Rivals USF #45 Review

[IncrediBULL]

45 is too high.  We won't finish ranked that high, imho.

I like Skip a lot.  I think a ton of things will improve, but losing as many top guys as we did will hurt us. 

Plus coaching changes are disruptive.  Some players won't respond the same way.  New plays, schemes, etc.   Just a lot of adjusting.

Our tough schedule will hurt us, also.

I know it is arbitrary (preseason rankings) but I'd be surprised to see us much under 60 by the end of the season.  And I am okay with that because we know what our future holds.

These top guys that you talk about apparently stopped playing at a top level around mid-season. What do you think the score would have been in the Miami game if the defense played at the instensity that they did at FSU? Why would a defense with 4 NFL players on it give up that last score in the snow and ice at UCONN after BJ single-handedly already won that game in the previous possession. The team, especially the D, was in a funk just prior and definitely after the "incident" in the locker room. Also, we did not put new coaches in mid-season ....the new coach cliche' is ridiculous. Florida, having the only new QB in the Big 4 to start this year, should be a bigger concern than coaching change, which most say is an improvement over last year.

Yea you are right.  Bringing in that proven coach has really helped Michigan win some games out of the gate.  I guess we should expect 9 - 3 and a top bowl now we have Skip, in his first season. 

Also, those players you mention who were good in the beginning, and who the NFL thinks are good enough to make it there, didn't play.  But either way, old coach, new coach, they are gone.  So we are working with young guys who haven't been starters, nearly across the board.  QB we return, WR's new. RB's new.  DL new.  Db's mostly new.  Tons of changes.

Lastly, you are right again.  We shoudl beat UF since they have a new QB and we have a guy with experience.  What was I thinking?  I mean, yes it is in Gainesville.  Yes they have 5 years of top 15 / top 10 classes.  Yes we have a new coach, and a lot of new players, but this should be our game to win.  I guess I was ignoring the obvious.

[slick1ru2]

45 is too high.  We won't finish ranked that high, imho.

I like Skip a lot.  I think a ton of things will improve, but losing as many top guys as we did will hurt us. 

Plus coaching changes are disruptive.  Some players won't respond the same way.  New plays, schemes, etc.   Just a lot of adjusting.

Our tough schedule will hurt us, also.

I know it is arbitrary (preseason rankings) but I'd be surprised to see us much under 60 by the end of the season.  And I am okay with that because we know what our future holds.

These top guys that you talk about apparently stopped playing at a top level around mid-season. What do you think the score would have been in the Miami game if the defense played at the instensity that they did at FSU? Why would a defense with 4 NFL players on it give up that last score in the snow and ice at UCONN after BJ single-handedly already won that game in the previous possession. The team, especially the D, was in a funk just prior and definitely after the "incident" in the locker room. Also, we did not put new coaches in mid-season ....the new coach cliche' is ridiculous. Florida, having the only new QB in the Big 4 to start this year, should be a bigger concern than coaching change, which most say is an improvement over last year.

Yea you are right.  Bringing in that proven coach has really helped Michigan win some games out of the gate.  I guess we should expect 9 - 3 and a top bowl now we have Skip, in his first season.  

Also, those players you mention who were good in the beginning, and who the NFL thinks are good enough to make it there, didn't play.  But either way, old coach, new coach, they are gone.  So we are working with young guys who haven't been starters, nearly across the board.  QB we return, WR's new. RB's new.   DL new.  Db's mostly new.  Tons of changes.

Lastly, you are right again.  We shoudl beat UF since they have a new QB and we have a guy with experience.  What was I thinking?  I mean, yes it is in Gainesville.  Yes they have 5 years of top 15 / top 10 classes.  Yes we have a new coach, and a lot of new players, but this should be our game to win.  I guess I was ignoring the obvious.

The sky is falling!

[bull2bull]

45 is too high.  We won't finish ranked that high, imho.

I like Skip a lot.  I think a ton of things will improve, but losing as many top guys as we did will hurt us. 

Plus coaching changes are disruptive.  Some players won't respond the same way.  New plays, schemes, etc.   Just a lot of adjusting.

Our tough schedule will hurt us, also.

I know it is arbitrary (preseason rankings) but I'd be surprised to see us much under 60 by the end of the season.  And I am okay with that because we know what our future holds.

These top guys that you talk about apparently stopped playing at a top level around mid-season. What do you think the score would have been in the Miami game if the defense played at the instensity that they did at FSU? Why would a defense with 4 NFL players on it give up that last score in the snow and ice at UCONN after BJ single-handedly already won that game in the previous possession. The team, especially the D, was in a funk just prior and definitely after the "incident" in the locker room. Also, we did not put new coaches in mid-season ....the new coach cliche' is ridiculous. Florida, having the only new QB in the Big 4 to start this year, should be a bigger concern than coaching change, which most say is an improvement over last year.

Yea you are right.  Bringing in that proven coach has really helped Michigan win some games out of the gate.  I guess we should expect 9 - 3 and a top bowl now we have Skip, in his first season.   

Also, those players you mention who were good in the beginning, and who the NFL thinks are good enough to make it there, didn't play.  But either way, old coach, new coach, they are gone.  So we are working with young guys who haven't been starters, nearly across the board.  QB we return, WR's new. RB's new.   DL new.  Db's mostly new.  Tons of changes.

Lastly, you are right again.  We shoudl beat UF since they have a new QB and we have a guy with experience.  What was I thinking?  I mean, yes it is in Gainesville.  Yes they have 5 years of top 15 / top 10 classes.  Yes we have a new coach, and a lot of new players, but this should be our game to win.  I guess I was ignoring the obvious.

Wow, I certainly hope you were not at the Auburn or FSU games. I was and am glad "Mr. Half Empty USF Fan" was not sitting next to me. You probably lost money on both of those games..uh. I went in thinking we really had a chance at winning both of those. Going into Auburn at night with those teams was a more daunting task than going into the swamp from a purely football sense. Auburn had a seasoned QB who turned around weeks later and beat the Gators in the swamp. In that very stadium, the previous season, they gave the Gators their only loss in the NC season. Auburn had some crazy home record going especially with OOC games at Jordan Hare. If we had a kicker and any type of red zone offense, we would have beaten them by 21 in regulation. Two years later, the bulls go into Doak and just physically beat the crap out of FSU...go back and watch the replay.....the score was not indicative. That team did not play the rest of the season like they did that day. As far as the UF game, UF loses 7 starters on D (2 DE, 3LB, 2S) and at least 4 on O(QB,C,TE,R). Granted there are 4-5 star players coming into those positions but they did not get much experience last year when the starters were NFL caliber and will have only 1 game to "come up to speed" before the Bulls. It is great to be realistic with your expectations, but it looks better to be a realistic fan and not a negative poster. This game will be closer than many think and depends on how Brantley handles his first start. My bet is that BJ's experience and improvement will make up for a lot of the inexeperienced 4-5 stars that will be on the other side. Grab your Gator gear, put your bet down on UF and tell your friends how we got lucky at Auburn and FSU...This is the best year and the best time of the season to be playing UF and there are no excuses.....Go Bulls.

[hm101]

see the latest ESPN big east blog entry. new coach results are mixed.

I'll take #45. Let's finish with a winning big east record and i'll be thrilled

[Grateful Dad]

Posting what one believes to be a realistic expectation is not being anti-USF if that expectation is less than a prediction for a championship performance.  I think it is an honest assessment in the article and also in Incredibull's post.  Tone aside, he makes some very valid points.  I don't believe that we will beat Florida in the swamp. 

That being said, could you please give my fandom your stamp of approval?  We all know how important that is...

[slick1ru2]

I think that Skip came here thinking its possible that USF  could win in the Swamp this season. No Tebow, possibly no Urban. We should get behind our coach on the matter. Upsets happen in college football, USF has had, what, 4 big ones now. It is not impossible to win at the Swamp, just like it wasn't impossible to win at Auburn. That Auburn team USF beat was the ONLY team to beat Florida that year and they beat them in the Swamp. Believe it can happen and it might just,  Florida is in transition too and is not the best team in college football this year.

[slick1ru2]

FYI. ESPN Insider subscribers (free if you get ESPN magazine) get access to the Blue Ribbon Yearbook reviews for every team.

Here is a quote from that summery of USF:

"At some positions, I have been impressed, but at other positions, I haven't been," Holtz said. "At some positions, we have a lot of things to build on. I think we have talent, but I also think we have some pretty big holes to fill."  Holtz would never say this, but we can: This is something of a surprise. Throughout his tenure, Leavitt maintained that the Bulls were building the kind of athletic depth that teams need to thrive at the highest levels. That isn't the case, at least not this year. The Bulls are hurting at wide receiver and have plenty of questions in the secondary. The running back situation isn't ideal, either.

[IncrediBULL]

45 is too high.  We won't finish ranked that high, imho.

I like Skip a lot.  I think a ton of things will improve, but losing as many top guys as we did will hurt us. 

Plus coaching changes are disruptive.  Some players won't respond the same way.  New plays, schemes, etc.   Just a lot of adjusting.

Our tough schedule will hurt us, also.

I know it is arbitrary (preseason rankings) but I'd be surprised to see us much under 60 by the end of the season.  And I am okay with that because we know what our future holds.

These top guys that you talk about apparently stopped playing at a top level around mid-season. What do you think the score would have been in the Miami game if the defense played at the instensity that they did at FSU? Why would a defense with 4 NFL players on it give up that last score in the snow and ice at UCONN after BJ single-handedly already won that game in the previous possession. The team, especially the D, was in a funk just prior and definitely after the "incident" in the locker room. Also, we did not put new coaches in mid-season ....the new coach cliche' is ridiculous. Florida, having the only new QB in the Big 4 to start this year, should be a bigger concern than coaching change, which most say is an improvement over last year.

Yea you are right.  Bringing in that proven coach has really helped Michigan win some games out of the gate.  I guess we should expect 9 - 3 and a top bowl now we have Skip, in his first season.   

Also, those players you mention who were good in the beginning, and who the NFL thinks are good enough to make it there, didn't play.  But either way, old coach, new coach, they are gone.  So we are working with young guys who haven't been starters, nearly across the board.  QB we return, WR's new. RB's new.   DL new.  Db's mostly new.  Tons of changes.

Lastly, you are right again.  We shoudl beat UF since they have a new QB and we have a guy with experience.  What was I thinking?  I mean, yes it is in Gainesville.  Yes they have 5 years of top 15 / top 10 classes.  Yes we have a new coach, and a lot of new players, but this should be our game to win.  I guess I was ignoring the obvious.

Wow, I certainly hope you were not at the Auburn or FSU games. I was and am glad "Mr. Half Empty USF Fan" was not sitting next to me. You probably lost money on both of those games..uh. I went in thinking we really had a chance at winning both of those. Going into Auburn at night with those teams was a more daunting task than going into the swamp from a purely football sense. Auburn had a seasoned QB who turned around weeks later and beat the Gators in the swamp. In that very stadium, the previous season, they gave the Gators their only loss in the NC season. Auburn had some crazy home record going especially with OOC games at Jordan Hare. If we had a kicker and any type of red zone offense, we would have beaten them by 21 in regulation. Two years later, the bulls go into Doak and just physically beat the crap out of FSU...go back and watch the replay.....the score was not indicative. That team did not play the rest of the season like they did that day. As far as the UF game, UF loses 7 starters on D (2 DE, 3LB, 2S) and at least 4 on O(QB,C,TE,R). Granted there are 4-5 star players coming into those positions but they did not get much experience last year when the starters were NFL caliber and will have only 1 game to "come up to speed" before the Bulls. It is great to be realistic with your expectations, but it looks better to be a realistic fan and not a negative poster. This game will be closer than many think and depends on how Brantley handles his first start. My bet is that BJ's experience and improvement will make up for a lot of the inexeperienced 4-5 stars that will be on the other side. Grab your Gator gear, put your bet down on UF and tell your friends how we got lucky at Auburn and FSU...This is the best year and the best time of the season to be playing UF and there are no excuses.....Go Bulls.

I was at FSU, and watched Auburn on TV.  UF is neither Auburn or FSU.  Both of those schools have been very week, finishing outside of the top 25 for most of the past 5 - 6 years.  Coaching changes at Auburn due to such losses (see Gene Chzick).  FSU finally got rid of the patriarch after last year and especially the sting of the loss to USF.

I am clearly a Bulls fan and if we wanted to whip it out and measure, I suspect I'd surpass tons of people.  But this isn't a contest for fandom.  What is wrong with being realistic (in my original post) and then posting a sarcastic post to address someone who basically said I was an idiot for not thinking USF will crush UF?

[IncrediBULL]

Posting what one believes to be a realistic expectation is not being anti-USF if that expectation is less than a prediction for a championship performance.  I think it is an honest assessment in the article and also in Incredibull's post.  Tone aside, he makes some very valid points.  I don't believe that we will beat Florida in the swamp. 

That being said, could you please give my fandom your stamp of approval?  We all know how important that is...

I am with you on this one, and thanks for the support.  It seems like if anyone on this board posts even a reasonable realistic and objective post with a hint of pessimism toward the Bulls, then they get slammed.  Preseason polls are "supposed" to be what they think going into the season and based on how they "think" we will end up by the end of the season.  I love the Bulls, but I don't think they are top 45 at this time.  I'd put them in the mid to upper 50's at best, and consider this year and next a rebuilding year.

I bullieve in Skip and team.  I also know we have a ton of talent, and some depth in some areas.  But with a new coach, new system, and a depleted line up, coupled with a very hard road schedule, this isn't probably going to be our year.  If you asked me, I would say that 2012 we win the BE, finish with at least 10 wins, and go to a BCS bowl game (assuming no major conf realignment). 

I am excited about the bulls future, but I just don't think this will be our best season ever.  Nothing wrong with being a bit Bearish on the Bulls for a season, and it doesn't make me any less of a fan.

[Rizman]

Nothing at all.