Leavitt not buying a Ford, yet

[ChiTownBull]

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=692221

sounds like typical coach speak to me...

When South Florida coach Jim Leavitt was able to land former Rivals.com 5-star running back Mike Ford, the obvious thought was that Ford would be a complementary player to quarterback Matt Grothe. However, the man who started the USF football program is still not sold on Ford.

"Mike has looked good on the practice field, but that's it. I am not going to give him too many accolades because he hasn't done it yet. How good is he, I don't know. I will by the end of the season, but right now he has not done anything yet."

[BullsFanInTX]

I wonder if we should read anything into this.  Is Ford as good as advertised?  Will he separate himself from the rest of the backs.  Will Jamar Taylor come in compete for time.  We heard Leavitt likes him.  Maybe the RB situation isn't as clear cut as we thought.

[Bulls 8_va]

This is just Leavitts way of tuffin' the kid up.  He does this with everybody.  Look at Grothe last season...He was breakin records left and right and then Leavitt would say things like..."he still has lots to learn" and "he's still very young".  Leavitt knows how to train his boys mentally too!  Leavitt doesnt want any HERO's on this team.  I think this is just normal of his coaching techniques.

GO BULLS!!!

[Bulls 8_va]

Not to mention, negative press is almost as good as positive press for these types of events.  We dont want to sound like EVERYTHING is gravey over here.  Imagine if he went over there boasting about Ford and his agility and athleticism, I don't think we should boast just yet.  Leavitt sees things how they are and will not sugar coat it.  Thats what I like about him, hes only focused on the big picture and the end goal.  He has a big future for USF and he is relentlessly determined to get us there. 

ALL HAIL CJL!!!

GO BULLS!!!

[Herman_Momart]

It looks to me Leavitt means just what he said.  he looks good on the practice field but hasnt done it yet.  There is no reading into.

Leavitt also said those things about Grothe for one reason, they are true.  No one is close to perfect its what you expect any coach to say. 

[E.T.]

It looks to me Leavitt means just what he said.  he looks good on the practice field but hasnt done it yet.  There is no reading into.

... 

Exactly ... and also read what Leavitt says about Elon.

And I also think there is no clear cut starter at RB ... we'll know more by Auburn.

[BullsWinBucsWin]

I think that even if Ford was absolutely stealing the show in practice, CJL would keep any excitement he has under wraps.  We aren't going to show much against Elon with probably our biggest game ever the following week.  I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Ben Williams getting the majority of carries vs Elon, even if Ford and Taylor are clearly the better backs.  The less Auburn knows about our team the better. 

What better way to motivate Ford than to talk up another RB coming in?  CJL appears to be a master at not letting players rest on their laurels.

[crambone]

Because Williams proved himself, of course CJL is giving him the starter job.

[BullDoug]

Two names come to mind - Dyral McMillian and Andre Hall.  If you go back to the preseason before both of these players first USF season and CJL said the same thing.  He will always say this.  Heck you can't even get the man to publicly expound on Grothe.  Those comments are pure "Leavitisms".

[Velcro]

It might be coach speak, but it is true too.  Ford is competing with an incumbent starter (williams, who is also the bowl game mvp), Samuels (who will likely be the starter for game 1 and has had more time in this system), and Plancher (who WAS the starter as a freshman before his injury on the first play of his career).

Basically, Ford has a ton of work to do before he is the starter.  Will he get it done?  I think so, but it is nice to have a 5 star as your 4th best (at least in the pecking order at present, definitely not in the talent pecking order).  It shows that we actually have some good depth for once.