Your keys to a successful 2008 FB season

[Bullpride08]

if i dont see more than 5 offensive plays run this season, i will personally lobby to have Greg Gregory fired.

Cool.  I hope we get this guy.  Nebraska ran what amounts to a three play offense for years and he came in with his pro-style offense and really turned things around out there in Lincoln. . . . they love him.  I asked him all about it last week while he waited on my table at Applebees.

IMO, our offense is fine.  Just like Nebraska (whose old-school offense looked genius when Tommy Frazier's option was Lawrence Phillips) its about getting players to run the system.  Our offense will improve with a solid RB help.

Regarding the thread topic, our keys are:

1.  Solid RB performance (which will beget all other offensive improvements on my wish list);

2.  Chris Robinson's development/arrival as the beast we all think he is; and

3.  Improved special teams performance (all aspects).

Good post your numbers 1-3 will make an immense improvement.

[snarling Bull]

along wioth a beefed up running and kicking game  Consistency, consistency, consistency

[USF-PMR]

Maturity, healty, and stay away from crazy weekday games.

[smazza]

usf's offense is far from fine if you have followed usf football

there are problems

[smazza]

1.  The defensive secondary.  We seem to have plenty of speed, now we need some new leaders to step up.  Murphy esp has to learn from last year's mistakes and not act like a star, but a leader (i.e. getting in trouble right before last year's RU game was bad form). 

2.  Use the *@^%$*# RB's!!!  Grothe can't be expected to take the punishment game in and out and actually still be able to perform.  The offense cannont be a one-man show.  That is way too easy for opponents to defend.

3.  Grothe if it ain't there, then throw it away!  He made strides last year in not trying doing too much.  But he definitely gave up too many yards on some big (unnecessary) sacks at the worst possible times. 

4.  Mix in a different QB every now and then to give Grothe a breather* and to mix it up.  If your QB runs for a 15 yard gain after actually sprinting 60+ yards (back and forth in the backfield) then why in the world would you ask him to chuck the long ball immediately after?  It's kind of hard to have good throwing form when you're gasping for breath.  *This may not be necessary if he gets some support from the running backs.   

5.  Last but not least: mental discipline!  The ability to bounce back from a loss is crucial.  Leavitt has always touched on how good teams deal with adversity.  I'd say Uconn and Cinci were not examples of a good team dealing with adversity last year.   

   

great analysis

[smazza]

Everyone's answer should be Offensive line play. A healthy and deep O-Line is the most important part of a football team. Hence why you see so many of them drafted early in the NFL draft. Look at the big time schools and you will see huge over powering tanks on their o-line (OSU and LSU come to mind).

With a great o-line, everything else we have will fall into place nicely.

you would think usf would have recruited oline better last 3 years

[CowbellBandit]

Everyone's answer should be Offensive line play. A healthy and deep O-Line is the most important part of a football team. Hence why you see so many of them drafted early in the NFL draft. Look at the big time schools and you will see huge over powering tanks on their o-line (OSU and LSU come to mind).

With a great o-line, everything else we have will fall into place nicely.

you would think usf would have recruited oline better last 3 years

Good call. I've always wondered why we haven't devoted more time/energy to getting the solid O Line recruits. Without the beef up front, plays cannot be run, pure and simple.

[RicanBull]

Agreed. hopefully they will come

[Bullpride08]

usf's offense is far from fine if you have followed usf football

there are problems

Maybe in past years, last year it was not.  Go look at the national averages and you'll realize USF's offense was in the upper third of the offensive stats in virtually every category, and that was with an OL decimated by injury, and losing two key receivers during the season, and their top 2 RB's were true freshmen.

Check out the NCAA offensive stats and last season USF was one of the better overall offenses in the nation.  This is why the positive outlook offensively for 2008.

[Minotaur]

Maybe in past years, last year it was not.  Go look at the national averages and you'll realize USF's offense was in the upper third of the offensive stats in virtually every category, and that was with an OL decimated by injury, and losing two key receivers during the season, and their top 2 RB's were true freshmen.

Check out the NCAA offensive stats and last season USF was one of the better overall offenses in the nation.  This is why the positive outlook offensively for 2008.

I know we put up good numbers but I think the thing people worry about is being totally ineffective in some games/situations. Big games and goalline situations especially.

USF can shut down WVU, and unfortunately some teams can shut down USF. I do agree that the o-line was never healthy after the 1Q of game 1, but I still believe the system has inherent strengths and weakness that make the offensive numbers deceptively positive. Having said that if the o-line plays well and we get one or two receivers that can consistently beat man coverage USF should be offensively powerful the next two years.

What freshman do you think will make the biggest impact on the field next year? I know its getting harder and harder for freshman to get on the field but there is room for some playmakers, especially on the offense.