Holtz understands our frustrations

[Gismo]

http://www.tampabay....icle1255360.ece

TAMPA — USF coach Skip Holtz said he understands the frustration among fans during the team's four-game losing streak but said nobody is as disappointed as his staff and players and, particularly, himself.

"I'm certainly not trying to pass any blame or trying to wash away that responsibility," Holtz said Sunday, a day after a 37-28 loss at Temple. "That falls on us. That falls on me as the head football coach.

"I can certainly understand people's disappointment in the program and where we are right now at 2-4, because there were very high expectations for the program as we came into the season. The team is just as disappointed as everybody on the outside."

Holtz said the team's losses — 11 of 14 games going back to a 4-0 start last season — show the program has taken a step back, though his optimism comes from the way the Bulls have consistently played close with opportunities to win the games they've lost.

"From a win-loss standpoint, it would be hard to argue that we haven't (taken a step back). It would be very hard to argue that," Holtz said. "I look at where we are from a competitive standpoint. In 2½ years, there's been one half of football where we haven't been competitive, and that's the second half of the Pitt game (in 2011).

"I understand why people would be upset, losing 10 of 11 Big East games. We're not trying to do that. Everybody's embarrassed about where we are right now, nobody more than myself."

Asked specifically if he feels his job is in jeopardy — the coach received a contract extension from athletic director Doug Woolard this summer through the 2017 season, and because of that deal, USF would have to pay $2.5 million to fire him — Holtz said, "I don't coach that way," saying no administrators have said anything to him along those lines.

Holtz has been through an 0-11 season on his father Lou's staff at South Carolina: "I've been through hard times, been through difficult times. There's no doubt this is a difficult time. I look at (that) we're close, but we haven't gotten it done."

Asked if his changes during the bye week could involve any reassignment of coaching duties among his assistants, Holtz didn't rule that out. "Those are all things we have to evaluate," he said.

HELMET TOSS: Asked about the play when senior QB B.J. Daniels had his helmet ripped off with enough force to fly across the field, Holtz didn't question the absence of a face mask penalty but said he was glad there wasn't any significant injury. "I think it's scary. It's really scary to have your helmet ripped off with that speed and velocity," Holtz said. "Thank goodness it came off. If it didn't, he could have been severely injured. I thought that's what all these new rules were in place to do, to protect the defenseless player."

Edited October 8, 2012 by Gismo

[BullFan98]

Merge...

[usf97]

So he is resigning?

[Whyyyyyyy?]

we can only hope

[hm101]

bullspen: "he doesnt take responsibility"

holtz: "i am responsible"

bullspen: "well... still... fire him!"

the man is taking responsibility and communicating the things we wanted to hear. the holtz era is not over.

if you don't like him at this point its your problem not his.

[Bull Martin]

Holtz would admit he is in over his head and step down at the end of the season (without his $2.5 million buyout), if he truly understood our frustrations.

[Danm1983]

bullspen: "he doesnt take responsibility"

holtz: "i am responsible"

bullspen: "well... still... fire him!"

the man is taking responsibility and communicating the things we wanted to hear. the holtz era is not over.

if you don't like him at this point its your problem not his.

coachspeak. he's been saying that for 3 weeks now. if you actually take responsibility, something should be changed or coached or fixed. the team has not improved at all, and if it has, another area has gone unchecked and cost us.

obviously, coaches do not speak very specific, but i haven't heard anything resembling any sort of detail like "we're going to work on play calls that work," or "we're going to do pass rushing drills," or "we're going to move some players around and try a few new things." instead all we hear is "We're going to go out there and roll up our sleeves."

[swamprat]

bullspen: "he doesnt take responsibility"

holtz: "i am responsible"

bullspen: "well... still... fire him!"

the man is taking responsibility and communicating the things we wanted to hear. the holtz era is not over.

if you don't like him at this point its your problem not his.

coachspeak. he's been saying that for 3 weeks now. if you actually take responsibility, something should be changed or coached or fixed. the team has not improved at all, and if it has, another area has gone unchecked and cost us.

obviously, coaches do not speak very specific, but i haven't heard anything resembling any sort of detail like "we're going to work on play calls that work," or "we're going to do pass rushing drills," or "we're going to move some players around and try a few new things." instead all we hear is "We're going to go out there and roll up our sleeves."

Amazing, isn't it? That's exactly what Jimbo Fisher said after the loss to NC State. Fire him, too?

It doesn't matter what he says, hm101. Here, it's falling on deaf ears. Wins are the only thing that will fix the whining and complaining, not words.

Skip, knows that, too. He just can't say, "**** you people, we're working on it.", so he has to say something because silence makes it worse.

[Ghost]

bullspen: "he doesnt take responsibility"

holtz: "i am responsible"

bullspen: "well... still... fire him!"

the man is taking responsibility and communicating the things we wanted to hear. the holtz era is not over.

if you don't like him at this point its your problem not his.

coachspeak. he's been saying that for 3 weeks now. if you actually take responsibility, something should be changed or coached or fixed. the team has not improved at all, and if it has, another area has gone unchecked and cost us.

obviously, coaches do not speak very specific, but i haven't heard anything resembling any sort of detail like "we're going to work on play calls that work," or "we're going to do pass rushing drills," or "we're going to move some players around and try a few new things." instead all we hear is "We're going to go out there and roll up our sleeves."

Amazing, isn't it? That's exactly what Jimbo Fisher said after the loss to NC State. Fire him, too?

It doesn't matter what he says, hm101. Here, it's falling on deaf ears. Wins are the only thing that will fix the whining and complaining, not words.

Skip, knows that, too. He just can't say, "**** you people, we're working on it.", so he has to say something because silence makes it worse.

actually there were FSU fans talking about firing Jimbo because he couldnt beat these kinds of teams. lol so this stuff isnt just us

[usfgrad84]

That would be an idiotic move on his part. He would never get a coaching job at any level again.

Who would hire a coach that by his own actions is saying "I don't believe I can get the job done so I'll just step down".

Although he hasn't proven himself at a BCS level yet, he has proven he is a decent college coach.

In his mind he should be thinking that we can turn this around.

No one is going to walk away from $2.5 mill.

Coaching is a job to these guys. Think about what you would do in your own job. Even if things are rough, you wouldn't think you could get the job done? Every true professional at any meaningful job that I know believes he can get the job done.