Snyder: Defense pressed in adverse situation

Posted Oct 5, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Oct 5, 2011 at 09:31 PM

USF defensive coordinator Mark Snyder believes his unit can be pretty good when everyone sticks to what they’re supposed to do. When players get away from that, however, what you get is what transpired last week at Pittsburgh.

The Bulls allowed a season-high point total in a 44-17 loss to the Panthers, and some of the unit’s lack of discipline was a result of the inability to handle the adversity that came with being down in a game for the first time this season, Snyder said.

“I think guys started pressing a little bit and doing other people’s jobs, and it snowballs,” Snyder said. “Anytime you get something like that you have to settle down and regroup, and that’s what we’re working on this week.”

USF doesn’t return to the field until Oct. 15 at Connecticut, and the focus during the team’s bye week has been reminding the players to play within the defense and the importance of sticking with their individual assignments.

“Our challenge to them is just grade a winner. You grade a winner. Do your job,” Snyder said. “If we get eight or nine guys grading a winner we’re going to win.”

Snyder, who said he isn’t planning any personnel changes, has been pleased with what he’s seen on that front during practices Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We had 10 winners (Tuesday) during our scrimmages, which is pretty good,” he said.

DITTO FOR THE OFFENSE: The inability to move the chains on third down in the second half (0-for-6) was arguably the biggest crux for the USF offense in the loss at Pittsburgh, but offensive coordinator Todd Fitch also noticed some of the same things as Snyder in relation to his unit once the Bulls fell behind.

“I think as that thing unveiled and they started having the momentum our guys probably put more pressure on themselves, ‘Oh, I’ve got to go make a play, I’ve got to do something,’ instead of just relaxing and letting things happen, much like the first drive in the first half when the game was just unfolding,” Fitch said.

Quarterback B.J. Daniels admitted the Bulls felt a little bit of pressure when they were staring at a deficit and said it’s his job to keep the unit level-headed, which he vowed to do a better job of going forward.

“That definitely was a learning experience for us, and I think next time we’ll definitely be able to handle it a little better,” Daniels said.