Trib: Detractors don't bother USF's Leavitt

[TheBullies]

I love him.

[CousinRicky]

Why then are there no USF players (maybe one O lineman if he's still around) playing offense in the NFL?  Even is we agree that they aren't getting coached up, don't you think NFL scouts can spot talent?

Next time you're able to catch a GaTech game on TV, look for a 6-6, 300 lb tackle, #61 with the name P. Smith.  He was a Jesuit grad, not highly rated by Rivals or Scout who is a starting RS Freshman.  He wanted a schollie from USF, wanted to play for USF, but was passed on (I know this first hand).  I guarantee you the kid will play on Sundays when he is done and will probably go in the top two rounds of the draft barring injury.  Not getting athletes is on the coaches CR and is a worn out excuse at this point in our history. 

The question being debated wasn't whether talent was available, it was whether USF has had it.  No offensive players in the NFL = not much talent IMO.  Coulda, woulda, shoulda doesn't mean we've had top talent.

I totally agree with you that the failure to recruit and sign goes on the staff.

[Rizman]

you speak of linemen... but we aren't recruiting any top flight talent at OL

We're recruiting them but the best ones do not choose USF. 

We also have missed out ona  lot of second tier guys who could be developed.

We also do not develop the OL like we need to.  This is the biggest area of player development where the coaches have fallen short.

Thanks Sanjay, at least someone sees it.  It is a problem and they are defensive focused and need to focus on the o-line for a change.

[SANJAY]

you speak of linemen... but we aren't recruiting any top flight talent at OL

We're recruiting them but the best ones do not choose USF. 

We also have missed out ona  lot of second tier guys who could be developed.

We also do not develop the OL like we need to.  This is the biggest area of player development where the coaches have fallen short.

Thanks Sanjay, at least someone sees it.  It is a problem and they are defensive focused and need to focus on the o-line for a change.

They are trying to address it.  Moving coach scott from teh TEs to the OL was part of it, to help get another set of eyes on the OL and work with some of the younger guys.  I think there are 15 or so OL right now, and that's just too many bodies for one coach to evaluate (or that was the thinking over the summer).  I don't know if coach Simmonds can get it done, as I do not see guys developing.

[hbryan]

2006?: Kevin McCaskill (smallish guard), Zack Hermann, Jeff Ide, James Boger

2007?: Anyone remember Edenfield and McCoy - Edenfield was cut due to academics and McCoy was a non-qualifier.  Two schollies wasted on idiots and the Edenfield fiasco cost us on APR points.  No one else from this years OL group

2008?:  Damien Edwards-JC, Justin Green @ JC, Popek and Garvin

2009?:  Jamar Bass-JC, Carlos Savala-JC, John McGhin, Steve Jaques, Kamran Joyer

Lots of losses due to grades and depending upon junior colleges to develop your BCS lineman will not work over the long run.  I would rather us select smart guys that USF can develop instead academic head cases or non-qualifiers who go and get developed over two years by JC staff.

[SANJAY]

2006?: Kevin McCaskill (smallish guard), Zack Hermann, Jeff Ide, James Boger

2007?: Anyone remember Edenfield and McCoy - Edenfield was cut due to academics and McCoy was a non-qualifier.  Two schollies wasted on idiots and the Edenfield fiasco cost us on APR points.  No one else from this years OL group

2008?:  Damien Edwards-JC, Justin Green @ JC, Popek and Garvin

2009?:  Jamar Bass-JC, Carlos Savala-JC, John McGhin, Steve Jaques, Kamran Joyer

Lots of losses due to grades and depending upon junior colleges to develop your BCS lineman will not work over the long run.  I would rather us select smart guys that USF can develop instead academic head cases or non-qualifiers who go and get developed over two years by JC staff.

That's a pretty good place to statr on the OL issues.  A couple issues with yoru list though:

Should start in 2005, as those would be 5th year seniors - Danny Tolley (injury plagued); Chris DeArmas (no clue) and Selvie (he turned out ok just not at OL).

In 2006 you also had Jeremiah Warren (actually enrolled in 2007, same as McCaskill)

2007- Edenfield had tons of talent, was coming off an injury and was clearly a flyer.  Also Sampson Genus.

2008- Forgetting Danos Estenor who played as a True freshman, but is redshirting this year.

2009- The jucos are the result of 2005-2007 issues.

[hbryan]

That's a pretty good place to statr on the OL issues.  A couple issues with yoru list though:

Should start in 2005, as those would be 5th year seniors - Danny Tolley (injury plagued); Chris DeArmas (no clue) and Selvie (he turned out ok just not at OL).

In 2006 you also had Jeremiah Warren (actually enrolled in 2007, same as McCaskill)

2007- Edenfield had tons of talent, was coming off an injury and was clearly a flyer.  Also Sampson Genus.

2008- Forgetting Danos Estenor who played as a True freshman, but is redshirting this year.

2009- The jucos are the result of 2005-2007 issues.

Yeah, Shane McElwain in 2005 is no longer here as well.  Genus also went the JC route.  My point being that when you select these players with marginal at best academics, your going to have to go the JC route which hurts long term.  I pointed out one kid who desparately wanted to play for USF, is a 6-6 300 lb redshirt freshman playing for a top 10 team, who never had academic issues, and who was passed on.  Therefore, this points out an obvious failure in recruiting and also maybe in development.  Did they think they could not develop this kid and passed on him for McCoy, a likewise unrated OT?  I personally feel we will always have OL issues if we constantly lose kids due to academics.  I also think there may issues on the staff in properly evaluating HS OL talent and possibly developing them. I just seems to me that the majority of OL talent left to develop tends to be smallish guards and tackles, which hurts us against the usual suspects.  Anyone else want to chime in?

[SANJAY]

Genus was never juco.  Otherwise I agree that the OL position has not been recruited well, and not been coached well.

[Triple B]

A couple of things are puzzling me with this thread:

1. When I think about USF's rapid ascension from CUSA to the Big East and the impact to the other coaches. The vast majority of the coaches have all been replaced (mens Basketball, women basketball, baseball, soccer) all in an effort to get better and to be more competitive.  I guess Leavitt is above all the other coaches that have been replaced.

Do you honestly not understand why CJL would have a little more leeway than the coaches of the other sports??

2.People keep talking about USF football does not have the talent to compete in the Big East.  USF has and has had equal or better talent than most of the teams in the Big East.

What exactly are you basing this on?

[CousinRicky]

Since we aren't talking about the subject anymore, I'd like to continue with this OL subject.  Isn't there some kind of test that is given to players being considered for the NFL?  And, if I'm not mistaken, I read at one time that offensive linemen score highest on the list next to QB's.  If that really is the case, we need to worry a bit more about the Football IQ of the OLinemen being recruited.