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5 Burning Questions for 2008


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Alright Bulls fans, to pass a little time, let's hear your opinion on these questions.  Give as much or as little explanation as you wish, but be aware that the questions might seem easy at first, so think about the question for a second before answering:

1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

3)  What will be the tougher in-state road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

(Note:  I asked this question back in '06 and got a landslide UCF answer.  Well, we all remember what happened that year, so this is much tougher than it looks.  Also, we are opening FIU's brand new on campus stadium.)

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

Once again, these are just a couple questions to pass the time until football season and find out what you guys think a few topics.  Go Bulls

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Pitt. They actually can play defense, and they seem to have some weapons on offense.

As for Rutgers, I wouldn't be surprised if we blow them out by 30. Yes, mark it down.

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

Uncertain. I hope they both do very well, or else we are in for a long season.

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

UCF is going to get another beating -when emotions are high, USF always does well. FIU will be calm for our guys and that can make the game tricky.

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

If we get a pass rush, the corners will be okay. But if we don't, our DBs are going to work extra hard. We are light up front, so let's hope our guys are quick this year and get through to the QB.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

Kansas is going to be tough. On paper their team looks to be very strong, with mostly seniors on offense, not to mention a huge O-line and a very good QB. They can bomb us to death if we don't get a rush.

Beat Kansas and it's BCS. Lose to Kansas and it's going to be a tough year when the guys doubt themselves after the loss, thinking that maybe they've been over hyped.

The offense will HAVE to do well this year and show some consistency if we are going to a BCS bowl.

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Rutgers - Pitt RB's

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

Toss Up

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

UCF

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

Boyh will be powerful.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

BCS

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Pittsburgh will be tougher.  Rutgers lost a good chunk of players and with no RB threat, our D will drop 7 into pass coverage.  Pittsburgh also has a better defense than RU this year.

As for the Pitt RB vs RU WRs -- I would have to say, right now, the WRs because of the losses of Jenkins & Williams.  To be sure, I think Murphy & Roberts are good enough to play on almost any FBS program, so the drop isn't that far.  However, until I see them in action - I won't know for sure.

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

Murphy has shown to be the better athlete in games, but I think he may take chances. Like Jenkins, Murphy seems to hit more than wrap and tackle - at least too much for my taste.  We'll know more after the first three games.

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

By far and away UCF of these two choices, and probably if you added @ NC State as well.

* Last game in the series, so last chance to make a statement.

* First series game on their campus (or either campus for that matter).

* USF might be looking a little ahead to Top 15 Kansas the next week.

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

USF is, and probably will be as long as Leavitt is our coach, known for our defense.  We'll never be Texas Tech or Florida...

That said, I think the offense will be better this year, meaning the defense won't be under the same pressure to keep games close.  We should be able to score on anybody -- especially the 12 teams on our schedule in 2008.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

Unfortunately, I would have to say St. Pete is more likely.

USF seems to lose a game it has no business losing.  Lack of focus, discipline, looking ahead, hungover... who knows why.  But year after year there is always one or two games that USF should win but doesn't:

2003 - Losing the last home game of the year to UAB and missing a chance to go to a bowl in our first C-USA season.

2004 - Letting Army run roughshod all over us for Homecoming.

2005 - Voodoo 5 in Hartford, as a wacky play call loses the U Conn game.

2006 - On the road at Kansas, USF could not seem to turn the corner - or stop passes across the middle.

2007 - New Voodoo in Hartford - naked bootleg loses to U Conn.

So if you factor in games at WVU in December and at Cincy on 5 days rest, two games that will be difficult, and you throw in our habit of giving another away...

Chances are better USF goes 5-2 or 4-3 in Big East play than 6-1 or 7-0.


A good thread!!

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

i'm going to say Pitt.  McCoy is a beast, and Rutgers without Rice will likely allow our secondary to focus on passing instead of playing up and stacking the box.

plus Pitt plays some rugged defense... the first half of our game last year was a grinder.  not to mention, i believe they get some key injured receivers back, like Kinder or whatever his name is.

i think this could be the year Pitt moves back up to the top 4 of the BE, while Rutgers falls back out.

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

toss up.  i've seen more of Murph, and he seems like a monster athletically, but we'll have to see what his decision-making ability is as a starter with more pressure on him.

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

FIU. new stadium + potential for overlooking = tough game.  this could very well look like FAU last year.

although UCiF is going to be blood-thirsty for a W as the series closes... they certainly don't want to go 0-4 against us with no shot at revenge in the foreseeable future.  plus the Kansas game--- arguably the biggest game of the season--- is 6 days after this one.  we have to be careful of overlooking UCiF, especially after last year's thrashing.

will our guys be as amped up to stomp the Mouse-Town girls as we have been the past 3 years?

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

hmmm...

i'd really like to say OFFENSE:  Grothe showed signs of growth in his decision-making towards the end of last season, we have our strongest corps of receivers ever led by a Sr. TJ, a Jr. Jesse and quality underclassmen like CMitch and Bogan, a much improved Ced Hill, and a Ford that's been tuned-up in the offseason and ready to bust out the gates... not to mention 4 returning OLinemen with starting experience.

BUT...

our defense simply looks like it has more proven playmakers.  our CB situation is the big question, but with standouts like Honeybuns, Nate Allen and T-Mac on D, as well as an improved Buie and the depth that the return of guys like Robinson and Verpaele gives us, i still think our defense is going to be the key to this team.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

****... i don't know.  i really want to say BCS, and i believe it's a very real possibility since the BEast doesn't have any clear hurdles for us other than WVU--- Mauk is gone, Rice is gone, Brohm is gone, we have UConn at home...

we'll have to wait and see how WVU turns out with the new coach, not to mention the loss of key guys like Slaton and [iMO, more importantly] Schmitt.

Kansas is the biggest name game, but it really doesn't have any implications for our BCS chances.  if we can keep our **** together and win the games we're supposed to win [which is pretty much all our BE games except WVU, which is a toss-up], we'll be BCS bowling.

if we pull the same Bipolar-Bulls **** we've pulled in the past and drop a gimmie game or two, we will be in St. Pete.

no BCS = almost certain visit to the Trop vs. some C-USA whipping boy.

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Pitt.  Their talent level is huge and it should gel this year.  Rutgers' entire offense is gone.

Pitt's RBs will be tougher to defend.  Just look at the way that Stewart ran over us at the Sun Bowl!

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

I really like Jerome Murphy.

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

UCF, by far.

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

Defense will still be our mainstay.  If we utilize Ford the way he is MEANT to be utilized, then they will become even.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

St. Pete Bowl.  I love my Bulls, but there is no way we go unbeaten in Big East play.  We will lose a game we should have won.  I only hope that we get to destroy Southern P.iss.

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burning question #6...

does our kicking game improve? 

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Pitt's RB. This is the one home game that scares me the most.

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

Im guessing Murph because of experience

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

@UCF but not my much

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

no, our OC still will make us all scratch our heads.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

St. Pete

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1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Pitt will be tougher, by far.  Their talent level is pretty good, they battled us to the end last year, and the Wandstache, while confused, won't always be able to hold his team back into mediocrity.  Add to mix this game is 5 days after our Bulls take a (harder than it appears) trip to NC State and I think Pitt is the tougher choice.  We may need to provoke another 1-finger salute in front of the refs for this one... 

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

Hmm, tough one.  I'm thinking Murphy if he does everything right on and OFF the field. 

3)  What will be the tougher non-conference road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

FIU may have too many question marks to be competitive in the Sun Belt this year.  My biggest fears is if we have a helmet-swinging fight, a-la the UM/FIU throwdown of a couple years ago.  Thank goodness this isn't FAU this year.  They look to be the tops of the Sun Belt. 

 

UCF should be and will be tougher.  Last year's thumping will be all the locker-room motivation O'Liary needs.  If the Bulls go into this one thinking they've got it won, well Leavitt better not let them.  Maybe one of the ucifers will create another personal attack ad/poster on one of our players to help with our motivation...

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

I think by the end of the season, it will again be the defense that is the real shining gem of this team.  This should be an intersting season... the usual trend is for defenses to look better at the beginning of the season (as offenses need more time to jell).  However, I think the Bulls will be the exception to the trend this year.  The offense returns many starters and may have to step up early, until all of the defensive question marks are ironed out.  Potential injuries aside, I think the D will be fine and should be the dominant factor by late September / early October.     

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

Gods I hope it's the BCS.  This is THE season USF needs to step up and take the Big East.  Anything less would be a dissapointment.  Too many returning stars and too many defections of proven playmakers from the other schools.  Last year's emotional roller coaster was a learning lesson for CJL and the boys.  There aren't any excuses this season for not stepping it up every week. 

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Alright Bulls fans, to pass a little time, let's hear your opinion on these questions.  Give as much or as little explanation as you wish, but be aware that the questions might seem easy at first, so think about the question for a second before answering:

1)  What will be the tougher conference home game:  Pitt or Rutgers?  Who creates a bigger mismatch against us:  Pitt RB's or Rutgers WR's?

Believe Pitt will be the better team, but for some reason Rutgers is one of those teams where strange/unlucky things seem to happen (dropped 2 point conversion 2 years ago and the fumble forward call last year) so I'll go with Rutgers.  The Pitt RB scares me more than the WR's of Rutgers.

2)  Who will be the better starter at cornerback on defense:  Tyller Roberts or Jerome Murphy?

Didn't notice Roberts much last year so it is hard to say.  That could be a good thing or bad thing.  Although he didn't make any huge plays, don't remember any major screwups either.  Toss up.

3)  What will be the tougher in-state road game:  @ UCF or @ FIU?

UCiF should be the tougher game.  The FIU game may prove to be harder than we want to see, but UCiF is a much better team.

4)  Is this the year our offense takes over as the lead unit, or does the defense find enough playmakers to stay dominant?

A lot depends on the play calling.  If every running play is fake it into the gut of a RB and Grothe takes off, it will be a long year offensively.  A few 2 back formations with some play action could open up the passing game with some very gifted, though not outstanding, receivers.  The O-Line of course will be key.  That said, the answer to the question is the Defense.

5)  Last but not least, what is more likely this year:  BCS or St. Pete?

St Pete, unfortunately.  We'll lose 2 games in conference that we should win.  Nothing in our history points to a different outcome.

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