Have we kept the O and D vanilla thus far?

[Bull Dozer]

well, im sure there are some plays that we have kept under wraps (we  havent run any "trick" plays yet and we know how rod loves those)

one thing that bugs me is that we havent thrown the ball downfield AT ALL!!!

if your running game is medicore, which ours is right now, then you need to stretch the field and keep the safeties honest.  i say first offensive play of the game we see something go down field for a big knockout off the bat.

Im hoping Smith is smart enough to have kept the down the field passing plays under wraps to this point.  Hopefully within our first offensive series of the game there is a play action and deep ball on 1st down.  We have the athletes to make big plays and Grothe has a almost 2 games under his belt its time to put the ball down the field.  

[South_Florida_Flip]

one thing that bugs me is that we havent thrown the ball downfield AT ALL!!!

We have thrown down field a few times. Matt had the TD to Edwards in the first game.

I would rather see us use the middle of the field a bit more since we have good playmakers at receivers. It's a higher percentage play. I'm not saying not to take chances down field, but the middle of the field is an area we should target more.

[Matt]

with the size of our WR, downfield should be more of an option.

[Guest wildrover]

I know the Universe is messed up when I'm agreeing with Smazza but I find myself doing it a lot more lately.  I remember when we barely beat Charleston Southern a couple of years ago and Bien came on here and said that it was because he was CJL was keeping things under wraps because we were playing South Carolina the following week.  Well we all now how that worked out.

This keeping things vanilla might be a good argument if the two games we played were never in doubt.  But we came dangersouly close to losing last Saturday and I have a hard time believing that was planned.  If, by the beginning of the third quarter you are still losing to a very inferior opponent you need to break your vanilla plan and take the came back under control.  That never did happen which leaves me to believe that what we saw was our plan, there was no secret in any bag or under wraps.  We gave FIU our best and barely won as a result.  

Folks, I for one am nervous.

[South_Florida_Flip]

with the size of our WR, downfield should be more of an option.

While I agree there I think some of it has to do with the fact that Matt doesn't yet possess the arm strength to be lobbing bombs all over the field. That will come with more time in the weight room. I love the fact that Matt has a great arm for the short to mid range passes and he does put some zip on the ball, which we haven't seen on those passes in a while.

[bulls96go]

bullieve it when i see it

[E.T.]

;) ;) ;) ;D ;D :) ;D

I was thinking the same thing when I read smazza's post.

I am also putting alot on that our players were just flat and not up for these first two games ... which IS SAD  >

But ... each week, we shut out the opponent and out scored them some 48-0.

This team will be up from the very start and WILL HAMMER the gnats.

And the doom & gloomers will be calm.

Go BULLS !!!

[beastiebull]

Hitting the weights is not going to increare Grothe's arm strength.  Fast twitch muscles aren't developed in the weight room, they're a natural gift.  Too much weight lifting can actually detract from distance throwing.  

[smazza]

well, im sure there are some plays that we have kept under wraps (we  havent run any "trick" plays yet and we know how rod loves those)

one thing that bugs me is that we havent thrown the ball downfield AT ALL!!!

if your running game is medicore, which ours is right now, then you need to stretch the field and keep the safeties honest.  i say first offensive play of the game we see something go down field for a big knockout off the bat.

I THINK WE SHOT OUR WAD AGAINST FIU

[smazza]

;) ;) ;) ;D ;D :) ;D

I was thinking the same thing when I read smazza's post.

I am also putting alot on that our players were just flat and not up for these first two games ... which IS SAD  >

But ... each week, we shut out the opponent and out scored them some 48-0.

This team will be up from the very start and WILL HAMMER the gnats.

And the doom & gloomers will be calm.

Go BULLS !!!

YOUR THINKING IS BASED ON HOPE  AND NOT ANY OF THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRED IN FIRST TWO GAMES

WHY WILL USF BE UP THIS GAME? BECAUSE OF THE INTENSE RIVALRY?

USF SHOULD HAMMER FTU/OU/OC!WE HQAMMERED THEM LAST YEAR AND WE SHOULD HAVE IMPROVED MORE THAN FTU/OU/OC HAS OVER SAME PERIOD OF TIME

TO THINK USF HAS TRICKS UP THEIR SLEEVE AND WILL HIT FTU/OU/OC WITH PLAYS NEVER SEEN IS SILLY AT BEST.

WHAT MAKES YOU THINK USF'S INEPT OFFENSE WOULD BE ABLE TO PULL OFF NEW PLAYS?

USF NEEDS TO EXECUTE THEIR OFFENSIVE PLAYS,NOT TAKE STUPID PENALTIES AND WRAP UP AND TACKLE ON DEFENSE.

THEY WERE FLAT FIRST TWO GAMES BECAUSE COACHING STAFF DIDNT INSTILL MOTIVATION OR PASSION.