Optimist or Pessimist for 2006 Football season

[fbdo79]

1. QB - There are enough people in the mix such that an improvement should be seen.  However, this is greatly dependent upon #2.

2. OC - This is the most worrisome part of the team.  With no evidence of actual QB development and no evidence of play calling suitable for the success of your team, I am still left apprehensive about Coach Smith in this position.

3. RB - I believe the talent we have at RB is good.  It will be an adjustment for any new tailback, not just in running the ball but also w/ route running and blitz pickup/pass blocking which is the hardest part for any young RB.  Also, people forget that we are relpacing all three interior offensive lineman, which has me very worried.  We could have Emmitt Smith and still have problems if we don't get two guards and a center to step up and fill those holes.

4. Penalties - Don't bother me too much.  We have always had them.  We can overcome them with good play.

5. Big East - With the way recruiting worked out for the other teams and with the way scheduling has ended up, this could really be an exciting year for the Big East.  USF has a legitimate chance of being undefeated going into the Pitt game, and even up to the UL and WVU games.  UL and WVU seem to be in a great position for a national spotlight provided they don't stumble early.  Pitt should be much improved.

6. Coaching Staff - The loss of Coach Kravitz will hurt alot for the players and other coaches, but defensively, I think we can be as good if not better because of the addition of new coaches and the excitement they will bring.  My biggest worry w/ the defense is that if the offense doesn't improve from last year will the defense continue to have enough pride to keep fighting all the time by themselves.  Offensively, I am still very worried.  We will be breaking in a new RB, QB, Guards, and Center.  This by itself will cause a lot of mistakes simply from guys learning how to play together.  The leadership offensively is what will ultimately decide on our sucess next year both in the Coaches and the players.

7. OOC Schedule- The OOC schedule lends itself for USF to show improvement, gain more national recognition, and put itself in a position to be ranked in October.  The Kansas and North Carolina games will both be very difficult, but are both winnable.  These games I feel will ultimately decide our season.

8. Prediction - I feel like USF has a great chance to go undeafeated in OOC play.  Syracuse, Cinn, and UCONN (revengeand at home) should be wins.  Pitt will be a struggle but at home and so I feel the Bulls will win this as well.  This leads us to UL and WVU.  Both difficult placs to play, both cold weather games, both should be national spotlight games.  This should be an opportunity for us to step up to the level of the big boys.  I do feel like both UL and WVU will most likely win these games, but they are both winnable for USF.  Plus they are at the end of the year, so who knows in what situation UL, WVU, or USF will be in by then.  I would expect another successful season that shows progression and growth.  A National Championship is not gonna happen this year, but the Bulls can show improvement.  No matter what you feel, Get out and root for your 2006 USF Bulls!  It should be a great year.

Optimistic!

[Apis Bull]

Off topic replies have been moved to [link=http://www.thebullspen.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?board=ce9876;action=display;num=1139613461]This Thread[/link] by SCBullsfan.

[Guest John]

September 2 - McNeese State  - (WIN)

September 9 - FIU - (WIN)

September 16 - @ UCF - (WIN)

September 23 - @ Kansas - (WIN)

September 30 - Rutgers - WIN (CRACK TOP 25)

October 7 - UConn (WIN - CRACK TOP 20)

October 14 - @ UNC  (LOSE)

October 21 - @ Cincinnati (WIN)

November 4 - Pittsburgh (WIN)

November 11 - Syracuse - (WIN)

November 18 - @ Louisville - (LOSE)

November 25 - @ West Virginia (GET CRUSHED)

Finish 9-3 and crack the top 25 for the first time in school history.  Finish third in the conference.  Finish the year ranked about 23rd with a bowl lose.

WVU plays the Florida Gators for the National Title and loses.

My honest assement.  Very Optimistic.  If South Florida Football were a stock, I would buy up as many shares as I could.

[scooby]

Consider myself an optomist, but there is no way we get in the top 25 with wins over those first five (the biggest "name" team in that group is Kansas, who was 6-5 last year), none of those teams will be ranked and lets face it, our biggest problem is gaining nation respect.  The 9-3 record is certainly possible (though maybe a game or two on the optomistic side) but unless we beat Louisville or WV or go undefeated into the Syracuse game I don't think we'll get the votes.  Baby steps.

[Joe]

While I do believe all three are winnable, with the offense as it is now and the way we played on teh road last year, we will lose one of our OOC road games, especially since they are early and this team will still be replacing A LOT on the offensive side of the ball.

I think UL wins the BE next year.

[nukebull]

I am an optimist. I have been out of town in no computer land since schedula was released and have not read the board. I am afraid that looking at the schedule USF will be unbeaten in conference paly with 2 games remaining. (they will CONTROL their own destiny) and the grand expectations will come up that if they beat UL and WVU on the road they go to BCS bowl. These two games on the road are going to be tough to win and then the posts will start about fire this guy fire that guy. Flip the schedule around and lose first 2 games low expectations get invited to a upper level bowl crack top 25 win bowl game everyone except smazza is happy. just my opinion

[Guest John]

WVU is going to be really really really really really really really really

GOOD.

Pat White might be better the V. Young.

I don't see anyone beating them in the Big East.  Although they have to go TO Lousiville and beat Va Tech.

I see them playing for all the marbles come Jan.

[nukebull]

WVU is really good but as much as White runs you gotta hope he can stay healthy. As far as them playing for all the marbles there are a lot of good teams in better conferences like Ohio State, and UF and USC that could go undbeaten and ND looks they will only get better. It will be hard for a BE team to play for NC with only 6 schools and weak out of conference shcedules. Va Tech would have to be a top 10 team when and if WVU beats them for WVU to get any momentum for NC game

[E.T.]

Many of us think we will be undefeated come the final 2 regular season games, except maybe 1 loss ... this will also set up a nice possible National TV game for both.

Go BULLS !!!

[Joe]

Pat White might be better the V. Young.

While I'll agree Pat White is a GREAT football player, he's not that passer Vince Young. I wanna see White be put in a situation where he has to make the throws to win the games and then I might believe he has the potential to beat Vince Young.