Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 21, 2009 (Suggest removal)

That was a fun game to watch: not an instant blowout, a few lead changes, and the good guys win in the end. By an appropriately sizeable margin. Great job, guys.

I was happy to see a lot less of #3 Murphy, for whatever reason, as the game wore on. He is so athletic, but he makes a lot of mistakes, and it seems like the other team’s offense just looks to see where Murphy is lined up and throws in that direction. His occasional spectacular play doesn’t offset. Oh, and special teams, PLEASE. Watch the tape and see how much you need to improve. A lot.

Now, let’s get ready to hang it on Miami. I could not have cared less at the start of the season if we lost every game but beat FSU and UM, and I said so. Now let’s go get UM. Go Bulls!

Por (Ken) on November 21, 2009 (Suggest removal)

A Miami win at home would be HUGE. FSU and Miami in one year, and at least an 8-4 record. Third, or tied for third in the conference is still a distinct possibility.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 22, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Think about AFTER the game, that we can say we beat the Noles & Canes in the same year. What would either team say except “It was a down year for us.” A loser’s excuse. Teams that don’t bring their best when playing USF have a funny way of getting defeated. 5 years into Big East play and we have shown that we are middle of the pack, but what an upside! Not too many good teams out of our conference would dare to take us on, because they are AFRAID of taking the loss. Miami has been up and down this year.  WE CAN TAKE THEM. UConn has had our number but they are up and down this year, too. WE CAN TAKE THEM. But honestly, UM is the Super Bowl as far as I’m concerned. leave it all on the field and worry about the Huskies another time.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 22, 2009 (Suggest removal)

By the way, the appalling lack of comments after a USF WIN compared to the number of comments after a LOSS indicates that there are a lot more Gators, Noles and Canes fans writing negative comments here than Bulls fans ever would. And a handful of bozos who have a childish lack of perspective on this 12 year old program. Need more proof? Compare the 50,000 supporters of the program who showed up at the stadium versus the 25 or so who write anonymously on blogs under multiple names to get rid of our coach. ‘Nuff said.

Por (joecole) on November 22, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I’m pleased the Bulls won, but there are still major issues that need to be addressed.  Leavitt said that himself.  We cannot play this way against UM.  I thought the play calling was waaay off base as usual.  4 and 2 and we pass?  Dumb. Plus we allow Louisville to run a kick off back for a TD?  How?!  We are woefully weak in that aspect of the game.  Dan, you are correct…UM is the superbowl.  After another mid-season slide, the only way to salvage this season is to beat UM.  We took down FSU. If we can take down UM, this program takes another HUGE leap forward, despite the losses to Rut, Pitt and Cinci.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 22, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Joe, not just that, but RECRUITING gets helped if we beat UM. To me, that’s the real gold mine. That can pay dividends for years. I wanna beat UConn but I wanna beat Miami MORE. And realistically, it’s going to be WAY more interesting than just about any bowl game we could get this year or next!

Por (joecole) on November 22, 2009 (Suggest removal)

dan. screw uconn.  we can beat them.  im not worried about that.  but the nation will be watching the usf/um game.  if we put the smackdown on the canes, it erases the caustic taste of the highly damaging rutgers rout.

Por (USF99) on November 22, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I’ve been a season ticket holder since the inaugural season. Of course, I was at the game on Saturday as well. A lack of perspective is thinking that a back and forth struggle against one of the worst Division 1 teams in the nation is acceptable (or that there were anywhere near 50,000 people actually in attendance yesterday).

Fortunately, talent was able to overcome poor coaching this week.

Hopefully we finish strong, and recruit more 5-star talent on the off-season; we need it to compensate for The Diva’s ineptitude at head coach, assuming that the AD lacks the courage to do what is necessary to get to the next level.

Por (joecole) on November 23, 2009 (Suggest removal)

usf 99.  check ur facts, bro.  49,388 at saturday’s game.  we have put in 60+ a couple times this season, and the UM game is sold out.  usf has the second highest attendance in the big east and will be number 1 after the UM game.  considering our youth, we should be VERY proud of our fans.  Go Bulls!

Por (USF99) on November 23, 2009 (Suggest removal)

There 49k+ tickets distributed, that doesn’t mean anywhere near that number actually showed up for the game. One look at all of the red, empty seats, clearly demonstrates that.

Personally, I buy 8 season tickets from the Athletic Department. I couldn’t give away my extras for last saturdays game, nobody was interested.

The same must have been true for all of those who purchased mini-packs earlier in the year as well.

Por (joecole) on November 23, 2009 (Suggest removal)

UM had 38K at Landshark Stadium.  I’m making a point.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 23, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Our section was full, and it was pointed out to me that the 3rd tier on the visitor side had a lot of people sitting in it. We couldn’t see whether the home side did as well. Usually, you can’t just go up there and sit, you have to have the ticket, but the stadium looked pretty packed to me. If you want to haggle about 50,000 fans give or take 10%, be my guest. I would never sit in the 3rd tier if the 2nd tier was available. In the clubhouse they had a lot of vendors there that they usually don’t have, so I think that relates to attendance. It was a good crowd; I’m not sure you can make a case that it was not well attanded. It was a pretty full house. A loud crowd, too!

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 23, 2009 (Suggest removal)

99, I get it. You don’t like the coach. You don’t believe (for whatever reason) that there was 50,000 people there. Maybe you would be so kind as to share your insight as to what we should do about it. The coach stays because his buyout is too big, but what if it weren’t? Who you gonna get? What are your ideas? What can we do to increase attendance? Personally. I’ll stick with Jim, and the crowds have gotten bigger every year since the beginning. the student section has become ungodly versus the absenteeism we saw for so many years. I’m into investing more $$$ into assistant coaches, hiring the best people we can get, and getting Leavitt whatever help he needs to get to the next level. The crowds will come with the wins.

Por (USF99) on November 24, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I think the Athletic Dept has done a relatively good job with tickets given the economy, and another mid-season collapse. I agree that bigger crowds will come with wins.

Leavitts buyout is roughly $800k, which is roughly the same as a CarCare Bowl payout. Leavitts buyout also decreases by $100k every year (while his salary increases by $100k), so each passing year makes a buyout more attractive.

There are plenty of solid coaches available, with experience and proven success coaching in the top-tier of college football. Phil Fulmer is one example, won a National Championship at Tennessee. Tommy Tuberville is another, undefeated season at Auburn (Tuberville’s salary was about $300k less than Leavitts is this year).

Por (Don G) on November 24, 2009 (Suggest removal)

Guys,

Re: Leavitt, I’ve said the last couple of years that CJL is good enough to get USF where it is, but if you want more, then USF will need to consider a coaching change.  Since his payoff is big, only other decent alternative is to provide Leavitt with more $ to hire better assistant coaches.  If that’s done and USF still ends up no better than 8-4 and 3 or 4 in BE, then it will be clear issue is with Leavit. If USF beats Miami, then I’m on board the Jimbo train for another season or so.  BTW, Bulls always lose away at UCONN, but always beat them here in Tampa.  UCONN game is away, so expect another cold winter loss; but 8-4 with wins over FSU & Miami will indeed be a successful season.

Por (Dan Alatorre) on November 25, 2009 (Suggest removal)

I hear his buyout is $400k, $800k, and several million; I’m not sure which is correct. I don’t think USF buys him out at all if they are taking busses to games when they used to fly - it’s kind of political, but in a tough economy I don’t think that even $400k wasted sells well. I still think that since he built the program, he probably has his hand in too many pies and may not be letting his assistant coaches do their jobs, plus they don’t make enough to attract the finest to the program. That’s where I’d spend my money. A few years of that and no better results, we probably move on to a new head coach. But look at the Bucs when they made a coaching change - it may have been “time for a change”, but look at them now!