Optimist or Pessimist for 2006 Football season

[Bullish]

I have seen a great divide among the optimists and pessimists on this board and in this thread we will make the assumption that because someone is a pessimist does not mean they do not want to see USF succeed.

With that being said, post your reasons for choosing to see the glass half full or half empty.

Caveat - please leave the personal criticisms out of the posts because they only muddie the thread and prove nothing in the end.

Here are mine: Overall Pessimist

1. QB - until we bring in a QB that can be a field general, we do not have enough talent to make up for that position

2. OC - even optimists see this as a big problem

3. Offensive Coaching philosophy - not sure how much the OC has to do with this or the QB but USF lives and dies by gadget based football. They struggle with playing smash mouth run based football, can not run the west coast possesion style, and do not have a pro style game with a pocket passer.

4. Hall's departure - Replacing their best offensive player remains to be seen

5. Penalties - USF takes too many penalties for a team that does not have a potent offense to make up for it

6. Big East - every school in the BE that USF needs to pass either had a better recruiting class or returns many of their top players

7. Coaching staff - I still have not seen enough development from the current players to determine if the coaching staff can lead this team to the next level. I have seen kids that were decently recruited (Peyton, Chambers, Hill, etc) move backwards sine coming to USF.

[Apis Bull]

You should have posted this on the main board.

To answer your question, here's mine:  Overall optimist

1.  QB - I expect our QB play to get better

2.  OC - I'll admit I've questioned a lot of the play calling.  Hopefully, if Rod stays at OC, he's learned from last season.

3.  Offensive Coaching - I think a lot of the, "gadget" plays were from lack of consistant QB play.

4.  RB - I think we'll be fine at RB, especially if QB play improves considerably

5.  Penalties - Still a huge concern

6.  Big East - Louisville and West Virginia are on the road this year.  That's a huge concern.

7.  Coaching staff - Decently recruited kids do not always translate to quality D-1A football players.  That's not to say that our player development couldn't be better.

8.  OOC Schedule - It is considerably easier than this past season.  That should lend to more confidence and more experience overall.

[Bullish]

Thanks SCBulls!!!

[Joe]

Great CONSTRUCTIVE Thread

To answer your question, here's mine:  Mix.

1.  QB - I HOPE our QB play to get better, this area concerns me but in teh end I believe Hill will be our QB and we will have a few bumps, but in the end be better for it.

2.  OC - It's his first full season, and besides the UCONN game I thought the playcalling wasn't terrible. We just didn't execute well.

3.  Offensive Coaching - I am more concerned with the Oline, they did misread a lot of the blocks in games against better defenses like NC State. I hope that this is improved in the offseason.

4.  RB - It will start a lil rough because Ponton isn't the same runner Hall was, but we'll be fine by midseason.

5.  Penalties - I think it will improve, we just gotta work on it a lil.

6.  Big East - Will suprise this year, outside the top 2, Pitt will be a good team, road games at Louisville and WVU make it very hard to picture us winning the league this season if we play like we did on the road last year.

7.  Coaching staff - Solid recruiting class, filled a lot of needs. Needs to keep up the defensive side of the ball

8.  OOC Schedule - It is considerably easier than this past season, but 3 games on the road. Kansas is going to be a good game, UNC has some athletes and depending on how our defense is playing could be tough. UCF, despite being UCF, has this game circled, we cannot let them win.

[WoolyBully]

1. QB -

Optimist.

2. OC

- Pessimist

3. Offensive Coaching philosophy

- Pessimist

4. Hall's departure

- Optimist (we do this every season...a new offensive star shows up and we quikly forget that guy who played here last year)

5. Penalties

- Pessimist, this has become a tradition, it's ingrained.

6. Big East -

Optimist - I don't care how good their 'recruiting class' is ranked...think 'Cuse is going to set the world on fire?  

7. Coaching staff

- Optimist. I don't understand this phrase " I have seen kids that were decently recruited (Peyton, Chambers, Hill, etc) move backwards since coming to USF."....Move backwards from what? From High School? Do you think that maybe being "Da Man" in High School is not quite the same at the next level? The competition they face is at a higher level. Are you saying you've seen them falter year-after-year at USF? I've not see Hill do much other than fumble the ball. Can't blame that on anyone but.....Hill.

[Joe]

Guys Peyton was a Sophomore, WRs just don't step in and play great their freshman and sophomore seasons. Its too early to say he stinks.

[KeysBull]

and chambers is definately making the most of his ability.

Maybe the least gifted reciever on the team, but the most consistant and technnically sound

[USFMikeB]

Unless I see changes in the spring, I am pessimistic about next season.  My biggest concerns are the QB and offensive play calling.

[mutt]

Always Optimist when it comes to the BULLS. Can't help it.

[JGBASEBALL92-94]

Optimist on all.  If Bullish/Knightish says it is going to be a bad year next year, we may go undefeated. He does not know anything. Personal attack because you know nothing.  Ask him, he thinks UCF won 8 in a row and has the best manipulated coaching resumes in the NCAA.