ArmyBull

No idea what he has been doing but a kid that is taking and passing extra courses does not sound like someone who would slack at the next level. To me it sounds like a kid that is doing what he can to make up for something that was lacking, not only attempting it but achieving it. Kudos top him for doing what needs to be done and doing it well enough to achieve his goals. I suggested reviewing it. At the minimum there should be exceptions to this 9 hour thing. To lose a kid to a school like OU because we would not count 1 extra class he took just seems silly. I imagine this is a rare circumstance.

I think that might be the worst case scenario out there. That would force Flowers to become a WR or transfer. Actually is might happen anyway if he falls behind bench. So, never mind.

This does not sound like a case of lower standards to me, more like a loop hole of sorts: Baxter said USF only allows someone to use nine credit hours in the summer to meet the required GPA. Baxter took more than nine hours but those extra hours couldn’t count for USF but do count for OU. OU allows for more than nine hours in the summer, which is what Baxter needed to reach the required GPA. I do think that USF should review their policy on this. OU is not Harvard, but I doubt there are any rankings that place USF in a higher academic standing than Oklahoma.

Combining a few threads here: Question #1 In the "Bowl or no Bowl Thread" Most felt like we would not go bowling. If we do not go bowling, most feel that Taggart will/should be let go. If Taggart is let go, knowing who we now have on the roster due to CWT's recruiting prowess, will the next coach get to use the "empty cupboard" rhetoric? Question #2 If CWT stays, regardless of this years record, will we be able to jettison the words empty and cupboard next year? What say ye all? p.s. I decided to change my avatar after the CWT interview thread. Time to get pumped again.

I was the OP of this thread. All of my statements were truly questions. I certainly did not intend to blame CWT but was curious how something like this happens. For the record, I am about three generations removed from this current generation. However, the academic side of college football is something I never paid much attention to. It is was the Calloway situation that made me start thinking about it. I hear lots of Head Coaches talking about grades so I figured CWT had to be involved on some level. Thanks for all the insight though. Many of the comments on this thread were things I never knew.

​ http://www.thebullspen.com/topic/79329-front-page-on-yahoo/?hl=%2Bnotre+%2Bdame#entry931307 And yes, if you read further down, I did get arguments. I specifically remember folks saying on the ESPN boards that CSH simply played a "bend but don't break" defense. The called his game plan "perfect execution".

I did. I never saw that win as the start of something great. If you look back at posts I made shortly after the game, I knew it was a fluke and that Notre Game gave that game away. You must not have been the most popular fella around her at that time then I can only imagine the uproar if I posted something similar this year if we end up beating FSU.

Yes, I have several. Oldest is 16 youngest is 8. And I think that is part of my point. For my kid to say, fail 10th grade, it would be at least 3/4 of a year of every class receiving bad grades, Ds and Fs. Yes, I would know when the problems started and yes, I would do what I could, realizing that I am ultimately limited by my child's desire to improve. However, my wife and I have limited time/money resources. I would imagine that USF has "essentially" unlimited time/resources to dump into poor grades. Without knowing the entire process, there seems like a number of avenues that could have been explored, and I am sure they explored them all. That is why I was curious about the "whole" story. I wonder how bad it really has to get to be kicked out for academic reasons.

Ok, I really don't know much about this but maybe it has always happened or maybe I am just paying attention more this year or both. But if we are losing players, good ones at that, to "academic issues" who's fault is that? I have been through enough post graduate education to know that ineligibility does not sneak up on a player. Are the coaches not riding these kids the minute a mid-term bad grade comes out? Does this happen a lot on our team, or any team. I do not recall headlines of players getting kicked off other teams for "academic" reasons. Is this a failure of our coaching staff. Think about it, to get kicked out for academic reasons, in my mind anyway, takes a couple of semesters at least. Maybe the coaches did all they could do, maybe not. I would imagine that coaches are assigned to stay on top of this stuff and provide endless amounts of tutoring when an athlete starts to struggle. Thoughts? Does anyone know the full story?

I never thought that. I knew what the problem was and I never thought it was BJ. I still remember me and Stevie Oneal defending the guy over on Greg's old blog. Towards the end I think most thought that BJ was the problem. I guess I could lie and say that I never thought BJ was the problem, but I did, and I was wrong. We had just beaten Notre Dame and then, when things started to unravel, he was the easiest target. I was done, I was just tired of the excuses and " of course" if we could just get a better quarterback then things would be better. It was hard to criticize CSH after the Notre Dame game, but it became much easier as the season went on. I did fall prey to some of the "group think" about BJ. Just looking to assign blame I guess. At any rate. I find it unsettling that I am still thinking the same thing "If we can just find a better QB things will be fine". I need therapy.

Not sure where your "most" encompasses but there were some on here that voiced that but most here are smarter than that ... My "most" extended beyond here and primarily on the ESPN BE forum (RIP).

BENCH!

he will get his chance because the other eligible qbs stink I recall you saying how bad BJ Daniels sucked... actually I recall an instance where you said he basically had a snowballs chance in hell of making the NFL as a qb. Still think that? Towards the end I think most thought that BJ was the problem. We were still not that many years removed from our best years, still in a BCS conference, and I think we had the feeling that if we could just get a better QB we would go to the next level... then... it all came crashing down. Turns out that BJ was pretty good, Skip Holtz was pretty bad, we still blame him for our problems, he certainly did not help. Hindsight is a funny thing. Sure would love to have BJ back right about now. It is also a reminder of how far we have fallen off. Leaving a BCS conference for the AAC, or better said, the AAC coming to us, not being able to compete in a lower level conference. I now miss the days of being half way decent in BCS level conference. I never thought we would be here. I for one took those days for granted.

I guess it is a matter of perspective. He did not just start one game. HE WAS NAMED THE STARTER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON, did not finish the game and never started again (did he even see the field again). I agree, 100%, that the QB position is Flowers to lose. It is not Flowers' fault, but CWT is in win now mode. He should have stuck with Flowers last year. I do not want to hear about all of the emotional trials, many of the kids have a story of overcoming, if that makes me sound like a jerk then I am sorry, USF football is business. CWT will make the business decision of going with Bench at some point. Flowers is not ready and does not have the fortune of working through growing pains this year. Tough spot for the kid for sure. I saw plenty of the spring game and I have seen NOTHING from Flowers that makes me think he is ready to lead this team. dude... I don't think you even understand what I'm getting at. I'm not looking to attach blame or anything. You sound stupid. READ my comment and understand what I'm saying. You don't know anything about resolve? Tenacity forged from loss or desire to not fail? Mental toughness? You have to be a weak person to not see what I'm talking about... so forget it... you could never understand my point if that is the case. Nothing you mentioned had anything to do with what I was getting at. I did not mean to hurt your feelings, but there is no need to go on a tantrum and try to make things personal by name calling. Saying things like "you sound stupid" and "you have to be a weak person" makes you sound like someone who is just hurt that someone else absolutely disagrees with you. Again, I don't intend to sound mean by disagreeing with you but you are basing your whole argument on Flower's "resolve", his "mental toughness", and that he is "special", oh, and a windy spring game. All of those things are great, but they don't score points. People are gauging his overall talent on last year because that is the only game time situation people have. Using anything else is just guessing, hoping, and like California Bull said, relying on his 247 ranking coming out of High School to justify using words like "high ceiling". Do you really think that anyone on this board wants USF to fail? Of course not, but some, like myself, simply don't have as rosy outlook as say, you. I wish I could live in the world of conjecture and hyperbole (at least I hope it was hyperbole..forged in loss or desire not to fail... rooooaaaar). Was that a line from Rocky? Either way, don't get so upset when people disagree with you and realize that everyone who does disagree with you on this particular point really does hope you are right. I still believe, based on facts, CWT hot seat, Bench being a Senior, Flowers' limited real college experience, that Bench will either start or be starting by the end of the Memphis game because CWT needs wins. Flower's still needs another year, which is also the reason I think he will transfer if he does not go Dan Marino and lock up the position.

Agreed Can EA wait until we are not going to be listed as a one star program in game? Perhaps if they hold off a few years we won't be listed at the bottom of the AAC in team rating.

Your comment leads me to believe that you don't think we have a QB on the roster that is starter material. If so, you are not alone in your thoughts.

I have a question. Did we actually have a QB on the roster that fit what we planned on running or did we try and run a pound the ground style due to no real faith in any QB? That is a good question. White was CWT's guy, Flowers is CWT's guy. He is getting QBs he wants. I find it hard to believe he was simply recruiting "system" guys. Plus, White and Flowers are two very different QBs. So I would assume that CWT recruited them for a reason.

CWT is 100% responsible for the handling of the QBs. He chooses the starter, when to pull them, and when to say "hey, we are going to ride this guy through the rough spots". It is his job to develop our talent. He has not shown a capacity to do so.

A coach that is on every hot seat in America is not going to ride potential. Trust me, I hope I am 100% wrong but if we have learned anything from CWT it is that he will not let a struggling QB develop, He lost that chance last year, should have rode Flower's potential the rest of the season. Now CWT's job career is on the line. As some have posted here already, the problem is not Flowers, it is CWT handling of the situation. What has changed with CWT in the off season that makes us now think he is ready to develop Flowers' potential?

I guess it is a matter of perspective. He did not just start one game. HE WAS NAMED THE STARTER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON, did not finish the game and never started again (did he even see the field again). I agree, 100%, that the QB position is Flowers to lose. It is not Flowers' fault, but CWT is in win now mode. He should have stuck with Flowers last year. I do not want to hear about all of the emotional trials, many of the kids have a story of overcoming, if that makes me sound like a jerk then I am sorry, USF football is business. CWT will make the business decision of going with Bench at some point. Flowers is not ready and does not have the fortune of working through growing pains this year. Tough spot for the kid for sure. I saw plenty of the spring game and I have seen NOTHING from Flowers that makes me think he is ready to lead this team.

I certainly find that a safety being our only points entirely believable.

And to follow that, we lost our best QB to transfer with no real competition coming from the other two? Hard not to bet on Bench starting this year. IF that happens, my money is on Flowers transferring or switching positions. No way he stays if Bench beats him out and Woulard continues this heir apparent track he is on. He wouldnt transfer, Bench is a senior and would leave after this year anyway I think he would. Woulard and he will both be Juniors next year. If he gets beat out by Bench this year, sees the writing on the wall with Woulard for next year, why exactly would he stay? He did not come to USF to be a backup.

I am saying it now. I fully expect one of two things to happen. Bench wins out, or Flowers wins out and Bench replaces him by the end of the Memphis game or sooner. CWT does not have the luxury of developing Flowers, think back to the Tulsa game.

And to follow that, we lost our best QB to transfer with no real competition coming from the other two? Hard not to bet on Bench starting this year. IF that happens, my money is on Flowers transferring or switching positions. No way he stays if Bench beats him out and Woulard continues this heir apparent track he is on.

I hope not. If so it will be worse than the UCF game. It will have an away game feel if it is a sell out.