Perspective

[TheAccountant]

I realize a lot of people are upset, embarrassed, and even angry by the on field product that is USF football this year. But lets put this season into perspective. Below are 10 reasons why (in my opinion) we should all just take a deep breath and calm the frick down:

1. This is the 3rd offensive system that has been put in place in the last three years. Rather than having an entire offseason to learn and perfect a system, we have had to learn a new one each year. This makes a huge difference.

2. This is the 3rd offensive coordinator that has been hired in the last three years. Again, new philosophy, plays, schemes, etc. make a huge difference when you have to adjust to a new one every offseason. 

3. We have a brand new coach and brand new coaching staff.

4. It can take more than 9 or 10 months to change the culture of a program. We had a losing, undisciplined culture under FCCS. That isn't going to change overnight. 

5. We have a young team that will mostly all be returning next year. Some younger players that wouldn't have seen the field in a normal season are getting valuable in-game experience without burning eligibility. 

6. We are using mostly Charlie Strong recruits still and he left the cupboard bare/almost empty. The few promising recruits that FCCS landed have either transferred, were kicked off the team, or were one-year grad transfers. 

7. Jeff Scott has been head coach for all of 9 or 10 months, and did not get a spring practice season as he usually would have. Had we been able to have a spring game, we may have been able to solve the QB battle earlier, would have had more time to work on the offense/defense, and the coaches would have had more time to coach and develop players and instill the program's new philosophy.  

8. We have yet to put a fully healthy starting lineup on the field due to Covid and contact tracing among other injuries. This may not make a huge difference, but had players like Cade Fortin been healthy the full season, he may have seen more than 4 or 5 drives worth of playing time and could have made a difference. 

9. This is a throw away year. The moment the NCAA announced that no eligibility would be burned this year cause of Covid, the season became an 11 game tryout for current players. CJS knew this season was going to be bad and imo, i think that is why we continue to play multiple QB's each game. He is trying to see who he wants to keep and who deserves to be here. Don't be surprised if a lot of players get cut in the offseason to make way for his first full recruiting class next year. 

10. Lastly, we were absolutely terrible last year. Why did anyone think we would be anything but terrible this year with the same players and a few transfers that weren't playing at power 5 schools? 

[MaltLiquorBull]

I get the logic.  It just sucks having to say "wait until next year" every year.  And when I look at the product on the field, I believe we will be saying "wait until next year" again next year.  I'm getting too old.

[Rocky Style]

1 minute ago, MaltLiquorBull said:

I get the logic.  It just sucks having to say "wait until next year" every year.  And when I look at the product on the field, I believe we will be saying "wait until next year" again next year.  I'm getting too old.

True but CCS left it in the worst of conditions.  It's going to take a minute to cycle some new people through and people are learning on the job.

[puc86]

A few things 1) we are no more being impacted by Covid and a shortened offseason than any other team. 2) no one is mad that we aren’t world beaters this year they are mad because we are demonstrably worse in every facet of the game 3) the constant flux of strategy is absolutely a problem and stability will probably never be present in our program again as people will either fail and be moved on or will succeed and will move on. We need to be the ones to introduce stability in our program by picking a direction and then always hiring to that direction (a constant flux of strategy and never having a coach that ever had their players is not tenable and we need to be always hiring for coaches that can use the players we actually have or historically can get and not building towards a future they will never be apart of and will always include the wrong players).

[TheAccountant]

Just now, puc86 said:

A few things 1) we are no more being impacted by Covid and a shortened offseason than any other team. 2) no one is mad that we aren’t world beaters this year they are mad because we are demonstrably worse in every facet of the game 3) the constant flux of strategy is absolutely a problem and stability will probably never be present in our program again as people will either fail and be moved on or will succeed and will move on. We need to be the ones to introduce stability in our program by picking a direction and then always hiring to that direction (a constant flux of strategy and never having a coach that ever had their players is not tenable and we need to be always hiring for coaches that can use the players we actually have or historically can get and not building towards a future they will never be apart of and will always include the wrong players).

Agreed. Covid hasn't affected us any differently than anyone else. But it has still affected us. 

 

I think we finally have an opportunity to have stability. Assuming our coaching staff remains in tact (can't imagine anyone wanting to poach any of our coaches with how terrible we have been), I think the system will finally take a step forward next season. 

9 minutes ago, MaltLiquorBull said:

I get the logic.  It just sucks having to say "wait until next year" every year.  And when I look at the product on the field, I believe we will be saying "wait until next year" again next year.  I'm getting too old.

It does definitely suck. But until we have some sort of stability that will always be the saying. Can't expect an offense to be productive when it is completely overhauled every offseason. 

[DJBulls]

This looks a lot like the level of talent when Willie got here...it looks like by year 3 we realistically have a shot at being good team...

[Gatorbull325]

53 minutes ago, TheAccountant said:

I realize a lot of people are upset, embarrassed, and even angry by the on field product that is USF football this year. But lets put this season into perspective. Below are 10 reasons why (in my opinion) we should all just take a deep breath and calm the frick down:

1. This is the 3rd offensive system that has been put in place in the last three years. Rather than having an entire offseason to learn and perfect a system, we have had to learn a new one each year. This makes a huge difference.

2. This is the 3rd offensive coordinator that has been hired in the last three years. Again, new philosophy, plays, schemes, etc. make a huge difference when you have to adjust to a new one every offseason. 

3. We have a brand new coach and brand new coaching staff.

4. It can take more than 9 or 10 months to change the culture of a program. We had a losing, undisciplined culture under FCCS. That isn't going to change overnight. 

5. We have a young team that will mostly all be returning next year. Some younger players that wouldn't have seen the field in a normal season are getting valuable in-game experience without burning eligibility. 

6. We are using mostly Charlie Strong recruits still and he left the cupboard bare/almost empty. The few promising recruits that FCCS landed have either transferred, were kicked off the team, or were one-year grad transfers. 

7. Jeff Scott has been head coach for all of 9 or 10 months, and did not get a spring practice season as he usually would have. Had we been able to have a spring game, we may have been able to solve the QB battle earlier, would have had more time to work on the offense/defense, and the coaches would have had more time to coach and develop players and instill the program's new philosophy.  

8. We have yet to put a fully healthy starting lineup on the field due to Covid and contact tracing among other injuries. This may not make a huge difference, but had players like Cade Fortin been healthy the full season, he may have seen more than 4 or 5 drives worth of playing time and could have made a difference. 

9. This is a throw away year. The moment the NCAA announced that no eligibility would be burned this year cause of Covid, the season became an 11 game tryout for current players. CJS knew this season was going to be bad and imo, i think that is why we continue to play multiple QB's each game. He is trying to see who he wants to keep and who deserves to be here. Don't be surprised if a lot of players get cut in the offseason to make way for his first full recruiting class next year. 

10. Lastly, we were absolutely terrible last year. Why did anyone think we would be anything but terrible this year with the same players and a few transfers that weren't playing at power 5 schools? 

I agree big time with #1-#5. I don't agree with what CCS left here. I think he got good recruits that had plenty of P5 offers. I think they just didn't develop. And the players kicked off the team weren't impact players or were already graduating. And Devontres Dukes came back. I don't like throw away years, you should always try to make a bowl game. It's not fair to the student athletes on the team. i think we can make a bowl game if we start Noah Johnson. 

[NewEnglandBull]

I think as fans there is no way we can evaluate relative to wins and loses this year. That is out the window. Our mindset has to be one of player evaluation. If a kid makes an incredible play (Ford’s touchdown) that is what needs to be discussed. If a kid looks lost (Roberts at DB) that’s what needs to be discussed. With the later that should be done in decent way...not to grind him down to the ground. Coaching strategy should also be discussed (although this can difficult with the current talent level). My point is this is not a regular USF season and next year will not be either. 

Edited October 12, 2020 by NewEnglandBull

[MaltLiquorBull]

17 minutes ago, NewEnglandBull said:

I think as fans there is no way we can evaluate relative to wins and loses this year. That is out the window. Our mindset has to be one of player evaluation. If a kid makes an incredible play (Ford’s touchdown) that is what needs to be discussed. If a kid looks lost (Roberts at DB) that’s what needs to be discussed. With the later that should be done in decent way...not to grind him down to the ground. Coaching strategy should also be discussed (although this can difficult with the current talent level). My point is this is not a regular USF season and next year will not be either. 

Hopefully normal tailgating and seating arrangements will be back at least.

[TheAccountant]

7 minutes ago, MaltLiquorBull said:

Hopefully normal tailgating and seating arrangements will be back at least.

Agreed, USF football is best watched drunk with a beer in hand.