RU Vs. USF Stray Thoughts ... To Start (Long)

[jellyman]

How many starters are back from last year?

How is the DL and Secondary playing?

Special teams?

Who is your standout players in those positions?  

We all know about the LBs and Grothe, but not much more.  This would help us know what to look for when we all watch the game on Friday night.

Since no one else will, I'll answer these.

Starters? Hell, it's game 4, I forgot abuot last year. Bottom line is that this is a very young offense, all learning and growing together. The "back 7" of the defense are the same as last year I believe, all veteran. The DL has been a revolving door.

The DL has been pretty much putrid, to be honest. No push, no pressure on the QB, and RBs that shouldnt be running up and down the field on us have been....running up and down the field on us.

The secondary has created turnovers with Trae Williams (#21 in your program, #1 in your hearts), picking off I believe 3 balls this year. The other corner is Mike Jenkins. He'll be #4 in your program, and also the guy that Rutgers wants to put their best WR on....because he'll burn him. Mr Jenkins is fast as hell.......and he needs it when he's trying to catch up with the opposing WR. The safeties havent really done anything spectacular and the secondary as a whole has been pretty soft so far this year, considering the talent they were up against.

Special teams has been hot and cold. Hot: Ean Randolph. It would be in RUs best interest not to punt to him. Cold: 2 freshman punters and a kicker who started the season 0-5. Coverage wise, my memory tells me that we've been pretty good in punt and kickoff coverage. Nothing jumps out at me, good or bad.

I like posts like this, dont let the **** talkers(except sheriff and smazza, those were hilarious) get to ya. Stick around and lets talk football.

shoop,

Thanks.  

I am worried about USF's return game ... good returns can really run around games and field position.  And RU has been a HUGE beneficiary of winning the field position battle this season so far (due to excellent punting and great punt blocking).

I am also worried about the mobility of Grothe and the speed of USF's WR's, which could be a deadly combination if RU cannot contain Grothe in the pocket while at the sasem time pressuring him.

Hiowever, if USF's D-Line is weak ... I would have some comfort as an RU fan.  RU's O-Line has been solid, at its worst, this season, and well better than solid at its best.  RU's OL averages something like 6'5" and oover 300 pounds ... and are NOT stiffs, but are quite athletic this season.  And they are experienced (a HUGE deal), with 2 seniors and 3 juniors, of whom 3 were starters last year, and 1 a part-time starter last year.  If USF's DL is weak, RU will have a field day running the ball, maybe even if USF stacks the box.

[njligernj]

USF has been terrible punting the ball, and RU has blocked 2 punts and tackled another punter before they could even block the punt.  That could really help RU win the field position battle ... and with RU's excellent OL and strong running game, field position can be a difference maker.

From Auman's blog: Had gotten a tip late Friday night that USF would be trying that crazy rugby-style punting to the side deal, but couldn't have expected it to work as well as it did. The Bulls were dead last out of 119 I-A teams in net punting entering the game, but they played about as well on punts as you can expect. Teachey, a sophomore walk-on, had four punts, taking two steps to his right on each and getting some amazing rolls and bounces -- when the night was done, USF averaged more than 15 yards per punt better on their net punting than KU did. Even Matt Grothe stepped up -- again, can the kid get off his tail and play some safety, perhaps? -- and had a nice pooch kick that went out of bounds at the Kansas 5. That USF wasn't able to convert that first-half field position victory into any points is an indication of how poorly everything else was going for much of Saturday.

One game doesn't really mean the problem is solved but it's something to factor.

[BigShoop]

Hiowever, if USF's D-Line is weak ... I would have some comfort as an RU fan.  RU's O-Line has been solid, at its worst, this season, and well better than solid at its best.  RU's OL averages something like 6'5" and oover 300 pounds ... and are NOT stiffs, but are quite athletic this season.  And they are experienced (a HUGE deal), with 2 seniors and 3 juniors, of whom 3 were starters last year, and 1 a part-time starter last year.  If USF's DL is weak, RU will have a field day running the ball, maybe even if USF stacks the box.

I think that's our(USF fans) biggest concern.  :-/

How good ARE those backup WRs of yours? If USF can cover them man to man, then we got a chance...

Actually, that brings up another question: Is RU running 3 wide and 4 wide sets more or less often this year? It'll be interesting to see how they attack USFs defense. By spreading em out? or by lining up and punching em in the mouth?

[Eagleton96]

Bigshoop,

We are more of a punch em in the mouth team.  We run a lot of power G sets with a fullback, TE, and buncehd WRs at the point of attack.  Then we start with the counters, occasional reverse, toss.  

Our wideouts have been very good.  It's just the QB has a lot of trouble getting them the ball so we don't throw much.  They can get open and make catches when the ball is anywhere near by.  I really see the game unfolding like this:

RU starts in power sets running the ball.  USF stacks the box and committs to stopping it.  If you can't, RU wins a grind it out game.  If you can, we will have to pass.  Our recievers will get open and the game will come down to this: Can Teel hit them with regularity?  

[jellyman]

Bigshoop,

We are more of a punch em in the mouth team.  We run a lot of power G sets with a fullback, TE, and buncehd WRs at the point of attack.  Then we start with the counters, occasional reverse, toss.  

Our wideouts have been very good.  It's just the QB has a lot of trouble getting them the ball so we don't throw much.  They can get open and make catches when the ball is anywhere near by.  I really see the game unfolding like this:

RU starts in power sets running the ball.  USF stacks the box and committs to stopping it.  If you can't, RU wins a grind it out game.  If you can, we will have to pass.  Our recievers will get open and the game will come down to this: Can Teel hit them with regularity?  

Eagleton has it right, basically, but I will add, expand and clarify.

1)  Clarification on the WR's - We do not really know how good they are.  Tucker, who just broke his ankle, was very good (over 100 career receptions).  The rest are basically unknows.  Willie Foster, who is apparently listed as 1 starter, is a senior, but has been a return specialist (and a good one).  He is from Florida, and very fast ... but also is small, and has never had more than 12 recptions in a single season.  Foster has been known to drop a pass or 2 in his time.  The other starter, stepping in for Tucker, is Tiquan Underwood, a true sophomore.  Underwood is listed at 6'2" and 175, but looks to me to be between 6'0" and 6'1" and skinnier than 175 (though definitely stronger than last season).  He is very fast as well, maybe faster than Tucker (who he is replacing).  he also retuns kick-offs.  Underwood has decent ot above average hands.  He played last season as a WR, returner, and a "Slash" QB (running the spread as QB for a coupel series in 4-5 games).  RU's 3rd WR is Dennis campbell, a redhsirt freshman, also a Floridian.  Campbell is very fast, seems to have very good hands, and is about 5'9".  Though fast, some of us see in him a replacement for RU's career leader in receptions Tres Moses (who graduated after last season).  I am not saying he is as good, but he shows some of the same ability to be elusive, and also run patterns over the middle, as did Moses ... but is faster than Moses.  We do not know for sure who the 4th WR will be (and RU plays 4 or 5 WR's in any given game).  I could be a transfer from Iowa, James Townsend, who is supposedly one of RU's 3 fastest players, and has some good size (6'0").  Townsend has been a demon on special teams, and had lost practrice time since he transferred due to injury, but is 100% healthy now.  Or, it could be a true freshman, Tim Brown, yet another Floridian.  Brown is a smurf, and is certainlyu smaller than he is listed in the program, but may just be the fastest player on RU ... but a medium wind might snap him in half.  he has played a few plays not in junk time ... and has been brought in tio run fly patterns (and beat his man each time, I might add, though the ball was never thrown well enouggh to come close to him).  RU also has a 4 or 5 star true freshman WR who has played a little in garbage time, who maty be introduced, by the name of Kenny Britt.  he was slowed by losing half of August practice due to NCAA clearinghouse issues.  He is the full package ... 6'3" or 6'4", strong and fast.  But we really do not know what we will get out of any of the WR's ... but they are ALL very fast.  However, Tucker was by far and away RU's best blocking WR this season (and 2nd best to Daniels, who got hurt in early August and must redshirt).  RU is going to miss Tucker's blocking and ability to make the catch over the middle.

2)  The problem with teams playing single coverage on RU's WR's, and blitzing or playing the other 9 defenders in the box, is that RU's greatest playmakers are the TE and FB.  RU's senior TE, Clark Harris, is considered one of the 3-4 best receiving TE's in the entire country.  He is 6'6" 260, and has good speed.  He is generally faster than the LB's, and is way bigger than any DB's.  When a DB tries to cover him, the QB can easily throw over the DB for the completion.  But Harris is generally too fast for larger LB's ... whom he is bigger than also.  And with 8 or 9 in the box, Harris can release from the LOS rather quickly, and be behind the LB's pretty fast, especially with play action.  Without safeties in coverage, Harris easily has the potential to break the long play (45-yard TD reception against Howard in that situation).  And Leoanrd, the FB, is widely considered the best FB in the country.   He has not had huge stats this season, as every team has put nto place a special game plan to stop leonard (which has opened up terrific running lanes for Ray Rice, I might add).  Leonard is particularly good at running the screen, and has often broken big plays.  Usually, after the 1st 2-3 screens that break for big gainers, the opposing team backs off and reads the screen, which of course reduces the pressure on the QB.  Leoanrd is also very dangerous in the flat, and with 8-9 men in the box, he is able to run a terrific "wheel" route.  My point is that even with 2 WR's, RU usually has FOUR dangerous receivers in the game.

3)  RU rarely lines up in the I Formation.  RU almost always has a variety of motion and shifts before the snap, so the defense cannot get a sure fix on where the key playmakers might be lining up.  In particular, Leonard is often in motion, and can end up anywhere from the FB in a traditional I Formation, to in motion between the tackles to act as a pulling OL to block, or even lining up as a slot receiver, or a motion receiver.  And RU can run or pass out of any of those positions.  RU will also sometimes set up in a 1-back set, usually with Leonard as the 1 back, and either run or pass out of that formation.  RU will also run out of the shotgun, as usually either Rice or Leonard will line up next to the QB in that formation.  RU will also run the screen out of any formation.  Ray Rice runs mainly between the tackles, finding the seams.  He is tough to locate because he is just 5'9" and RU OL is so huge (OT's are 6'4" and 6'5", OG's are 6'5" and 6'8" and C is 6'3").  Rice loves to run behind the 6'8" pulling guard, and pick and choose which side to cut off of.  Rice will run off a hand off, he will run the traditional sweep (often cutting back), he will run of a traditional pitch, and also off the quick pitch.  Both Rice and Leonard are power runners more than speed runners.  Though Leonard is extremely athletic (note the expression the Leonard Leap, which some of you may have seen or heard of) and much faster than you would think at 6'2" 235.  Rice has a tremendously quick burst through the hole, though is not  abalzer byond the 1st 15+ yards of a run.  Both Rice and Leonard have that ability which cannot be taught, to both cut INSIDE the hole, and to make their cuts without losing speed ... which makes them both rather elusive.

If the USF DL's cannot keep the pulling Center and Guards (and Leonard, who is a superior blocker in addition to his running and receiving capabilities) away from the LB's and support safeties ... RU is going to run the ball very well, because Rice is going to have seams all day long to run through and to cut within.

[Guest R_to_the_izzo]

Hey lets keep the posts to a short novel here. If I wanted Hemmingway I would go to the library.

[USFPDiddy]

Wow, the intelligence and insight on these boards amazes me.  These posts are something I expect from a 2nd grader.  

I like the quotes especially the ones with the sophisticated analysis like "turnovers will happen like tampa afternoon thundershowers", "Rutgers drinks pee", and "Our Defense is Pissed from KU".  Forget about matchups, speed, game plans, coaching, overall talent, and the ability to execute.  It all comes down to "we are home, we beat them last year, our defense is pissed, and Rutgers drinks pee".  My 8 year old nephew has more football and overall intelligence.  For those serious USF fans, all I want to know along with the other RU fans is objectively:

How many starters are back from last year?

How is the DL and Secondary playing?

Special teams?

Who is your standout players in those positions?  We all know about the LBs and Grothe, but not much more.  This would help us know what to look for when we all watch the game on Friday night.  Bottom line, no one this board or the RU board will have an impact on the game.

Well, in one case you're looking at a guy whose handle is always "next team we play" Eats It.  He's one of our more enjoyable posters, IMO.  Everyone needs fans like him.

You have another guy talking garbage and I'm wondering if it's sarcasm (typically negative posts).

That said, I think you guys are going down too.  We have one of the better linebacking trios in the country (all return).  Also, our corners are above average, and I'd go so far as to say Trae Williams (several picks in 1 on 1 coverage this year) is outright good.  Safeties are decent as well...though we need a better pass rush.

Randolph has several punt returns called back this year, but also several that count.  He's dangerous, and we use him as a wide receiver in space too.  Rutgers' tacking in space is going to be heavily tested.  Actually, all of our wide receivers are pretty athletic (remember amarri jackson vs louisville last year for example), and amp hill just adds depth.  USF does, however, lack a running game on offense outside of grothe.

Teel is going to be playing away from home in a venue where the bulls have historically done well.  Not only that, USF is going to FORCE him to try to win the game for rutgers.  We've been pretty good against the run overall this year, and the zone blitz packages USF throws around are no joke.  If your QB isn't on, its going to be turnover city.  If he plays well enough, RU may very well win.  We'll find out shortly...

[windbane]

allow me to paraphrase...

Jellyman says:

1.  backup WRs might be ok; 2 of them already return kicks, but

RU is going to miss Tucker's blocking and ability to make the catch over the middle.

2.  TE and FB are good receivers too.  Not sure why he says that single coverage on WRs wont help that.  freeing up safeties by constantly playing man-on-man at the corners frees up safeties to play run and cover these apparently talented TE and FB.

3)  RU likes to run the ball a lot and uses some blocking schemes

If the USF DL's cannot keep the pulling Center and Guards (and Leonard, who is a superior blocker in addition to his running and receiving capabilities) away from the LB's and support safeties ... RU is going to run the ball very well, because Rice is going to have seams all day long to run through and to cut within.

summary:  if our LB's are blocked, RU will run the ball well.

[jellyman]

allow me to paraphrase...

Jellyman says:

1.  backup WRs might be ok; 2 of them already return kicks, but

RU is going to miss Tucker's blocking and ability to make the catch over the middle.

2.  TE and FB are good receivers too.  Not sure why he says that single coverage on WRs wont help that.  freeing up safeties by constantly playing man-on-man at the corners frees up safeties to play run and cover these apparently talented TE and FB.

3)  RU likes to run the ball a lot and uses some blocking schemes

If the USF DL's cannot keep the pulling Center and Guards (and Leonard, who is a superior blocker in addition to his running and receiving capabilities) away from the LB's and support safeties ... RU is going to run the ball very well, because Rice is going to have seams all day long to run through and to cut within.

summary:  if our LB's are blocked, RU will run the ball well.

Windbane,

While I would rather RU successfully run the ball, so as not to put the offense on Teel's (RU QB) shoulders, if the CB's are in single coverage on the WR's, and the safeties are close to the LOS in run support, I like the match-ups for RU ... I have yet to see a safety successfully cover Harris (RU's TE) ... he egnerally feasts on safety coverage.  And with that set-up, if Harriss or Leonard beat just ONE SINGLE DEFENDER, it is a TD ... that is just the way it sets up with that type of defense.  Plus, with the safeties in run support, and besically single covering HArris, if any of our WR's beat the CB's even on simple slants, theer is no safety support, and a big gainer is likely.  Which all presupposes that the RU QB can and will successfuly deliver the ball, and the OL will successfully protect.

[SplitT]

Rutgers will be intimidated by the Buccaneer Logos all over the stadium...USF will coast to an easy victory. 8-)