Roguebull

Two different people saw him in a USF golf shirt in the West Club during the rain break. New offensive coordinator?

Before the game, I spoke to both a TSA member and a member of Football program and both denied it and assured me it wouldn't happen again.

Havent posted in many years, but I feel the need to speak out (rant). There have been so many excuses/reasons as to why this program has not been taken to the next level. I am just tired and done. I was told an on campus stadium didn't matter to the Power Five. Two years before UCF opened their stadium, the company I was working for was looking to consolidate its donations to USF. They invited us out for a golf cart tour of the university. I had been a season ticket holder since the first game, so asked off handedly where the new stadium was going. I was told it wasn't needed. I protested and asked if they'd ever been to Florida, Auburn, or Notre dame on game day. An on campus stadium creates a unique and unmatched experience for both students and alumni. I was getting no where. The next year we again were invited out, but UCF had announced their stadium build. Strangely the attitude had changed, and when I mentioned UCF's stadium I was now told it was on "the long range plan". Must be a 50 year plan. Funding a stadium is not rocket science. Use the same seat licensing scheme that the Bucs did. Even with a 10,000 person ticket base you could generate $25 million with a $2500 per seat license payable over five years. This could have been easily done at that time when we had a 10,000 person season ticket base. Add on naming rights and the fact that we wouldn't be paying the Glazers for use of their stadium and you get over $30 - $35 million right off the bat. Enough to build a nice well built lower bowl that can later be added to as the program grows. No need to be more than 40,000 seats max. Increase capacity by adding upper decks later. I was told television markets are important determinants to the Power Five. When the last round of re-alignment occurred I watched with amusement as Rutgers was added to the Big 10. The only explanation anyone could give for their addition was the the NY/NJ television market. I'm not sure about that payoff the last 5 or 6 years, as they have been the worst program in the Power 5 until Schiano returned. I mention this because the Tampa television market is much larger than Orlando's and growing faster as well. I was told that USF's superior academics would ensure that we would be accepted to a Power Five conference far before UCF. In fact, I was told that including us a a package deal to any conference would hurt our chances because UCF was so poor academically. The Big 12 never mentions UCF's strategy of admitting anyone that can breathe. I was told that we needed to have a stronger group of trustees and better leadership. We supposedly have the most connected group of trustees, President, and AD we've ever had. Will Weatherford was supposed to give us greater say in everything including political assistance and gravitas, yet there is silence from the trustees. The interim president also has very deep political connections, and she is silent as well. Michael Kelly came with what everyone was sure was the perfect background to assure that USF would be ready for the next round of realignment, and he has failed miserably. I was told that having teams in Florida to help with recruiting for the whole conference didn't matter to the larger conferences, as I watched Indiana, Louisville, Georgia and other programs take what Florida, Florida State and Miami could not take. The recruiting world just got that much harder. Any kid worth his salt will take UCF over USF, not to mention the exposure all of the other Big 12 schools will have to the kids in Florida. The leadership towards athletics, and football in particular, this University has shown is inept at best but borderline incompetent. Genshaft and Woolard were trying to keep the Big East together while everyone else was off negotiating their next move. Kelly and President (insert name here) have been caught flatfooted again. Now we stand here with nothing but a sad story to tell. I've been a season ticket holder for 25 years and an Iron Bull for 4 of the last 5. I've been told so many stories about why we didn't need a stadium or didn't need to be a winning program, and that our TV market and academics would carry the day, that I am just worn out. I was at NC State when we beat them there years ago. To see how much we have regressed since that time was astonishing. I walked out of every game at half time but 1 in the 2019 season, and just won't even bother with the UF game. Getting heat exhaustion to watch UF put 70 on us is not my idea of a great day. My two kids go to U of F, they will be sitting in my seats to add to the feel of a Florida home game. I'll be home watching competitive games in my air conditioning. I'm not totally despondent...we will have the best facilities in the Sun Belt conference.