raginbull76

6 hours ago, Rex Havoc said:

Did CCs ever mention that the clock management was a disaster? The coaches blew the game 

In watching a clip of the post game press conference, It looked as though he did not take any responsibility for it.  I believe that he did state that on the 4th and 24 pass, all a player had to do was knock the ball down and the game is over.  Absolutely correct.  What I would like to know is how much did he stress this to the team when he had the time to do so?  

3 hours ago, Wildrover said:

your system?  I'm not saying this out of harsh condescension but as a serious question.  I remember the Dolphins a few years back were having a tough time with everybody.  They took a hard look at themselves and said we need to get the ball in the hands of our best players.  this led to the development of the wildcat IIRC.   And didn't this come to jesus moment happen after the season started?  Anyway,  you have to give Taggert some credit here as well.  He tried to put his system in place and it almost cost him his job.  It wasn't until he changed it to fit the strengths of his players did it not only save his job,  it got him a better paying, higher profile one.  It did take a couple of seasons though didn't it?  Why would a head coach be so stubborn when it comes to 'systems' and their attachment to them? 

I guess the immediate answer would be that changing schemes every year is too much work and arguably too much work to be done successfully every year but I'm not sure I buy that.  Teams change schemes all the time when a new coach comes in.  If the group of players can a learn a whole new scheme in the off season why can't the coaching staff?   

If I remember correctly,  two seasons ago, Taggert  seemed on the verge of losing his job.  And then, presto!  He let "Flowers be Flowers" and off we were to the races.  He basically changed on a dime, so to speak, and what a nice season 2016 turned out to be because of it.   Whether true or not, I heard that the players pleaded with him to change his vaunted LOL "shift" offense.    Million dollar salaried coaches should know enough not to try to put square pegs in round holes.  They should also know enough to keep the players aware of clock management in a game like yesterday.  I had so much high hopes with Strong coming here.  But up to this point, I'm not impressed. A respectable high school coach could have won those first seven games vs. weak opponents.  Our first real opponent and we are defeated for the wrong reasons.  

2 hours ago, Wildrover said:

CCS at Texas and Louisville are the same animal.  He was successful at Louisville because he had a stacked cupboard facing inferior competition.  he was hired away before getting exposed.  Many will say I'm saying this tonight as an emotional reaction to a sore loss.  That's a fair counterpoint since I haven't been here in a while.  My evidence,  which is future evidence,  will be how much of a step back we take next year.

Nebraska's three yards and a cloud of dust doesn't exist anymore, not even in Nebraska.  yet,  we have a coach who has so much faith in an OC who seems to believe in that,  despite having a stable of thoroughbreds built for speed and not a lot of corn-fed bovine built to push the smaller opponent aside, this is the best system for us.  It suggests an old school 'I'm right caused it worked before"  mentality and not a "build around the strengths of the players I have mentality" 

Coaches should have no system in my opinion except that they build around the players they have.  Forcing players to adhere to systems that are not suited to their talents is folly yet something we are seeing not only in CCS and Gilbert but around the country in all kinds of sports.  As a business scholar its management 101,  you as the boss do what needs to be done to provide the environment that will get the most out of your people.  the old school way of forcing your people to bend to you will doesn't yield the best results in business,  why haven't htey figured that out in football? 

$0.02

Well spoken.  'Kinda reminds us of Willie Taggert and his "Shift Offense," so to speak.  At least he learned his lesson and now is making more money at a higher profile job.

15 minutes ago, Bulls Are We said:

Houston used a timeout before the 4th and 24, but yes on the overrated part.  

I think you might be right!  That makes it worse! Strong should have screamed "make sure you just knock the ball down on a long pass" over and over again until the timeout was over.  

30 minutes ago, usfgrad84 said:

Agree about taking the timeout on 4th and  24. 

We have had worse losses. Since we still have the head to head with UCF, and that is all that matters, we just need to keep winning. 

I agree he may be overrated, but he walked onto a mess at Texas. He should not have been expected to do miracles. If he stayed at Texas, I don't think it would have been fair to judge him till this year. 

I was familiar with the Texas situation.  But, he certainly did not walk into a mess here.  He took over a team with a lot of talent led by a dynamic quarterback with an upcoming schedule that was one of the weakest in the country.  He coached a penalty plagued team through seven adventurous wins against over-matched opponents before being largely responsible, in my opinion, for this fiasco  of a loss.  Unfortunately, look for a possible repeat performance on the road next Saturday vs. UConn.

55 minutes ago, TallyBull said:

What I don't understand is how a dumb schmuck like me understands the importance of (among other things) clock management in that situation, but millionaires who have been coaching for years and years don't get it. 

Probably because a lot of these guys are successful failures and spend a lot of their time planning where they are going to go next to further inflate their egos instead of concentrating on the tasks at hand.

This is an overrated team that just lost to the only above average opponent that they have faced all year.  After watching them make just every game vs. cupcakes an adventure, is anybody really surprised at this result?  Lots of talent, but led by a surprisingly " C" level head coach, who obviously isn't too good at clock management, nor knowing when to use a critical timeout out to get his team ready for a 4th and 24 to seal the victory.  Don't blame the players, coach.  It's on you!

1 hour ago, usfgrad84 said:

This game was on the coaching staff.  Period!

We lost with :11 left. Just went back and watched the last drive. We snapped the ball with time on the play clock as follows:

:09

:25

:23

:19

:03

:16 

FG with :04 left  

Strong and Gilbert can talk all they want about execution, but they could/should have made the FG with no more than :05 left  

 

Strong, first of all, should have went for a field goal earlier in the game, although that had no barring on the outcome.  In close games, do two things:  1.  Always take the points.

2.  Keep your second half timeouts for the end of the game.  Charlie Strong did not take the points.  Charlie Strong did keep his timeouts for the end of the game.  However, with Houston facing 4th and 24 with about a minute remaining, would it have made sense to call a timeout and remind your players that all you have to do is knock down the ball and we win?  Would it not have made sense to give the defense a quick breather and make sure they are organized?  Sorry, this team is really 0-1, not 7-1.  This was the first team that we played all season that could be considered above average.  It is apparent to me that Strong is an overrated coach.  He was lucky to have Terry Bridgewater among others at Louisviille.    He could not succeed at Texas with all the talent in that state.  Quinton Flowers has digressed with him at the helm.  Something is wrong here.  In all my years of supporting and watching USF football, this was the worst loss ever.  And it falls on the coaching staff, especially Strong.  

8 hours ago, Orlando Bull said:

Should I get a new TV?

Seriously though... I see that ESPN's highly accurate FPI gives us less than a 25% chance to win that game. I was curious about what both teams would be dealing with leading into the game. We have a bye week before a Thursday game with Tulsa on 11/16, then, 8 days until the war on I-4. UCF doesn't have any breaks for the rest of the season (aside from this week against Austin Peay). They also play at Temple on 11/18, so, they will travel home and prep to play us on a somewhat shortened week.

Not sure if that means anything, sometimes playing 1 game in like 18 days leading up to that one could make a team rusty, but, we should be pretty well rested and hangry going into that one I hope. Just thought it was interesting... along with the FPI chance of winning that one.

We will learn a lot about our Bulls this upcoming Saturday afternoon vs. Houston.  Let's face it .  This is the first relatively decent football team that we have played.  It's great that we are 7-0 and ranked.  But, as the old saying goes, "Where's the beef?"  I think that UCF is a very good football team.  Better than many people realize.  I couldn't even begin to make a prediction about that game until I see if we can remain focused for four quarters vs. Houston and therefore take care of business.  

1 hour ago, MMW said:

This statement is puzzling.  Our team is 7-0 with lofty offensive and defensive numbers but Strong hasn't done a good job?

Our offense is productive and our defense is stingy.  It's it possible that you all were spoiled by our score at will ability last year?  That was great and all but or defense was embarrassing.  Worse than that CWT didn't care.  What I see in CCS is balance.  It is a veteran team coming off an 11-2 team but they are still learning a new system.

We also see a coach who is putting in his second and third string instead of running up the score.  I see that every game.  He can do that because even though the game is not officially over we have dominated throughout.

 

 

Very simply put, look at the competition these numbers are put up against.  UCF is high scoring and undefeated too.  But they have quality wins against Navy and Memphis.  Even a weaker team on  their schedule such as Maryland is far better than anyone we have played thus far.   We have not played one team that compares to any of those.  Stonybrook? ECU? San Jose State? etc.     Again, the combined record of our opponents thus far is 18-53.  Don't get me wrong.  I am thrilled that we are 7-0.  You can't play sloppy games against inferior competition week in and week out and realistically consider ourselves a top 20 team.  The Houston game is our first real test of the season.   Hopefully, we pass it with flying colors!

2 hours ago, SANJAY said:

Ragin, If CWT was still here that would mean that Woodie is still coaching the D? then this team is not 7-0. We likely lose the ECU and/or Tulane games. On the road and the offenses did some damage even with us tackling much better this year.

True, Woodie was terrible, but we still win both the Tulane and especially the  ECU game if he were still here.  It took him a while to realize it, but CWT finally understood that letting "Flowers Be Flowers," so to speak was the key to winning ball games.  It hasn't looked as though Coach Strong has let him improvise as much.  Our 7-0 record is as soft as it gets at this level of football.  Give Houston a good drubbing this upcoming Saturday and my opinion changes big time!  This is perhaps the most talented team in the history of USF football.  But we have not played like it as of yet.  

Houston 

34-24

Flowers

MVS

410

4 hours ago, usfgrad84 said:

I would think we were 0-7 in football or talking about our basketball program. 

Since when did we have such a low image of our football team around here. Geez, we are the a top 10 rushing offense and defense, highest ranked G5 team, being picked to go to the Peach Bowl by most people that guess these things, owners of the longest winning streak in the country, currently in the midst of a record setting streak of 30 points or more and most posts on here are doomsday. 

Guys, you game plan to beat the opponent.  We dominate pretty much every game  coaching staff let ip the other day against a lesser opponent while we were up by more than 4 scores.  It was not like last years defense when we were simply inept  

our coaching staff is smart  they know how to get the job done  

stop whining because you don't like the way we are getting it done. We are getting it done!

 

 I thought that Charlie Strong was a solid upgrade as a head coach. But, this team still would be undefeated with this schedule if Taggert was still here. (No knock on him, by the way.)   In fact, they might have even played better.  Our  opponents thus far have a combined record of 18-53 if I am correct.   I am not saying that Strong is not a good head coach. But someone really does have to wear "green goggles" to think that he has done a good job thus far. A very "sloppy" team as some football analysts have pointed out. Those lofty offensive and defensive numbers are misleading when you consider the quality of the competition.

Our first "real" football game of the season is Houston this upcoming Saturday.  The good news is that it is a home game.  If we lose this one, then we know that our unblemished record through seven games was truly a mirage.  If we win this one in grand fashion, then perhaps our guys really do play up to the level of the competition.  What a great thing it would be for our USF Bulls, fans and alumni if both us and UCF head into Thanksgiving weekend both undefeated.  

2 minutes ago, footnfan1 said:

You are supposed to beat bad teams, USF has done that. They will continue to do that. 

So does that mean that they should be ranked in the top twenty for doing so?  UCF has beaten Navy,  Memphis and Maryland.  Being objective, they should be ranked ahead of us as should some other teams.  Like I said, we just might be the type of team that plays up to the level of the competition.  Hopefully so.  We will find out this upcoming weekend.  There might also be some truth to coordinators not showing all their cards, so to speak, when they don't have to.   But usually, that doesn't seem to be the case with most teams.  As for the penalties and lack of concentration at times?  That is on the coaches.   Could you imagine a post game Alabama locker room if Nick Saban walked into it after a second half performance like we just put on against Tulane?

Our undefeated season thus far is a fraud! (Pardon me Mitt Romney.) It has been achieved against relatively bad football teams. True, we can only play who is in front of us. But a top twenty ranking for a team that somehow finds a way to make games against weak teams interesting?   Absolutely not!   Right now, I am extremely disappointed in Charlie Strong. This team is undisciplined, and more often than not does not play with great intensity for long portions of each game. Honestly, our head coach is not the reason why we are undefeated at this point in time . The weak schedule is the one and only major reason. Our first real football game is coming up this weekend. One of two things will happen. Either we will find out that our Bulls are a team that plays up to the level of competition and often gets bored when things are going their way big time. Or, as suggested, we are an overrated ball club that has not yet proven anything against anybody. I am not yet ready to give my numerical prediction on our upcoming game vs. the Cougars. But, I think they will beat us by at least two touchdowns unless Strong can convince both his players and coaches to stay awake for four quarters. I can not  believe that I feel this way when my favorite college football team is 7-0, but I do!  As someone  so aptly pointed out yesterday,  this season's record is a mirage thus far!

In this morning's newspaper up in the northeast, the question came up as to where Greg Schiano will next land as a head coach. It was written that he had previously turned down two significant offers (Believed to be the Oregon and South Florida jobs) Interesting!  In order to keep a coach like Strong in Tampa, home game attendance will have to significantly increase among other things.

On 9/21/2017 at 7:29 PM, El_Toro_86 said:

This is a freaking top 25 come on people they deserve better

For some reason and even to this day, USF has always been known as a "commuter school." It also has never had any sustained success in the two major sports of football and men's basketball.  Perhaps as a result, a true "Bulls' Nation" has never developed.  It is more apparent now than ever that an OCS is needed to move the program forward.  No "Power Five" conference will invite a school like ours to join them with such pathetic attendance figures.  Also, why do schools such as Troy get to play teams like Alabama on a regular basis and we schedule teams like UMass?  I am sorry but I don't believe the story that "they," meaning Power Five  teams, don't want to play us.  Right now, we are stuck in a "Catch 22," so to speak.  No fans, therefore no OCS and no  beginning a  tradition that can lead to a real fan basis of alumni and Tampa Bay area residents.  I never thought that I would say it, but an on campus stadium is needed now more than ever.  

7 hours ago, hm101 said:

Houston and UCF will be tough. Optimistic but its just freaking hard to go 12-0, then win a conf champ game. One week at a time. ECU looking OK today. 

Houston's offense looked horrible on Saturday vs. Texas Tech.  Perhaps an off day!  It's really UCF that I am worried about.  They beat up on Maryland.  They look like a good football team thus far.  If the Knights beat Memphis then watch out!  As you stated, it's very hard for any team to go 12-0, even with a light schedule like USF has.  It's too early to predict, but it is entirely possible that both USF and UCF could meet as undefeated teams that Friday after Thanksgiving.  Wouldn't that be fun!

This game was one of the best examples that I ever witnessed of competing offenses working together towards a common goal, that being a USF victory. I went to the USF-Temple game last fall. To state that this is a different Temple Owl team is an understatement to say the least! Their defense is nowhere near as bad as the score indicated. I am not so sure that the Alabama defense could have led their team to a victory in a game like this if their offense looked as though they were playing for the other team! True, Flowers had a potential long TD pass dropped. But, he really did not play well and most likely eliminated any possibility of a trip to New York for him at season's end as an also ran in the Heisman Trophy competition. Our defense played great, help or no help from the opposing offense.

Bulls

44-27

Tice

Valdes-Scantling

424 total yards

Was I wrong the last game!  It was good to see the team play like they are capable of doing on both sides of the ball.

I certainly had predicted the outcome of this game wrong.  But, with good reason based upon the first two games of this season.  Our guys played with good intensity and enthusiasm on both sides of the ball.  That's a first for this year.  Let's hope it continues.  Less penalties and more discipline, though.  Manhandling a Big Ten team, even a lower tier one with just three days of focused practice now justifies our being ranked in my opinion.

Based upon the play of the first two games, especially Stony Brook, I am worried about this one.  The UConn game was on again, off again!  Preparing for a Big Ten opponent with just three days preparation time is not a good thing.  Something is clearly wrong with our Bulls thus far and I can't put my finger on it, so to speak.  I hope I am wrong, but I see another less than stellar performance by our guys this Friday night.  A grinding Illinois running game helps lead the way to a 33-24 victory for the Illini.  Please, please prove me wrong!

11 hours ago, Flowers4Heisman said:

This was supposed to be a relaxed year! --Before the season started I had us cruising to 5-0 before any stress came our way.

This is not right. How am I going to survive this whole season?

Now, I'm absolutely worried about us laying a big egg @ UConn.

If we lay an egg at UConn, then this season is over as far as many fans are concerned.  Two feeble efforts against two lightweight teams followed by a loss to the Huskies would certainly make those remaining home games at the Ray Jay mostly empty and red.  We will learn a lot about this 2017 Bulls team and more importantly about Charlie Strong this upcoming Saturday.  

21 hours ago, Flowers4Heisman said:

since their time at USF, did Coach Strong and the OC ever go back to the videos and watch any of the USF games from the previous seasons?

Game 1, okay, season jitters, etc. They all get a pass.

Game 2... It clearly shows me that they don't know USF football and how QF and the guys operate. They are trying to do whatever they did offensively at Texas (that got them all fired).

 

If you remember, Taggart tried to initially  install an offense with all kinds of "shifts," which confused the players more than it did our opponents.  Remember the McNeese State fiasco?  Many of these college head coaches are paid millions of dollars.  It seems to me that one of the most important aspects of coaching is to install your offensive and defensive game plans and offenses and defenses based upon the talents of your players.  You can't put round pegs in square holes.

2 hours ago, Mama_Bull said:

USF got a brief mention:

MISERABLE, BUT NOT QUITE MISERABLE ENOUGH

 

South Florida: The Bulls are 2-0, but not all is well in Tampa. That much is obvious in watching them slog through victories against San Jose State and Stony Brook to open the season. As a preseason top-25 team with lots of experience and a pretty easy schedule, South Florida was supposed to score a ton of points and rocket up the rankings, even if making the College Football Playoff was a pipe dream.

Instead, there are all kinds of questions about why Charlie Strong’s team seems to be struggling. Though they held Stony Brook to just 229 yards, the Bulls were tied in the fourth quarter and needed a late score to put the game out of reach, which isn’t what fans envisioned with quarterback Quinton Flowers at the controls. 

 https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/college/columnist/dan-wolken/2017/09/03/misery-index-week-1-florida-east-carolina-nc-state-texas-missouri/629894001/

 

 

2 hours ago, Bull Daly said:

Can you imagine how bad it would be if USF would have lost?? It might be wize to shut the board down if USF loses one game this season. 

It is very difficult for any team to go undefeated, even with a ridiculously light schedule like we have. But, your comment might not have been much of a stretch if our Bulls had lost to Stony Brook.  To call this team's performance underwhelming at this point is an understatement.  I thought that Charlie Strong was the right guy at the right time to take USF football to the next level.  That still could be the case.  I guess that it doesn't hurt to remember that Taggert was just about out of a job last season and then looked what happened!  Everything started to click!  It has to start  this upcoming Saturday with UConn, who almost lost to Holy Cross.  I will be at that game and look forward to cheering them on.   If this one gives us trouble, then this is going to be a long and disappointing  season to say the least!