New coach. Same team.

SMU Recap

Well that was a really great first half.

(USF Football)

The Bulls played a great first half which was capped off by something we are not accustomed to… they took over with a minute left in the half with - get this - a full complement of timeouts. Down 14-17, the Bulls drove down and kicked a 41 yard field goal to go to the sheds tied up at 17. This was a stark difference in game management from the previous headset wearer.

Overall, it was well coached football. An explosion of points from SMU in the third quarter was ultimately too much. Three consecutive touchdowns helped SMU pull away for good.

The story again for the Bulls is simply not enough defense. Not enough depth. No Antonio Grier who has missed most of the season, as well as some of the defensive line meat we were supposed to have. SMU running backs Camar Wheaton and Tyler Lavigne combined for 31 carries, 224 yards and 3 scores. Both had runs over 20 yards. Tanner Mordecai had a solid showing 280 - 2 TDs - no INTS. A game SMU was supposed to win, and they did.

For USF two major points to discuss. First… Coach Da Prato is an immediate game day upgrade for the Bulls. High energy, high enthusiasm, and highly graded clock management. My only critique, and this falls on OC Travis Trickett as well, is just the overall management of the third quarter.

Opening possession of the half, after putting together half of a drive we get to 3rd and 12 at the SMU 42 and we go inside hand off - you get the 4 yards that play was always going to get - and 4th and 8 were punting. Why did we not try to convert? Did you think a draw/dive was going to convert? Did you need 8 yards to then go for it on fourth? Seemed aimless.

(SMU touchdown)

Next possession three straight runs, three and out, and punt.

(SMU touchdown - long TD pass)

And on the third possession of the half in the third quarter USF goes for it on its own 44 yard line. 4th and 3. Does not convert. Turnover on downs.

(SMU touchdown)

This entire sequence of disjointed management combined with a team that just isn’t as talented is how these things get ripped open. Too often USF leaned on running back Brian Battie when it needed to mix it up, sprinkle in an untimely drop on a slant route from its best WR and things slip away quickly. One other critique I would add is perhaps a little too much flash in the backfield on play action. Sometimes less is more. Quick fake and get Marsh looking downfield.

Which brings us to Katravis Marsh. Not as great a performance as we would have liked to see given his progression each week leading up. 12 for 31, 178 yards, 1 TD, and 1 (red zone) INT. He did have a very pretty play designed fake, leading to a 32 yard bomb to Weaver for a touchdown.

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But it’s a team game and probably everyone needed to be better to help him out. Unfortunately to make things much worse, he took an absolutely vicious hit in the 4th quarter to the head/neck area and had to be carted off. Hopefully we will hear some good news on this front at the press conference.

This led to freshman Byrum Brown coming in late to throw a very nice 17 yard touchdown to Jason Littlejohn. Brown may be the starter next week - that’s TBD based on Marsh’s condition. USF could be headed into the final two games, a conference road test and the War on I4, with its Week 1 third string quarterback at the helm.

But I’ve seen USF quarterbacks make shocking debuts before.

Not a peep has been heard about the USF coaching job. Mike Kelly is working the phones and in the shadows. I have no favorite choice, I am inclined to trust him. What I do know is the results produced by this next hire will be hung directly on the shoulders of our VP of Athletics. You only get one mulligan in this game as far as I would imagine. For now it’s #TrustTheProcess.

Notes:

1. Another good season ticket member gift from USF Athletics. USF going all in on the US flag uniform and theme is a hit late in the year.

   

2. USF gets a rare 9:00 PM EST kick next week as it heads to 3-7 Tulsa as a 13 point underdog.

3. Central Florida will probably enter the War on I4 playing for a birth in another conference title game and potentially 4th New Years Six Bowl appearance. USF will enter with a chance to spoil and bring the series to an even 7-7 as the teams enter a break in scheduling. The stakes could be higher (2017), but boy do they feel pretty high.

4. Speaking of Central Florida, I wonder if transferring there out of spite is working out for anyone.