Fox Sports Preview of USF is up

[Jim Johnson]

http://msn.foxsports.com/cfb/story/7064340

Some clips:

Ever so methodically, USF has taken each progression along the path toward becoming a nationally respected program and now appears to have finally arrived. With Jim Leavitt as the architect, the Bulls pounded Louisville in 2005, shocked West Virginia in Morgantown in November, and then defeated East Carolina for the school's first-ever bowl victory. Now bowl games are expected. Next stop? Leavitt believes USF is on a collision course with two more milestones, a Big East crown and a BCS bowl game.

What to watch for offense: Grothe proved to be plenty good in his first year, leading the team in passing, rushing and scoring. But the Bulls have to begin diversifying to keep their quarterback healthy and opposing defenses from simply trying to stop one playmaker.

What to watch for on defense: Like all teams from Florida, the USF defense pursues well and is built on speed. Wally Burnham's unit is well-coached, prevents the big play, and is vastly underappreciated and unnoticed on a national level.

The team will be far better if... it can develop a running game to complement Grothe's diverse skill set.

The Schedule: It's not bad, but there are just enough brutal road games to prevent a truly special season.

Best Offensive Player: Sophomore QB Matt Grothe.

Best Defensive Player: Senior CB Trae Williams.

The season will be a success if ...  USF finishes in the Big East's top three. That's a bigger deal than it might sound in a conference with Louisville, West Virginia, Rutgers and Pittsburgh.

Key game: Sept. 29 vs. West Virginia. After last year's 24-19 shocker, USF will have to deal with a very motivated Mountaineer team. As the Big East opener for the Bulls, it's a must-win home game to have any realistic hope of winning the title with road trips to Rutgers and Pitt (in December, not a plus for the warm-weather Bulls) to deal with.

[Guest]

Another clip:

Offense. Check. Defense. Check. Special teams. Check, please. Facing a tough schedule, South Florida will lose at least one game that'll be directly attributable to a missed kick or poor field position

I would say this describes the 2006 Rutgers game. I hope our kicking game improves for this year, or this may be true again.

[PingBull]

Best Defensive Player: Senior CB Trae Williams. Now a third-year starter in the secondary, the converted running back has blossomed into the proverbial lockdown corner and one of the premier defensive backs in the Big East. He led the league with seven interceptions in 2006, but could have had more if opposing quarterbacks weren't so timid about throwing to his side of the field.

hahahhaha, wow they know their stuff!  ;D

[crambone]

sweetness.

[JDBull]

Pretty good review, but they fell asleep at the wheel when evaluating the LB position.  Not even a mention of Tyrone M. or Donte S. in the full story.  TM gets noted in the position summary, but nothing on DS.

[ProudBull]

I think they are pretty much spot on.  They are right in saying of Grothe gets hurt, we could be in some trouble.