I'm NOT jumping off a cliff. [gasp]

[BigShoop]

There was a time, very recently, that USF did not match up athletically and/or size-wise with the other "big" programs. Now, man for man, we do.

I think USF fans need to take a moment, and realize that it takes TIME to BUILD a quality program. USF has had teams, here and there, throughout it's short history. But the program is still building. Programs are not built by hiring and firing coaches, fans jumping on and off the bandwagon, and expectations rising and falling every 3 weeks.

We're almost there, Bulls fans. A couple seasons spent learning what it takes to win will pay off in the long run.

4 years ago, we did not have a smart football team. That's just a fact. That crop has slowly, but surely, been replaced by a smarter group, which will be replaced by an even smarter group of players. Somewhere in that time frame, I think is when this program will take the next step.

I think our history with Miami exemplifies what I'm saying. Take a look at each game we've played them, how those games went and how we competed.

Gm 1: Pat Julmiste [shudder]

Gm 2: 31-10 ass whipping, where they completely out-manned us in the trenches.

Gm 3: 23-20 OT win. Sloppy game, injuries all over, we pull it out of our ass in the end to win.

Gm 4: We not only matchup, but dominate the line of scrimmage. We lose our offensive weapon, and THEY pull it out of their ass in the end to win.

I'm just as pissed about this loss as ANY of us, trust me, but in the grand scheme of things, I see progress.

[Joe]

This is probably the worst Miami team since 1996. They're a name, but theyre also in shambles...

[Bull94]

this is when we need to pass a program on the decline. oh well. maybe next time

[Skingraft]

I have always tried not to get too high or too low when we win or lose...tonight I lost my cool-not my goal...

I just saw a lot of heart from our guys tonight and felt our coaches could have given them more chances to win

It is what it is...can't truly blame anyone as everyone was there on the field...just felt those players pain....and felt the pain of a 5-5 year

Just rough on us all

[Rex Havoc]

I have always tried not to get too high or too low when we win or lose...tonight I lost my cool-not my goal...

I just saw a lot of heart from our guys tonight and felt our coaches could have given them more chances to win

It is what it is...can't truly blame anyone as everyone was there on the field...just felt those players pain....and felt the pain of a 5-5 year

Just rough on us all

Our coaching and game calling on offense suck! Every team runs the ball on Miami, every team but us. Our team has no identity.

[Joe]

I have always tried not to get too high or too low when we win or lose...tonight I lost my cool-not my goal...

I just saw a lot of heart from our guys tonight and felt our coaches could have given them more chances to win

It is what it is...can't truly blame anyone as everyone was there on the field...just felt those players pain....and felt the pain of a 5-5 year

Just rough on us all

Our coaching and game calling on offense suck! Every team runs the ball on Miami, every team but us. Our team has no identity.

We tried. They were stopping the run...

[Rex Havoc]

I have always tried not to get too high or too low when we win or lose...tonight I lost my cool-not my goal...

I just saw a lot of heart from our guys tonight and felt our coaches could have given them more chances to win

It is what it is...can't truly blame anyone as everyone was there on the field...just felt those players pain....and felt the pain of a 5-5 year

Just rough on us all

Our coaching and game calling on offense suck! Every team runs the ball on Miami, every team but us. Our team has no identity.

We tried. They were stopping the run...

We gave up on the run too early, and we need to throw the ball more then 3 feet to open up the offense. We play too conservative! We have a phobia of throwing the ball more then 15 yards in the air

[Joe]

I have always tried not to get too high or too low when we win or lose...tonight I lost my cool-not my goal...

I just saw a lot of heart from our guys tonight and felt our coaches could have given them more chances to win

It is what it is...can't truly blame anyone as everyone was there on the field...just felt those players pain....and felt the pain of a 5-5 year

Just rough on us all

Our coaching and game calling on offense suck! Every team runs the ball on Miami, every team but us. Our team has no identity.

We tried. They were stopping the run...

We gave up on the run too early, and we need to throw the ball more then 3 feet to open up the offense. We play too conservative! We have a phobia of throwing the ball more then 15 yards in the air

I agree we need to take more shots, but we ran more than we passed. And Miami was getting too much pressure on BJ and later Bobby

[Ghost]

I agree that we have no offensive identity. Besides, of course, running a bubble screen every other play. We only ran like 4 plays the whole game. Our offensive playbook must be paper thin.

We should have gone on at least one of the 276 4th and 1s we had. Try some trickery. Conservative coaching at its best. I feel bad for our players.

That said, the defense was very good tonight. If I were a defensive player, I wouldnt even look at anyone on offense for a week. The offensive players dont deserve to be in their presence.

[emrober5]

There was a time, very recently, that USF did not match up athletically and/or size-wise with the other "big" programs. Now, man for man, we do.

I think USF fans need to take a moment, and realize that it takes TIME to BUILD a quality program. USF has had teams, here and there, throughout it's short history. But the program is still building. Programs are not built by hiring and firing coaches, fans jumping on and off the bandwagon, and expectations rising and falling every 3 weeks.

We're almost there, Bulls fans. A couple seasons spent learning what it takes to win will pay off in the long run.

4 years ago, we did not have a smart football team. That's just a fact. That crop has slowly, but surely, been replaced by a smarter group, which will be replaced by an even smarter group of players. Somewhere in that time frame, I think is when this program will take the next step.

I think our history with Miami exemplifies what I'm saying. Take a look at each game we've played them, how those games went and how we competed.

Gm 1: Pat Julmiste [shudder]

Gm 2: 31-10 ass whipping, where they completely out-manned us in the trenches.

Gm 3: 23-20 OT win. Sloppy game, injuries all over, we pull it out of our ass in the end to win.

Gm 4: We not only matchup, but dominate the line of scrimmage. We lose our offensive weapon, and THEY pull it out of their ass in the end to win.

I'm just as pissed about this loss as ANY of us, trust me, but in the grand scheme of things, I see progress.

Great post, and I agree, but when you rise as fast as this program has, fans get expectations.

I can't remember a season as disappointing as this one. Picked to contend for the BE championship, lots of talent on both sides of the ball, and to lose 4 in a row (to teams that aren't as talented, at all) is sickening. Recruits see it, and the Big 12/ACC see it. I can take a close loss to Miami, but at some point this program has to translate progress into wins.

I agree we are close, and I believe Holtz will be a winning coach for us. It is hard not to be aggravated with the way the season has gone, though.