Final Thoughts...

[Nebolsky]

Overall impression: Defense stepped up to the challenge, offense not so much, although there was a little improvement.

All I have to say is... Thanks Lattimore, thanks skip and crew for giving up on the game in the last minutes. If you know we have to get down the field with little time, why run up the middle and run the clock? With over 2 minutes left on the clock.. why give up on the game with two timeouts left? I just dont understand the play calling and management.

The players played a hell of a game. The DL got pressure and TFLs.. OL held up nicely.. I feel more confident going into the rest of the season, but would have preferred to see a better coached team out there.

Skip has no emotion when the team needs it. Especially with the clear incomplete pass that was ruled a completion, skip just laughed and smiled at the official saying "you know that wasnt a catch, it hit the ground.. *chuckle*"

He needed to get in Lattimore's face for making a stupid inexcusable foul...

Get it together Skip and crew... you have a talented team, learn to use them properly.

Edited September 30, 2012 by Nebolsky

[Sellular1]

Overall impression: Defense stepped up to the challenge, offense not so much, although there was a little improvement.

All I have to say is... Thanks Lattimore, thanks skip and crew for giving up on the game in the last minutes. If you know we have to get down the field with little time, why run up the middle and run the clock? With over 2 minutes left on the clock.. why give up on the game with two timeouts left? I just dont understand the play calling and management.

The players played a hell of a game. The DL got pressure and TFLs.. OL held up nicely.. I feel more confident going into the rest of the season, but would have preferred to see a better coached team out there.

Skip has no emotion when the team needs it. Especially with the clear incomplete pass that was ruled a completion, skip just laughed and smiled at the official saying "you know that wasnt a catch, it hit the ground.. *chuckle*"

He needed to get in Lattimore's face for making a stupid excusable foul...

Get it together Skip and crew... you have a talented team, learn to use them properly.

Great post

[Joe]

BJ checked up to that run on the final drive.

[nobull.Bulls]

Coaching and the QB sucks. New coach next year and obviously a new QB (Woulard) would be huge.

[Orlando Bull]

I'll post my final thoughts here as well...

I was very impressed with the passion the team had tonight. I don't even mind DeDe's penalty in the end. It was a play where EJ Manuel kicked at him and he reacted rather than running to the sidelines like he's be neutered by all of the up-downs. Specifically in games where you're out-gunned, you can't win without passion.

Skips blunders in my mind...

Early in the game, ball hit the ground, refs called it a complete pass. Skip is asking the ref for review, smiling at him, joking at him, "pretty please sir? it sure would make me happy if ya'll'd take a look at that one". I want to see a coach that has passion. That doesn't let his team get cheated by a bad call. Get in that refs face and let him know that he is blowing it by not whistling the play dead and taking a look.

The end of the half... HOW MANY TIMES? Jesus, BJ is not good in the 2 minute drill at the end of the half. I know it, 95% of the people on this board know it, the only people who do not seem to know it are Todd Fitch and Skip Holtz. We just had a huge defensive stand, momentum was on our side, and we just gifted them 3 points for no reason.

Deep ball on their last FG drive... 3rd and a mile and they get a 47 yard gain. CALL A TIMEOUT. It was not a complete pass, again, attack a ref, MAKE them review it. You let your kids get cheated again because YOU don't want to make an ass of yourself. It's all about you right Skippy? Oh by the way, the defense would have been deflated there also, they just gave up a huge play on a 3rd down and long, maybe rally the troops with that timeout while you're not doing anything.

Floyd situation... seriously? I can't even force myself to believe that happened. You bring in a guy on 3rd and 13, who hasn't thrown a pass in 4 weeks. To face a great pass rush and number 4 team in the nation... and you actually call a play for him to drop back and PASS? WTF? I just can't even believe that happened. It has to be a run in that situation, or, maybe a bubble screen at most.

No sense of urgency toward the end of the game. Legitimately, this was not a game that we should win. But, I'd rather lose it because our players got beat, not because our coaches are so conservative on defense and so careless, and so awful at clock management that they actually counter act what was a great effort by the team.

I would personally not have any issues with Skip being fired effective immediately. Promote Fitch or Hargreaves to Interim Head Coach and start the search. There are no signs that this staff can turn things around, there is no indication that they can manage a game. They do not coach to player strengths. They do not consistently get full effort out of the team. Quite honestly, I think they have lost control. You see BJ and Davis bickering on the sidelines. BJ throws the ball away on 4th down. I don't care how stupid people think he is, I think that was a complete surrender by BJ in that moment. I don't blame him either. That kid is giving us everything he's got, and the coaches are setting him up for failure every step of the way. I also think that he was very likely playing with a concussion... if we find out that that is the truth too, I have to ask you, is ***** slapping a kid worse than sending a kid on the field with a concussion and asking him to run all over the field and put himself at risk for more shots to the head?

I hate this coach. We're all witnessing the slow and methodical murder of USF Football. It makes me very sad to see what is becoming of this program. To think of where we were just a few years ago, on everyone's radar as an up-and-coming program. To now, losing to Ball State. Looking disinterested. It's infuriating.

Edited to add...

Skip's conservative approach to the game killed us on the first kickoff tonight too. Instead of aggressively trying to pin teams back by covering up kicks very well all season, we looked like a kick coverage team that had never had to try to make a tackle before. Just another example of his conservative mindset holding the team back.

Edited September 30, 2012 by Orlando Bull

[usfgrad84]

Coaching is the major problem. This team is talented. That's what keeps them in the games.

1. Special Teams. 3 screw ups again. Actually 4, but got lucky on the punt muff.

2. Idiotic game management at end of first half. Made worse by stupid play calling in that situation.

3. Dumb personnel management.

4. Team did not play with sense of urgency down the stretch.

5. Fitch outcoached by Stoops. Murray ran 7 times all game. 4 times on the first 2 drives he was very effective. Stoops put 8 in the box and went to man coverage to stop it and Fitch had no answer. He let Stoops defense dictate what he could do.

Where was Dunkley and Welch after their early catches? Where were the TEs again? Landi had 2 catches, but I think the first one came when he was split out as a receiver. Not sure about the 2nd.

I'm more convinced than ever we have the talent to still win the BE this year. I am not sure the coaching staff has the ability to put the team in a position to do so. Most of the other coaches will be able to outcoach our crew or our staff will do something along the way to hold us back.

[El_Toro_86]

I'll post my final thoughts here as well...

I was very impressed with the passion the team had tonight. I don't even mind DeDe's penalty in the end. It was a play where EJ Manuel kicked at him and he reacted rather than running to the sidelines like he's be neutered by all of the up-downs. Specifically in games where you're out-gunned, you can't win without passion.

Skips blunders in my mind...

Early in the game, ball hit the ground, refs called it a complete pass. Skip is asking the ref for review, smiling at him, joking at him, "pretty please sir? it sure would make me happy if ya'll'd take a look at that one". I want to see a coach that has passion. That doesn't let his team get cheated by a bad call. Get in that refs face and let him know that he is blowing it by not whistling the play dead and taking a look.

The end of the half... HOW MANY TIMES? Jesus, BJ is not good in the 2 minute drill at the end of the half. I know it, 95% of the people on this board know it, the only people who do not seem to know it are Todd Fitch and Skip Holtz. We just had a huge defensive stand, momentum was on our side, and we just gifted them 3 points for no reason.

Deep ball on their last FG drive... 3rd and a mile and they get a 47 yard gain. CALL A TIMEOUT. It was not a complete pass, again, attack a ref, MAKE them review it. You let your kids get cheated again because YOU don't want to make an ass of yourself. It's all about you right Skippy? Oh by the way, the defense would have been deflated there also, they just gave up a huge play on a 3rd down and long, maybe rally the troops with that timeout while you're not doing anything.

Floyd situation... seriously? I can't even force myself to believe that happened. You bring in a guy on 3rd and 13, who hasn't thrown a pass in 4 weeks. To face a great pass rush and number 4 team in the nation... and you actually call a play for him to drop back and PASS? WTF? I just can't even believe that happened. It has to be a run in that situation, or, maybe a bubble screen at most.

No sense of urgency toward the end of the game. Legitimately, this was not a game that we should win. But, I'd rather lose it because our players got beat, not because our coaches are so conservative on defense and so careless, and so awful at clock management that they actually counter act what was a great effort by the team.

I would personally not have any issues with Skip being fired effective immediately. Promote Fitch or Hargreaves to Interim Head Coach and start the search. There are no signs that this staff can turn things around, there is no indication that they can manage a game. They do not coach to player strengths. They do not consistently get full effort out of the team. Quite honestly, I think they have lost control. You see BJ and Davis bickering on the sidelines. BJ throws the ball away on 4th down. I don't care how stupid people think he is, I think that was a complete surrender by BJ in that moment. I don't blame him either. That kid is giving us everything he's got, and the coaches are setting him up for failure every step of the way. I also think that he was very likely playing with a concussion... if we find out that that is the truth too, I have to ask you, is ***** slapping a kid worse than sending a kid on the field with a concussion and asking him to run all over the field and put himself at risk for more shots to the head?

I hate this coach. We're all witnessing the slow and methodical murder of USF Football. It makes me very sad to see what is becoming of this program. To think of where we were just a few years ago, on everyone's radar as an up-and-coming program. To now, losing to Ball State. Looking disinterested. It's infuriating.

Edited to add...

Skip's conservative approach to the game killed us on the first kickoff tonight too. Instead of aggressively trying to pin teams back by covering up kicks very well all season, we looked like a kick coverage team that had never had to try to make a tackle before. Just another example of his conservative mindset holding the team back.

+1000000000

[BayIslandBull]

Coaching and the QB sucks. New coach next year and obviously a new QB (Woulard) would be huge.

Skip isn't going to get fired after getting an extension, and he won't be starting a true freshman QB. Lets be realistic ...

[dh5158]

Coaching and the QB sucks. New coach next year and obviously a new QB (Woulard) would be huge.

Skip isn't going to get fired after getting an extension, and he won't be starting a true freshman QB. Lets be realistic ...

Agreed. If we're lucky enough to keep Woulard, I doubt he plays.