Are we all calm now?

[bulls96go]

Maybe everyone's crying about this is getting to me, and I mean no disrespect directly to anyone (well, except maybe smazza), but NOBODY HERE ON THIS BOARD IS THE COACH OF THE USF OR ANY OTHER FOOTBALL TEAM.  Let Leavitt do his job.  Let Leavitt choose his staff.  Let Leavitt prove how this move will turn out.  If it doesn't work out, then you can complain about it.  BUT NONE OF YOU WERE IN LEAVITT'S SHOES AND KNOW WHAT HE FACED IN HIS DECISION.  You are operating in a vacuum with one piece of info, and jumping up and down without taking an objective look at the situation.

you forgot to add let Leavitt sink or swim by HIS decision

clearly the many fans who desired this guy fired will not be forgiving if HIS decision fails.

fans would be more forgiving if he brought in some unknown 'potential' good recent past coach and it failed

i hope he knows what he is doing, i do not agree with HIS decision and if it blows up in his face i will be one of those voices calling for JL to leave.

[Guest S.  Bien]

News flash: Smith didnt train blackwell.  Don't bold that crap.  Our great seasons at QB were off the remains of the older qb coach.  The talent has to have been possible the past few years...only god awful programs have failed to beat us at qb play over the time period.

THEN WHO DID?  Jeez, just because the final Star Wars episode is out doesn't mean we buy into the principal that MB had some sort of 'force'.  In his first two years Canales used his legs almost exclusively.  Remember all those canned run plays for MB.  In year three, coincidentally when Smith and Hobbie took over we suddenly learned that MB could really run a well conceived offense and we didn't have to rely exclusively on his mobility and scrambling.

MB had an incredible career at USF, but don't act like the kid came in as a well tooled QB with all the skills.  MB was a talented player no doubt but his development required intense instruction and training as well as a well conceived offense.

Jeez, this is getting ridiculous, some would have us think that Smith and Hobbie just drew up plays in the sand and prayed and MB just did it all himself.  Get a grip and a clue!

[bulls96go]

THEN WHO DID?  Jeez, just because the final Star Wars episode is out doesn't mean we buy into the principal that MB had some sort of 'force'.  In his first two years Canales used his legs almost exclusively.  Remember all those canned run plays for MB.  In year three, coincidentally when Smith and Hobbie took over we suddenly learned that MB could really run a well conceived offense and we didn't have to rely exclusively on his mobility and scrambling.

MB had an incredible career at USF, but don't act like the kid came in as a well tooled QB with all the skills.  MB was a talented player no doubt but his development required intense instruction and training as well as a well conceived offense.

Jeez, this is getting ridiculous, some would have us think that Smith and Hobbie just drew up plays in the sand and prayed and MB just did it all himself.  Get a grip and a clue!

so you think this was a good hire, one that a 4-7 coach should make?

[Guest S.  Bien]

so you think this was a good hire, one that a 4-7 coach should make?

I am not Smith's biggest fan as a QB coach, however I know this was necessary because of the timing of Hobbie's resignation.  We were not going to get anyone willing to leave a position at another University after spring practice to come to a place where they were forced to run an offense they don't know, and learn terminology they were uncomfortable with.   It would be a lose, lose proposition if our offense faulters.  At a minimum Smith knows the offense, helped design it, knows the plays, has helped call plays, and has the confidence of the players.  We'll know in December if it was a good hire or not, but at this point it was necessary and probably an interim situation.   You can't beat up Leavitt when his hand was forced to go in this direction.  

We won't be that bad, and the real issue for the fall is who's going to be QB.  I don't care if Spurrier was running our offense, if we have similar QB play like we had last year this team will faulter, if the QB play comes around then even Smith could do some good things.

[ChiTownBull]

while i don't like the decision one thing for sure is if the D doesn't improve it will not matter what happens on the offensive side of the ball.

[USFPDiddy]

THEN WHO DID?  Jeez, just because the final Star Wars episode is out doesn't mean we buy into the principal that MB had some sort of 'force'.  In his first two years Canales used his legs almost exclusively.  Remember all those canned run plays for MB.  In year three, coincidentally when Smith and Hobbie took over we suddenly learned that MB could really run a well conceived offense and we didn't have to rely exclusively on his mobility and scrambling.

MB had an incredible career at USF, but don't act like the kid came in as a well tooled QB with all the skills.  MB was a talented player no doubt but his development required intense instruction and training as well as a well conceived offense.

Jeez, this is getting ridiculous, some would have us think that Smith and Hobbie just drew up plays in the sand and prayed and MB just did it all himself.  Get a grip and a clue!

This does not change the fact that he was the last QB i saw here with consitently decent mechanics.  All the coaching tangibles in a QB that should be there weren't.  I do realize that the 2 guys who have played recently dont seem to have the poise to play college QB, but the fact that they constantly looked bad has to be somewhat attributable to the coach.

And no matter HOW you slice it, Smith has done very little to prove hes PROMOTION worthy.

[BULLheaded]

I am not Smith's biggest fan as a QB coach, however I know this was necessary because of the timing of Hobbie's resignation.  We were not going to get anyone willing to leave a position at another University after spring practice to come to a place where they were forced to run an offense they don't know, and learn terminology they were uncomfortable with.   It would be a lose, lose proposition if our offense faulters.  At a minimum Smith knows the offense, helped design it, knows the plays, has helped call plays, and has the confidence of the players.  We'll know in December if it was a good hire or not, but at this point it was necessary and probably an interim situation.   You can't beat up Leavitt when his hand was forced to go in this direction.  

We won't be that bad, and the real issue for the fall is who's going to be QB.  I don't care if Spurrier was running our offense, if we have similar QB play like we had last year this team will faulter, if the QB play comes around then even Smith could do some good things.

2 points,

First, I agree that due to timing this may have been necessary, however make it an interim decision not a permanent one. Would solve two problems 1) maybe smith would do a great job and if so easy to transition him in. 2)maybe he flops like we all suspect and again an easy transition to move him out and get a person more qualified for the position.

second point, there is no doubt in my mind that if spurrier was here both of our last two QBs would have been developed far better then they were and they would have at least been prepared enough to be competent if not good. There was a reason that in the past all those QBs who were disasters in Tampa went on to success elsewhere...it's called coaching. I just don't buy the fact that the last two QBs we had were so untalented that they couldn't be developed better then they were. IMO they were just not taught the skills necessary making them ill prepared to play at our level of competition.

[Guest S.  Bien]

This does not change the fact that he was the last QB i saw here with consitently decent mechanics.  All the coaching tangibles in a QB that should be there weren't.  I do realize that the 2 guys who have played recently dont seem to have the poise to play college QB, but the fact that they constantly looked bad has to be somewhat attributable to the coach.

And no matter HOW you slice it, Smith has done very little to prove hes PROMOTION worthy.

But he didn't develop those mechanics over night, and he certainly didn't come to USF with the ability to read defenses, and run the sophisticated offense we have.  Smith had as much to do with MB being good as MB had.

However, I will agree with you that up to this point Smith has proven little to be worthy of being an out-right OC.  Not because of QB development, but based mainly in inexperience and youth.    Although the reason for this hire was because it was almost the only good option.  And yes it was a good option in light of the other options.

[Guest S.  Bien]

2 points,

First, I agree that due to timing this may have been necessary, however make it an interim decision not a permanent one. Would solve two problems 1) maybe smith would do a great job and if so easy to transition him in. 2)maybe he flops like we all suspect and again an easy transition to move him out and get a person more qualified for the position.

second point, there is no doubt in my mind that if spurrier was here both of our last two QBs would have been developed far better then they were and they would have at least been prepared enough to be competent if not good. There was a reason that in the past all those QBs who were disasters in Tampa went on to success elsewhere...it's called coaching. I just don't buy the fact that the last two QBs we had were so untalented that they couldn't be developed better then they were. IMO they were just not taught the skills necessary making them ill prepared to play at our level of competition.

First, calling someone 'interim' has nothing but a negative effect on players, coaches, and the teams psychy.  Then everyone is nervous, everyone loses confidence.  Call this more like an trial by fire.  It's basically Smith's job to lose.  If he looks bad, or the offense faulters- and I mean really faulters we don't need some half-cocked fan micro-analyzing every call or beating him up because he faulters against a PSU defense that we already agree would be difficult to drive against with our talent if we had a good OC in place.

Second, the QB development and mechanics.  While I agree PJ's mechanics and timing were bad you also must remember how raw he was coming out of HS, and therefore Smith should get some reprieve for having to mold him into a QB well before he should have been or was ready.  Remember, before the 2003 season we all expected Banks to be a two year starter and that we wouldn't see PJ get considerable minutes until possibly this up coming season.  As for Banks, in the early going his passing techniques were sound what wasn't was his head, confidence, and timing.   Those parts of Banks were never going to be corrected and it wasn't until TCU revealed these did Smith and the rest of the world realize that Banks was just a kid that doesn't have the moxie to play QB.

In the end the talent after MB was really bad.  I always tell people the toughest thing about watching the Devil Rays play this year is seeing Doug Waechtler pitching for them.  I don't know if you recall, or know but Doug was a great HS QB that signed with USF out of HS in 99' (Michigan was after him as well).   Obviously the rest is history, but had Doug gone to USF and played QB then the 03' and 04 season struggles might have never occurred.  After that he started a downward spiral of horrendous QB recruiting, which in part the entire staff is at fault for and contributed.   That was the real ill, not a coach's inability to develop marginal 1-AA QB talent to play at the 1-A level.

[S p e n c e]

First, calling someone 'interim' has nothing but a negative effect on players, coaches, and the teams psychy.  Then everyone is nervous, everyone loses confidence.  Call this more like an trial by fire.  It's basically Smith's job to lose.  If he looks bad, or the offense faulters- and I mean really faulters we don't need some half-cocked fan micro-analyzing every call or beating him up because he faulters against a PSU defense that we already agree would be difficult to drive against with our talent if we had a good OC in place.

We can call him the interum OC because he may get nervous.  Give me a break.  He is an adult, he doesnt need to be coddled.  You name him "interum" and if he does a good job, then after the season you promote him permanently.  If not you look for the replacement you were unable to look for originally due to time restraints.  It would seem to me if he is a good coach and  capable of running the offense then he should be able to rise to the occassion.