Posted by  Brian, West Palm Beach on 01/19  at  09:53 AM

Wish the guy well and move on.  My issue with him was that he seemed to lack a strategy overall.  If nothing else ... I liked him better than Rod Smith.  Lets see what Chico or whomever brings to the table.

Posted by  Paul Seiler, Jupiter, Fl on 11/15  at  07:59 AM

I have to agree on several points:
1.  With our speed, we need to get our play makers the ball in space, and let them makes plays.
2. Having 5 receivers and no backs usually means Grothe rushs a throw with bad results.  How about a safety valve to dump to?  WR’s need to spread out to give Grothe more choices.
3. Run more crossing routes, and hit WRs in stride.
4. We consistently get outcoached by Big East teams.  We need to step up and win a few of those close games.
5.  Winning at least 2 of the last 3 is crucial for momentum in ‘09 and for recruiting.  GO BULLS!!!

Posted by  Don G, Madeira Beach, FL on 11/14  at  12:13 PM

Imiusf, I would be hard-pressed to disagree with your assessment on that one.  Yeah, if we look at the last few years and having a signature win each time against really good teams, and then faltering against mediocre teams, you’re right, I guess one game’s success doesn’t guarantee results for remainder of season.  However, Bulls seniors - and there’s a bunch of them -seem to understand need to salvage this season.  Maybe extra effort & intensity will mitigate poor play-calling?  At average of 3 TDs pg, if ever we need defensive and special team scores, this year is it!

Posted by  lmiusf, Lakeland on 11/14  at  11:22 AM

Don,

I don’t think it really matters if we come out and destroy RU Saturday and show off some new looks on offense. If there’s one thing that GG is good at, its being inconsistent. He called a great game against SU and then backed that up with two horrible game plans. I don’t get any added confidence in this team with a big win because I know just how inconsitent GG’s game to game play calling is.

Posted by  Don G, Madeira Beach, FL on 11/14  at  10:43 AM

I agree w/those about moving pocket and screen passes, etc. Would be odd if USF didn’t have those plays - which avoid predictable offense.  Maybe offensive inconsistency is due to lack of adjustments because of lack of needed plays? Re: Bulls 3.3 TDs pg, how often do good teams win with just 3 offensive TDs pg?  For kicks, add 2 FGs pg (27ppg). If Bulls scored 27ppg, our record is 4-4 vs 1-A verses current 5-3 record. I’d guess top 15 teams score more TDs than 3pg?  Let’s wait till Saturday, as we’ll know where this team is and how good GG & CJL are.

Posted by  Mike, tampa on 11/13  at  10:39 PM

Brett,

When you watch the Rutgers/USF game this weekend keep an eye on the routes run by the receivers.  The majority of routes are button hook patterns.  Can Grothe not hit a reciever on the move or what?  I think is “or what”.  I would say our playbook lacks imagination!

Posted by  Patrick O'Rourke, D.C. on 11/13  at  09:21 PM

The more I learn about this guy (Gregory), the more I understand why this offense can’t get the job done against DECENT competition.

Just keep padding those stats against powerhouses like UT-Martin and FIU, coach Gregory.  Who needs an offense that can rise to the occasion in games that matter?

Posted by  Mark Vance,  on 11/13  at  06:25 PM

Gregory could learn a thing or two from Mike Gundy. A true leader of men shoulders at least some burden for the failings of his offense.

On the loss to Texas:
“It was my fault,” said Gundy, OSU’s play-caller. “The players deserved to win, and we didn’t have very good play-calling.”

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/13  at  01:43 PM

Jack, the offensive and defensive numbers are a product of a weak nonconference schedule. So is USF’s won-loss record to an extent. Leavitt schedules the FIUs, I-AA’s etc., and perhaps because of that USF looks better early on than it really is or the Big East coaches have a good read on how to play against USF.

Posted by  jack, sarasota on 11/13  at  01:18 PM

Hey Brett its hard to beleive our struggles when you see our offensive and defensive rankings. It seems that when the offense or defense needs to make a play (with the exection of ucf in ot and maybe the kansas game interseption) they cant. It also seems like this offense has not been very explosive this year.

Posted by  Rich, Tampa on 11/13  at  10:32 AM

Brett,

I should have said not as good as expected. adjustments are made by every team. an OC should be able to come up with some plays to counteract a weakness. Early in the year, you saw teams adjust to Selvie and the pass rush. They rolled pockets, used shovel passes and screens, and kept an extra blocker in the backfield. We continually go to an empty backfield and keep Grothe in the pocket. Then they blitz. Keep Williams back there instead of motioning him out into a receiver position. Pick up the blitzer or send him out for a screen. How about a pitch to the outside to get our RBs in space instead of running between the tackles almost exclusively?

Idiocy - doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Posted by  lmiusf, Lakeland on 11/13  at  10:29 AM

That is precisely GG’s problem. The year is almost over and still no adjustments.

Shouldn’t roll outs and screens be staples in a “spead” offense? Really aren’t they staples in ALL offensive schemes? If our play book doesn’t have roll out options for a dual threat QB or screen plays for sub 4.5 recivers maybe there inlies the problem.

Bottom line is that GG is a Mid Major OC and that statement is actually a slap in the face to a few Mid Major OCs, and he has no idea how to use the weapons on our offense.

Posted by  Mike, tampa on 11/13  at  10:16 AM

Brett,

Nice interview with Gregory.  It is interesting to get the inside thoughts of the guy calling the shots on offense.  These next three games will be key if USF can turn it around and truely “finish strong”.  Hopefully, they don’t roll over.  I would love to see them open it up on Rutgers. Rick S. is the most overrated coach in college football.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/13  at  09:53 AM

Imiusf, Thanks for the compliment. As far as the roll outs, etc. Since I did not ask that, I can only speculate. Going into the year the thinking was the OL could be the best in school history (I think I wrote that early on), so the plays you’re putting in may not have emphasized a lot of roll outs, etc. Now you get halfway into the season and it’s not as easy to add in another chapter, if you will, to the playbook. I also have noticed this team has never run a lot of screens, for whatever reason. Also, I got an E-mail from Jim asking about if I asked GG about “his predictable play-calling.” He did answer that, not directly, in the question I asked about an unsuccessful play. Basically every play can be second guessed.

Posted by  lmiusf, Lakeland on 11/13  at  09:36 AM

Brett,

Thanks for clearing that up, but it was more of just a general statement on my part as so many people have used that argument to support Gregory.

I do appreciate the interview you conducted as you asked much tougher questions than GA did.

As far as the OL goes. Since they’re not doing a very good job why does GG continue to try and keep Grothe in the pocket? If the OL isn’t very strong where are the roll outs, screens, shovel passes, 5 star RB, misdirection (no 2 reversed don’t count), etc. There are plays designed specifically for playing behind a sub par OL. If we have one thing on offense it’s SPEED. Use it to get around the corners.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/13  at  09:32 AM

USF95, here are some numbers for you. Last year, USF scored 49 offensive touchdowns (3.769 per game). The defense/special teams had seven TDs. This year, USF has scored 30 offensive touchdowns (3.333 per game). The defense/special teams has two TDs.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/13  at  09:26 AM

Imiusf, Gregory did not say to me that USF is leading the Big East in total offense. I wrote that in my story. I didn’t want you to think he was promoting that. Gregory has told me in the past the only “stats” he worries about are wins and points. Ultimately the offense is judged by how many points it scores. Rich, if you think the OL isn’t very good (your words), then how can an offense be expected to be very good? Just a question. If the QB doesn’t have time, there’s no holes for the running game, how can the offense perform to its potential?

Posted by  Jason Monaco, Lakeland, FL on 11/13  at  09:17 AM

The thing is this, USF sqeaking by the FIU’s of the world is just a lack of being prepared which is the coaches job.  The offense has put up good numbers due to the athletes that we have and not the schem.  He has called some really poor plays, the same play 4 times in a row when it didn’t work the first time against PITT.  He belongs calling plays at a mid-major.  If USF wants to be with the big dogs, we need a guy who knows what he is doing all of the time instead of here and there.  With the talent in our backfield, it’s a crime that we haven’t done more against the CINN, PITT, and Louisville with our offense.

Posted by  Rich, Tampa on 11/13  at  09:14 AM

Allen,

Our defense is playing better than I thought we would with all the guys we lost. We rank 12th in total defense and 22nd for scoring defense. We haven’t been getting the end of game stops that Leavitt has always relied upon but with an offense that returned 10 guys you would think it wouldn’t have to come down to the final series. The fact is our scoring defense is better this year and our scoring offense is worse. Not what I expected when we lost a few guys to the NFL on D and returned 10 on O.

Posted by  USF95, Venice on 11/13  at  09:05 AM

I don’t care how many yards USF puts up.  The last time I checked teams win games on POINTS!  What do we rank statiscally on points per game.  How many points a game did we average last year when you take out all the defensive scores?  Please look at our offense’s production against BIG EAST schools.  I don’t care we threw up 56 on UT Martin or an obviously lousy Kansas defense (see what Texas Tech did to that defense at KU).  We scored 14 offensive points against Pitt (take out blocked punt return for TD).  We scored 20 against UL and 10 against Cincy.  With 10 returning starters that’s awful!

Posted by  Rich, Tampa on 11/13  at  09:05 AM

Good stuff Brett. I’m not sure GG is learning from his mistakes. I’d have no problem if I felt we were progressing as an offense. No more empty backfields!! We get blitzed every time. Our offensive line isn’t very good and GG needs to adjust accordingly. We rank in the 70’s for TFL against and sacks against. Roll out pocket, extra blocker, and quick routes would help. And please take advantage of the spread and our speed by running outside of the tackles once in awhile.

Posted by  Dan Alatorre, Tampa on 11/13  at  08:18 AM

There’s no doubt USF has the players - it’s the coaching we question. Grothe looks like a zombie and too many plays are predictable. Our own radio announcers say that our coaching is weak, and with talent like we have, we should be doing much better. If the kids fail halfway through the season, that’s a coaching problem. If they keep getting injured, that’s the Strength & Conditioning Coach’s problem. If we lose to Cincy every year, that’s a coaching problem. If we have great offensive stats and not enough wins, that’s the problem of the new offensive coordinator we get next year.

Posted by  Nabeel Mulla, Dayton, OH on 11/13  at  06:59 AM

He needs to stay on track and trust himself.  Listening to a thousand different opinions will definitely not help.  I’m sure he has an inner circle that he trusts and respects.  Listening to them will either help or it won’t—time will tell.  The bigger issues are penalties, turnovers and injuries.  Get those cleared up and USF is back in the top-20.

Posted by  Allen Brown, Tampa on 11/13  at  02:09 AM

correction:  the 1 hater that filled 2 long posts to complain about an interview.

I might as well take this time to add to my response:  if your football IQ is so freaking enormous, get your own coaching job.  It is not the coach’s job to read the stupid message boards.  Most of the people on them have no clue what they are talking about.  I bet if you were that smart and had your own job, you wouldn’t read message boards, either.  Maybe we should let message boards call plays through a voting process.  I bet that would work out really well.

Posted by  Allen Brown, Tampa on 11/13  at  02:06 AM

Uh, good interview.  I like his responses.

The 2 haters below me need to calm down.  I don’t think there should be added pressure because the pressure is always high.  He needs a clear mind to assess how the team is doing and what adjustments he needs to make for every game. 

USF has had its 2 best offensive seasons this year.  The defense is not playing up to its potential either, but that side has been a little more effected by injuries at least.