Moffitt injury was a big blow

[ChiTownBull]

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/11/20/Sports/Moffitt_injury_was_a_.shtml

By GREG AUMAN, Times Staff Writer

Published November 20, 2006

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Coach Jim Leavitt isn't one to make excuses, but he acknowledged Sunday that much of Louisville's offensive success in Saturday's 31-8 victory came after middle linebacker Ben Moffitt, the team's leading tackler, injured his right knee early in the second quarter.

"It didn't help our defense, I know that," said Leavitt, whose team fell to 7-4, 3-3 in the Big East.

Moffitt, who entered the game with 92 tackles, bruised his knee on Louisville's first touchdown drive. He attempted to play but did not record a tackle the rest of the game, and his top backup, Brouce Mompremier, was out with a shoulder injury. USF shifted weakside linebacker Patrick St. Louis to the middle, where he played two years ago, and used junior Sam Miller and freshman defensive end Chris Robinson at the vacated weakside spot.

Louisville's two passing touchdowns, both on third and goal, came on the same play, with receiver Harry Douglas running a crossing route across the middle. Leavitt said having Moffitt in the game might not have helped because the plays were "pick routes" that caused USF defenders to collide.

"They picked us quite a bit," he said. "They beat us pretty good that way."

Moffitt said that he would be able to play this weekend against West Virginia.

ROAD WOES: One thing that has separated the teams tied atop the Big East standings - No. 7 West Virginia, No. 8 Louisville and No. 15 Rutgers - from the rest of the league is the ability to win on the road. Those three are a combined 5-3 in league road games, while the conference's other five teams are a combined 2-12.

"Seems like the teams at home in the Big East have been pretty successful this year," said Leavitt, who is 1-2 in conference road games. "If you look at it across the board, we blew our home game with Rutgers, but that's the only one we lost."

UP NEXT: This week's season finale at West Virginia, a noon kickoff on ESPN2, puts the Bulls up against another top offense. The Mountaineers rank second nationally in rushing offense 330.1 yards, total offense (480.7 yards) and scoring offense (40.7).

To put the rushing figure in perspective, USF has matched West Virginia's average in only three games in the program's 111-game history. Running back Steve Slaton and quarterback Pat White both rushed for more than 200 yards Thursday' against Pitt, becoming the third tandem ever to top 200 yards in the same game.

Greg Auman can be reached at auman@sptimes.com or (813) 226-3346. View his blog at blogs.tampabay.com/usf/.

[Last modified November 20, 2006, 01:51:44]

[MikeG]

Our defense certainly took a hit once BM got dinged up. Those things happen and it's another reason why depth is so important in football.

[E.T.]

Moffitt, who entered the game with 92 tackles, bruised his knee on Louisville's first touchdown drive. He attempted to play but did not record a tackle the rest of the game, and his top backup, Brouce Mompremier, was out with a shoulder injury. USF shifted weakside linebacker Patrick St. Louis to the middle, where he played two years ago, and used junior Sam Miller and freshman defensive end Chris Robinson at the vacated weakside spot.

I wondered why he only had 2 tackles . . .

This would have been great snaps for Mompremier. And may be a telling sign for Miller in 2007.

It will be an interesting/intense battles at the OLB positions in 2007 Spring and probably into the fall.

[Mama_Bull]

You need to take into account the dismissal of Thed Watson.  Mark Dile didn't seem to be able to protect Grothe's blind side in order to prevent the sack by Louisville.  Dile was filling in Watson't spot, I bullieve this week.  Hopefully, Matt will have a little better protection.

[BiggTipp]

didnt Dile play on the right side for the season before watsons dismissal?? changing sides is tough...different footwork,different blocking scheme....what he did on such short notice was tough...now blocking is blocking and he needed to step up and didnt but still what he did was tough

[E.T.]

Dile has been injured/hampered most of the season ... he started games 3,4 & 5 at RT, but Walker has been there since.

Not sure of his health ... blocking isn't blocking from a tackle position to move to the opposite side ... didn't see the game so really can't comment much further, but the only other option was Carnes.

Not sure what side most of the pressure came from, or if it was everywhere  

[bulls96go]

we are in trouble at LB next year

[E.T.]

...

so there is no back up on the 2 deep.

are we in truoble at LB next year?

It was explained better in another thread ... but,

MLB BackUp Mompremier didn't travel/injured Shoulder.

St. Louis moved to MLB.

DE C. Robinson & 5-11 BackUp Miller shared St. Louis' position.

Regarding next year ... we have JuCo Spires coming in along with SO Peoples (who is #2 behind Nicholas now) and RS-FR McQueen, Joseph & Glover who all had stand-out HS careers.

We have been lucky our starting 3 LB's have been healthy to save these RS's.

Moffitt is be back to "QB" the LB's. Will be some great battlews for replacements on the Outside.

[The_Reaper]

Aren't pick plays illegal? Seems like Louisville took the opportunity to cheat as usual. AND if it is an illegal play, why were we not in some refs face about it?  

[E.T.]

I would guess that it's because they are "judgement" calls if the guy is running a "pick" ... sometimes people get called for it and then you see people in a refs face about it.