Self-imposed moratorium is over...

[Brad]

Self-imposed moratorium is over...and shellshock has subsided.

My comments (fair game for ridicule):

1)  We were obviously unprepared, and certainly remain in need of a better game plan.

2)  Anyone that thought Ronnie or PJ were top-shelf QBs were misleading themselves - they were not misled by Jim Leavitt or his coaching staff.  All this talk about putting Gachette in, come on "get real" (where is lob99 when you need him?).

3)  I still remember coming under criticism after last year's Memphis game when I mourned the loss of one of the best defensive backfields we'd ever seen at USF.  Most seemed to believe we had better in the hopper.  Well, they're young, and they may get better, but right now I am mourning again.  "Toast" sums up the defensive backfield.

4)  Penalties.  I think an awful lot shifted on that first roughing call...We could have taken a shot at their confidence, but instead gave them a free pass and a score.  Got to rein that in.

5)  SDSU, September 4th, 1999 - the birth of Marquel Blackwell.  Folks, he's gone.  Perhaps the South Carolina game becomes the catalyst for our next leader.  Maybe a healthy PJ, maybe not.  Maybe someone yet to toss a ball, but it certainly sounds the wake up call for someone to hear.

6)  Turning point this Saturday.  Too much talk about the season being over.  USC was just an out of conference game.  Things count even more now.  TCU got a shellacking last week.  We have that in common with them.  Our Bulls tend to get better each and every week throughout a season.  Let's see what we do next week.  

7)  Shee-it happens, you fans need to sack it up and get back on your game.

A lot of season left.

[smazza]

tennesse plays two freshman qbs

to start banks again(when he has other able body qb's on the bench) would be professional suicide for leavitt

i thought banks could run the offense and was led to believe thatt.I didn't think he was  one of the worst  qb's in the country

about sacking it up-does that mean to stop complaining and criticizing?we did that with seth G

there is something terribly wrong with our offense

instead of bringing in a ton of  rbs we should have recruited 5 more qbs and keep changing them until one knows how to complete a pass beyond the down marker

[BULLO12]

**** I actually agree with something smazza posted.

[Kizarvexis]

4)  Penalties.  I think an awful lot shifted on that first roughing call...We could have taken a shot at their confidence, but instead gave them a free pass and a score.  Got to rein that in.

I am not holding much hope for the penalty issue to be reined in.

2001

USF penalty avg 10.00 for 88.00 yards per game

Opp penalty avg 9.82 for 82.09 yards per game

2002

USF penalty avg 11.64 for 98.73 yards per game

Opp penalty avg 7.27 for 60.36 yards per game

2003

USF penalty avg 9.36 for 83.00 yards per game

Opp penalty avg 6.27 for 47.91 yards per game

2004

USF penalty avg 10.00 for 79.00 yards per game

Opp penalty avg 5.00 for 30.00 yards per game

The trend seems to be that we stay about the same in the number of penalties per game, while our opposition has gotten better at having fewer penalties per game. The opponent penalty trend down I  can understand as the level of our competition has increased, but the USF coaching staff is missing something IMO.

Kizarvexis

[RobdF]

OK Bulliever, I'm with you on most of your points.  I don't know about the fans need to "sack it up".  We were there in good numbers Saturday.  We'll be there the rest of the season.

But the fact is the offense in its current form is terrible.  It's obvious to anyone who looks at the stats from these first two games that we need to run the ball and junk this garbage spread scheme.

So it's on the coaching staff to make the right decisions. If I don't see that starting this week and especially, 10/2 when I travel to Ray Jay, I will be all over the coaching staff, not the players.

[The_Reaper]

Brad,

Coaching staff did not learn from last year. Running the same plays over and over. Hell, I have seen better plays at a high school game and less predictable.

Tired of other teams laughing at us.

Too much talk, lot's less action. Need to see it.

Team AGAIN needs a leader. At this point, no one stands out.

They have NO HEART. This needs addressing. When they are down, they stay down.

They don't have the swagger we once had.

See leader above.

Coaching staff seems to be doing their own thing. Totally not together.

See again leader.

I bleed green and gold.

YA GOTTA WANNA! (Old coach told us that back in my day) So far this team doesn't want it.

Again see leader.

[smazza]

ditto

[dabull80]

Can you say Andre Hall.  I will keep saying it but he is the man. Now he is returning kickoffs and should be our feature back including swing passes to him.  The more touches he gets the better.  I guess my only real question is did the QBs miss the receivers or WRs drop balls or offensive line not give protection ?  Or all of the above ?

[Guest wildrover]

I think this loss by this amount would have been easier to stomach if we had seen even an attempt to make things better.  I didn't, all I saw was the same attempt at running the same offense that struggled all last year.  If they haven't gotten it by now they are not going to, it should have been obvious half way through last year that this scheme with these players isn't the answer yet they insist on sticking with it.  Why?

[Guest S.  Bien]

OK Bulliever, I'm with you on most of your points.  I don't know about the fans need to "sack it up".  We were there in good numbers Saturday.  We'll be there the rest of the season.

But the fact is the offense in its current form is terrible.  It's obvious to anyone who looks at the stats from these first two games that we need to run the ball and junk this garbage spread scheme.

So it's on the coaching staff to make the right decisions. If I don't see that starting this week and especially, 10/2 when I travel to Ray Jay, I will be all over the coaching staff, not the players.

True, but one thing is missing that people don't remember.  USF usually wins when they're as good or better athletically then their opposition.  The reason being is we've never had a sound and quality offense so we've had to rely on our athletes and defense to make plays.  When we go against a team like USC to beat them we need an offense that they must scheme against, and causes them to take pause before throwing it deep or risking turning the ball over on downs.  Our offense never let made Lou fear that we could capitalize on their mistakes.  So, uncharacteristic of Lou, he set the offense loose, even with a young soph at the helm.  That had to have shocked our defense, but until we've got an offense that strikes even some fear, much less concern in bigger opponents, most will just show up and out athlete us.

Now, as for our offense.  I am not a fan of Hobbies, or Smith's.  Never was, I watched Hobbie coach in HS, and he was never great then,and hasn't improved much since.  With that being said, there are some very simple, and easy solutions that could/should maximize our potential on offense.

1.  Scrap the no-huddle.  Start huddling...the QB's have trouble calming down, and getting in rhythm, and the OL needs to regroup at times.  Defenses are now using our archaic playcalling methods against us. Scrap it, and this should be easy to do.

2.  Start running, mix in some major variances, but start going more FB, run some option, start running a ton.  The past two games our RB's have averaged 5 ypc, but we've never given them enough carries to cause damage.  It always seems, especially in TenTech game that the coaches, Hobbie and Smith, are too impatient.  They want it all, and they want it quickly.  Run the ball, win the battle of field position, give your defense a rest, then play action when the defense starts sucking in to stop the run- this will help PJ.   Some can say that defenses already crowd the line against us but that's not true, they zone blitz, and stay near the line because that's where most of our plays occur, i.e. in the shot gun USF's tendencies are either the five yard hitch, quick slant, or delayed hand-off.  Therefore, CB's crowd the line to stunt our WR's, LB's go short, and wide to cut off the slant lanes, and safeties play cover two- to take away our few deep routes.  Once three seconds tick off the LB's have taken away the slant, and they either blitz, go after the running play or drop off into coverage, all are easy reads in this formation.  If we go into a more modified spread, ala WVU, where we have maybe 2 WR's, a TE that's broken off as a WR (Derek Carter would be perfect as this, so would Bain, or Peyton).   Then, have a FB, and RB.  This is so much more disguised, and suddenly the LB can't blitz the middle because the TE can seal the outside, or go in motion to take away the blitzing LB, if not he breaks off, and streaks then PJ's got an easy quick hitter in the middle.   This is better than 4 WR"s, single back, and pray we can get a WR that catches a 5 yard out, and breaks a tackle for 40 yards.  Out routes are the most difficult for a player to break long gains because the defense has a natural defender in the sideline, and thus even if their beat a simple push out of bounds stops the reception for a minimal gain.

You get the picture.

3.  Start PJ, don't waiver, don't confuse this team, or lose this team over a QB controversy that isn't necessary.  Banks isn't good enough to cause a QB controvery over.  If they went to that modified spread, or a more traditional pro-set, or power backfield, then PJ would be ideal in this situation.  He's got good wheels, he's elusive, stronger, and has a strong enough arm to make the quick pass.

4.  Run, run, and more run....if we get 2 first downs and have to punt that's fine.   We cooked off probably 4 minutes, gave the defense a breather, and started wearing down the defense.  When they adjust to stop the run, then the passing lanes will open up more for PJ, and make it easier for him to pass.

5.  Lastly use the TE's.  Not Ruegger, but use Derek Carter, and when he gets healthy Feldman.  Carter, and Feldman are good receivers, and Carters got some wheels.  Start using that position, at least 2-3 times a game so it causes teams to worry about it.  Especially if we go to a more traditional set.

If we impliment those tenets I think this team could run through C-USA and be pretty **** competitive!  Look at a team like Memphis, they run a traditional set and surprisingly they're actually competitive on offense.