Only 1 thing worries me as 2008 kicks off

[Guest BasketBull.]

Our running game.

No running game, no Big East Title.

I don't know who or what (the backs, the o-line, the play calling, whatever), I just want a running game.

[Matt]

as long as the O line stays healthy i think we will be fine.  they dropped a bunch of weight to help with the downfield blocking.  taylor seems ready to go. ben is always ben.  and ford with a year under his belt (remember before last year it was 2 years since he played)  we should be good with the running game. 

[cmhatter]

I know a kid on the team who gives me some solid info from time to time. he says mike is bigger and kept his speed. he said jamar is improved over last year and he said ben is ben and he'll do what he does. with an improved ford and improved jamar look for them to take some weight off of grothe's shoulders.

[USFbulls0208]

We need to get a back into a groove and keep him in there for a while. Last year a back would run it like, twice, and a new one would come in.

Get Ford/Williams/Taylor in a groove, and keep him in there.

[Bullpride08]

Our running game.

No running game, no Big East Title.

I don't know who or what (the backs, the o-line, the play calling, whatever), I just want a running game.

Funny though the offense was ranked considerably higher overall rushing the ball versus passing.  Whether it's Grothe, or Ford, or Ben, or Taylor the rushing game will be fine, and probably slightly better this year with the experienced OL and more experience at RB.  I am more worried about the passing game.  We were tied for 55th in the nation passing the ball, versus 32nd running, and our completion percentage was a slightly above average .580.  If we want to win the BE, and really get this offense going we need to be closer to .640 or better like we were in 2006, cut down the INT's, and complete more passes in non-passing situations.  We didn't do enough of that in key moments last year, remember the Oregon game when we had Carlton wide open streaking down the middle twice and missed those?  Different game completing 1 or even 2 of those....

The running game will be fine with our system, the read-option and the components we now possess running the ball.  It's the passing game that really needs to get on track, get consistent in all facets from throwing, to catching, to INT's for this team to really get going on offense.  We do that teams can't stack 8-9 in the box ever, and suddenly we're deadly doing anything we want.

[Stier]

Our running game.

No running game, no Big East Title.

I don't know who or what (the backs, the o-line, the play calling, whatever), I just want a running game.

Funny though the offense was ranked considerably higher overall rushing the ball versus passing.  Whether it's Grothe, or Ford, or Ben, or Taylor the rushing game will be fine, and probably slightly better this year with the experienced OL and more experience at RB.  I am more worried about the passing game.  We were tied for 55th in the nation passing the ball, versus 32nd running, and our completion percentage was a slightly above average .580.  If we want to win the BE, and really get this offense going we need to be closer to .640 or better like we were in 2006, cut down the INT's, and complete more passes in non-passing situations.  We didn't do enough of that in key moments last year, remember the Oregon game when we had Carlton wide open streaking down the middle twice and missed those?  Different game completing 1 or even 2 of those....

The running game will be fine with our system, the read-option and the components we now possess running the ball.   It's the passing game that really needs to get on track, get consistent in all facets from throwing, to catching, to INT's for this team to really get going on offense.  We do that teams can't stack 8-9 in the box ever, and suddenly we're deadly doing anything we want.

Totally agree with you! Can't tell you how many dropped passes we had last year that hit players on the numbers. And as you mentioned about Carton, many a time there is someone wide open that is overlooked for some reason. Our running game needs to and I think will improve, but it is the passing game that I am more worried about.

[Bulls Are We]

they dropped a bunch of weight to help with the downfield blocking. 

People keep mentioning this, but is this really a good thing?  At times last year we got handled upfront.  Was it because we were too big (and slow) or not big enough?

[USFMikeB]

Can't tell you how many dropped passes we had last year that hit players on the numbers.

That's been an issue for years.  If they're gonna let the kids eat popcorn before the game, they should at least make sure it isn't buttered.

[Matt]

they dropped a bunch of weight to help with the downfield blocking. 

People keep mentioning this, but is this really a good thing?  At times last year we got handled upfront.  Was it because we were too big (and slow) or not big enough?

they dropped weight not strength.  weight for the sake of being big is useless in football.  weight that comes with strength is what you are looking for. 

[usfgrad84]

Our running game.

No running game, no Big East Title.

I don't know who or what (the backs, the o-line, the play calling, whatever), I just want a running game.

Funny though the offense was ranked considerably higher overall rushing the ball versus passing.  Whether it's Grothe, or Ford, or Ben, or Taylor the rushing game will be fine, and probably slightly better this year with the experienced OL and more experience at RB.  I am more worried about the passing game.  We were tied for 55th in the nation passing the ball, versus 32nd running, and our completion percentage was a slightly above average .580.  If we want to win the BE, and really get this offense going we need to be closer to .640 or better like we were in 2006, cut down the INT's, and complete more passes in non-passing situations.  We didn't do enough of that in key moments last year, remember the Oregon game when we had Carlton wide open streaking down the middle twice and missed those?  Different game completing 1 or even 2 of those....

The running game will be fine with our system, the read-option and the components we now possess running the ball.   It's the passing game that really needs to get on track, get consistent in all facets from throwing, to catching, to INT's for this team to really get going on offense.  We do that teams can't stack 8-9 in the box ever, and suddenly we're deadly doing anything we want.

I agree that the running game is fine and that the passing game needs to improve.  My biggest concerns though are cutting down on all turnovers, special teams and the defense getting better.  With all the talk of our great defense we gave up way too many big plays in our losses and couldn't stop the run when we needed too.

We should have blown WVU out by a much larger score than we did.  Most people don't remember, but we had 4 turnovers inside WVU territory.  2 fumbles and 2 ints inside their 5.

In all 3 of our conference losses we put up some huge yardage.  The defense couldn't make the stops when we needed them to and special teams failed miserably in each of those losses.