Question for UCF Fans

[LakeBull]

While you recorded a loss at South Carolina most people have given the Knights props for a good performance at the game.   Has that good performance created a positve buzz with UCF fans or are many of your fans still waiting to see a W before giving the thumps up?    Also for Knight fans what needs to happen this year for you to feel that the year has been a success?  Was the improved play at USC assuming it continues enough?  

Last year was pretty ugly.  You must be feeling somewhat better about your team.

[ucfknights04]

I felt better about our program last year than ever before.  0-11 sucked, but it was the price we paid for what will be a very strong program.  

No summer injuries due to lack of conditioning...no one cramped up at the USC game....and we were as competitive in the 4th quarter as we were in the 1st.  

For a succesful year, we should continue to do all of those things.  Whether that translates into 3-8 or 7-4 doesn't matter to me.  We play a lot of teams that have better talent, speed and especially size than us.  

Next year, we need to go bowling - or this whole "building a program" theory will go down the tubes.

[Bignow]

The knights looked a 100% better than last year (I was at the game). No false start/late hits/bad turnovers etc... sans the first ten minutes, we went toe-to-toe with USC. Moffett looked confident and the D line was much improved over last year. That being said, we are still a young team and I believe most expect around 4-5 wins. Next year is is when most of us expect a bowl run.

[The_Reaper]

It's too bad that you won't make the Orlando-to Biloxi-to Hattiesburg trip SINCE the hurricane hit. The Beau rivage was a great place. Paid for my trip and then some at the casino that night!!!  ;D

[ucfjay]

Looks like a serious question, so I'll give a serious response!

I think a lot of fans feel much better about our team after watching the USC game and also from GO's comments during preseason. Last year O'Leary during the preseason was constantly saying things like don't look at the W's and L's this year, look for players playing hard and doing what they are supposed to do. Looking back it was obvious he knew what year was in store for the team.

This year he constantly comments how he really likes this team, thinks we are going to win this year, set a bowl game as our goal, and most importantly says he feels 100% confident with all the guys playing the two deep. Last year we only played 6 OL the ENTIRE year, this year he said 10 will play, same with the DL, etc... I think that is key because that allows you to win games in the 4th quarter.

Then in the USC game we appeared to control the lines, especially on the defensive side of the ball- and that's just not the fans saying it, that was Spurrier saying it. Games are won in the trenches and I think we are on our way in that department. All this considered I think most fans will look at a 4-5 win season as good, considering where we were last year. Next year we need to go bowling though to be a success!!!

I'll ask the same question to you, what will make this season a success for Bulls fans???

[bulls96go]

I felt better about our program last year than ever before.  0-11 sucked, but it was the price we paid for what will be a very strong program.  

No summer injuries due to lack of conditioning...no one cramped up at the USC game....and we were as competitive in the 4th quarter as we were in the 1st.  

For a succesful year, we should continue to do all of those things.  Whether that translates into 3-8 or 7-4 doesn't matter to me.  We play a lot of teams that have better talent, speed and especially size than us.  

Next year, we need to go bowling - or this whole "building a program" theory will go down the tubes.

do you mean bowl eligible, a 6 win season?

[ucfknights04]

That's a great question.  Lets say we win against USF and UL-L. We could go 6-5 with a 4-4 record in C-USA.  I don't think we would be deserving of a C-USA bowl at that point.   If a situation like last year happened (where every team with a winning record except Akron went) or 1-2 C-USA teams finish 6-5 but go 0-3 OOC, we could get in one of those games with a 4-4 record since those teams would have a losing overall record.

But that's getting WAY ahead of ourselves.  If after UL-L and Marshall we have a 3-1 record, I'll revisit the topic of a bowl game.  2-2 or 1-3, forget it.

[goodknightfl]

6-5????  hell we have not even won 1 in 1 and 1/3 seasons... I wont predict any wins till we win 1.

[Guest]

I'll ask the same question to you, what will make this season a success for Bulls fans???

1) Improvement at the Quarterback position -- already evident in the first two games.

2) Greater consistency on both sides of the ball -- part of the problem so far.  Against PSU, the defense gave up two really long runs and on offense the receivers dropped a lot of passes.

3) A positive turnover ratio on the season, and hopefully in each game.  If USF can get more takeaways on the year than giveaways, then we are doing fine.  USF already has 2 INTs in 2 games, that's half of the 2004 season total.

4) Andre Hall rushes for 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns.  Those kind of numbers would be very helpful.  It would also help if he could beat his longest run of 63 yards last season.

Overall goal: If these specific goals can happen, then we should have at least a 6-5 season, with possible consideration for a bowl game.  To go 5-4 the rest of the way, USF would need to beat UCF, Cincy, either Louisville or WVU, and two of Rutgers, Syracuse, and Connecticut.  I believe this is possible as I think the Bulls can beat UCF, Cincy, WVU, Rutgers, and Connecticut.

[BullDoug]

Wow Jim...1500 is a tall order for Hall against USF's tuffest competition to date.  1300 would make me smile.  I do agree that WVU & Syracuse or pivotal games (best shots at upsets) for bowl eligibility.