Thoughts on the game...

[Jim Johnson]

Okay.. I will be the first to say that I was calling for Mike Hobbie's head after two games.  Let me eat crow by saying he did something this week I hadn't seen in weeks 1 and 2 -- he made adjustments.

Here are some comments I have on the game.

Mike Hobbie

4th and six, need a TD to tie... call a slight roll to the right, throw back to the RB down the left... TOUCHDOWN.

There were a few other plays that I thought were great calls, but the players didn't execute well (Gipson's TD pass, the reverse that lost a few yards because PJ couldn't block the defensive end.)   He made some adjustments... he still tried to hand the ball off to Hall from the shotgun - tough to do unless its a pitch or a draw.  All in all, I would give Hobbie an A- for the calls he made tonight... far better than what I saw at TTU or heard at USC.

Pat Julmiste

The man played like he was possessed.  22 of 33 is amazing -- but he had a few problems towards the end that he was able to overcome.  On USF's last two TD drives in regulation, PJ overthrew receivers four or five times - we must have had four or five 3rd down "must convert" plays on those drives because the 1st and 2nd down plays were short, overthrown, or otherwise missed.  Still, PJ made some amazing throws on those 3rd and long situations - and that 4th and 6 TD pass to Hall was brilliant!  I expect that PJ has gained some new confidence - and he has certainly answered both his critics AND the question about who should start for USF.

Andre Hall

He's the man!  If our OL could block just a little bit better for him, he might be a dominant running back.  Having a man like Hall takes a lot of heat off our passing game.  I hope Hobbie continues to do what he has done, give Hall the ball.

"Flag on the play..."

Leavitt realizes that we have some discipline problems -- he commented on the post-game interview on WTBN.   Not to mention that after one early penalty, he wa on TV and you could tell he was pissed - mouthing words that can not be repeated on public television.  TCU's first two touchdowns were direct results of penalties - and the first OT might have been the only one had it not been for two penalties.  Finally, #61 (Miller?) needs to learn the snap counts.  He had two false start penalties at key times.  Oh, and it seems that if they call fair catches on punts and kickoffs, then they can eliminate the illegal blocking and holding penlaties that seem to plague the special teams.

I haven't looked at the stat sheet, these are the things I found last night while watching the game.  The Bulls did very well, and I will publicly say that Hobbie seems to be better than I thought.

[bulls96go]

hats off to hobbie

now show me some more

one game does not a season make

[BULLheaded]

Jim, I think one correction would be that it was 13 games not 2 that caused the call for Hobbie's head. He called a good game last night but let's see if he can do this consistently and not go back the the "old" style. I've seen coaches do this so many times and just have to shake my head and wonder what goes on in their head. I'm not ready to exonerate him yet, let's see how the season goes first....I wonder if maybe secretly Franks had a hand in this, seems so drastically different then anything I've seen Hobbie do that it just makes me wonder. Regardless, the coaches called a great game last night

I agree on Pat and Hall, both were warriors last night!

On the flags, well Leavitt has comented after every game for years that he knows this problem exists. It is excrutiatingly frustrating! I sure hope we can get this under control but I'm not holding my breath on this one.