during the 2007 Pro Bowl. The book is designed to entertain and inspire. I know all who read it will enjoy it.

You can visit joshbidwell.com to get more info on the book or you can get the book at any of the local Christian stores in the state as well as a select few Barnes and Nobles and Borders. This book can also be ordered on Amazon.com or any other major book stores website.

Josh Bidwell In The NFL

Remarkably consistent punter who is considered one of the NFL’s finest athletes at his position… Possesses one of the NFL’s strongest legs and is equally adept at displaying the necessary accuracy to pin opponents deep inside their own territory… Has been a steady performer over the past seven years despite having his 1999 rookie campaign dashed by a testicular cancer diagnosis late in training camp… Selected to first Pro Bowl in 2005… Appeared in 112 career regular season games and six postseason contests… Totaled 573 career punts for 24,277 yards (42.3 avg.) with a long of 68… Has placed 152 punts inside the 20-yard line in his career… For the postseason, punted 24 times for 956 yards (39.8 avg) with nine punts landing inside the opponents’ 20-yard line… 43.8-yard average as a Buccaneer is tops in team history… His 45.6-yard gross average in 2005 was the best single-season performance in team history… Signed by the Buccaneers as a free agent on March 13, 2004… Spent his first four professional seasons (2000-2003) with the Green Bay Packers as one of the NFC’s top punters despite often kicking in the NFL’s toughest weather conditions… Showed marked improvement in only second season in league, raising his gross average by a full four yards, jumping from a 38.5-yard average in 2000 to the 42.5-yard mark in 2001… Selected by the Packers in the fourth round (133rd overall) of the 1999 NFL Draft.

Selected by Green Bay in the fourth round of the 1999 NFL Draft on April 18, 1999 … Signed by Green Bay on July 27, 1999 … Placed on Green Bay’s Reserve/Non-Football Illness list on September 4, 1999 … Activated from Green Bay’s Reserve/NFI list on February 7, 2000 … Became restricted free agent on February 20, 2003 … Re-signed by Green Bay as restricted free agent on April 30, 2003 … Became unrestricted free agent on March 2, 2004 … Signed by Tampa Bay as unrestricted free agent on March 12, 2004.

Josh Bidwell, the Bucs’ punter since 2004, owns the two best gross punting seasons in franchise history (2005, 2006), three of the top five net punting seasons in team annals (2005, 2006, 2004) and two of the top three punting yards seasons in team history (2005, 2006).

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