Posted by  Eddie Laugen, Dunedin, FL on 12/03  at  07:50 AM

Simply put, nothing has ‘gone wrong’ with USF.  Their pre and early season rankings were inaccurate and it made the standards too high.  It is a repeat of last year.  We’re blessed to be in the Big East. If we move a notch up from mediocre, we’ll be fighting for a BCS bowl and getting national coverage. We not that bad.  We’re just not that good, either. Cinci, a small notch above mediocre- in the Orange Bowl.

Posted by  Nabeel Mulla, Dayton, OH on 11/07  at  02:56 AM

Chris, I think you misunderstood what I was trying to say.  This year’s team is down from last year’s.  But a team on the rise is bound to have an off year here and there.  Your comment on “The New U” was pretty good though, I have to give you credit on that one.

Posted by  Chris, Florida on 11/07  at  01:13 AM

Mark…i agree discipline seems to be a problem with the entire program from the coach on down. Personal fouls, silly penalties, poor execution, sideline outburst, trash talking in the press….Nabeel has it right for once on one point….USF IS the new “U”...same lack of discipline just with less talent..

Posted by  Chris, Florida on 11/07  at  01:12 AM

Brett, i imagine Selvie won’t be sticking around next year either…that’s means quite cumulative loss on defense and offense..are there any impact players you see stepping up next year??

  Nabeel….nice sentiment…but can you HONESTLY say this year’s team is BETTER than last year’s?? After returning so many starters from last year’s promising team this year’s disappointment point squarely at coaching. Being the Head Coach, Leavitt should be held responsible to some extent, if not to the point of losing his own job, at least to where he needs to make some drastic changes below his own position.

Posted by  Dave Blackburn, Pensacola on 11/06  at  07:05 PM

Does any one know what DB was yelling at a Coach?  What coach was he yelling at, and why does everyone think Leavitt is so hard to work for?

Posted by  Mark Stichter, Cape Coral, FL on 11/06  at  04:57 PM

Brett, good article.  I believe in Leavitt, but changes need to be made.  Improve the players’ focus and discipline!  Penalties are a result.  During last year’s 6-0 run, we aver. 6.5/game (only 5 against WVA).  In the last six games, we aver. over 11.  This year, we aver. 7.6 during our 5-0 run, but had 11 against Pitt and 14 against L’ville.

I disagree somewhat that we need better recruiting.  By all accounts we have the best talent in the BE, regardless of how our classes have been ranked.  CJL consistently has a knack for finding good athletes that the other schools overlook or in some cases lose to USF.  Our losses can be attributed
to being outcoached (especially on offense), and I hope Leavitt fixes the problem in the off-season.

Posted by  Nabeel Mulla, Dayton, OH on 11/06  at  02:29 PM

Jay, USF is “The New U”—get used to it.

Everyone else, you all remind me of the days when everyone was calling for Tony Dungy’s head.  He was fired in the middle of the night in the rain, then went on to lead the Colts to a Super Bowl win.  Chucky came in and took Dungy’s team to a Super Bowl, then turned a perennial contender into an old, mediocre team.  CJL has improved this team every single year by leaps.  One down year and you want him sacked?

Posted by  Jay, Atlanta on 11/06  at  10:09 AM

Oh guys, poor babies.. What happen to being the third best team in the state.

Unfortunately for you guys, you’re going to find out the hard way why the U has always ran the football scene in the state of Florida

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/06  at  10:02 AM

Chris, the senior starters, I count eight on offense, six on defense and two special teams, are LT Ryan Schmidt, LG Matt Huners, C Jake Griffin, RT Marc Dile, TE Cedric Hill, WR Taurus Johnson, WR Marcus Edwards, RB Ben Williams, LE Jarriett Buie, SLB Tyrone McKenzie, WLB Brouce Mompremier, CB Tyller Roberts, SS Carlton Williams and nickel back Danny Verpaele, LS Eric Setser and KO Justin Teachey. As far as coaching changes, that’s not something that normally is asked during the season. And, if it was, it’s doubtful he would answer it.

Posted by  Chris, Florida on 11/06  at  04:08 AM

Brett, can you tell me how many of those 18 losing eligibility were starter this year? Also, you made mention that you were not sure how you would go about bringing up some of the areas lacking suggested here. Are areas of coaching accountability something forbidden to address when it comes to Leavitt? I realize the media/coach relationship can be tense when things get tough, but i was wondering about his demeanor towards media when they broach the subject of “making coaching changes” ,if in fact,they do at all?

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  08:33 PM

Mike, Florida is one of the top - if not the top - states for recruiting. UF, FSU, UM can only get so many kids each year and even if you are (as you said) left with the leftovers, those leftovers are still better than a majority of the recruits in other states throughout the country.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  07:17 PM

Hector, I seriously doubt it. He’s got six years left on his USF deal and I don’t see K-State paying the buyout. Leavitt had his chance to go to K-State before and decided to stay at USF. Why would he go now when he’s making more money?

Posted by  Hector Jimenez, Forsyth, GA on 11/05  at  07:10 PM

Brett….any possibility that K-State goes after Leavitt again?

Posted by  mike,  on 11/05  at  04:36 PM

Also, what about recruiting outside of Florida. I know that Florida is the hot spot but are we getting the leftovers. I can imagine many to most of the best still want to go to FSU, UF and Miami over USF. I know that is not what we want to hear but it is reality. Maybe we could get a few of the top out of state players to throw in the mix.

Posted by  Mike Lakeland, Lakeland, FL on 11/05  at  04:31 PM

Brett - here is the writeup on the ESPN Plancher story:

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/otl/news/story?id=3672808

Read it if you have a few minutes…it is pretty damning against O’Leary and UCF.

Posted by  Mike, tampa on 11/05  at  03:38 PM

Brett,

I have to say that you have done a great job with this blog.  USF has some “major issues” to work out before they can take the next step forward.  Too bad CJL has his book of coaches speak so we’ll versed.  It’s hard to get any real depth out of him.  If any of his players take a look at this maybe it will light a fire under their behinds for the last few games!

Posted by  Hector Jimenez, Forsyth, GA on 11/05  at  03:35 PM

Brett….great write-up on the team and its problems. 

I wonder if Leavitt is realizing that years of doing a lot with a little are ending for him and that the BE is certainly getting better and stronger.  The only way to change USF’s performance is to do more with more and begin to invest in better more experienced (BCS)coaches as heavily as he wants his players to invest in the program. 

Only then will you see better returns.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  03:25 PM

Don G, I asked him about all of the past penalty problems last week and he said he didn’t want to discuss it, he “only wanted to talk about the future.” I’ve asked him a few times in past weeks to assess the offense and he has. He has, to some degree, answered these questions at different times during the season. I don’t know how much it would matter to him whether I asked again or said, the fans want to know this. Your best chance would be asking him on his radio show. He might be more receptive to answering.

Posted by  mike,  on 11/05  at  03:10 PM

Brett- Reading between the lines there is obviously a side of Leavitt you are aware of being an “insider” with the program. Do you think he has lost his players? I missed the yelling between players and coaches and coaches and coaches last week…what happened? I have seen him go off on a coach in the past on national tv and in person. He is not discipline during games why expect players to be?!

Posted by  Don G, Madeira Beach, FL on 11/05  at  02:25 PM

Brett - re: your question about how you would inform Leavitt of the same repeated observations that you receive, I guess I was thinking of how reporters ask a candidate about an issue that continues to be brought up or that is being written about.  I know it could be tricky, but I suppose you could start with: ‘coach, I’m receiving a ton of mail from USF supporters venting about their frustrations with this season.  Most are saying same things: your team lacks discipline & appears to be in same offensive red zone rut as last year. What can you say to Bull supporters about their observations?’  Brett - not sure if that’ll work, but at least it’ll be questions coming from your readers and not you.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  02:01 PM

Sage1, McCarney and Rachel, in my opinion, are both great coaches. However, in defense of Patrick and Hendrick, coaching the DE/DL, and Douglas, coaching the secondary: Selvie has not been healthy since FIU and the secondary lost Jenkins and Williams to the NFL. With that being said, the defensive coaches still thought before the season the secondary would be the strength of the team. Remember the old saying that describes a successful coach: “it’s not the Xs and the Os, it’s the Jimmy’s and the Joes.” Maybe USF’s Jimmy’s and Joes aren’t that good? As far as reasons to leave a job, there’s also No. 3: all of the above. And I’m sure it’s well known throughout the coaching circles how “demanding” Leavitt is.

Posted by  Sage1, Illinois on 11/05  at  01:41 PM

There seems to be a correlation between the decline in the play of the defensive line at USF and the vast improvement of the defensive line at UF between last year and this year. (Dan McCarney coached USF last year and is coaching the the D-line at UF this year) A similar observation in the absence of a secondary coach who was re-assigned at USF during the off season and the dismal performance of the USF secondary this year. (coincidentally, or maybe not so coincidentally,  it was a defensive back who was yelling at coach’s during the Cincinatti game)

There are two reasons people quit jobs:
1. They hate their boss
2. More money

It seems the word is out that maybe Leavitt is not good to work for.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  01:39 PM

Don G., share these comments with Leavitt? Not sure how I would go about that. Obviously there are other ways you could share your comments with Leavitt by e-mailing him, the coaches, Doug Woolard, etc., if you want them to know how you feel.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  01:35 PM

Sage1, you can’t blame USF for playing on Thursday nights. It’s actually a compliment to the program that USF was chosen by ESPN/the Big East to appear on two Thursday night games. USF has no control over it and can’t turn it down. Not if they want to remain in the Big East, anyway.

Posted by  Brett McMurphy,  on 11/05  at  01:33 PM

Rob, by corrected at year’s end, do you mean personnel changes, coaching changes, a new offensive philosophy? I think all are options. Leavitt historically hasn’t “fired” anyone, although he did reassign CB coach Rich Rachel last year. I don’t know how big of a problem he thinks the offense is. He mentions that they’re inconsistent and need to do better in the red zone, but he would never share with the media if he was totally disappointed in another coach and the job they’re doing. As far as limiting penalties, it’s not a priority for Leavitt or he would have “dropped the hammer” a long time ago. Eight consecutive years in the top 10 in penalties - that’s not a coincidence.