Stud alert: Players ready to break out

[Jim Johnson]

Matt Hayes has an interesting article on The Sporting News...

He lists players who will have breakout seasons this fall... among them:

RB Mike Ford, 6-2, 225, So., South Florida. (NFL) Scout's take: "Big, tough kid with good speed. He's a 20-carry guy in (the NFL). What I like best about him is he understands cutbacks and following zone blocking. He knows where to go, but it's obvious his ball security issues have made him a little tentative in hitting holes."

Sounds about right.

[Matt]

if mike ford doesnt get 20 carries a game this year then send gregory packing.

[Guest]

if mike ford doesnt get 20 carries a game this year then send gregory packing.

I would agree... unless Ford still has problems holding the ball.  In that case, the other RBs will need to step up.

You don't give runners with fumble problems more chances to fumble.

I really hope he focused on that part of his game during the off season.

[Bulls 8_va]

He's built FORD tough...just make sure the ball has a seatbelt.  : /

I can't wait for this guy to become a beast.  PROTECT THE ROCK!!!

GO BULLS!!!

[USFan]

I hope so.

Mike Ford the X-Factor?

[feardabull]

Ford should be getting as many carries as gameplanned.  I still consider Grothe our most dangerous runner and defenses will either know or soon figure out that stacking the box will spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!! 

It is CRUCIAL that we get the Ford rolling right out of the gate.  Leavitt BETTER not put the brakes on in this TN-Martin game!  If you need to keep rolling up points until your offense looks like it's on key, then you better keep doing it!!!  Don't give me this "oh, run a vanilla offense and keep it close to make the other team happy" GARBAGE!!  I hope Leavitt learned his lesson after Elon's coach wrote a letter to the alumni apologizing for "losing a winable game."  Screw that!!!  To me, beating a 1-AA team by 15 and then PAYING them for playing us is a LOSS!!  They're getting paid, give them their friggin money's worth.  People won't give you crap for hanging 70+ points on an FCS opponent---- hell, you're supposed to!!! 

Maybe I'll be the only USF fan with this opinion, but if you have the opportunity to knock an opponent on it's ass, the do it, with the utmost respect.  I'm not saying let Grothe throw for 600 and Ford run for 300... I mean, you can put in the backups... but you still need to run your offense accordingly.  I will be greatly disappointed if I have to sit and watch the second half of this game HOPING WE HANG ON!   

Sorry, I drifted well off topic, and now I'm all jacked up!!!  Bottom line, Ford should be used as game-planned. 

[Matt]

mike ford doesnt have fumble problems.....

point blank.

they said tiki had fumble problems

give him the ROCK.  he will plow linebackers

[bullgator85]

i agree we need to get up early against lesser opponents but should we risk injuring our players late in meaningless games? we went on that three game skid in large part because of injured players

[SouthFLBully]

if mike ford doesnt get 20 carries a game this year then send gregory packing.

I couldn't agree more! The kid is a stud.

Pop quiz hot shots......... What was our record when Ford got 20 or more carries last year?

Answer: 3-0 (we were 4-0 when he got 15 or more)!

That is no fluke folks. This kid can take over games.

I love the fact that Grothe can hurt defenses on the ground as well as through the air, but he SHOULD NOT be our #1 threat on the ground. A back like Ford can wear down a defense over the course of a game. He is a beast and should be used as often as possible.

[MikeG]

Ford should be getting as many carries as gameplanned.  I still consider Grothe our most dangerous runner and defenses will either know or soon figure out that stacking the box will spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E!!! 

It is CRUCIAL that we get the Ford rolling right out of the gate.  Leavitt BETTER not put the brakes on in this TN-Martin game!  If you need to keep rolling up points until your offense looks like it's on key, then you better keep doing it!!!  Don't give me this "oh, run a vanilla offense and keep it close to make the other team happy" GARBAGE!!  I hope Leavitt learned his lesson after Elon's coach wrote a letter to the alumni apologizing for "losing a winable game."  Screw that!!!  To me, beating a 1-AA team by 15 and then PAYING them for playing us is a LOSS!!  They're getting paid, give them their friggin money's worth.  People won't give you crap for hanging 70+ points on an FCS opponent---- hell, you're supposed to!!! 

Maybe I'll be the only USF fan with this opinion, but if you have the opportunity to knock an opponent on it's ass, the do it, with the utmost respect.  I'm not saying let Grothe throw for 600 and Ford run for 300... I mean, you can put in the backups... but you still need to run your offense accordingly.  I will be greatly disappointed if I have to sit and watch the second half of this game HOPING WE HANG ON!   

Sorry, I drifted well off topic, and now I'm all jacked up!!!  Bottom line, Ford should be used as game-planned.   

whoa man-- take a chill pill regarding the warm up game. If anything, it may have put the next opponent (AUBURN) a little less concerned when we just kind of meandered through that game.

I'm not sayin we should do it as some sort of deception but here are the things I want out of game 1:

1) NO ONE GETS HURT

2) WE WIN

3) Our first team offense and defense gets in a good half of football and is prepped for the Kansas game

4) Our backups get plenty of time on the field and experience that will be vital going forward

5) a decent crowd that sticks around for atleast one half.