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Happy Halloween, anyone?
Posted Oct 31, 2008 by Brett McMurphy
Updated Oct 31, 2008 at 02:00 AM
Here’s the game story in Friday’s Tribune. Happy Halloween, anyone? Got questions, complaints, rants, raves, fire away.
CINCINNATI - Need a last-minute Halloween costume for tonight that’s guaranteed to scare the bejeesus out of any University of South Florida fan? Just dress up as the Big East standings.
With No. 24 USF’s 24-10 loss at Cincinnati on Thursday, the most-anticipated season in school history has officially turned into a nightmare.
Since climbing to No. 10 last month, the Bulls (6-3, 1-3) have lost three of their last four.
Since last year’s 6-0 start, the Bulls are 8-7 against Division I-A opponents.
USF sits alone in seventh place in the Big East ahead of only woeful Syracuse (1-6, 0-3).
“We’re not quite at the bottom of the Big East, but pretty much the bottom,” USF coach Jim Leavitt said. “We still have a chance at a bowl game and a chance at finishing strong.”
The Bulls had a chance to rally against the Bearcats (6-2, 2-1) but failed to score on two red-zone opportunities in the fourth quarter. USF had a first-and-goal and first-and-10 from the 13, but came away empty.
A 12-yard completion from Matt Grothe to Taurus Johnson gave USF first-and-goal at the 2. However, on first down Matt Huners was penalized five yards for a false start back to the 7.
Consecutive Ben Williams runs netted one yard each, setting up third and goal from the 5. Grothe threw incomplete on third down. His fourth down pass went deep into the left corner, but there wasn’t a USF receiver within 15 yards.
Following a Cincinnati punt, two Grothe to Jessie Hester completions gave USF first-and-10 at the 13. Grothe’s first down pass was incomplete and a 5-yard pass to Hester set up third-and-5 from the 8. A third down pass to Cedric Hill was incomplete and on fourth down, Grothe threw to Marcus Edwards, who was covered by DeAngelo Smith. It appeared Hester was open in the end zone after his defender fell down.
“We had some good plays on, we just didn’t execute those plays,” USF running backs coach Carl Franks said.
The Bulls’ frustrations have become obvious. Players were yelling at coaches during the game, ESPN’s Erin Andrews reported.
“We’ll get things fixed,” USF senior linebacker Tyrone McKenzie said. “I guarantee this season won’t go down the drain.”
It pretty much already has. On UC’s “blackout” night, the Bearcats officially turned the lights out on the Bulls’ Big East title hopes.
“You never thought this would happen,” USF senior center Jake Griffin said. “It’s exactly like last year, we’re in slump.”
Grothe, under heavy pressure all night, threw for 174 yards. He was 13-for-31 with a season-high three interceptions. He was sacked twice and has been sacked 11 times in USF’s three losses; five times in USF’s six wins.
With RBs Mike Ford and Jamar Taylor at home nursing ankle injuries, Williams led the Bulls with 79 yards rushing. Grothe added 54 and Mo Plancher had 47, including USF’s only TD on a 1-yard dive in the first quarter.
Carlton Mitchell had 77 receptions on four catches to lead the Bulls.
The defense had its share of problems as well, Tribune correspondent Joe Reedy reports. SS Carlton Williams and LB Kion Wilson each had 11 tackles. DE George Selvie had three tackles and a fumble recovery.
For the sixth consecutive season, USF will finish with at least three losses in conference play.
Cincinnati QB Tony Pike, who was playing with a broken left (non-throwing) arm, scorched the Bulls’ secondary for 281 yards (20 of 28, one INT, two TDs). Mardy Gilyard had 98 yards on four receptions.
The Bulls’ third league loss guarantees USF will finish with at least three league losses for the sixth consecutive season. The Bulls finished 4-3 in their first three seasons in the conference. In Conference USA, they were 3-5 in 2004 and 5-3 in 2003.
The Bulls also fell to 0-5 when favored by a touchdown or less in Big East road games.
During the fourth quarter, UC’s fans did the obligatory “overrated” chant. Don’t worry, it will be the last time the Bulls hear that until next season as it’s doubtful USF will return to the rankings this season.
MOMPREMIER’S CAREER OVER: USF senior LB Brouce Mompremier’s career is over because of his neck injury.
Mompremier initially injured his neck at FIU and returned against Syracuse. However, he reinjured his head at Louisville last week and was not allowed to practice last week.
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Reader Comments
Por (Allen Brown) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Nice, the season is already down the drain? So I suppose we should stop paying any attention to this blog if the season is over.
Tyrone is trying to remain positive, but way to shoot him down.
Suggest removalPor (Nabeel Mulla) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
The biggest problem with this team is that it lost the defensive “Y” positions to graduation and the new guys are way less experienced and/or talented. The heart of the defense (DT, MLB, and CB) is tough to replace all at once. USF desperately needs an upgrade at receiver and depth on the O-line. That would make it easier to loosen up the offensive play calling and get more creative.
Suggest removalPor (cf) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
The team lacks leadership and discipline. What’s with the dreadlocks and mohawks. It looks like the team is from the juvenile detention center.
Suggest removalPor (jeffrey saff) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett,
Thank you for the reprieve.
Most importantly, that is very unfortunate news about Brouce. I wish him success in all his future endeavors.
Next, you were RIGHT (about us scoring 13 or less)
and (drum roll) I was WRONG.
Logically, wouldn’t Cincinatti’s win look better if their fans shouted (that USF is) “underrated?”
Lastly, this is not a Happy Halloween until I go trick or treatig with my two (2) kids, then all will be forgotten.
Happy Halloween to you and yours.
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Jeffrey, enjoy trick and treating, I’ll be doing the same - hopefully our kids don’t get any Charlie Brown rocks. The reason I picked such a low scoring game was I thought the cold would keep the scores down and in USF’s three losses, the Bulls have now scored only five offensive TDs. Defenses have figured out how to slow the Bulls, it seems.
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Nabeel, I agree replacing those players hasn’t been easy. That’s why I picked USF to finish third before the season (and was lambasted). What I found surprising was before the season both Wally Burnham and Troy Douglas insisted the secondary would be the strength of the defense. That obviously hasn’t worked out like they planned. Also with folks doubling Selvie, USF can’t get a consistent rush on QB and the CBs are exposed that much longer.
Suggest removalPor (Chris) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett, you predicted correctly that USF would lose this one and that they would fall to #42 in the polls…..do you realistically see them staying even that high after how soundly they were beaten by a team that was just last weak pummeled by UCon ,who i believe the week before lost to Rutgers ,who blew out Pitt who beat USF on the road. Where exactly does that leave USF?
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Chris, I picked 42 because I figured if they don’t get any votes in coaches and Harris polls (and I don’t see how but you never know), their ranking would be based strictly on where they were ranked by the computers.
Suggest removalPor (Hector Jimenez) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett…run this by Leavitt,
1. No more National TV games - everyone knows who we are. We are the team that look slike a world beater against I-AA schools, gets one signature win per year, plays horrible against non-BCS schools and mannages to expose itself in the 5 to 10 point win, and pretends they are better than other state schools while crying foul when the real good ones won’t schedule them.
2. No more October games - ask the BE office to provide us with our by weeks in October and maybe we can avoid the yearly debacle.
Overall, this team lacks discipline, character, intensity and is inconsistent on offense.
Suggest removalPor (Nabeel Mulla) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett, I was not one of the readers who lambasted you over your 3rd place pick. I also had your back with your initial ranking of Pitt ahead of USF. I still think Pitt has the best chance of winning the BE this year. There are going to be a lot of shakeups in the BE the rest of the way with everyone beating each other (with the exception of Syracuse and Rutgers).
Suggest removalPor (Hector Jimenez) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Leavit was quoted as saying, “We still have a chance at a bowl game and a chance at finishing strong.” problem is, this time I don’t believe it ad I am sure that I am not the only one who feels this way.
Even if we make a bowl, and it will be an early Dec. one at that, it will be a disappointment. This year compounded with lasts year’s debacle shos that USf has major issues to deal with in the off-season centering around personnel, coaches and an a negative beneath-the-surface systemic problem dealing with expectations and lack-performance that could sabotage future seasons.
Suggest removalPor (Mike Lakeland) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
That’s a shame about Brouce. I wish him the best.
As for the Bulls, I would be more than happy with the St. Pete Bowl now.
Suggest removalPor (David M.) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett, can you please start a firejimleavit.com we need to get rid of him..it’s not just the OC it’s also CL. Time to face the truth…
Suggest removalPor (Dan) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Our defense is hurting because we graduated a few NFL players last year. Throw the ball into our secondary and you can score all night. Our QB looks worse than he did last year or the year before, as does our offense. When he graduates, we will be back to a Pat Julmiste team. Some of our good asst coaches rightly concluded that our head coach would be here forever, and in order to get promotions and the ability to be a head coach themselves one day, they had to leave - and we had to suddenly replace them - and we did a poor job there. I have never been impressed with Gregory or the QB he coached his whole life. He’s turned Grothe into a zombie.
Suggest removalPor (Dan) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
(cont) Meanwhile, other teams in our conference have been watching and game planning, and they know how to stop us, while we seem to only game plan for the one big nonconference win we have each year. I wil say that all this is growing pains, except that when we graduate somebody, we drop off at that position, which means we are not recruiting depth. CONCLUSION: the player talent is there. We do not develop it fast enough, we are undisciplined, our QB can’t read a defense after 3 years, and we can’t play in cold weather. I think that’s all coaching.
Suggest removalPor (Dan) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett, thanks for letting me vent. So when I asked what we need to do to get to the next level, I was referring to Who’s Gotta Go. How would you grade each individual coach, grade A through grade F?
Suggest removalPor (Patrick O'Rourke) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
“Finish strong,” Coach Leavitt?
Nah…that would have necessitated winning this game.
Respectability is about all you can hope for now, and even THAT will require winning the last three games (a tall order for this team).
Needs to be a fire sale of the coaching staff in January.
Suggest removalPor (Patrick O'Rourke) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
One more thing…
Can you guys imagine what our record would be if we had even a DECENT non-conference schedule? We racked up FIVE wins against a bunch of patsies. That “great” win against Kansas is looking more worthless every week.
We have six wins, none of which are anything to brag about. We have three losses, none of which were to teams that are very good.
Let’s just get this season over with already and enjoy some USF basketball!
Oh, wait…
Suggest removalPor (uc) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
I’m going to the halloween party dressed as Jim Leavitt. That will be sure to scare everyone. I think he’s head butted one too many players.
Suggest removalPor (dr. J) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett what do you think of grothe? It seems to me like he has 0 accountability. He can make as many mistakes and not get called out for it. Throwing in double coverage, getting locked on to wr, he rarely seems to go through his progressions. He is still making freshman mistakes. His big play risk taking has hurt us more than help us the last 15 games. I frankly blame the coaches for not asking more from him. What do you think?
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Hector, at this point I don’t think Leavitt believes it. And yes, an early December bowl game in St. Pete is on tap. I’m not sure if USF has major issues, but something ain’t right when you have 17 returning starters and you can’t finish any better than 4-3 in the Big East.
Suggest removalPor (Brett McMurphy) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Mike, it is unfortunate about Brouce but thankfully he suffered no permanent damage. David M., I think someone has the rights to firejimleavitt.com so you’ll have to find a different domain name if you wish to promote getting rid of Leavitt, but with six years left, he ain’t going anywhere.
Suggest removalPor (Patrick O'Rourke) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Brett…
“He aint goin’ nowhere”?
So by stating that double negative, you’re telling us that he’s on his way out?
STOP THE PRESSES!!!
(just kidding, Brett)
Suggest removalPor (Rich) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
I wish we could go after the Gator’s O.C. Top 5 offense with ties to this state.
We can’t afford to buy out Leavitt (why don’t they have performance clauses in coaches contracts??) unfortunately but enough is enough. It’s been 11+ years of the same repeated mistakes. He is not learning from them.
I guess we are doomed to mediocrity for as long as we have him. 9-3 tops (4-3 conference) with 7-5 and 8-4 sprinkled in. And then the rebuilding years. ugh
Suggest removalPor (Doug Currier II) on October 31, 2008 (Suggest removal)
Hey Coach, Chrissie Hynde called. She wants her band back. It’s now official, October 30, 2008 in Cincinnati the wheels have come off -the Bulls are done for the season, now competing with Syracuse for levels of futility. Syracuse was the last and only Big East win for 2008. At least this time the players are as responsible for the debacle as the coaches. George go pro -next year could be uglier. Why risk the injury? For lows in coaching ability, this year rivals Seth’s no tournament season when Altron and BB were seniors. Such poorly managed talent. Turn down any bowl offers. How embarrasing.
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