After reviewing the tape...

[BigShoop]

I know everyone wants to "move on" and "never look back", but I think it's more productive to look at the positive and negatives of the UCF game and discuss how they apply to the Kansas game. So...

Grothe's overall numbers were pretty good: 23-40(58%): 346 yds, 2TD and 2INT. 20 rushes: 54 yds...but I think they could have been huge numbers if there weren't some disconcerting mistakes...

• He still locks in on his primary WR too much. So much so, that the color analyst made it a point of his. More often than not, there are 3 or 4 decoy WRs out there, basically. If the #1 option isn't open, Grothe scrambles. I counted 3 check-down throws, and 3 balls thrown away...
  
• ...which brings me to a positive, Grothe throwing the ball away. Last year, he rarely threw it away, which would usually result in a risky play or an INT. He seems to be getting better at this aspect of his game, despite his 2nd INT being a forced throw off of his back foot...
  
• For all the nice throws he made on intermediate and deep routes, there were more plays to be made out there. I counted 3 deep balls in which he underthrew the WR by at least 2 or 3 strides. Matt...brother...you have bonifide track stars out there, throw it as far as you can and let those speedy bastards(said with love!) run underneath it! This has become a disturbing trend, in my opinion.
  
• UCF spent the entire game with a spy assigned to Grothe, it seemed, by my un-trained eye. Teams did that last year, and if they start doing that again, the RBs need to become more involved in the offense on a consistent basis.
  

Moises Plancher - 9 rushes for 50 yards, 1TD (8 for 66, 2TDs in week 1)

• His resurgence is a great story, and I dont think he's getting the love he deserves by the fans or the media.
  
• He was a beast on saturday, making people miss, and bouncing off would be tacklers...in the 1st half. Where were his 2nd half carries, Gregory?
  

Richard Kelly - 8 rushes for 39 yards (2 for 15 in week 1)

• Did not see the field until there was 9:30 remaining in the 3rd quarter. On his 2nd play, he carried the ball for 14 yds and followed that up with a run of 11 yds a few plays later. His next run? 6:16 left in the game, when USF tried to run out the clock. When everyone on planet earth knew he was going to run, he ran for 6yds, 3yds, 2yds, and 0yds on consecutive plays.
  
• Where was this guy in the 1st half?
  

Running game

• Plancher gets essentially all the carries in the 1st half. Kelly gets the bulk in the 2nd half. Taylor...nonexistant. I understand "going with the hot hand", but why not find out who that hot hand is in the 1st quarter, as opposed to waiting until the 3rd quarter to watch Kelly rumble his way down the field? And if you are going to "go with the hot hand", then shouldn't Plancher have touched the ball at some point after the 1st quarter?!
  
• The USF offense is explosive when they are running the football on 1st down. It's amazing how easily they can move down the field if they run for decent yardage on 1st down. It put them in a rhythm and it makes Grothe look like an All-American throwing the ball.
  
• I love the 3-back, Jumbo backfield formation. It creates options, and it makes the other team defend a bunch of things. We ran out of that formation 3 times: Plancher bounced it outside for a TD, PA pass which ultimately turned into a Grothe run, and an option to the right. The formation wasn't especially productive in this game, in particular, but it gives Grothe a lot of options...which is a good thing.
  

"Diamond formation" - 4 WR to one side, 1 WR on the other.

• Both times it was run, the play went to the weak side. One was a pass, one was a Grothe run. Just sayin.
  
• I have a feeling they were simply putting it on film, for Kansas, to set something up...
  

Cedric Hill - 4 rec 62 yds, 2TDs

• To me, this was his coming out party. He's had a couple big games, but I think this was his biggest.
  

Special teams sucked.

• Amazing how things can turn around in one week. Remember how great the special teams were in week 1? Yeah, I forgot too. The only reason UCF was in that football game was because of special teams. Return yardage in the 1st half was UCF 167 - USF 47. For the game: UCF 242 - USF 101.
  
• How many times do we have to kick to Burnett before we realize that he's good? 3 out of 5 kickoffs went to Burnett, for returns of: 18, 91(TD), and 27 yds. 4 out of 6 punts were returned: 3, 33, fair catch, and 35 yds. The latter, he was untouched for the 1st 25 yards, setting up the game-tying TD.
  

Our defense was dominant.

• I counted 7 blitzes...TOTAL. Only 2 of which coming on 1st or 2nd down.
  
• 1st half yardage: USF 192 - UCF 68
  
• 3rd quarter yardage: USF 373 - UCF 113
  
• 6:16 left in the 4th yardage: USF 390 - UCF 153
  
• UCF's 10 1st half points were off of a KO return and a turnover which led to a short field.
  
• Everything UCF did on offense, before the comeback, was underneath. Their longest run by a RB was what, 12 yards? Greco had a 31 yard scramble, but other than that, their running game was non-existant.
  
• Greco took 2 shots downfield in the game. And by "downfield", I mean 15 yards or more. Incomplete on the 1st one, and the 2nd was the 31yd TD to tie the game(where the ball was actually only thrown 10-15yds).
  
• Kansas is not going to be that easy. Our DBs are going to have to cover their men downfield, and they MUST tackle well. If not, Fields and Briscoe will run around all night long and make them look silly. I'm talking to you, Mr "throw my body at the knees of the ball carrier" Murphy. You have 5 days to learn how to tackle. Just sayin.
  
• Lots and lots of nickel was used on Saturday, which meant less Kion Wilson. From what I saw though, when he was in the game, he played well.
  

George Selvie and the effect on the rest of the DLine.

• From the stands, I was wondering where Selvie was. He seemed invisible. Had he become a glorified Simeon Rice?......and then I watched the game on TV. UCF's entire offensive gameplan was centered around George Selvie. The only times he wasn't double teamed or chipped was when the play was going to the other side of the field. His speed and pursuit got him 5 tackles, but he had to work his ASS off to get that. Get used to it, George.
  
• The rest of the line needs to step up and make a play. With all the attention Selvie was getting, somebody was 1-on-1 on every play, and no one recorded a sack or a meaningful negative play.
  

Alvarado

• Not even worth mentioning.

Kansas

• Reesing will pick us apart if we do not get pressure on him. I think this is the biggest key to the Kansas game.
  
• Tackling. Tackling. Tackling. If the Kansas WRs are good at one thing, it's yards after the catch. Watch any Kansas highlight, and you'll see Fields and Briscoe running around and breaking tackles for big chunks of yardage. We must hit them in the mouth and wrap them up.
  
• Time to unleash the running game to it's fullest potential. I want to see Ford, I want to see Plancher, I want to see Kelly, and I want to see all of them get their fair share of carries. We must keep the Kansas offense off the field.
  
• Kansas has a small-ish DLine, with only one starter weighing 290lbs+. Can our Offensive Line get the "push" that they weren't getting vs UCF?
  
• How will we attack the impressive Kansas LBs? Will we run right at them or throw the ball around them?
  

[Bull Martin]

Very good write up.  This isn't harping on the past.  This is definitely good stuff for the Kansas game.

[lmiusf]

Yes, very good observations. I agree 100%.

[Bullpride08]

Good, stuff. 

FYI, you watched the replay UCF didn't let Greco set in any kind of meaningful pocket.  Any time he was in a pocket or they rolled the pocket our guys got there quickly.  UCF did a bunch of roll outs, and quick hitting passes to negate any pressure.  Get use to it because that's what people will be doing all night because we had 49 sacks last year as a team.  No one is going to give us a perfect pocket anymore.  But that is not a bad thing.  I am not concerned at all about the lack of sacks right now.  What i am seeing is teams must scheme and gameplan around our pressure.  The new wonderkin at DL is Terrell McClain, this guy was a maniac Sat. Night....there was a stunt he ran where he hit Greco like a freight train...I had to watch the replay twice just to believe a 300lbs man could move that quickly.  The result Greco threw an incomplete.

People should marvel at Selvie after watching that game on replay.  The constant attention he received and yet he never quit.  Many guys in his position would get complacent and just go through the motions, but he was relentless and actually made some very important tackles in the game. 

A star was born on saturday night in Terrell McClain.  Oh and Marshall looked really, really good too.  People might have loved therecruiting stars of Bedford, but Marshall might have the bigger ceiling.  He played a lot and got to the QB quickly and efficiently (the second part being the more impressive part).  I think Bedford will come around, but Marshall has a very good knack for rushing and sees to be very powerful for his size.

[twillybull]

Who will be available for RB vs. Kansas?  Will BBQ or Ford be back in it?  Is Taylor okay?  Will we have Pupello back for a 1-2 combo at tight end?  Those are the ?'s that I think will matter most Friday night. 

This should be a very good matchup coming up.  Both teams had plenty that looked good and bad last weekend.

As for last Saturday night, I'm glad our Bulls were able to pull out a win in such a hostile environment.  I don't think we'll see another team with the same level of "motivation" that UCF displayed Saturday night.  Everyone is talking about that purple Carolina school that rhymes with gay, but I think we just beat this year's CUSA champs. 

With the exception of special teams play and a few bad decisions, the Bulls looked pretty decent for their first showing of the season (UTM doesn't really count as a game).  I expect the cover teams will be doing a little more running in practice today.   

 

[BiggTipp]

I believe Kansas has a couple young tackles on the O-line...maybe freshmen??

[TRUTH D. Antagonist]

great post, Shooper Scooper!

[cophbulls]

Nice Post! Impressive analysis

[IncrediBULL]

Great post.  I recommend you cut and paste this into an email and send to the coaches. 

I'm sure they saw the same things, but would be nice.

I agree with your analysis.  Great job.

[Kyle]

Great post. Thank's for compiling all the information.