Will we be better this year? A random fans break down

[Gatorbull325]

I think we lost some good players, but redshirted a lot of better players and gave them time to physically mature. Andre Davis was great, but we were one dimensional with him. Now we are forced to finally give other receivers a chance. plus we have a bunch of awesome transfers, walk ons and freshman coming in. I think this is probably the deepest USF team ever. Before we relied on a few stars or playmakers, but the rest of the team was so so, now we are truly deeper with talent which is why we always started losing toward the end of the season. Taggart built this team from scratch and saved a lot of talent for this year. Now there is truly no excuse

 

Deepest USF team ever? Maybe the most potential, but currently deep, I would beg to differ. 3 or 4 other ( maybe more) USF teams have had a two deep much better than the current team IMO. What do I know though.

Ill give you that, potential is probably a better term

[Guest]

Ok Jim, I will take a crack at this.  For simplicity I am only going to focus on our conference schedule.  Let’s start by looking at the conference record of our opponents last year.

 

2014 - Memphis 7-1, UCF 7-1, Cincinnati 7-1, ECU 5-3, Houston 5-3, Tulsa 2-6, UConn 1-7, SMU 1-7

 

Now, you can play the what if games all day but no one on this board follows these other teams closely enough to really know what they have coming back/underclassmen ready to step up.  I see the obvious that you pointed out, pieces leaving.  I am sure, just like we talk about players ready to step up here, the teams that did well last year also have these players.  Remember, if you look at the recruiting rankings, the better teams are neck in neck with us in talent coming in the last couple of years.

 

So, the best measurement is past performance.  The teams are what their records say they are.

 

For 2015 we have Memphis (reigning conference champs), UConn (Will be better, can’t possibly be worse than last year), SMU (Will be better, can’t possibly be worse than last year), Navy (On par with ECU last year), ECU (This might be the hardest team to judge as they were middle of the road last year), Temple (4-4, another middle of the road team.), Cincinnati (reigning conference champs), UCF (reigning conference champs)  I see no tangible signs of Memphis, Cincinnati, and UCF not repeating as tops in the conference.  So, our toughest games last year will remain.  We will have three middle of the road teams, ECU, Navy, and Temple.  The bottom feeders UConn and SMU will be better than their combined conference records of 2-14 from last year. That is my logic. 

 

Now a question, for those that think this year’s schedule will be easier than lasts.  Which combination of three conference teams we face this year is going to go 4-20 in conference?  Because those were the only conference wins we picked up last year.  All three of our wins were from the 4-20 group of Tulsa, UConn, and SMU.  

 

 

First, yes some people on this board follow what is going on with other schools.  It doesn't take that much time to read what others write about 12 other schools.

 

Second, you cannot - absolutely cannot - base expections for 2015 on what happened in 2014.  Not for USF. Not for anyone.  Teams change - and sometimes dramatically - from season to season.  Memphis went 3-9 (1-7) in 2013 and then 10-3 in 2014 -- from 1-7 to 7-1 in the same conference with 6 of 8 the same teams.

 

You have to look at two things: what did they do last year, and what has changed since then.  If a team won a bunch of games because of a good defense, and most of that defense is brand new -- then it's a good bet that team won't win as many games because of that defense.

 

Cincinnati will probably face Houston in the AAC championship game... but the rest of the conference will see parity, with a lot of 5-3 and 3-5 teams.  (That happened a lot in the Big East, you may recall).  SMU and U Conn will struggle to win more than 2 games in conference -- and they may go a combined 0-16 (as they do not play each other).

 

Finally, you will notice that I never said whether USF was better than these teams -- I only compared them with themselves last year.  Out of the 12 games we play, most of the teams we face will not be BETTER than they were last year.

[Guest]

 

If it's easier it's not by much at all. Just hope there's 6 wins on there somewhere. I don't see 6, but maybe we can catch one of these teams with a banged up QB or something.

 

I would accept that.  But people who are claiming this schedule is "MUCH HARDER" just don't see the reality of the situation.

 

USF may or may not be that much better... but when you play the numbers game... if your schedule is a little easier and your team is a little better, that will translate into a few more wins.

[Flowers4Heisman]

What's in a team? These are some of the things that I feel make up a team and expected results.

 

Head coach, Assistant coaches: CWT is better. Failure is a great teacher. A lot of new blood with assistant coaches -could be better or worse.

 

Offensive scheme, Defensive scheme, Special teams: Think the red-coat offense was horrid. It will be much better with the spread. The defense will be fine. And special teams will put up points. Hopefully, field goals are not our bread and butter.

 

Seniors on the team & leadership: We didn't have any leadership the last two years. Maybe there will be some this year? Don't know.

 

Playmakers in key positions: RBs are best since Andre Hall & Co. The other positions? Don't know. Show me the money...

 

Overall team talent and depth: I think we have depth. The overall talent is vastly improved since the bumblebee era. Better than last year? I would think so.

 

Strength of schedule for reaching 6 or 7 wins: I don't care how you slice it, a bowling team wins 6 or 7 and gets an invitation. This conference is not tough and this schedule is very doable.

 

The biggest wildcard for CWT and Co.? Playing each game with emotionally charged-up players! If the coaches can't motivate the players, we'll be lucky to get six wins and make a bowl -with everything else being perfect. If the players play with passion and fire, I think 7 wins are going be very doable.

 

Leavitt was great at motivating his players to elevate their game. Bumblebee man? nope. CWT? Haven't seen it too much... But I guess he was worried about that red-coat offense and everybody being in their spot!

Edited July 22, 2015 by BasketBull2014

[JupiterBull]

Williams might have been the worst tackle in USF history.

With USF moving away from me I saw his front side way too often.

Agree...and I'm still STUNNED that he gets an FA offer in the NFL.  Staggering.  That said, seems like a nice guy, so wish him well.

[JupiterBull]

 

 

I think we lost some good players, but redshirted a lot of better players and gave them time to physically mature. Andre Davis was great, but we were one dimensional with him. Now we are forced to finally give other receivers a chance. plus we have a bunch of awesome transfers, walk ons and freshman coming in. I think this is probably the deepest USF team ever. Before we relied on a few stars or playmakers, but the rest of the team was so so, now we are truly deeper with talent which is why we always started losing toward the end of the season. Taggart built this team from scratch and saved a lot of talent for this year. Now there is truly no excuse

What, what, and what?  Please don't allow the UCF fans that troll this blog be right.  I can't even begin to understand where you are coming from with this.

First of all Im am a UF graduate, Florida Gator baby and a Bulls fan hence the name "GATORBULL" 2nd, ive watch video on every recruit taggart has brought in and did research. 3rd, All u can do in the offseason is have fun and predict ****. I promise to make my I told u so post when the season comes so remember my name homie

 

You may have the thick green & gold goggles, but it's hard not to smile at your optimism.  And, it's not blind...you research well.

 

I'd agree about the "no star WR" angle.  Davis was good, but not amazing (that said, he endured horrible QB play his last 3 years).  But, they threw to him FAR to often, and telegraphed it too much.  There were several WRs that played almost exclusively as run blockers.  Not hard to figure out what's coming.

 

I think we have a LOT of depth at the skills positions of RB/WR/TE.  Much is unproven, but it certainly appears the talent is there.

[Bull-Hornz]

What's in a team? These are some of the things that I feel make up a team and expected results.

Head coach, Assistant coaches: CWT is better. Failure is a great teacher. A lot of new blood with assistant coaches -could be better or worse.

Offensive scheme, Defensive scheme, Special teams: Think the red-coat offense was horrid. It will be much better with the spread. The defense will be fine. And special teams will put up points. Hopefully, field goals are not our bread and butter.

Seniors on the team & leadership: We didn't have any leadership the last two years. Maybe there will be some this year? Don't know.

Playmakers in key positions: RBs are best since Andre Hall & Co. The other positions? Don't know. Show me the money...

Overall team talent and depth: I think we have depth. The overall talent is vastly improved since the bumblebee era. Better than last year? I would think so.

Strength of schedule for reaching 6 or 7 wins: I don't care how you slice it, a bowling team wins 6 or 7 and gets an invitation. This conference is not tough and this schedule is very doable.

The biggest wildcard for CWT and Co.? Playing each game with emotionally charged-up players! If the coaches can't motivate the players, we'll be lucky to get six wins and make a bowl -with everything else being perfect. If the players play with passion and fire, I think 7 wins are going be very doable.

Leavitt was great at motivating his players to elevate their game. Bumblebee man? nope. CWT? Haven't seen it too much... But I guess he was worried about that red-coat offense and everybody being in their spot!

Actually, gameday motivation along w/ situational calling, are areas that I have been a bit underwhelmed by CWT. Then again I have blocked out CSH and only remember CJL and thats a high metric as far as game day motivation (angry leprechaun anyone).

[USF2011Grad]

 

 

Didnt we lose 3 starters on OL??? I know Gibbons is a talent but he has never played college ball....lose best center in usf history imo

I don't think anyone doubts Reiter is indeed a loss, what people question is whether Williams and Q were actual losses because they both had some horrible moments.  Q had to be moved to Guard because he couldn't play tackle and Williams was just awful.  

 

 

If there were somebody better on the roster, don't you think they would have been playing? That's what's scary.

 

Well no... The other guys were all really young. They were all freshman and I don't think we would have been better served playing one of those really young guys.  That's how you ruin Tackles.  Knox redshirted as he should and they kept Hall back until he got his weight under control.  They have actually handled the offensive line pretty well considering what he had.  I think the talent level has gone up with the guys coming in and the guys who weren't ready last season should be ready this season.  If spring ball and summer workouts are any indication, those boys took the task to heart.  Guys are looking great.  Now lets see how they play now that they finally look the part.

[raptorcj]

I just hope this summer's S&C routine has made our linemen stronger beasts. I'll be biting my nails to see improvement there more than any other area (yes, smazza, even QB).

[Bullshiznitz]

My take is that for the first time in a while I'm really excited for a season.  Not necessarily because I think we'll do great this year, but more because there's indications that we are returning to what I would consider "Bulls" football.  Meaning a return to a spread offense matched with an aggressive defense.  What truly made these past few 4-5 years bad, wasn't just the losses, but it was the losses coupled with a frustrating to watch wait-and-see defense along with a depressingly boring offense.  There were times the past few years where I think I dreaded watching our game more than I felt "excited" about it.  I'm hoping that even if we don't necessarily see drastic improvement in regards to record, the games themselves should be much more entertaining to watch. Having said that, my take on a few of the positions: 

 

QB:  While you may argue that White was a better QB (and that is highly debatable), his actual production was nothing to write home about.  If we go with a duplicate year from Bench (assuming he fills in during injuries/slumps/change of pace), then Flowers/Kean need only exceed 1750yds passing on the year (and 8TD's) to help show an improvement in that area.  I would hope with a switch to a spread offense that this should be easily achievable.  Production wise, I just have a real hard time believing that we could be worse in this area.  

 

RBs:  In my opinion, I dont think we really even need to see improvement here, as that group did more than fine last year, thats even with the opposing defenses gearing up to stop them pretty much all season.  A move to the spread, a better OL should at least help this group remain just as good.  I could see a scenario though where yards wise this group doesn't necessarily improve (especially with Flowers stealing some yards from the QB spot), but an improvement in yds/carry happens almost across the board (especially for Johnson and Tice).  

 

WRs/TEs:  As a group, I expect them to be much improved.  The switch in offenses make the loss of Davis much easier to replace.  For example, in 2008 we passed for 750 more yards on the season, yet not a single WR had more receiving yards or TD's than Dre had last year.  Why?  Because you don't have to rely on that go-to-receiver near as much as we did in Taggarts power 2 WR sets.  Having a deep talented group is much more important, and I think we have that with Bronson, Adams,  Price, and company.  We'll be able to run out 3 and 4 WR sets with some very good talent. 

 

Defense: Just going to do this as a group.  Talent wise I think there's an improvement, and I'm excited to see a switch back to hopefully a much more aggressive defense.  I could see us get burned more this year, especially with some of that talent being so young still, but as long as we can offset that with more turnovers and getting off the field more often than this group should be atleast as good as years past if not start to make us do comparisons to some of the late 00s teams.  

 

Not real indepth analysis I know, just throwing out my thoughts.  I'm just hoping to get back to being really excited about Saturdays again.