Official USF Game Thread

[anomander]

That can qualify academically.

Yep. No doubt Blair is starting, and making a difference today "IF" he was here,.

Only thing is even if his academics were in order he would have been playing for Ohio St today so there is that. There is a reason we got him so easily.

 

[RF2044]

That can qualify academically.

Sadly, that was my first thought reading that post, as well.

Although I think that both Cordy / Williams have potential. The real weakness in the defensive secondary isn't safety.

 

[dasher]

This reinforces my thoughts on talent..

We'll be good when we can recruit some NFL talent in the secondary.

Every team that doesn't get lit up by South florida has NFL talent in the secondary? Yes, we need talent all over the field. But 45 pts to South florida? That is more than talent.

 

[Shenexon]

We lost a game today ...badly...but it's one game and means little beyond that. I think it was coaching, but it was a loss that we didn't expect, so we need to do better next week. I love these kids and mourn their loss, but won't damn anyone...it was a loss and one that we should have won...missed opportunities...

 

[RF2044]

We lost a game today ...badly...but it's one game and means little beyond that. I think it was coaching, but it was a loss that we didn't expect, so we need to do better next week. I love these kids and mourn their loss, but won't damn anyone...it was a loss and one that we should have won...missed opportunities...

Coaching and preparation. And the frosh looked like frosh today in their first road game.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Games like this make me think "Gee, it would have been really nice if Reddish had redshirted."

 

[RF2044]

Games like this make me think "Gee, it would have been really nice if Reddish had redshirted."

Agree 100%. Especially for a handful of plays at WR his true freshman season.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Its one thing to lose to USF but to get blown out with them running the same 3 plays over and over is unacceptable. This team is staring at 5-7 at best, not sure the staff survives.

 

[OttoinGrotto]

Agree 100%. Especially for a handful of plays at WR his true freshman season.

I get that you want to play your top freshmen because they can help you that season, but that also probably means they'd be really good as 5th year seniors.

 

[RF2044]

Its one thing to lose to USF but to get blown out with them running the same 3 plays over and over is unacceptable. This team is staring at 5-7 at best, not sure the staff survives.

That feels knee jerk. You are never as great as you look when you play well nor as poor when you struggle. We took it on the chin today, no question. But there are plenty of winnable games left on the schedule to proclaim 5-7.

Now, if they don't fix some things defensively...

 

[cuseguy]

Its one thing to lose to USF but to get blown out with them running the same 3 plays over and over is unacceptable. This team is staring at 5-7 at best, not sure the staff survives.

Our run defense today looked like it did in that bad Georgia Tech loss a few years ago.

No push from the DL, no containment on the edge, poor tackling.

We could never get after their running QB.

 

[JeremyCuse]

That feels knee jerk. You are never as great as you look when you play well nor as poor when you struggle. We took it on the chin today, no question. But there are plenty of winnable games left on the schedule to proclaim 5-7.

Now, if they don't fix some things defensively...

Honestly im not sure it is.
FSU - loss
Clemson - loss
Lville - loss
BC - Should win
Pitt - ? Not a great matchup
NC State - ? let say win
Virginia - ? who the hell knows.

With three guaranteed losses we would need to go 3-1 against BC, Pitt, NC State and UVA with two of those on the road. With this defense I don't see it.

 

[Pearl309]

The edges were horrendous. Poor tackling, angles, eaten up by blocks.
It was a clinic

 

[RF2044]

I get that you want to play your top freshmen because they can help you that season, but that also probably means they'd be really good as 5th year seniors.

I think we're at that point with the roster that all but a handful can start to be redshirted. I'm encouraged by the direction recruiting is going--we have better athletes [and are bringing in even better ones] than we had five years ago. But the majority of our recruits are developmental guys who would benefit from that reshirt.

As you point out, Reddish playing next to Winfield would change a lot in the secondary.

 

[CuseHulk]

Its one thing to lose to USF but to get blown out with them running the same 3 plays over and over is unacceptable. This team is staring at 5-7 at best, not sure the staff survives.

If ends up 5-7. Shafer and the staff will survive. With next season being the make or break season.

 

[Millhouse]

Every team that doesn't get lit up by South florida has NFL talent in the secondary? Yes, we need talent all over the field. But 45 pts to South florida? That is more than talent.

everyone can throw on this defense.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Our run defense today looked like it did in that bad Georgia Tech loss a few years ago.

No push from the DL, no containment on the edge, poor tackling.

We could never get after their running QB.

Yup just as bad, the worst part is there was zero adjustments made. Even more concerning the strenght of the D, the LB core was absolutely brutal. Franklin was MIA and Hodge was awful. They just ran off tackle for 9 yards a carry it was Grob era level bad. I felt like we were Georgia State or something out there.

 

[RF2044]

Honestly im not sure it is.
FSU - loss
Clemson - loss
Lville - loss
BC - Should win
Pitt - ? Not a great matchup
NC State - ? let say win
Virginia - ? who the hell knows.

With three guaranteed losses we would need to go 3-1 against BC, Pitt, NC State and UVA with two of those on the road. With this defense I don't see it.

It definitely is. Throwing in the towel is a common phenomenon on this board after a loss. If we lose next week, time to get concerned.

 

[orangenirvana]

Games like this make me think "Gee, it would have been really nice if Reddish had redshirted."

Don't worry. Shafer doesn't waste redshirts anymore.

 

[JeremyCuse]

It definitely is. Throwing in the towel is a common phenomenon on this board after a loss. If we lose next week, time to get concerned.

Not throwing the towel just being realistic and seeing what the schedule is moving forward. You dont need to be Rasputin to see this team is in big trouble.

 

[RF2044]

Not throwing the towel just being realistic and seeing what the schedule is moving forward. You dont need to be Rasputin to see this team is in big trouble.

I'm not calling you out, Jeremy. But realistically, there are multiple winnable games. Let's see how we regroup before declaring the season dead. If we play like we did today, then we won't win enough of them. If we play better, then we've got a solid shot.

Realistically, the goal for this year is to get to bowl eligibility--not the 8 or 9 win nonsense some were predicting this past week.

 

[orangecuse]

That feels knee jerk. You are never as great as you look when you play well nor as poor when you struggle. We took it on the chin today, no question. But there are plenty of winnable games left on the schedule to proclaim 5-7.

Now, if they don't fix some things defensively...

This is very true, however, the coaches had 2 full weeks to prepare for this (average at best) USF team, including being able to watch their affair last Friday night on national TV against Memphis. This team came out to start the game like it was very disinterested. There's no way to slice this defeat other than it being incredibly disappointing.

 

[RF2044]

This is very true, however, the coaches had 2 full weeks to prepare for this (average at best) USF team, including being able to watch their affair last Friday night on national TV against Memphis. This team came out to start the game like it was very disinterested. There's no way to slice this defeat other than it being incredibly disappointing.

I agree with everything in your post. I posted above in response to Shenexon basically the same thing--we looked unprepared, after a bye week, which is unacceptable.

 

[JeremyCuse]

Realistic? There are multiple winnable games. Let's see how we regroup before declaring the season dead.

Realistically, the goal for this year is to get to bowl eligibility--not the 8 or 9 win nonsense some were predicting this past week.

Again I dont see a statement where I declared the season dead. Taking an honest look at the schedule i see a big issue getting to 6 wins. This defense is what it is unless there's a new rule allowing new players to come in mid season.

 

[RF2044]

Again I dont see a statement where I declared the season dead. Taking an honest look at the schedule i see a big issue getting to 6 wins. This defense is what it is unless there's a new rule allowing new players to come in mid season.

5-7 and the coaching staff on the hot seat sounds like declaring it dead.

If we bounce back next week, we'll be in solid shape. If not, then I'll be the first one to personally give you a mea culpa. I'll be very interested to see how this team responds to the adversity experienced today in the next game.