meh

[MikeG]

nevermind

[Orlando Bull]

I mostly agree with that. I think our run defense will look better this year. With T-mac in the middle, I think Moffit is replaced. Not negative toward Ben, but I think T-mac is a tremendous athlete, and Chris Robinson is our "worst case" for the outside, leaving us with a sold LB corp.

DT will definately be an issue, but I think it will be OK, will probably take them a few games to gel, but could potentially be stronger than last year. The interesting thing will be to see how Selvie does without Clebert dominating the middle next to him.

I think Ford does have a tremendous year if he is used properly. I would love to see us change up the offense a little, take a little pressure off of MG, and run some more traditional formations (still mostly spread option, but mix in some power formations). This year will be a big test for Greg Gregory. A good coach has a solid system, plugs guys in, and does well. Great coaches adapt to their best available players, change their system, and do great things. It is amazing that just 3 years ago, this team was preparing for Andre Hall's senior season, working on being a dominant running force. It's not too difficult to change the offense, and I think we can really keep defenses guessing all year with Grothe throwing and running, and Ford running all over the place. If Ford rolls early, I would look for MG's numbers to improve immensely. A solid running game allows your receivers to work on DB's 1-on-1 more often, keeps safeties close, and creates some huge seperations for a QB to throw to open guys.

[Bullpride08]

BTW, the assumption was the defense was great last year.  It was good, but stastically speaking the worst in 3 years at USF.  I think they'll be better this year because of more size and speed and experience.  The corners are lost, defense is great.

USF last year crushed every team they played with defense that were ranked 75th or worst, the exception was Cinci who we gave two special teams TD's too, and a fluke flea-flicker TD, and another TD that should have been batted down or INT'd by Nate Allen.  I think our offense will be much better and this year we face less great defenses then we faced last year with Uconn, RU, WVU, Auburn, Pitt, Cinci, and UNC all having solid to exceptional defenses.  Thus upcoming year TN-Martin, FIU, UCF, NCST, Cuse, UL, have defenses ranked 75th or worse....consider that Uconn and Cinci lost some very key components that could drop them down to that level.

With a Ford acting like the all-american we recruited 8 wins will be nearly automatic, and the 5 throw-up games to decide if we're a good or great team- KU, WVU, Cinci, Pitt, and RU-  three of them are at home.  Win the first 7 and those three at home, steal one on the road and I think 11-1 is realistic.

[usfgrad84]

Ford will make a huge difference on offense.

I also see the defense changing a little bit this year.  While everyone got sidetracked by Selvie's great year, actually we had quite a few less sacks as a team.  With Bedford coming in and some more help from a few of the other guys on the line, I expect to see us blitz some more than we did last year.  We relied on our strengths last year and that was to let the great secondary make the plays.  This year our strength on defense is the DEs Safeties and LBs.  I would think we would change things up alittle to play to those strengths.

I also expect the offense to be dominating this year.  This will be the first time in a very long we have all the componenets together to have a true ball control offense.

[Rocky Style]

I still say he could have made a huge impact last year when they would get down to the goal line and mess around and throw it for a couple downs and then get sacked for a loss of 5.  Anyways, last year is last year.  I hope they use him this year or they are kind of wasting a strength.

[usfgrad84]

I still say he could have made a huge impact last year when they would get down to the goal line and mess around and throw it for a couple downs and then get sacked for a loss of 5.  Anyways, last year is last year.  I hope they use him this year or they are kind of wasting a strength.

Huh?  The only time they didn't use him in the goal line situation and suffered from it was against UCONN.  He was on his way to the hospital at that point of that game. Plus he also tied the USF season record for running TDs.