opinions on qb play and position

[BULLheaded]

How about this nightmare - PJ and a brand new OC and his new system?  If Smith is let go, Bulls havta give Hill, Grothe or Greg Gregory a BIG look.

the word nightmare and the bolded comment do not belong anywhere near the same sentence.

Assuming we pick up a decent staff we can only change for the better. It certainly can't get worse then what I've seen the past few years.

[Guest S.  Bien]

the word nightmare and the bolded comment do not belong anywhere near the same sentence.

Assuming we pick up a decent staff we can only change for the better. It certainly can't get worse then what I've seen the past few years.

Exactly, it flabborgasts me to watch PJ throw some perfect strikes against PItt, Miami, and UL (many of which were dropped) and people act like he's part of the problem.

Give this kid an offense centered around the running game, ala WVU's, with a coordinator that's innovative in formations and passing offense who has a very good sense of timing with play calling, and is systematic in his approach to play calling and I'll show you a PJ that will be fine.  What will happen is USF will/would play a lot of games like UL, or UCF (maybe with a shade more passing).

Games where you'd see PJ go something like 13-20 for 160 yards passing, and 40 yards rushing.  

Every game that has been close, or we're losing the play calling goes to hell in a handbasket over the past four years.  We end up abandoning our offense and looking lost.  That was fine in 2001 and 2002 when largely the teams we beat were inferior opponents but as we step up in the competition level we're going to see many more games like Pitt, with teams as talented as Pitt or more on a weekly basis.  We have to be able to have an offense that can capitalize early and manage the field and clock.  Had we managed that game better in the early going against Pitt the score could have been, should have been 21-0, and the complexity of the game would have changed entirely.  As it stood we were 10-0, and once Pitt got it's first TD from that fumble and it was 10-7, our team never recovered.

[KeysBull]

I hope they use this two week bye to get hill ready to play......

[BullDoug]

the word nightmare and the bolded comment do not belong anywhere near the same sentence.

Assuming we pick up a decent staff we can only change for the better. It certainly can't get worse then what I've seen the past few years.

Can you say Temple or winless for 19 games?  Yes, it can get worse. PJ learning a new system in his senior yr as a starter will be the same ole, same ole.  Only success that offense could have is if it is an option/veer type offense.  The only difference is Hall will be gone.

And Sbien, while the OC was horrific vs. Pitt, a percentage of this is PJ's fault.  He did miss open WRs and Hall on more than one occasion.  PJ is a borderline D1 starting QB at best.  Yes, his developement may have been better with better coaching but we are talking close to 20 starts now.  PJ's touch is suspect and ON THE ROAD, this season and last, he has looked bad.

IMO, I just think you are giving this kid to much of a pass for not developing a "pass touch" in more than three yrs and being way to "tight" on the road.  The PJ we saw vs. UCF & UL & even slightly vs PSU (two drives) but he was nowhere to been seen vs. UM & Pitt.  I guess it comes back to the intangible...leadership underpressure.  Anyone can sit in the pocket & make plays when there is no pressure and the WRs are getting open.  PJ is not making plays.  Everyone that watches USF sees it too.

[Guest]

This was in yesterday's Sarasota Herald-Tribune:

Alan Dell

Bulls' Julmiste, Denson lack extra effort

University of South Florida head football coach Jim Leavitt has been known to bloody his face by ramming his head into his players' helmets.

His intent is to create enthusiasm and stir emotions among USF players.

It's a cue USF quarterbacks might take to generate a buzz in a stagnant offense.

The only spark starting quarterback Pat Julmiste and backup Courtney Denson have been able to generate in the past two games has been for Bulls opponents. Interceptions and fumbles gave Miami and Pittsburgh enough short fields to put the USF defense on red alert and drain its spirit.

A disturbing play against Pittsburgh came when Julmiste scrambled on a third-and-6. He got five yards easily and looked as if he would pick up the first down. But then several tacklers headed his way and he went into a slide that Colts quarterback Peyton Manning would have been proud of.

At the time the Bulls were winning 10-0. They were forced to punt and on its first play from scrimmage on the ensuing possession Pittsburgh scored on a 69-yard pass. It started an avalanche of points that didn't end until the Panthers had a 31-17 victory securely tucked away.

Against Miami, Denson found himself in a similar situation. He darted out of bounds rather then go for the extra yard and USF missed out on another first down.

Either these guys don't know where the first down markers are or they are unwilling to endure some pain for their teammates.

For two quarterbacks who have trouble finding open receivers and reading defenses, it's the least they can do. Finesse is not their game.

These two quarterbacks and perhaps the offense in general, has taken some of the fight out of Leavitt. The coach, who instituted the now shelved quick-strike, no-huddle offense, would have been willing to gamble at the end of the first half if he thought he could put some points on the board.

But against Pittsburgh, Leavitt turned his back on his offense. The Bulls were trailing 21-17, had a first down on their own 45 with 21 seconds left before halftime and one timeout left. There was time for at least two plays, maybe three. Instead, Leavitt had the clock run down to :01 second and threw a Hail Mary pass that fell harmlessly incomplete.

"I didn't want to take a chance on them getting a turnover and being in position to score before the half ended," Leavitt said.

Leavitt may be a bit more daring Saturday night at home against 20th-ranked West Virginia (6-1, 3-0), the only team unbeaten in Big East Conference play. The Bulls (3-3, 1-1) haven't lost in three games at Raymond James Stadium this season.

A victory would give USF its second win over a top 25 team this season, put the Bulls back in the thick of the conference race and give the program some national exposure.

Rarely do second chances come so quickly. However, a change in attitude has to accompany South Florida this Saturday night.

http://www.heraldtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051019/COLUMNIST15/510190569

[Jake_Ryan]

What do you mean it is a rebuilding year? LAST year was a rebuilding year...PJ is a junior, andre is a senior, green has been starting for 3 years and payton is on his second year starting. The main "rebuilding" was defense and they are playing great. Geesh, it is COLLEGE, players get 4 years only so every year is mostly a rebuilding year and we are as experienced on offense as most other teams are.

Good recruits or bad recruits what does it matter? If you can't coach them it matters not who you bring in.

Please enroll in Reading Comprehension 101.

[Bull94]

Can you say Temple or winless for 19 games?  Yes, it can get worse. PJ learning a new system in his senior yr as a starter will be the same ole, same ole.  Only success that offense could have is if it is an option/veer type offense.  The only difference is Hall will be gone.

And Sbien, while the OC was horrific vs. Pitt, a percentage of this is PJ's fault.  He did miss open WRs and Hall on more than one occasion.  PJ is a borderline D1 starting QB at best.  Yes, his developement may have been better with better coaching but we are talking close to 20 starts now.  PJ's touch is suspect and ON THE ROAD, this season and last, he has looked bad.

IMO, I just think you are giving this kid to much of a pass for not developing a "pass touch" in more than three yrs and being way to "tight" on the road.  The PJ we saw vs. UCF & UL & even slightly vs PSU (two drives) but he was nowhere to been seen vs. UM & Pitt.  I guess it comes back to the intangible...leadership underpressure.  Anyone can sit in the pocket & make plays when there is no pressure and the WRs are getting open.  PJ is not making plays.  Everyone that watches USF sees it too.

The problem with this Bulldoug is that if they try and force PJ to play this pass happy spread offense for the 4th year in a row then it will be the same ol same ol.

How come we all know that PJs touch is suspect yet the OC thinks he should pass the ball 37 times? I bet PJ himself would admit he doesn't have great touch. Don't you think our talent is in the backfield?

We all know that PJ can't carry this offense. He has strengths. Why do we (and by we I mean R Smith) insist he tries to do something we know he can't?

The PJ we saw vs. UCF threw the ball 16 times.

Hall + Ponton carried it 43 times.

The PJ we saw vs UofL threw the ball 9 times.

Hall + Ponton carried it 31 times.

The PJ we saw vs PITT threw the ball 35 times.

Hall + Ponton carried it 22 times.

Everyone knows how limited PJ is. How come our coaches ask him to throw it 35 times? The reason he was successful in those games is because they put the load on Andre and didn't expect PJ to carry the team. I will be the first to admit that we should never expect PJ to carry our team but isn't that the coaches responsibility when calling the plays.

Its obvious who this loss falls on and its not some 20 year old. Unless they have given him the freedom to call the plays.

RUN = SUCCESS

PASS = FAIL

If they haven't figured that out in the 3 years that PJ has been under center then I'm not sure they ever will. The poor kid is using his god given talents to the best of his abilities. Cut him some slack. Its the coaches responsibility to recognize his strengths and weaknesses and put him in a position to succeeed.

[Jake_Ryan]

Against Pitt, PJ was 18-35 for 222 yards, threw 1 TD and had no INT's.  PJ is not the reason USF lost that game.

[BULLheaded]

Please enroll in Reading Comprehension 101.

yeah yeah, not quite sure your distinction between a re-building year and a building year. In college are you ever NOT in one of those two stages aside from once in a blue moon?

either way the point still stands

[Jake_Ryan]

yeah yeah, not quite sure your distinction between a re-building year and a building year. In college are you ever NOT in one of those two stages aside from once in a blue moon?

either way the point still stands

My point is that this program is so young.  From nonexistent to 1-AA to 1-A to 1-A BCS conference in less than 10 years.  That is unprecedented in college football history.  You have to have some patience to allow the recruiting to catch up to the meteoric rise of the Program.

I agree though that we need a new offensive scheme.