October 27, 2018

[BullyPulpit]

Just 3 years and 9 months ago USF was viewed as one of the top 25 programs in the country. Going into the game against Houston on October 27, 2018, USF was 7-0 and ranked #21 in the country. The two previous seasons we finished the year ranked #19 and #21 respectively. We are just one recruiting cycle removed from being considered amongst the BEST teams in the nation. The past 3.5 years have been painful, but it wasn't that long ago that we were respected.  Keep everything in perspective. The path back to our place in the top 25 starts with BYU! 

[E.T.]

Go BULLS !!! Beat BYU !!!

[bulloni]

Its crazy how 3 seasons can completely change perspective on a program. Luckily that can cut the other way too. Something like 8 wins this year, then 10+ wins the next 2 years and all this realignment **** sorts itself out, especially with all these facility upgrades

[Brad]

And it seems longer than three seasons because even as Chuckles was winning with Willie's boys it was a bad fit and people were feeling the eventual slide into oblivion.

[bulloni]

1 minute ago, Brad said:

And it seems longer than three seasons because even as Chuckles was winning with Willie's boys it was a bad fit and people were feeling the eventual slide into oblivion.

In hindsight, the 1st quarter of Charlie's first game (San Jose State 2017) it was clear he was moving us backwards.

[E.T.]

12 minutes ago, Brad said:

And it seems longer than three seasons because even as Chuckles was winning with Willie's boys it was a bad fit and people were feeling the eventual slide into oblivion.

Does shock me that it was so recent. 

But I still have horrible dreams about Skip's time here . . . 

 

[BullyPulpit]

22 minutes ago, Brad said:

And it seems longer than three seasons because even as Chuckles was winning with Willie's boys it was a bad fit and people were feeling the eventual slide into oblivion.

Never has 7-0 felt as empty as it did in 2018. You just watched knew that the wheels were going to fall off at some point, and boy did they ever. The only team with a pulse that we beat was Georgia Tech. Every other team was hot garbage and we were not blowing them out. The body language and the chemistry just weren't there. We weren't even competitive in the last 6 games and it was clear the team was in utter and total disarray. I have heard grumblings of how dysfunctional that team had become under CCS's lack of leadership, but I would really love to hear the whole story of just how bad it got. 

[MaltLiquorBull]

5 minutes ago, BullyPulpit said:

Never has 7-0 felt as empty as it did in 2018. You just watched knew that the wheels were going to fall off at some point, and boy did they ever. The only team with a pulse that we beat was Georgia Tech. Every other team was hot garbage and we were not blowing them out. The body language and the chemistry just weren't there. We weren't even competitive in the last 6 games and it was clear the team was in utter and total disarray. I have heard grumblings of how dysfunctional that team had become under CCS's lack of leadership, but I would really love to hear the whole story of just how bad it got. 

I was going to say something similar to this, and I figured I'd get the debbie downer image as a reply.  But yes, I remember people coming up to me and saying what a good season we were having, and I always said, yeah, thanks, we're undefeated...but it just doesn't look right.  What?  they'd say...and I'd say, I don't know, there's something about how we are winning but we just don't look like a winning team.  I remember thinking that if we tank the season late, then it will take years before anybody is fooled into voting us into the top 25 again (fool me once, etc.).

That being said, most people only see the record.  Wins matter.  So basically you get more respect winning ugly that you ever will by losing valiantly.  It WAS indeed an empty 7-0, but it was 7-0, and I will take that any day over what we have seen since.

Go Bulls.

[bulloni]

11 minutes ago, BullyPulpit said:

Never has 7-0 felt as empty as it did in 2018. You just watched knew that the wheels were going to fall off at some point, and boy did they ever. The only team with a pulse that we beat was Georgia Tech. Every other team was hot garbage and we were not blowing them out. The body language and the chemistry just weren't there. We weren't even competitive in the last 6 games and it was clear the team was in utter and total disarray. I have heard grumblings of how dysfunctional that team had become under CCS's lack of leadership, but I would really love to hear the whole story of just how bad it got. 

https://www.thedailystampede.com/2018/4/7/17208940/usf-football-brooks-larkin-leaves-team-calls-position-coach-liar-coward-matt-mattox-charlie-strong

There was a player who quit and spoke on it a bit after the 10-2 season. To have a guy quit after a year like that is a bad sign. Reading his statement it sounds like there was really starting to be a divide between the players and coaches. I remember he hopped on a podcast after this and mentioned Charlie Strong wouldn't let players listen to music in the locker room before practices/games.

Quote

“During the Birmingham Bowl, after failing on a 4th and short again at a pivotal point in the game, two prominent offensive players both came off the field saying ‘man why do we run up the middle, the wideouts are wide open! Get them the ball!’ To which Mattox said ‘Why, so you can fumble again?’”

When this is the attitude of the coaches the game after Wilcox's fumble against UCF you can see why 2 more years of this destroyed team morale before Jeff Scott took over.

Quote

Larkin skipped practice on Thursday because “I had no motivation to play under Mattox at that point.” Strong then called Larkin and set up a meeting to discuss why he missed practice and Larkin said the head coach was very professional about the entire situation and asked the Bradenton native to speak with Mattox and tell him everything that was on his mind.

He states that he waited for 25 minutes outside the coach’s office before finally giving up because he had to get to class. Larkin said Strong told Mattox that he was waiting for him at least twice.

 

[BDYZR]

51 minutes ago, bulloni said:

In hindsight, the 1st quarter of Charlie's first game (San Jose State 2017) it was clear he was moving us backwards.

I sometimes hate hindsight.