Mike Ford barely played yesterday because.........

[Jamie]

Maybe Ford's head isn't right with football and the coaches don't want to come out and say it in the media because they're dealing with a 19-year-old kid.

Or maybe Ford isn't Mike Alstott in his prime like so many of you think he is. After all the posts that have been made about how recruiting stars don't matter, don't any of you realize that it can work the other way with five-star recruits?

[jg]

At this point, as long as he is healthy and goes to class, he needs to be the feature back. Give him 25 carries a game and see what happens. Matt is going to get hurt again carrying the ball this much.

[usfgrad84]

There is a lot wrong with the offense.  It's not just Ford or the lack of using Ford.   The entire system we run is a mess.  It's been like this for 3 years.  We have been held to less than 2 TDs on offense 14 times in the last 37 games.  That tells me it's more a problem with the system and overall offensive philosphy than just a few missed play calls and dropped passes.

What I like about Ford's running on first and second down is that 2nd and 5 or less opens a lot of plays.  He is 230 pounds.  He doesn't need to make many people miss.  he is strong enough to run over them.  A true power back. It's a different offense when he is in there because there are more options created for the offense.

[Rocky Style]

I am not sure if he was injured or what but my take on it is that if he is hurt don't play him.  I thought that was the case but sure enough the wheel him out of the garage, score, and back he goes.

I am wondering when they are actually going to try something different with the RB game plan?  Do we need to lose to Syracuse to do something different?

There is a lot wrong with the offense.  It's not just Ford or the lack of using Ford.

Definitely.  But there are also some positives.  I don't know about the rest of you guys but Mitchell seems like the man out there at WR.

[bulls96go]

the young wr seem better in space

and looked faster.

ford should start the game and if we can establish and sustain running up the gut...why change?

that would give grothe playaction and with  his running ability he would destroy defenses.

[Orlando Bull]

Did anyone see Ben get slammed to the turf? I love Ben, and he is a prototypical 3rd down back, just not a carry the team kind of guy. Starting at the 10 yard line, we needed Ford to pick up some yards.

I am wondering if Ford was being diciplined in the first half though? Seemed like they couldn't wait to get him out there in the second half.

[Triple B]

I don't know about the rest of you guys but Mitchell seems like the man out there at WR.

I think he's going to have to battle Bogan for that honor...

[BigShoop]

Falls forward 5 yards on every play?!?

Gains 4-6 yards every carry?!!??!?

WHAT GAME ARE YOU WATCHING

          CAR YDS AVG TD LG

M. Ford 7 13 1.9 0 6

If you think Ford not playing was even our 10th biggest problem in that game then I question whether you even watched

Do you people pick something to ***** about at the beginning of the season and stick to it no matter what?

I agree the overall offense sucked, but the reality is the only drive of the game where we looked like a real offense was the one where Ford was in there.  Don't get so carried away with the stats.  He was moving the ball for good solid yardage on first down whenever he ran straight ahead.  Why you would try to run a delay off tackle with him at the 2 yard line is almost as bizarre as the naked bootleg called at the same position on the field last week.

South Florida - 9:52 

1st-10, SFla44 9:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 6 yard gain

2nd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

3rd-4, 50 9:32  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell to the right for 9 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc41 8:52  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc37 8:22  M. Ford rushed up the middle for 4 yard gain

3rd-2, Cinc33 7:52  M. Grothe rushed to the left for 1 yard gain

4th-1, Cinc32 7:23  Cinc committed 5 yard penalty

1st-10, Cinc27 7:10  M. Grothe passed to B. Williams to the left for 8 yard gain

2nd-2, Cinc19 6:40  M. Ford rushed to the right for no gain

3rd-2, Cinc19 6:10  M. Grothe incomplete pass to the right

4th-2, Cinc19 5:49  M. Grothe passed to C. Mitchell down the middle for 6 yard gain

1st-10, Cinc13 5:29  M. Ford rushed to the right for 4 yard gain

2nd-6, Cinc9 5:09  M. Grothe rushed to the right for 7 yard gain

1st-2, Cinc2 4:50  M. Ford rushed to the left for 5 yard loss

2nd-7, Cinc7 4:20  M. Grothe rushed up the middle for 7 yard touchdown. D. Alvarado made PAT

Typical of the last few year's offensive play calling.  Once something works, let's try something else.

EXACTLY what I was preaching alllllllllllll last night, becuase the very next drive we came out with 4 and 5 wide, 3 passes....3 and out. Mike Ford? Nowhere to be found.

1 sustained drive in 3 quarters. Let me repeat that: 1 sustained drive in 3 quarters......and the ONE difference was Mike Ford in the backfield. I saw him on the field ONCE after that drive. I just dont get it.

He didnt do anything spectacular on that drive, all he did was do what a RB should do, get the "extra yard" on every carry.

There's no stat out there that can measure the attitude and/or the "lift" that the o-line gets when Mike Ford comes into the game. I'm sorry, but it's obvious.

[nukebull]

Did anyone see Ben get slammed to the turf? I love Ben, and he is a prototypical 3rd down back, just not a carry the team kind of guy. Starting at the 10 yard line, we needed Ford to pick up some yards.

I am wondering if Ford was being diciplined in the first half though? Seemed like they couldn't wait to get him out there in the second half.

He got slammed by a 5th degree black belt and judo wizard who killed USF last year also. Haruki Nakamura is a stud and I for one will be glad to see him graduate and go on to the NFL.

[Jake_Ryan]

Shoop's right - it is obvious Ford is the best back.  With his size, he's also the type of back the D doesn't want to see 25 times, especially in the fourth quarter. 

To be a great offense, you have to hang your hat on something - do something that the opposing D has to try to stop.  Mike Ford can be the kind of back that will make a defense gameplan to stop him if the coaches ever give him enough carries.  Then it's play action over the top.