hello bulls fans - questions

[BPSUL]

hello bulls fans, Cardinal fan here.  Havent seen you guys (except HowieP ) since the old killer frogs board got shut down.

I was looking for the fans critiques of this year's USF team.  I really have been surprised to see so many preseason mags and polls putting the Bulls so far down the big east standings (although I saw one or 2 with you guys around #4)  I'll admit I dont know a ton about your team.  I know you guys were very very young last year and return a TON of players with experience.  Normally, that means you should be improved.  I also know you guys suffered from not having a great QB in terms of leadership to lead your offense last year but I thought I remembered you guys getting a great QB recruit.

So I guess Im just curious - why are so many short changing USF this year.  A young squad that is now a year older with a hot new QB recruit should be able to be obove 500 and contend for a bowl - what are you guys expecting???

PS: I just checked out your schedule - Louisville > Miami > Pitt > WVU

OUCH!!! thats a hellacious 4 games  :-X

I see how much it would help your season to beat PSU to open the year (i'll be cheering hard for you guys in that one)

PSS:  feel free to come check out InsideTheVille.com - the best UofL website on the internet.  Good luck...

[The_Reaper]

It is good to be the underdog. Stealth. That's what we are. Flyin low under the radar.  ;D   Reaper

[beastiebull]

Reason for the low expectations is mostly the schedule.  We definetly have our work cut out for us with this schedule and most sane people here realize that 4 wins should be about what is expected.

As far as QB, we actually had 2 stud recruits this past year however one (Matt Grothe) is redshirting to get stronger and learn the system, while the other (Carlton Hill) is a great athlete who will probably play somewhere else on offense this year to learn the system as well.  Hill was ranked as the #2 recruit in the BE so he will need o see the field immediatly and hopefully eventually work his way into a battle at QB.

As for now we have Pat Julmiste who is the incumbent QB battling with Courtney Denson who is a transfer from Auburn.  Denson was ranked #5 Qb recruit in FL coming out of HS but is also more of an athlete.  PJ was highly ineffective last season and a big reason we went 4-7.  Really should have been 6-5 with any sort of decent QB play

Our D should be improved however with this schedule we may not reap any rewards until 2006.

[BPSUL]

Hill was ranked as the #2 recruit in the BE so he will need o see the field immediatly and hopefully eventually work his way into a battle at QB.

Has Julmiste improved?  I just dont see how he can beat out recruits of that caliber...  With the RB and other skill players you guys have, you really just need a qb that wont screw up and get the ball in the stud's hands.

I'll have to look at your sked again and post a prediction.

[Zonald]

Hill was ranked as the #2 recruit in the BE so he will need o see the field immediatly and hopefully eventually work his way into a battle at QB.

Has Julmiste improved?  I just dont see how he can beat out recruits of that caliber...  With the RB and other skill players you guys have, you really just need a qb that wont screw up and get the ball in the stud's hands.

I'll have to look at your sked again and post a prediction.

Julmiste has the experience under his belt which is giving him a substantial advantage over the other candidates.  We may see all 3 at quarterback this year or even in the first game!  

[Papa_Bull]

"Denson was ranked #5 Qb recruit in FL"

Actually Super Prep had him ranked #5 QB NATIONALLY. #60 player in country overall.

Grothe came in #2 in Mr Florida Football balloting this year so he's no slouch either. He just missed out on being #1 in the closest race they ever had.

As for Carlton Hill, Miami wanted him desperately but WE beat them out for him.

I expect to see Julmiste, Denson and Hill all play QB in our opener at PSU. Hill will at least be in that game playing some position as he's too good an athlete to sit as a freshman.

[BPSUL]

at Penn State  

Florida A&M

UCF

OK, I see PSU as a tossup game and FAM and UCF both as wins.  PSU gets an advantage because of their home field, but all that tradition and crapola their fans will bring up don't win games.  So 1 toss up and 2 wins here.

Louisville*  

at Miami  

at Pittsburgh*  

West Virginia  

these 4 games are horrendous.  They are not 4 sure loses by any means - however I think for our purposes here I will say 1 win out of Lou-Pitt-Wvu.  So here lets say 1 win 3 loses.

at Rutgers*

at Syracuse*  

Cincinnati*

at Connecticut*

Here I see NO sure losses.  If anything, I see a sure win over Cincy - this year is going to be very tough for the bearcats as they are rebuilding.  Cuse is a big questionmark - I would give USF a slight edge over them.  Rutgers - most publications are calling for them to have a great year but i'll believe it when I see it.  Uconn is also rebuilding HOWEVER you have to play them in Storrs in late november (can you say FREEZING) dont feel bad, we play at Uconn the very next week.  I think on an neutral field you beat Uconn hands down but the weather could be a factor.  So i'll say 1 sure win over cincy and 3 toss up games.

Thats gives us:

4 wins

3 loses

4 toss ups

Looking this way - if you split the toss up games 2-2 you are bowl eligible.  I'll be honest, I'll be disappointed if USF doesn't do a little better.  I think you guys are being a little too conservative.  if you win 3 of the 4 tossups you are finishing 7-4 plus a bowl game still to play.  

Does Leavit not like to play true freshman?  or is he unwilling to do so?  I just hope I don't see Julmiste starting at QB he really limited you guys IMO.  Agree with my predictions?

[Papa_Bull]

Leavitt doesn't mind playing Freshmen in general as we played a ton of them last year. We have 70 Freshmen and Sophs on our roster THIS year, so expect a lot more Freshmen to play again.

I don't think that Leavittt has ever played a TRUE freshmen at QB. Marquel Blackwell  first played as a redshirt freshman and kept the job.

I think Julmiste is on a pretty short leash. He'll most likely split time with Denson at the beginning with Hill making a bigger push at QB later in the season. Denson has already been at USF a year while Hill is just coming in now.

Many of us would like to see Grothe play QB as he's probably more polished at the position than Hill coming out of HS, but it looks like he will redshirt.

We also have another transfer QB from Indiana sitting out this year, and might be getting another one Pat Carter from Georgia Tech, but that's still up in the air.

As far as predictions, I think we have an outside shot at having a wining record, but I wouldn't put any money on it.