Attention Mike Ford

[smazza]

The biggest mistake of your life was coming to play football at South Florida. You are the most talented player in the program and the only people in the stadium that dont see that is our coaches. I will never understand why we dont use you more. Personally I think it cost us atleast 1 game last year, and we prob would have won last nights game if we gave you the rock. You have the talent to be a NFL back but are wasting your time at USF. You should look into transfering to another school that knows how to use a big time back.

That being said, If I were a big time HS RB there is no way I would ever consider USF. These coaches are fools they sure knew how to use Andre Hall when we had no QB, now that we have a good QB they dont use the RB. Amazing.

ford situation is bizarre

it is the leavitt way not to play the best players

[smazza]

Ok.... before Thursday night, I was a believer in the 4-RB rotation.  NOW.... we gotta go with Ford as the feature back and Taylor as the next guy.  Pittsburgh was shutting our running game down until Ford came in on that last big drive.  Not only was he knocking people over, but the line seemed to block better.  Then Grothe was able to pick up big yardage on the keeper.  Yeah, he had to dodge one guy, but that's just a case of discipline on the defender's part.

Those who believe he doesn't deserve PT, check yourselves.  He's obviously doing something right in practice if he is leading this team in carries. 

__ Eats It.... you made a great point about how he was getting taken down by arm tackles.  I swear, he had at least three carries where the last defender in his way was able to bring him down via arm tackle.  It was frustrating.  But then you brought up how he isn't a breakaway back.  Well, guess what?   WE' DON'T HAVE A BREAKAWAY BACK!!!!!!!!!   Our only true speed back is out for the season.  Nobody on this roster is going to outrun a corner.  Ford won't.  BBQ, Plancher, Kelly won't.  Don't even try me with Taylor.  He's a 4.5+  who hustles. 

And BSRN......  he also had two touchdowns against FIU AND would've had better numbers if we wouldn't have had 3 straight holding calls in our own goalline.  He contributes week in and week out, whether it's 6 yards a carry or multiple TDs.  Your point:  invalid.

Really? 6 yds/carry or multiple tds?? He has what, 1 gm of each?? So through 6 gms, based on your definition of 'contributes', he shows up 1 in 3 games. Sure does sound like a real monster.

HE DOESN'T SHOW UP BECAUSE HE'S ON THE BENCH FOR HALF THE RUNNING PLAYS!!!!!!!!!

So are Taylor, Plancher, Williams, Kelly...point?

rb by committee didnt work against pitt

[smazza]

Why is anyone enamored by Mike Ford?  He never breaks a big run and he dances East/West way too much for a bigger back.  

Man, FINALLY someone sees it.  Mike had the chance to break some BIG ones, and while he has no problem busting through and dragging tacklers for 5 more yards... in the open field if you lay a FINGER on him he goes down.  He has tremendous strength but lacks breakaway speed.

He is a power back and I would be surprised if he ever breaks a big TD run (say, 60+ yards) at USF.  That being said... he's a GREAT weapon to have, but he is by no means the savior of this team.

I would much rather run a guy who averages what seems like 8 yards a carry than a guy who can break out an occasional 60+ yard run.   and that guy should get at least 25 carries a game.  And not only runs in the 4th quarter. 

i dont think he is our savior but he should be our work horse.  Run him down the throat until they stack the box then toss the long ball. 

maybe out coaches should take coaching 101 for a refresher.   

Gregory calls the plays.  Leavitt has oversight.  If anyone is to blame it's those two.

490+ yards per game and 40 points per game don't matter when you're 0-1 with 200 yards of offense and 21 pts in the only game of the season that truly matters.  I don't think we need a coaching change, but we need something.

leavitt is head man

[NAM37]

this is the biggest problem.  not a chance i would go to usf as a big back.  

We RODE A.Hall.  He owned the ball here.  If Ford was as good as some of you think (and I've been to all the games and I don't see it) he would be on the field every play.

[Singabull]

this is the biggest problem.  not a chance i would go to usf as a big back.  

We RODE A.Hall.  He owned the ball here.  If Ford was as good as some of you think (and I've been to all the games and I don't see it) he would be on the field every play.

Andre Halll got the ball because he was the entire offense.  If matt was QB at that time, you'd see a more balanced offense.

[BJ]

It's Ford's fault we're losing games.  Not the coaches.

I'm not sure I've heard a dumber comment on this board, ever

[feardabull]

Ok.... before Thursday night, I was a believer in the 4-RB rotation.  NOW.... we gotta go with Ford as the feature back and Taylor as the next guy.  Pittsburgh was shutting our running game down until Ford came in on that last big drive.  Not only was he knocking people over, but the line seemed to block better.  Then Grothe was able to pick up big yardage on the keeper.  Yeah, he had to dodge one guy, but that's just a case of discipline on the defender's part.

Those who believe he doesn't deserve PT, check yourselves.  He's obviously doing something right in practice if he is leading this team in carries. 

__ Eats It.... you made a great point about how he was getting taken down by arm tackles.  I swear, he had at least three carries where the last defender in his way was able to bring him down via arm tackle.  It was frustrating.  But then you brought up how he isn't a breakaway back.  Well, guess what?   WE' DON'T HAVE A BREAKAWAY BACK!!!!!!!!!   Our only true speed back is out for the season.  Nobody on this roster is going to outrun a corner.  Ford won't.  BBQ, Plancher, Kelly won't.  Don't even try me with Taylor.  He's a 4.5+  who hustles. 

And BSRN......  he also had two touchdowns against FIU AND would've had better numbers if we wouldn't have had 3 straight holding calls in our own goalline.  He contributes week in and week out, whether it's 6 yards a carry or multiple TDs.  Your point:  invalid.

Really? 6 yds/carry or multiple tds?? He has what, 1 gm of each?? So through 6 gms, based on your definition of 'contributes', he shows up 1 in 3 games. Sure does sound like a real monster.

Considering the fact he didn't even play in TWO of them, and was still not 100% in the FIU game.....  and he still leads the RB corps in rushing yards and touchdowns.  If you seriously believe that we can go through this conference schedule without Ford, you're nuts.

You're trying to make your point based on one off game he had, yardage-wise.  Meanwhile, I have the TN-Martin game, Pitt game, FIU game, AND NC State game to defend my point.  Go look up the stats.     

First of all, I posted all of the RB stats a few days ago, game-by-game. So,you have what? He has led this team in rushing exactly 2 TIMES this season. NC State and Pitt --- He led in yds in the NC St gm, but hell, Plancher-Williams-Kelly averaged over 5 yd/carry with a td, just as Ford did. Not exactly a seperation from the pack game. Then there is the Pitt game...only 3 backs got carries, and Ford got more than 70% of his yards on 1 drive. That was a great drive, but far from defining as the alleged "head and shoulders" guy he's being touted as. Because we lost, its like that is the only running drive anyone can recall being effective this season. And since it happened to go to Ford and he seems to be your flavor, that makes him the obvious top guy. Nice logic. Btw...how's that FIU performance you had to go on? 14 for 24yds? Or the UTM game, where he had 7 more carries than the back with the next most and still ended up only 3rd in yards?

And who is YOUR "flavor?"  If it's anyone other than Ford or Taylor, then stop talking.  PLEASE.  My point is that Mike still leads all running backs in yards and touchdowns despite missing two and a half games.  Taylor seems to like Friday games but doesnt perform as well on any other day. 

This discussion has fizzled out.