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Forum: Talk Bulls
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Any concerns about how the University of South Florida would handle its first preseason ranking in school history disappeared in five minutes.
That’s about how long the No. 19 Bulls needed to establish their dominance against overmatched Tennessee Martin. USF scored early and often on its way to a 56-7 victory that included a school record 28-point first quarter.
So, without further ado, start the hype for next week’s UCF game.
“Everybody’s ready to go,” USF senior linebacker Tyrone McKenzie said. “It’d be great [to duplicate last year’s 64-12 win]. We basically dominated the whole game.”
Added junior defensive end George Selvie: “It’s a big game, it’s a rivalry game right there, baby. We know we have to go out there and get a win.”
In their season opener, the Bulls (1-0) did what nationally-ranked teams — not named Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh — are supposed to against an inferior opponent: win and get the backups a lot of playing time. But even that wasn’t enough for some.
“We stalled a little bit in the second quarter, we should have stepped on their throats at that point,” USF senior center Jake Griffin said. “We’re never satisfied.
“We’re not happy, the first-team offense, we had to punt once.”
Oh, the humanity.
Not even pregame showers could dampen the Bulls’ night at Raymond James Stadium before an announced crowd of 48,058, the sixth-largest home crowd in program history and second-largest for a home opener.
“We just haven’t played real good football [in past openers],” USF coach Jim Leavitt said. “We really weren’t focused in the past. I’m sure Tennessee Martin will do good in their league, but that’s not what we’re going to be facing [the rest of the year].
“I’m proud of our players. They came out and did what they needed to do.”
Quarterback Matt Grothe (6-of-8, 96 yards, two TDs) only played one half and spent the second half on the sideline talking with former Bulls Mike Jenkins and Trae Williams.
Wide receiver Jessie Hester Jr. had touchdown receptions of 18 and 22 yards. Senior running back Benjamin Williams had a game-high 70 yards rushing, including a nifty 45-yard run complete with a 360-degree spin move.
The offense rolled up 520 yards, including 300 yards rushing.
Senior Marcus Edwards racked up a school-record 124 yards on seven punt returns.
“The blocking up front was great,” Edwards said. “I had the easiest job. All I had to do was run.”
The defense also dominated.
Technically, the Bulls pitched a shutout, as the Skyhawks’ only touchdown came when Dontrell Miller returned quarterback B.J. Daniels fumble 64 yards for a touchdown.
UT Martin (0-1) managed only 97 yards offense, and both times the Skyhawks took over in USF territory courtesy of turnovers, the defense didn’t allow a first down.
“I’ll take that every day,” USF defensive coordinator Wally Burnham said.
Daniels, USF’s heralded true freshman, rebounded from his fumble to play a solid fourth quarter, completing all four passes for 86 yards.
“I always dreamed of coming out of that tunnel,” Daniels aid. “I did OK. I know I’ve still got things to work on.”
In that final quarter, USF senior Cameron Perkins partially blocked a punt that junior Theo Wilson returned 67 yards for his first career TD with 11:39 remaining. Moise Plancher capped the rout with a 13-yard TD run, his second of the night, with 2:20 remaining.
Afterward, Leavitt was pleased that several of his third and fourth team players saw significant action. But he was already looking to this week’s visit to Orlando.
“We understand Central Florida,” Leavitt said. “We understand how good they are, the tall order to go into Bright House [Stadium] and compete with them. It will be a big challenge for us. We understand how good they are. That they are conference champions. That we have to play a great game to beat them.”
Let the UCF hype begin.
Posted by Thomas Kenyon, Sarasota on 08/31 at 07:18 PM
Brett, I agree with you that the severest loss for the Bulls is in the middle of the D-line. The linebacker group and defensive backfield are as sound as last year.
Thought here is that the offense will be the great reason for vast improvement by the Bulls. Time, and injuries, will tell.
Posted by The Ricker, Valrico, FL on 08/31 at 06:30 PM
The woman that got the game ball in the first quarter for you guys was hot. Congratulations on the sponsorship!
Posted by Sammy in St. Pete, on 08/31 at 05:14 PM
Brett,
I read in that other paper that USF had a 1,000 yard rusher in each of the first nine seasons. That can’t be true, can it?
Posted by Smooth, Miami, FL on 08/31 at 04:09 PM
lol, thanks for buying into coachspeak sir. You’ve really displayed your analytical skills quite well. If there was not a character limit on the posts, I could elaborate further however I guess we will have to wait and see until the games are played before we debate more. I’ll be back.
Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 03:26 PM
Smooth? Post your actual name so when you return, I’ll know who you are. You predict 10-2; I’ve got 9-3. We’ll see who’s wrong. Not much drop off on defense and the DL is better? Two sophomores with virtually no experience at NT better than Clebert? I doubt it. Why don’t you ask Leavitt what Clebert meant and how damaging it was when he was hurt 2nd half of last year. Yes, the safeties can cover for CBs, but that means no blitzing, which means more time for the QB to throw. Also Burnham said last year: “Ben is the guy we’re going to miss the most next year.” Thanks for pointing everything else out, though. I really don’t follow the team much.
Posted by Smooth, Miami, FL on 08/31 at 02:56 PM
I never said USF will go 12-0 but its certainly not out of the realm of possibility either. I think USF will have an 11 win season including a Bowl victory. C’mon, USF’s defense will not see that much of a drop off if any. I honestly believe the D-line is better than last year and the LB corps is even better, as good as Moffit was, he was not the best LB on the unit, T-Mac was. Tyller Roberts is the only weakness in the secondary and that will be covered by our experienced safeties. You obviously don’t follow the team that well if you can’t acknowledge that.
I look forward to revisiting this Blog at the end of the year to see who was right and who was wrong...if we do not sustain any major injuries, I’m confident you will be wrong.
Posted by Ari Hinkelberger, The Mountain Top on 08/31 at 02:28 PM
Brett - Brett,
For future generations, could you please, please - for the love of betty, please give up on Pitt. Please??
Pitt was terrible last year. They are going to be terrible again this year. They have no QB. I really feel bad for that RB. Its a shame he has such a terrible team around him.
Pitt - Brett - Pitt = Garbarge.
Thank you.
Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 02:09 PM
Dr. Smooth, improvement doesn’t always mean better W-L. I think most people would expect USF’s D not to be as good as last year (losing Williams, Jenkins, Moffitt, Clebert). Also, USF must play at UL and UC (where it’s never won) and try to beat WVU for a third time. I picked Pitt second because they had the nation’s No. 5 D last year, solid running game, lost starting QB in first game & had turnover problems. This year, QB is healthy and turnovers usually have a way of evening out. It didn’t Saturday as they lost four TOs to BG. But that’s why I think UConn won’t do well this year. It’s only my opinion, “not a smack in the face.” Would you rather me blindly pick USF to go 12-0 every year, when I don’t believe that will happen?
Posted by Smooth, Miami, FL on 08/31 at 01:56 PM
Because of the character limit, I will have to use 2 posts…
Yet you felt like a Pitt team last year that finished with a losing record and has a terrible college coach would leap frog us in terms of wins. This logic is dubious at best. I don’t know if you’re intentionally being antagonistic or not but from an unbiased perspective, I just can’t understand your picks.
Posted by Smooth, Miami, FL on 08/31 at 01:55 PM
Brett,
I was concerned with you’re ranking of Pitt ahead of USF because it seemed like a smack in the face of the hometown team, not to mention Pitt didn’t really show anything other than that win against WVU(which I believe that WVU choked rather than Pitt winning). We beat Pitt last year and we also are returning 17 starters. Va Tech was the returning ACC champs, and Clemson has a lot more talent than Pitt on paper.
Even though you were correct last year about your predictions of USF going 9-3, you made the same prediction this year for us. So in essence, even though we are returning 17 starters from a team that won 9 games last year coupled with the fact that our schedule is more favorable you still think we won’t improve?
Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 01:39 PM
Jon, keep bust’n!
Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 01:39 PM
Smooth, Dr. J, I have not started compiling this week’s AP ballot yet. Have some other work I need to get finished first. Plus since there are games Sunday and Monday, the AP ballots aren’t due until noon Tuesday. As soon as I have my ballot completed, I will immediately post it here. But here’s one thing I do know: - Pitt will not be in my Top 25. Start the parades down Fowler Avenue.
Posted by Jon McKee, Sarasota on 08/31 at 01:38 PM
You have a blind spot Brett, it’s called Pitt. Everyone else can see it.
Hey we just like bust’n your chops.
Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 01:34 PM
Dave, Dr. J, I honestly thought Pitt’s talent would succeed in spite of Wannstedt. For what it’s worth, Pitt had 150 more yards offense than Bowling Green, but couldn’t overcome four turnovers. Maybe they can right the ship or perhaps this will snowball into another non-winning season for Pitt.
Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 01:31 PM
Smooth, SV, concerning Pitt: I did not predict they would go 12-0 and win the national title. I simply predicted they would finish second in the Big East. They still could finish second or they could go 0-7 in Big East play. We’ll find out soon enough. Why the obsession with Pitt? Why not question me ranking Clemson or Va. Tech so high?
Posted by Dr. J, miami on 08/31 at 01:23 PM
smooth, you beat me to getting on Brett. Brett I dont know why you have any faith in a dave wannstedt coached team. We learned that down here in miami
Posted by Smooth, Miami, FL on 08/31 at 12:51 PM
Hey Brett,
Where are you going to put USF in your next ballot? Will you have Alabama jump up ahead of us because of what they did to Clemson? Although Clemson was grossly overrated...they will struggle to win 8 games with that terrible O-line of theirs
Posted by Dave Weber, Pittsburgh, PA on 08/31 at 11:48 AM
I’m sorry, Brett, but I told ya so about the Panthers. Wanny and Cavanaugh are simply terrible game-day coaches. The talent is obviously there (though USF is faster. McKillop, McCoy (because he really is outstanding), Romeus, and Kinder are the only guys who would significantly upgrade the roster. But the coaches are just bad, and I hate saying that because it is hard to root against the ‘Stache. The mood on campus here (I go to Pitt Law now) was pretty poor, but deep down, they knew a letdown was coming.
For our game, I thought that the fumbling was the biggest problem. The punt returning was so much better than last year, and it’s that the blocking was much improved. Hopefully none of the injuries are serious, especially Schmidt.
Posted by Jason, on 08/31 at 10:28 AM
I have started flipping the skirts of the UCF goons with comments on the orlando sentinel. Please join. Next sat is going to be a blood bath. Go Bulls!
Posted by Carl Hillman, Gainesville, aka gator hell on 08/31 at 10:26 AM
Brett, I also thought Pitt would be much improved over last year. Oh well, maybe they will rebound, just not against the bulls. Not much to say about last nights game, really good crowd considering conditions and opponent. The team looked very efficient even with a vanilla offense and defense. Did what they were supposed to do. Our overall team speed looked better and the special teams played well. Should be a fun year. See ya at the UCF game.
Posted by orlandobucsfan, Orlando on 08/31 at 08:57 AM
All of us Bulls fans (and alumni like myself)need to realize that the UCF players and Orlando media wouldn’t care if UCF lost all their other games as long as UCF beats USF. So, even though UCF isn’t as talented as USF, you can expect them to give their best effort of the season. Hopefully, it won’t be enough. The Orlando Sentinel (Slantinel) loves to blast USF...their comment today was “USF loves cupcakes”...ironically after UCF beat their own cupcake South Carolina State!
Posted by Les Forster, Melbourne, FL on 08/31 at 08:28 AM
UCF struggled against a weak sister. Next game should be only a tad more difficult than yesterday.
Posted by Jon McKee, Sarasota on 08/31 at 12:07 AM
Or is Brett the media hype? I don’t think they thought that highly of Pitt in Pennsylvannia. What were thinkin’?
Posted by sv, on 08/30 at 11:05 PM
Yea he clearly fell in to the PITT media hype.
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Posted by Brett McMurphy, on 08/31 at 08:39 PM
Sammy, I did happen to see that and yes, it was incorrect. USF did not have 1,000-yard rushers in each of the first nine seasons. They had three. That was a mistake in the media guide. Apparently it wasn’t edited very well. The Ricker, thanks. But with or without the sponsorship, we’ll continue to cover USF, as we have the past five decades, as Tampa’s hometown team. Thomas, great to hear from you. You’re right, injuries, for a large part, always seem to determine how successful a team is. For instance if Schmidt’s injury is something that lingers all year - and it doesn’t appear serious - that would be a huge blow to the O-line.