Where Does USF Fit Among Florida Schools

[BullFan98]

Good article by AA at ESPN.com

http://espn.go.com/blog/ncfnation/post/_/id/60451/where-does-usf-fit-among-florida-schools

Coach Holtz is right...we need to focus on the Big East Championship numero uno.

[dabulls34]

While I agree to an extent, wins over fsu, UM and UF if they ever play us again will get our name out more than simply a Big East championship IMO. The only argument against that would be we would play in a BCS bowl but as a kid who has grown up with many D1 athletes in the past, kids want to beat their in state rivals. Until we keep proving that we can year in and year out (which i think we can) kids will go elsewhere

[BullFan98]

I respectfully disagree. I think recruits are more apt to join a program that is crowned the victor of its BCS conference. Additionally, USF would receive much more national press for doing so over beating Miami, FSU or UF. We have already beat FSU and Miami on their turf, but still no national prominance. I understand that this doesn't happen overnight, but being a perennial BCS Conference Champion will get us onto the stage quicker than wins over in state rivals. In my opinion, a perfect example of this is West Virginia. They build their program by being number one in their conference and getting on the national stage in a BCS game on a fairly consistent basis. This also equals national rankings, for the most part, in the top 25, which also brings much more press and prominance than beating an instate heavy weight. Just my two cents.

[BullFan98]

In addition, you don't focus your pre-season on beating an in state rival, as nice as that is, but instead by focusing on winning your conference games. Coach Holtz has it right with his focus on winning the BE Conference. We do this year in and year out (or atleast in the out years stay competative), then the recruits will come.

[MaltLiquorBull]

Concentrate on winning your conference title. Become a competitor or perennial winner in the Big East, and the wins against the occasional Florida school will come naturally because we will be that much better.

Last year, we were at the bottom of our conference. That is unacceptable and would still be unacceptable even if we had beaten Miami.

Concentrate on the BE title. Win it and everything else will fall into place.

[GaUSFBull]

While I agree to an extent, wins over fsu, UM and UF if they ever play us again will get our name out more than simply a Big East championship IMO.

Almost always, whenever we get those big wins, they are viewed as flukes because of how we end up in the Big East. Either that, or the other FL program is in a "down year."

Win the Big East, start a tradition of being conference champions, or at least legitimate annual contenders. That should definitely be the goal.

[DELdaBull]

Call me selfish, but I want to go to a BCS bowl game, before they no longer exist.

[Joe]

Depends. Winning the New Big East probably won't do as much for us as a win over a good FSU, UF, or Miami team.

[GaUSFBull]

Depends. Winning the New Big East probably won't do as much for us as a win over a good FSU, UF, or Miami team.

Still think being in a BCS game against another conference champion from the ACC, Big 12 or Pac 12 would be better than playing an in-state team. Winning that BCS game would be even better than that.

[Skingraft]

AA/DR