We may not see much of Jerome Murphy for the rest of the season

[smazza]

He missed classes before the FAU game and has not gotten to many carries since so if you add fumbles and missing classes you get into CJL's DH

No offense but some should get their facts straight before leveling accusations about doghouses and people some know nothing about.  Ford had 6 carries against UNC, 5 against WVU, was held out of FAU for a missed class, then came back to have his 2nd biggest output of the season against UCF with 8 carries (would have had more had he not fumbled earlier), and followed it up with 5 carries against RU.   He had 21 carries against Auburn but has had some playbook setbacks, and conditioning issues.  Ford is not in the doghouse but rather needs to become more efficient and effective with more aspects of the offense or else we'll only be able to use him on running plays.  We can't keep in Ford and try to pass the ball, sorry but for now that's the truth.  If fans want to put him in their doghouse then so be it, but he's a true freshman in a pass orientated offense that centers around a dynamic QB.  He will be a fine player but sounds to me more like some people expected Adrian Peterson and are now trying to reason away their expectations.

Oh come on.  The guy gets his most carries in the 2nd game of the season, why?  Did he show that he sucked that game?  If he doesn't know the playbook now he didn't know it then, and yet he was clearly our best RB.  He has shown ability that no other RB on our team has and constantly gets only a few carries a game.  Unless the guy is a complete idiot he can be told which direction to run and where to get the handoff.  He seems to have great instincts when he actually does have the ball.

I know he has fumbled but so has everyone else, including Ben Williams, who btw starts every game.

As for not showing our tendencies...wow...every time we do a wishbone we give him the ball, and it works every single time.  Amazing. Once we threw to Taylor and once Cedric Hill I believe, but every other time in short yardage Ford gets the ball.  I wonder why that is?  Oh yeah, because he clearly is the best RB.  Also, the other 2 might be better at blocking.

Just give Ford the ball more.

Ford holds the ball like a loaf of bread, away from his body and down by his waist.  Not good when everyone is trained to strip the ball.  I am sure he will improve on this.  Until then it is just a flaw to his game. He will get better.    

is this any different than he held ball in high school??

[MarketingGuy]

Not sure if this was mentioned.. but this is worth reading again. Impressive.

BIG RATINGS: More big ratings for USF on ESPN, as Thursday's game drew a 3.39 national rating, which equates to 3.27-million households, matching the third-highest for any game on ESPN or ESPN2 this season and resetting the record for most ever to watch the Bulls.

Thursday's ratings match the Notre Dame-Penn State game for third, and the top two ESPN audiences feature teams from Florida: the Auburn-Florida game drew a 3.6 rating, and the Florida State-Clemson game drew a 5.0 rating.

In the Tampa market, the USF-Rutgers game got a 16.3 rating, more than double the 7.5 local rating for the American League Championship Series game on Fox.

[Bullpride08]

on ford: talked to carl franks on monday and he said that people are forgetting ford and jamar taylor are freshmen, so there's a lot to learn and pick up, so there's more to it than just running for yards. if usf had one primary back instead of three, there would be less talk about the running game; they like running by committee right now and going with the hot hand.

Duhhhh, thanks George now can I pet the rabbits, sounds like I know something....but yet the ignorant conspiracy theorists battle on, determined to beat down players and coaches in their effort to prove a useless, and meaningless point.

This is the pure facts of the matter....they are freshmen, both do not know all the playbook, not close, not by a long-shot, and both have not mastered all the plays, schemes, and blocking assignments yet, not close, not by a long-shot.  Against Auburn the plan was a smaller playbook to utilize Ford quite a bit early, pound the rock, and not over-burden our injured OL.  It worked and Ford responded well.  However we run a very balanced attack so it's difficult to put in Ford and let him get a 'hot hand'...simply because it means we'd be limited in the formations and offense we can run, ditto for Taylor.  You can't just say, let's go straight I formation, double TE, for the next quarter and a half and see what happens.  This offense has put up solid numbers because our ability to run a balanced attack and teams can't key on one aspect like we did against UCF....so the only real option is give Ben the lionshare of the carries, and sprinkle in Ford and Taylor a little here and there as they both get more comfortable and master more plays.

Ford is going to fantastic, you see it on the field, but some fun facts about Mr. Ford.  He's been having to take full class loads in the spring and summer to get eligible because he didn't take enough classes last fall.  His father died, he got arrested....he's a true freshman....I mean did you honestly expect this kid to come in and set the world on fire.  I think he has a chance to be all-american someday but it will take time.  Oh, and yeah bigger schools like OK, or LSU, or AU can dummy down an offense to suit a quality freshman like Ford much more than USF can, they've usually got enormous OL that are loaded with all-americans, and huge athletic TE's, and top notch receivings so going I-Formation doesn't put them at such as disadvantage like it does to us.  The other thing is right now the staff doesn't have to force Ford and Taylor in like they did with Andre Hall in 2005, SO WHY DO IT!!!!!!!!  We're 6-1 and those two average about 10-12 carries a game, why dummy down the playbook, risk losses just to get those guys more carries like we did with Andre Hall in 05'.

There, but i am sure someone will blame the coaches or cast a shadow at Ford...

[windbane]

on ford: talked to carl franks on monday and he said that people are forgetting ford and jamar taylor are freshmen, so there's a lot to learn and pick up, so there's more to it than just running for yards. if usf had one primary back instead of three, there would be less talk about the running game; they like running by committee right now and going with the hot hand.

Duhhhh, thanks George now can I pet the rabbits, sounds like I know something....but yet the ignorant conspiracy theorists battle on, determined to beat down players and coaches in their effort to prove a useless, and meaningless point.

This is the pure facts of the matter....they are freshmen, both do not know all the playbook, not close, not by a long-shot, and both have not mastered all the plays, schemes, and blocking assignments yet, not close, not by a long-shot.  Against Auburn the plan was a smaller playbook to utilize Ford quite a bit early, pound the rock, and not over-burden our injured OL.  It worked and Ford responded well.  However we run a very balanced attack so it's difficult to put in Ford and let him get a 'hot hand'...simply because it means we'd be limited in the formations and offense we can run, ditto for Taylor.  You can't just say, let's go straight I formation, double TE, for the next quarter and a half and see what happens.  This offense has put up solid numbers because our ability to run a balanced attack and teams can't key on one aspect like we did against UCF....so the only real option is give Ben the lionshare of the carries, and sprinkle in Ford and Taylor a little here and there as they both get more comfortable and master more plays.

Ford is going to fantastic, you see it on the field, but some fun facts about Mr. Ford.  He's been having to take full class loads in the spring and summer to get eligible because he didn't take enough classes last fall.  His father died, he got arrested....he's a true freshman....I mean did you honestly expect this kid to come in and set the world on fire.  I think he has a chance to be all-american someday but it will take time.  Oh, and yeah bigger schools like OK, or LSU, or AU can dummy down an offense to suit a quality freshman like Ford much more than USF can, they've usually got enormous OL that are loaded with all-americans, and huge athletic TE's, and top notch receivings so going I-Formation doesn't put them at such as disadvantage like it does to us.  The other thing is right now the staff doesn't have to force Ford and Taylor in like they did with Andre Hall in 2005, SO WHY DO IT!!!!!!!!  We're 6-1 and those two average about 10-12 carries a game, why dummy down the playbook, risk losses just to get those guys more carries like we did with Andre Hall in 05'.

There, but i am sure someone will blame the coaches or cast a shadow at Ford...

Pitts freshman RB is doing great:  115 a game.  Idaho has a freshman with nearly 1000 yards.  BYU has a freshman averaging nearly 100 yards a game.  Georgia has one averaging 88.  Alabama = 87.  Fresno 85.  Wake 82.  OSU 81.  Arizona 80.  This isn't even including other premier RBs that have averaged that much their freshmen year.  Last I heard Ray Rice and Steve Slaton tore it up as freshmen.

Andre Hall kept us in games just like Grothe and the improved WRs do now, but why not use both?  All I'm saying is that "dumbed down" offense in the Auburn game was successful and we could mix that in a little more if that's what it takes.  I was very happy to see the wishbone put in because it's hard to prepare for both the spread and the wishbone.  I just wish we used the wishbone or at least Ford more.

[JoeB]

Not really a wishbone, more like a wing T formation.  Also, we only run that offense in short yardage or goal line situations.  I've never seen us break it out on 1st and 10 from our 40.  Its just not used that way.

[smazza]

on ford: talked to carl franks on monday and he said that people are forgetting ford and jamar taylor are freshmen, so there's a lot to learn and pick up, so there's more to it than just running for yards. if usf had one primary back instead of three, there would be less talk about the running game; they like running by committee right now and going with the hot hand.

Duhhhh, thanks George now can I pet the rabbits, sounds like I know something....but yet the ignorant conspiracy theorists battle on, determined to beat down players and coaches in their effort to prove a useless, and meaningless point.

This is the pure facts of the matter....they are freshmen, both do not know all the playbook, not close, not by a long-shot, and both have not mastered all the plays, schemes, and blocking assignments yet, not close, not by a long-shot.  Against Auburn the plan was a smaller playbook to utilize Ford quite a bit early, pound the rock, and not over-burden our injured OL.  It worked and Ford responded well.  However we run a very balanced attack so it's difficult to put in Ford and let him get a 'hot hand'...simply because it means we'd be limited in the formations and offense we can run, ditto for Taylor.  You can't just say, let's go straight I formation, double TE, for the next quarter and a half and see what happens.  This offense has put up solid numbers because our ability to run a balanced attack and teams can't key on one aspect like we did against UCF....so the only real option is give Ben the lionshare of the carries, and sprinkle in Ford and Taylor a little here and there as they both get more comfortable and master more plays.

Ford is going to fantastic, you see it on the field, but some fun facts about Mr. Ford.  He's been having to take full class loads in the spring and summer to get eligible because he didn't take enough classes last fall.  His father died, he got arrested....he's a true freshman....I mean did you honestly expect this kid to come in and set the world on fire.  I think he has a chance to be all-american someday but it will take time.  Oh, and yeah bigger schools like OK, or LSU, or AU can dummy down an offense to suit a quality freshman like Ford much more than USF can, they've usually got enormous OL that are loaded with all-americans, and huge athletic TE's, and top notch receivings so going I-Formation doesn't put them at such as disadvantage like it does to us.  The other thing is right now the staff doesn't have to force Ford and Taylor in like they did with Andre Hall in 2005, SO WHY DO IT!!!!!!!!  We're 6-1 and those two average about 10-12 carries a game, why dummy down the playbook, risk losses just to get those guys more carries like we did with Andre Hall in 05'.

There, but i am sure someone will blame the coaches or cast a shadow at Ford...

ford will drasticallly have to change the way he handles himself and the ball

[DELdaBull]

Murphy will play.  He is too good.

[nickdelray]

Jerome Murphy....week 2......4th qtr kick return..........our biggest play of the year!!!

[RespectaBULL]

I asked a former player about Murphy.  Told him about Leavitt's comments and asked him what he thought about that.  Player said, "Murphy tends to not take things seriously enough."  I got the vibe that he doesn't respond well to Leavitt's "encouragements."  If the guy won't respond to coaching, then he won't cut it very well with Leavitt and CJL will be pissed at him. 

That said,  he is a really good player.  I hope he gets his act together and starts practicing hard. 

 

[windbane]

Not really a wishbone, more like a wing T formation.  Also, we only run that offense in short yardage or goal line situations.  I've never seen us break it out on 1st and 10 from our 40.  Its just not used that way.

It's called the modified wishbone, and it's not the only formation we can run Ford in.  But who is to say we can't use the formation in other instances anyway.