Ford third string | We'll Be Fine at RB

[ChiTownBull]

for now...

http://sports.tboblogs.com/index.php/sports/related/C127/

  Williams, Taylor ahead of Ford

Posted August 12, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Aug 12, 2008 at 01:01 PM

After leading the University of South Florida’s running backs in yards rushing as a freshman, some believed that Mike Ford would automatically take over the starting spot this year.

That could well happen, but after nine days of fall practice, Ford is not only not listed as USF’s starter, but he’s not even the top back-up.

After Tuesday’s practice, I asked USF running backs coach Carl Franks in a one-back lineup what the current depth chart was at running back.

His response:

1. Ben Williams, senior

2. Jamar Taylor, sophomore

3. Mike Ford, sophomore

4. Richard Kelly, sophomore

5. Moise Plancher, junior

It shouldn’t be a surprise Williams is listed first. Even though, he might not have the talent of some of the other backs, he makes up for that with his work ethic, and the coaches continually say he’s the most trusted of all the backs, as far as carrying out his assignments and being the best blocking back they have.

It is interesting that Taylor is listed above Ford and might mean, despite all of Ford’s physical attributes, he still has a ways to go to become the complete back the Bulls want. By all accounts, Plancher has been doing well this summer, so that shows how much Kelly is thought of to be listed above Plancher.

Of course, with the season opener still nearly three weeks away, there still could be plenty of movement.

Other practice notes from Tuesday: OL Jeremiah Warren has a boot on his right foot and is expected to miss a couple of days, OL coach Mike Simmonds said. It’s not believed to be serious. ... USF coach Jim Leavitt called Tuesday’s practice “a grind.â€Â

But the tape is probably black and white: During Tuesday morning’s stretching drills, USF coach Jim Leavitt and DBs Tyller Roberts and Danny Verpaele exchanged some good-natured trash talking.

Roberts and Verpaele were giving Leavitt some grief about his playing days at Missouri, asking to see the tape of Leavitt on punt and kickoff return in college.

“How did you do against the Junction Boys?†said Roberts, referring to the nickname of Bear Bryant’s Texas A&M team in the 1950s.

“How did you do against Oklahoma?†asked Verpaele.

Leavitt responded: “I know this: I never faked an injury.â€Â

Bulls still in Top 15: USF, which debuted at No. 12 in ESPN.com’s national recruiting rankings last month, has slipped slightly to No. 16 in the website’s latest rankings, compiled by Tom Luginbill, of Scouts Inc.

Rutgers, which wasn’t in the first ranking (which included 17 teams), has moved up to No. 17, one slot behind USF, which currently has the Big East’s top class, according to Luginbill.

Here are his Top 21 recruiting classes, with National Signing Day, still six months away.

1. USC, 2. Ohio State, 3. LSU, 4. Texas, 5. Georgia, 6. Clemson, 7. Florida State, 8. Notre Dame, 9. Oklahoma, 10. Tennessee, 11. Auburn, 12. Florida, 13. Alabama, 14. Michigan, 15. Texas A&M, 16. USF, 17. Rutgers, 18. North Carolina, 19. Miami, 20. Stanford, 21. South Carolina.

Women’s soccer standout’s career over: Senior Lindsay Brauer, who scored four of the Bulls’ nine goals last season, will not play this season because of a heart condition.

It was discovered Brauer had Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, or HCM, a genetic disorder of the heart distinguished by increased thickness of the wall of the left ventricle, the largest of the four chambers of the heart. The rare heart condition does not allow the heart muscle to perform properly.

Because of this condition, Brauer’s soccer career is over. The HCM was discovered in an EKG during her yearly required USF athletics physical.

“The university and its staff can be credited with saving Lindsay’s life,†USF coach Denise Schilte-Brown said in a statement. “They have stepped up their standards in looking for medical conditions with their athletes. Not all universities are doing EKGs on their student-athletes. We are at the cutting edge with that.â€Â

[BullsWinBucsWin]

Here we go again.

[crambone]

GIVE FORD THE ROCK!

j/k

Taylor is a beast, too.  I'd be more than happy to see him get most of the carries.

[lmiusf]

They keep talking about how good of a blocker Williams is.....Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a RB's job to carry the ball and get yardage for the most part??????????? GIVE FORD THE BALL!!!!!!!!(as long as he can hold on to it!)

[CoolBull1]

That's a pretty deep backfield.  It's tough to have a feature back with that much talent....Plancher is the 5th best?  Ford #3?  I'm happy with all that...Ford will see plenty of action this year and I guess so will everybody else listed there.

[BDYZR]

If Ford wants the ball, it's strictly up to him to get it.  IF he wants it bad enough.

GO BULLS!

[BULLfreak]

seems like he had trouble getting to the summer workouts and we all know if you dont work your ass off in the offseason  than you do not start

[BullyPulpit]

They keep talking about how good of a blocker Williams is.....Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a RB's job to carry the ball and get yardage for the most part??????????? GIVE FORD THE BALL!!!!!!!!(as long as he can hold on to it!)

You're wrong.  An equally important job of a RB is to provide pass protection and pick up on blitzes. Go back and check out the video of the Rutgers game to see why the coaches don't yet fully trust Mike Ford in that regard, he almost got Grothe killed by completely missing a corner blitz. Ben Williams is one of the best blocking backs I have seen. He is very adept at picking up the blitz and finding his assignment. Ford is as physically gifted as any athlete we have had, he still obviously has a long way to go to fully grasp this offense. 

[BigShoop]

*sigh*

Ben Williams, please graduate so we can get some talent on the field. Thanks.

[Rizman]

Well, I saw fire in Taylor's eyes at Fan fest, Ford is good and they will use him but he needs to become a better all around player.  He will trust me.  I think we are all looking for the next Andre.  Ford might be a slow starter and then really pick it up.