USF aims to clean up miscues with potent West Virginia offense on tap

Posted Nov 27, 2011 by Adam Adkins

Updated Nov 27, 2011 at 09:05 PM

After struggling against a true freshman quarterback and the worst statistical offense in the Big East in a loss to Louisville, the USF defense now must deal with the league’s best and one of the most experienced passers in Thursday’s regular season finale.

Quarterback Geno Smith leads a high-powered West Virginia offense that’s ranked atop the league in scoring, total yards, passing and pass efficiency. The Mountaineers junior averages the fifth-most passing yards per game in the nation (340.1) and has thrown 25 touchdowns with just four interceptions.

“West Virginia’s always been potent,” Bulls senior safety Jerrell Young said. “We’re going to have a challenge.”

USF has prepared to face the Mountaineers up-tempo attack since preseason camp, and coach Skip Holtz believes his defense has done well in similar situations this year. Holtz’s primary concern is cleaning up the missed assignments in the secondary that plagued the Bulls in their latest setback.

Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw for three uncontested touchdowns against USF’s 3-deep zone, which Holtz said was the unit’s “bread and butter coverage that we’ve run probably 700 snaps of out of 1,000.”

“You’re going to have some missed assignments because there may be a little confusion or something they do in that it’s happening real quick, but there’s no reason to have a blown assignment when you’re in 3-deep to not be as deep as the deepest,” Holtz said. “There’s no reason not to be standing on the goal line.

“Now if they throw it up there and it’s 3-deep and we go up and he takes it from us, hey, I’m good with that. I’ll give them all the credit in the world for doing what they had to do to win. But when you throw it up there and we’re not even back there, that’s on us.”

At least the Bulls should have both starting cornerbacks available against West Virginia. Junior Kayvon Webster missed the Louisville game with concussion-like symptoms, while senior Quenton Washington was forced from the game early because of a shoulder injury. Both are expected to play, Holtz said.

DANIELS STILL QUESTIONABLE: Starting quarterback B.J. Daniels, who missed Friday’s loss to Louisville with a right shoulder injury, is questionable for Thursday’s game against West Virginia. Holtz, who addressed the media Sunday before the team’s practice, was hoping to get a better gauge on Daniels’ progress during the team’s evening workout.