Knights Not Ready For Primetime

[___ Eats It]

Knights not ready for prime time

UCF ripped 31-14 in 1st game with USF

Alan Schmadtke | Sentinel Staff Writer

Posted September 18, 2005

TAMPA -- UCF and USF waited nine seasons to play a football game.

After Saturday night at Raymond James Stadium, the Golden Knights might want another nine to prepare for the second meeting. They have a few remedial practices to attend first.

Looking every bit like a team carrying the nation's longest losing streak and nothing like a team fired up for a fledgling football rival, UCF was outmatched in the basics and outpaced on the scoreboard by USF, which claimed a 31-14 victory in the school's inaugural meeting.

"I don't think you ever plan on seeing it turn out this way," said UCF quarterback Steven Moffett, who threw for 208 yards and led the Knights with 50 yards rushing. "We expected a good game, a close game. Very disappointing."

And so the dirge endures: UCF's school-record losing streak moved to 17 games, a fact the Bulls' student section cheerily pointed out in the aftermath. But Saturday's wreckage was so mangled, the accounting of the Knights' streak was the least of their issues.

They have ABCs to re-learn and another emotional week ahead. Former Mid-American Conference opponent Marshall comes to Orlando on Saturday in both schools' inaugural Conference USA game.

"We've got a good opponent coming in," defensive end Paul Carrington said. "We have to improve pretty quick."

At this point for the Knights, there's every reason to look ahead and none to look back. They bused back to Orlando late Saturday knowing they'd been outclassed by USF on every front.

Primed to prove a point to I-4 cousins who had been unwilling to play them over the years, the Knights showed only they're still too young and fragile to face an emotional evening while having to think and play at the same time.

It was that bad. Blocking was non-existent -- but it was better than UCF's tackling.

"They had a lot more speed than we had, and we sure didn't tackle like we're supposed to tackle," UCF Coach George O'Leary said.

USF running back Andre Hall isn't billed as one of the Big East's top runners, but that soon might change. Hall, a senior from St. Petersburg, spent an enjoyable evening darting and slipping away from linebackers and defensive backs. He rarely had to fend against UCF's defensive line.

Hall ran for 155 yards and to No. 2 on USF's career rushing list. He scored on a 1-yard plunge, and his 26-yard scoring reception before halftime was a Knight killer. It came in the wake of a fumble by Moffett, and it put the Bulls ahead 21-0 at the break.

"They ran the ball down our throats," Carrington said. "If you can't stop the run, you can't win a game. They didn't do anything but run their offense -- no surprises. We just didn't do our job."

The only places UCF wasn't outclassed were on special teams and in the stands. There were 45,139 announced witnesses; more than 10,000 cheered for UCF.

By halftime, most of their yells were pleads. UCF gave freshman tackle Patrick Brown and redshirt freshman guard L.J. Anderson their first career starts. Among the results: 45 yards rushing, four sacks surrendered.

"I'm glad we played the game, because by some of the things I read the game was already over," USF Coach Jim Leavitt said. "We gave our best shot."

It was a direct hit. And another is coming sooner rather than later.UCF doesn't have nine more seasons until they see the Bulls again. Meeting No. 2 is set for next September in Orlando.

Alan Schmadtke can be reached at aschmadtke@orlandosentinel.com.

[Velcro]

When is that Ashley Burns girl going to wear the USF shirt and hug Rocky ?  ;D

[___ Eats It]

He won't.  He'll write some pseudo-clever "I still hate USF" article on Monday and back out because he's got no nuts.

That's why he's named "Ashley".

[USFootball]

Whats up w/ this... "USF running back Andre Hall isn't billed as one of the Big East's top runners, but that soon might change."

He was named pre-season Big East Offense MVP...

[BullyPulpit]

Just another example of a UCF-er talking out of their rearside.....which has to be swollen and sore after the stomping they took.

[Mission9]

I certainly did not feel outclassed by those idiots.  They were the ones with the stupid shirts and chants while we were all cheering for the Bulls.  What is more classy, cheering positively for your team or walking around another team's stadium trying to start trouble?

[Brad]

TAMPA -- UCF and USF waited nine seasons to play a football game.

Wrong - UCF did, and you see what it got them...

Stopped reading after that little fib...

[ZeroBullChip]

Alan is a Vol fan, the gnats think he loves the gators.  It must of pained him to write about this game whilst his teaam was getting beat 120 miles away.

[DawgPound]

I can't stand him as a writer.  Every so often, he does squeeze a good piece in.  He's better than Bianchi though.

[smazza]

ftu/ou/oc expected a close game?

\

based on what

has moffet ever won a game?

they are the worst team in the country

they should be embarrassed to speak about football