Incremental improvement

[macphisto]

I'm hoping what we saw last night was a sign of some year to year improvement in how a season is played out.  The past two years we've gone on three game skids and last year we went 2-5 to close out the season.

The major test is finishing strong and I like that the team came back from such a miserable defeat last week and did so on a short week.  I'm also encouraged by Leavitt taking responsibility for restraining Daniels last week (and likely before that) instead of allowing him to do what he does best.

The key is going to be going forward, but I think each and every one of our remaining games is winnable.  And the next game at Rutgers would be a great win for the psyche of the team because it was at Rutgers that all the meltdowns began back in 2007.  A win there would strengthen the team going forward and have them feeling good going into a home game versus a bad Louisville squad.

For now it seems that disaster has been averted, but the team still has to not be complacent.

Reality is that the best USF season thus far is still within reach.  We can still claim wins over both FSU and Miami in a single season - a boon for recruiting in this state.  We can also claim our first 10 win season. 

[NCBull]

Nice post, but there was nothing "incremental" about last night's improvement, ESPECIALLY if we're comparing it to the Pitt debacle.  But you're right that it remains to be seen if we're going to be inconsistent again the rest of the season, or if this is the righting of the ship we all want and this team deserves.

For me, the litmus test is Rutgers...if CJL can win that one, we'll know something.

[Fold FB Invest in BB]

I don't see how there is not improvement here. We lost to #8 and #14 teams in the country with a very young team (overall). Arguably, our best talent has yet to see the field. Give the staff some credit for bouncing back from a demoralizing loss and executing a solid game plan on both sides of the ball and have some perspective anf foresight.

[NCBull]

I meant that the improvement was large and significant, not incremental.

[Bruce Blingstein]

Agree...Rutgers is a HUGE game!

[cmhatter]

I really can't wait for the Rutgers game...

[macphisto]

Nice post, but there was nothing "incremental" about last night's improvement, ESPECIALLY if we're comparing it to the Pitt debacle.  But you're right that it remains to be seen if we're going to be inconsistent again the rest of the season, or if this is the righting of the ship we all want and this team deserves.

For me, the litmus test is Rutgers...if CJL can win that one, we'll know something.

I didn't convey well what I was really meaning.

I look at it as incremental improvement over the past two years, stopping the skid at two games instead of three and not having to do it against a bad team like we did in 2007.  Last year we squeaked by UConn and proceeded to lose to WVU. 

The hope is that this more like 2007 where we stop the skid and win out, going to a good bowl.  Hopefully not to lose that bowl like we did to Oregon.

Winning out puts us at 10-2 and gives us an outside shot at the Gator Bowl that might take us over a 10-2 Pitt.  Much will depend on what happens with Pitt and Notre Dame, but our showing at FSU fanwise and a win versus Miami will help us.

And there's still an outside shot for two Big East BCS squads depending on how it plays out with Pitt and Cincy.

But this didn't become a three game skid.

Winning in Piscataway is the best way to exorcise the demons after this WVU win because that's where the October slides started back in 2007 - on a Thursday night no less.  The reality is that we have the talent to manhandle this Rutgers team.  If we do that it will be a great sign and hopefully leave us at 8-2 going into Miami if we don't ignore Louisville.

[Blackice12]

USF just happens to play WVU really well.  USF still needs work on offense. The offense needs to learn how to have systematic drives down the field. Right now they still rely on the big play and the QB running instead of the RBs . 

[IncrediBULL]

USF just happens to play WVU really well.  USF still needs work on offense. The offense needs to learn how to have systematic drives down the field. Right now they still rely on the big play and the QB running instead of the RBs . 

I agree with you 100% on that.  Watch the WVU first drive, almost all the Pitt drives teh week before.  Very solid, and without hesitation.  Just moved the ball down the field and used up time.

BJ running to save us, and a few long passes were cool and helped us win this past weekend, but we need to be able to run and pass on a regular basis and consistently.