Coaching Shakeup Needed

[windbane]

1. Penalties didn't hurt last night - except for the holding penalty on our 3rd drive.  Killed our momentum there.

2. Randolph pressed -- he was trying to make a big play to make a spark.  It was a mistake - but not a killer.  That drive we moved the ball a little before punting.  The safety came because he didn't catch a punt and Cincy downed the ball at the two.

3. I agree with Flip that it was a good call.  Caught them off guard, but our blockers missed two blocks.  I would have snapped it to an up back rather than the punter, because Teachey has that much further to run to get to the line of scrimmage.

4. I agree with the predictability of our play calling.  The problem is that Cincy has a GREAT run defense and could sit back and dare Grothe to throw.  Cincy might have the best overall defense in the Big East - at least as good as USF (obviously).

5. Ponton was the ONLY RB to touch the ball in the 4th quarter and most of the 3rd.  Our QBs ran the ball more than the RBs.  When you have a top 20 rush defense, considering who they have played, you know they are good.  Handing off to Ponton might not have helped that much more.

I agree with 1 through 3 here.  Good analysis.

4.  I agree that we run a lot of the same plays a lot, but that swing pass is often successful with randolph being our best playmaker.  Their run D was great but we still were able to move it early against them.  When we tried to mix in the pass we found out Grothe was having a terrible game and by the time we realized passing was terrible we were behind and had to keep trying to pass.

5.  I agree again (thats 5 for 5).  I like the mix of B Will being in there to keep both guys fresh, but when we were behind in the 2nd half we had to try to pass more.  Perhaps ponton should be in more important plays so people dont complain, but B Will made some nice plays (including almost preventing that safety on terrible blocking that play).  Ponton did average 4.2 a carry, and it's just sad that we seemed to have success running early but it kept seeming like we werent passing enough (would barely not get 1st down), so we try to pass and then do worse for the majority of the game.

just thought I'd quote myself (and jimusfsig who also agrees with flip in his post) again because mr 79 is getting carried away thinking he's right, heh.

[Guest Ari_Hinkelberger]

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.

[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.

Well said Ari, and painfully accurate.  To bad some guys want to think that just because we were admitted into the Big East that we're now Miami or something.  It takes years to build the talent.  Pitt signed a top 20 recruiting class last year and a lot of good it did them against Rutgers.   They'll be good but that shows that it takes more than just signing them, they've also got to develop and grow before you can be good.  All our seniors and juniors were signed when before the words Big East were a reality for USF.  Think about it.  All the Pitt, WVU, Cuse, Uconn, and Rutgers seniors, and juniors were already Big East caliber kids.  We're basically still doing this with C-DOA caliber starters.  

Facts are facts, if you want to dominate the good news is we would probably ransack the current C-DOA but is that really where some of you naysayers would rather be?  Or would you rather give the staff a year or two to allow the BCS caliber talent to mature, and continue to improve recruiting.  Think about it.

Hey Ari, even a good analogy with regards to hoops- had to get your digs in.

[Triple B]

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

The first of many times you'll be saying this ...

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.

This is a helluvalot easier done in hoops than in football.... mainly because of the fact that one guy or two guys can possibly turn a program around fairly quickly. Plus, the football recruiting is a lot bigger crap shoot than hoops mainly because of the larger volume of football recruits. Our mark will be made, not with the big recruit but with a lot of the lesser knowns, on a national level, coming in here and making that impact together as a team .... Matt and the young guys we have now may be the start of that.

[bulls96go]

fire OC smith

let some one else coach special teams

we will be fine

we have BE talent starting the depth is where we still have cusa talent.

next year our 2 deep should be BE caliber players so no more excuses after 2007

2007 should be CJL test, if he cannot improved these issues then he should be gone.

[windbane]

2007 should be CJL test, if he cannot improved these issues then he should be gone.

what good does it do to say that when he has a long contract?

[Bullpride08]

fire OC smith

let some one else coach special teams

we will be fine

we have BE talent starting the depth is where we still have cusa talent.

next year our 2 deep should be BE caliber players so no more excuses after 2007

2007 should be CJL test, if he cannot improved these issues then he should be gone.

1.  Why do guys insist on giving a coach credit in good games, and then what them fired after bad ones.  Smith appears to be doing much better with a QB that fits his system this year- however I wouldn't be sad to see him go.

2.  This is another asinine statement from a long line.  Leavitt's special teams have been some of the best in the nation.  Regularly leading the nation in the number of kicks blocked, returned for TD, and lack of return yards.  The fake punt has nothing to do with coaching ST's and everything to do with a coach that was exacerbated with his offensive ineptness Sunday night and was hoping to take a risk that could possibly motivate them.  Many of the other ST's issues this year have been the result of young players at key positions not making plays, i.e. freshmen punters, fat kicker, some return guys and blockers making poor decisions.

96, we don't have BE starting talent, well I guess that depends what BE you're talking about?  The new or old BE.  I can go through a number of examples, you want a BE starting talent look at Rutger's DL, and look at our DL...we've got quite a bit of starting NEW BE talent, but much of it is young and developing.

Crazy for you to put ultimatums.

[dabull80]

Yes daBull, I do believe this...BUT, if you would have continued reading the entire post, instead of trying to impress everyone with the fact that you can look up stats, you would have probably understood my point. Since you didn't, my point is.....It is not just one of those five points that I highlighted, but all of them together that make USF a poorly coached team. So, do some research and let us all know if Florida or WVU or Rutgars (as you call them), or any other decent team:

no i didn't miss your point but you missed mine.  you used a meaningless stat to point out what you perceive as a valid reason.  i called you on it and you got all huffy.

now your next 3 points since it seems i must respond to all of them otherwise i would upset you again.

1. Has players trying to field and return punts at their own 2 yard line

player tryed to make something happenand Randolph is a pgame changing type player.  happens all the time, even on Sundays by the pros.  we all know the "ten yard line" rule and so do all the players.

2. Does not utilize their best running back, but instead, they run their QB until he gets injured.

i would rather see him run Ponton more and out of the end zone he should have been in and gotten the ball but our OL got buried and i don't know if Barry Sanders would have gotten out.

3. Calls a fake punt down only 9 points with a whole quarter to play in their own territory

hadn't scored a point in 3qtrs so JL took a high risk move.  you aren't going to like JL for alot years cause he has done that kinda stuff for years and probably will continue.

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.

[BullsBucs79]

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.

[Bullpride08]

Yes daBull, I do believe this...BUT, if you would have continued reading the entire post, instead of trying to impress everyone with the fact that you can look up stats, you would have probably understood my point. Since you didn't, my point is.....It is not just one of those five points that I highlighted, but all of them together that make USF a poorly coached team. So, do some research and let us all know if Florida or WVU or Rutgars (as you call them), or any other decent team:

no i didn't miss your point but you missed mine.  you used a meaningless stat to point out what you perceive as a valid reason.  i called you on it and you got all huffy.

now your next 3 points since it seems i must respond to all of them otherwise i would upset you again.

1. Has players trying to field and return punts at their own 2 yard line

player tryed to make something happenand Randolph is a pgame changing type player.  happens all the time, even on Sundays by the pros.  we all know the "ten yard line" rule and so do all the players.

2. Does not utilize their best running back, but instead, they run their QB until he gets injured.

i would rather see him run Ponton more and out of the end zone he should have been in and gotten the ball but our OL got buried and i don't know if Barry Sanders would have gotten out.

3. Calls a fake punt down only 9 points with a whole quarter to play in their own territory

hadn't scored a point in 3qtrs so JL took a high risk move.  you aren't going to like JL for alot years cause he has done that kinda stuff for years and probably will continue.

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.

Great responses Dabull80.

I think a person is a stupid, ignorant poster (sorry Brad had to be said) if he blames the coaching staff because a PTP'er, big time returner like Ean Randolph tried to return that punt.  Sure it was a stupid move but usually big time players like Ean have the green light to make decisions like that, if it backfires they suffer the rath, if it's successful we're all happy.  That's pretty standard at any team, can't kill a coach because your player made a boneheaded move, and Ean was just trying to create a spark.  If you could see the whole field if Ean could have gotten around those first two tacklers at the 2 he was gone for six....sometimes you eat the bear sometimes the bear eats you.

I agree about the safety.  Everyone, including me, is concentrating on who was running the ball but no one could have gotten that ball out of the end zone.  Hell, maybe Ponton would have broke the goal line to prevent a safety but no way he wouldn't have been dropped for lost yardage there, our OL was blown up by Cinci.  Williams actually broke two tackles to make it interesting.  Frankly, the safety didn't lose the game for us so it's ridiculous to harp on it.  There were other key drives where I thought Ponton should have been in for Williams, but give Williams credit he did fight for some tough yards in that game.

Yeah, can you imagine we're beating Big East teams, and staying with ranked Rutgers with primarily C-DOA talent.  Want to know the difference, here's the world they lived in and the world we lived in Rutgers for example,  Brian Leonard turned down Notre Dame, and PSU to stay in Jersey (his dad thought he was crazy); Ray Rice had originally committed to Da Cuse (imagine how much they're kicking themselves now over that) over BC, Rutgers, and Penn State....his back-up was Dimitri Linton, a FL kid that had offers to Wake Forest, UNC, Maryland, and Rutgers.

Our RB's, Ricky Ponton had an offer to ISU, Plancher mainly non-BCS offers, Williams- a walk-on.  Hello, does that difference even get peoples attention?  Sure Ponton was a diamond in the rough that was overlooked but Ray Rice, Leonard, Linton were certain stars... That's the difference, and we're winning!

Look at Darrell Revis the corner for Pitt, turned down offers from just about every school northeast of Miami for Pitt, ditto for Palko, their big play receiver Kinder- well he only turned down Cuse, BC, Gtech, Maryland, and Vtech....at USF only really Taurus Johnson, and somewhat Hester can brag at WR to turning down similar offers...at Pitt almost their entire receiving crew came to Pitt carrying that type of hardware and offers.  The freshmen all carried solid offers- Mitchell had 15, and 8 were BCS.

There's the difference, we've got some meaningful talent, but this team is extremely talented by C-DOA standards, but working to improve by BE, BCS standards.  Those teams have it from top to bottom, class to class...if you want to compare us to Cinci then go ahead, and I would say even then we're probably even teams (talent wise- I would give us a slight edge but most of our better talent is extremely young) with similar coaching staffs.