Gregory: “We’re men, we can take that”

Posted Nov 12, 2008 by Brett McMurphy

Updated Nov 13, 2008 at 12:07 AM

OK, maybe, the headline is a little Mike Gundy-ish, but it was one of my favorite lines from my recent conversation with University of South Florida offensive coordinator Greg Gregory (and Gregory was not screaming at me when he said it either).

As he’s been since the first time I met him back in 2005, Gregory was open and honest. He feels the Bulls’ offense should be doing better and thinks the Bulls can - and will - do better the final three regular season games.

He said he doesn’t feel any added pressure from any one. I asked him about the message board mob mentality and if he was aware he had his own Fire.com site. Sorry folks, he doesn’t read your stuff. He does know about it now, though. I told him.

Here’s my story in Thursday’s Tampa Tribune.

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As Ohio University’s offensive coordinator in 2001, Greg Gregory made a promise he has kept to this day: he never reads internet fan sites or message boards.

If so, USF’s second-year offensive coordinator, who directed the best offense in school history last year, would discover he has become a cyberspace punching bag for USF fans. “FireGregGregory.com” was purchased the day after USF’s 24-10 loss at Cincinnati on Oct. 30. The site is still under construction.

Last year under Gregory, USF’s offense set nine team records, including yards per game (414.1). This year, the Bulls lead the Big East in total offense (418 yards) and scoring (30.9 points). Apparently, that’s not enough for some.

“The one thing I found out, [reading the message boards] can affect you as a coach,” Gregory said. “I swore off them. I’ll read the newspapers. I don’t mind what you say, because you have a fairly informed opinion. You at least look at things.”

So let’s look at some things with Gregory, 50, who came to USF in 2005 as tight ends coach and was promoted after the 2006 season when Rod Smith went to Michigan.

Q: Your thoughts on FireGregGregory.com?
A: “That’s fine. That’s the right of every American if they want to [express their opinion]. [I haven’t seen it]. I got caught up in that years ago, and it will affect you. It’s human nature. You want to prove somebody wrong on something they said. I think it is absolutely the worst thing you can do as a coach, because you’re the only one that knows what’s going on internally in the program. How guys are playing, why things are breaking down. You’re the only person.”

Q: Do coaches receive too much credit or blame?
A: “As a coach, when things go good you deflect everything to your players, when things go bad you absorb it all. We’re men, we can take that. Players don’t need to be exposed to that. They’re 20-year-old kids. I’ve been around long enough [this is his 28th year, 15th as an offensive coordinator] that I’ve been ripped, I’ve been praised. It don’t matter to me.”

Q: With 10 returning starters, assess the performance of this year’s offense?
A: “We’re not playing as well. We’re making too many mistakes. The mistakes are what’s keeping us from scoring. We haven’t done as well as we’ve needed, but we still have time to turn that around. We were very strong early in the season, very strong.”

Q: Why the drop-off (USF is averaging 104 fewer yards since Big East play began)? Is it simply tougher competition?
A: Sometimes, it’s always the opponent. The better the opponent, the worse you’re going to do. [Against Cincinnati] it’s hard to account for six dropped balls — four for first downs, when you miss three passes to wide-open receivers for first downs, when we bust a protection we have run forever. We made mistakes we hadn’t done all year. That was the most disappointing thing.”

Q: What are your thoughts on an unsuccessful play, when something you call doesn’t work out?
A: “Really, there are three things you look for: is it what we called, is it how we executed, or is it the personnel? That’s really all you can do as a coach. Everyone can always say ‘you might have called this play and it might have worked.’ Hey, I’m comfortable with myself. We just try to find answers.”

Q: Was last year’s offense better than this year’s version?
A: “I’m not sure. We’re not scoring as much this year [USF is averaging 30.9 points in 2008, compared to 36.5 in 2007], but that’s all intertwined – the offense, defense and kicking – how your season is going. You feed off each other. That’s what we really need – each other to create a little more energy. We need to make some plays.”