Coaching Shakeup Needed

[smazza]

As painful as it is for me to do this, I am going to have to agree with Trip's statement:

"The most penalized team in terms of ydg per game is West Virginia. The most penalized team in terms of number per game is Florida..... more just atrocious coaching. "

Penalties aren't whats hurting us.  I think its size up front.  2nd tier talent and a young freshmen QB.  

This stuff takes YEARS to build.  Nobody has built a program like us.

I have said it before -- USF will be very very average until we get the one big time recruit that changes the face of the University.  Every good program gets one.  When I was growing up I was a big Maryland Basketball fan.  My old man had season tickets.  There were always very average --- they could have a big win here or there -- but could never get over that hump.  Then within in 3 years they signed Kieth Booth, Joe Smith and Steve Francis.  Then they went on to like 15 straight NCAA appearances.

It will happen here at USF.  Some kid won't qualify for UF or FSU -- or some kid will have a sick mom and need to stay home -- some kid will turn out to be 10 times better then expected.  Give it time.  Our first goal should be to finish second in the Big East.  That would be a huge moment.  Then we try to win the conference.  Then we started competing for big time recruits.  Then we compete for national title.

I think expectations are little too high. ....which is ironic considering the averagness that is passed as acceptable on the basketball side of things with MAC.

dont like the analogy

usf is surrounded by games best talent.it is just a matter of recruiting it.usf should be further along than they are.should they be competing for a NC this year.probably not,that might be asking for too much.

but usf should be closer to the top of the conference than the bottom at this point

maryland had a history of greatness before ari ever  became a fan and it was just a matter of time before they were restored to their greatness

[Bullpride08]

you blame coaching  smazza blames everything( by the way Steve, our alumni just doesn't have the funds to pay their players like USC  dam, $100,000 for a RB  wow that is alot of cash) i see a great coaching job taking C-USA talent and being competitive in the BE.  perfect by no means but i see a bright future with JL leading the way.

So, you consider getting beat 23-6 by Cincinnati ( a good team, yes, but certainly not the upper tier of Big East teams) being competitive in the Big East?? I NEVER said to fire Leavitt now, but I agree with what a lot of people have said since my original post....next year is his test. You can't blame it on young players forever.

[smazza]

why does usf still have cusa talent?

dabull made excellent points that cant  be   intelligently refuted.sbien excuses are laughable.

usc is battling uf,osu,texas, and the like for the same recruits.usc is out recruiting them.

on a smaller scale usf needs to outrecruit big east teams.i do not think it is such a tall task

[Bullpride08]

As painful as it is for me to do this, I am going to have to agree with Trip's statement:

"The most penalized team in terms of ydg per game is West Virginia. The most penalized team in terms of number per game is Florida..... more just atrocious coaching. "

Penalties aren't whats hurting us.  I think its size up front.  2nd tier talent and a young freshmen QB.  

This stuff takes YEARS to build.  Nobody has built a program like us.

I have said it before -- USF will be very very average until we get the one big time recruit that changes the face of the University.  Every good program gets one.  When I was growing up I was a big Maryland Basketball fan.  My old man had season tickets.  There were always very average --- they could have a big win here or there -- but could never get over that hump.  Then within in 3 years they signed Kieth Booth, Joe Smith and Steve Francis.  Then they went on to like 15 straight NCAA appearances.

It will happen here at USF.  Some kid won't qualify for UF or FSU -- or some kid will have a sick mom and need to stay home -- some kid will turn out to be 10 times better then expected.  Give it time.  Our first goal should be to finish second in the Big East.  That would be a huge moment.  Then we try to win the conference.  Then we started competing for big time recruits.  Then we compete for national title.

I think expectations are little too high. ....which is ironic considering the averagness that is passed as acceptable on the basketball side of things with MAC.

dont like the analogy

usf is surrounded by games best talent.it is just a matter of recruiting it.usf should be further along than they are.should they be competing for a NC this year.probably not,that might be asking for too much.

but usf should be closer to the top of the conference than the bottom at this point

maryland had a history of greatness before ari ever  became a fan and it was just a matter of time before they were restored to their greatness

I actually know a lot of the talent, and know all about recruiting.  It's not just about saying hey we're close to you want to play.  Good friend has a son that's a top 70 FL player, amazing....USF is talking to him and he's mildly interested, but still waiting for UF, and Miami to offer, even FSU for that matter....can you blame him?  USF is hot and heavy for him, but he's not stupid either, start one year at LB at Miami and you get drafted, automatic.  Start three at USF and it's still iffy, of course you could ask Maurice Jones if you don't believe me.   I actually don't believe a big three offer is coming, so if not then USF will be competing against Nebraska, UL, and Ole Miss among others who HAVE OFFERS.  I like our chances then a bit more, but it's still not a virtual lock, and USF is doing everything in their power to sign him, hell just to get him to visit.   They love the coach that's assigned to him, and respect Leavitt, but the dad has a brother that played at UF and in the NFL, he played in college and a year in the NFL...he's not stupid, they're looking for the best option to get him to the show.

I know another good talent in FL, know the family real well too.  Suffice it to say this kid is talented but not necessarily BCS level.  USF hasn't offered but is doing a good job keeping him at bey waiting to see how the season is progressing.  USF wants two other bigger names, one is deciding between big names, the other is waiting for a UF offer....I don't think there is a thing more USF could do, the family loves Leavitt, likes USF, but they want big time for their son.  The kid with the lesser talent is silently committed elsewhere but would take a USF offer.

That's reality.  I know reality, some on this board do not.

[TyBull]

As painful as it is for me to do this, I am going to have to agree with Trip's statement:

"The most penalized team in terms of ydg per game is West Virginia. The most penalized team in terms of number per game is Florida..... more just atrocious coaching. "

Penalties aren't whats hurting us.  I think its size up front.  2nd tier talent and a young freshmen QB.  

This stuff takes YEARS to build.  Nobody has built a program like us.

I have said it before -- USF will be very very average until we get the one big time recruit that changes the face of the University.  Every good program gets one.  When I was growing up I was a big Maryland Basketball fan.  My old man had season tickets.  There were always very average --- they could have a big win here or there -- but could never get over that hump.  Then within in 3 years they signed Kieth Booth, Joe Smith and Steve Francis.  Then they went on to like 15 straight NCAA appearances.

It will happen here at USF.  Some kid won't qualify for UF or FSU -- or some kid will have a sick mom and need to stay home -- some kid will turn out to be 10 times better then expected.  Give it time.  Our first goal should be to finish second in the Big East.  That would be a huge moment.  Then we try to win the conference.  Then we started competing for big time recruits.  Then we compete for national title.

I think expectations are little too high. ....which is ironic considering the averagness that is passed as acceptable on the basketball side of things with MAC.

dont like the analogy

usf is surrounded by games best talent.it is just a matter of recruiting it.usf should be further along than they are.should they be competing for a NC this year.probably not,that might be asking for too much.

but usf should be closer to the top of the conference than the bottom at this point

maryland had a history of greatness before ari ever  became a fan and it was just a matter of time before they were restored to their greatness

I actually know a lot of the talent, and know all about recruiting.  It's not just about saying hey we're close to you want to play.  Good friend has a son that's a top 70 FL player, amazing....USF is talking to him and he's mildly interested, but still waiting for UF, and Miami to offer, even FSU for that matter....can you blame him?  USF is hot and heavy for him, but he's not stupid either, start one year at LB at Miami and you get drafted, automatic.  Start three at USF and it's still iffy, of course you could ask Maurice Jones if you don't believe me.   I actually don't believe a big three offer is coming, so if not then USF will be competing against Nebraska, UL, and Ole Miss among others who HAVE OFFERS.  I like our chances then a bit more, but it's still not a virtual lock, and USF is doing everything in their power to sign him, hell just to get him to visit.   They love the coach that's assigned to him, and respect Leavitt, but the dad has a brother that played at UF and in the NFL, he played in college and a year in the NFL...he's not stupid, they're looking for the best option to get him to the show.

I know another good talent in FL, know the family real well too.  Suffice it to say this kid is talented but not necessarily BCS level.  USF hasn't offered but is doing a good job keeping him at bey waiting to see how the season is progressing.  USF wants two other bigger names, one is deciding between big names, the other is waiting for a UF offer....I don't think there is a thing more USF could do, the family loves Leavitt, likes USF, but they want big time for their son.  The kid with the lesser talent is silently committed elsewhere but would take a USF offer.

That's reality.  I know reality, some on this board do not.

Thanks SBEIN as always.......

[Bull94]

Nothing against you Bien but we did get beat by a team with CDOA talent not BE talent. I believe Cincy is new to the BE as well.

My problem with this staff is that their logic confounds me. They call timeouts to let other teams set up for field goals when time otherwise expire, let them contemplate going for it on 4th downs, etc.

They don't use the top recruit RB talent we have to try and establish the run against a tough D. They go to the walk-on talent instead. I don't get their line of thinking sometimes.

At the end of the first half against Kansas, when Kansas intercepted the ball on their own 1/2 yard line, why didn't we call a timeout with 1 second left? Make them run a play. We took a timeout to the locker room.

It's these little things that make me believe these coaches won't be able to get everything out of this program. Nothing against CJL and company but as you get closer to the top levels of competition, there is less room for error.

You can't lose games against UCONN and Cincy when the BE is on the line. UCONN joined the BE in 2004. They have been 1-a for as long as we have and they beat Florida talent with Conneticut talent. Cincy has the same CDOA talent we have.

No excuse.

[Triple B]

dabull made excellent points that cant  be   intelligently refuted.

I agree 100% .....

[BullsBucs79]

Hey Bullbuc, don't know if you realize this but it wasn't the "Bungles" we were playing.  It's Cincinnati Bearcats, maybe the fans up their don't watch them, but they've got a decent team.  You're acting like they're Temple which is ridiculous, and a lot of other words Brad won't let me say.  What about the 38-16 whipping of Uconn, what about the 22-20 loss to #15 ranked Rutgers

[Don Toro]

 ...happens all the time, even on Sundays by the pros.  we all know the "ten yard line" rule and so do all the players.

I heard Madden saying that the rule no longer applies because the kickers are now so good at giving the ball spin that if you let it go and it drops <10yrd line there is a good chance that it will actually bounce forward and not into the endzone.

[Bullpride08]

Nothing against you Bien but we did get beat by a team with CDOA talent not BE talent. I believe Cincy is new to the BE as well.

My problem with this staff is that their logic confounds me. They call timeouts to let other teams set up for field goals when time otherwise expire, let them contemplate going for it on 4th downs, etc.

They don't use the top recruit RB talent we have to try and establish the run against a tough D. They go to the walk-on talent instead. I don't get their line of thinking sometimes.

At the end of the first half against Kansas, when Kansas intercepted the ball on their own 1/2 yard line, why didn't we call a timeout with 1 second left? Make them run a play. We took a timeout to the locker room.

It's these little things that make me believe these coaches won't be able to get everything out of this program. Nothing against CJL and company but as you get closer to the top levels of competition, there is less room for error.

You can't lose games against UCONN and Cincy when the BE is on the line. UCONN joined the BE in 2004. They have been 1-a for as long as we have and they beat Florida talent with Conneticut talent. Cincy has the same CDOA talent we have.

No excuse.

so, and they're just about as talented against us.  We lost to a team that's equally as talented as us, or slightly better.  Logical since our series is knotted at 2 games a piece, but why do people presume we're better then them?  Logic aside it confounds me how some people on this board thought we're so much better than CInci and we should just walk-up there and win by 30.  We're not Miami, some how there must have been a mix-up on this site and some UM fans were inadvertently directed to this site instead of miami rivals.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news but our talent level has been comparable to Cinci, and they've got a good coaching staff too.  They've been recruiting at the 1-A level a lot longer than us, but yet last year we beat them bad, bouncing back after they throttled us up in Cinci the year before.  Cinci's facilities put ours to shame, and they've been recruiting well enough the past few years to keep up.  These teams play the game too.  I will get concerned after this year if we lose to non-BCS opponents but if everytime we lose to any BCS opponent, or conference foe this place goes on meltdown mode and smazza blindly calls for firing then we'll have an unbearable board.

Uconn is just about as talented as us too....and they've got worlds better facilities and attendance then we do.  This blind belief we're some super star program is confusing, we're still trying to recruit BCS.

As for the game decisions, Ponton had more carries then Williams 9 to William's 5 so I don't think we under used Ponton.  They're trying to use Williams, the goalline safety is BS, we can all 2nd guess that call but like someone put it Barry Sanders couldn't have escaped that onslaught.  Their DL blew up our OL, pure and simple our OL got their asses kicked on that play and the call was on the players there not the coaches, Ponton wouldn't have made a bit of difference.  Also, Ponton is not big enough right now to be a 25-30 carry a guy, 15-20, so you're going to need a change of pace to give Ricky breathers, that's just the way it is.  Remember if it wasn't for a freak ACL tear the change of pace would be Plancher and we wouldn't be having this discussion, again you can't blame the staff for an ACL tear.

The timeout against Kansas?  That's pushing it a bit since there was like 6 seconds left before the half.  Not a huge mistake, good way to think of things after the fact.