BIG EAST: OUR DERAILED TRAIN OF THOUGHT EXPLAINED

Over the next several years the Bearcats are going to surprise a lot of people. Brian Kelly won’t stay forever but during his 4 or 5 year tenure he will turn in winning teams. A second tier bowl may be all we ever get, but getting them consistently will be our contribution to the continued good health of the Big East.

One of the problems for USF this year seems to be suspect offensive line play. They don’t seem to have very much push up the middle, so short yardage will be a problem in a conventional mode. They have switched to the spread option, but the problem is that in the spring game the starting offensive line gave up 8 sacks to the second team d-line. By my count, 6 of those sacks came straight up the middle, with the other two coming on Grothe scrambles to get the hell away from a pressure from the sieves between the tackles.

BTW, USF seems to have cornered the market on 6’0 or less wide-outs with speed. I don’t recall a single receiver being over 6’1, with most hovering around 5’10 to 5’11.

Syracuse is a well run program?

Ok, so a couple corrections… the Big East also drafted Louisville from the lower rungs, not just USF and Cincy, the difference being that Louisville was already making noise.

As for Rutgers, we did eventually get a hold on the passing game. Over the last three games, two true freshman emerged at the wide reciever spot (Kenny Britt and Tim Brown), and as a result of finally having some reliable recievers Teel’s numbers went through the roof.

Kenny Britt, in particular, is a monster at reciever, and he’s the guy we expect to force defenses to back off and open the run game up even more for Ray Rice.

Fuck Phil Steele.

speaking of moustachioed coaches…

Has Pat Hill of Fresno State ever broken into the ranks of Moustache Wednesday?

Also, while Rutgers got lucky in a win or two we also lost the WVU game that we should have won when one of our less sure handed recievers dropped a pass in the end zone in over time. Not everything went our way last year…

Orson, I’m afraid that you’re reading the wrong newspaper again. Learning about UofL from a Lexington paper is like looking for gefilte fish in a Gaza grocery.

Kragthorpe may not have the Q factor, but who needs Q when you’ve got a well-tuned machine like Louisville? The combo of experienced QB, fast receiving corps, and three creampuff games to make sure everything’s clicking is the best set of training wheels I can imagine.

Petrino may be a hot coach, but his perpetual case of happyfeet was a distraction. The Cardinals are better off without him.

I don’t expect Kragthorpe to end the season with the team ranked in the top 10, but I don’t see how they do any worse than 8-4. The only scary road game is WVU, though USF will pants you when you’re not looking. Utah, home. Pitt, home+coming, Rutgers, home. I like me that schedule.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BIG_TEN_NETWORK_INOL-?SITE=INLAF&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Not to threadjack, but I love it when Congress gets involved… and for you SEC’ers, here’s Delaney getting his lunch stolen from him by one of the more powerful individuals in DC.

Yeah, that’s getting its own post ASAP.

Is that Dave Gahan on that USF clip? I’m no fan of the nu-metal youtube clips, but DM pairs with college football about as well as Chianti and Froot Loops.

Luckily, the SEC TV network will be too fast to be brought down by Congress

Cuse is probably going to cause some fits this year as well. They were 4-8 last year, but they only lost 3 games by more than 3 scores, and Greg Robinson is taking the right approach to rebuilding the program. Their non-conference isn’t cupcakey enough to predict a bowl bid, but considering how many of the tough teams come to the Carrier Dome, they could ruin a few Big East title shots.

I guess this qualifies as Comic Book Store Guy Material, but a combination of insane offensive talent (minus Michael Bush, who was gone all last year anyway) and wafer-thin scheduling makes it hard for me to think that UL can do worse than win 10 games.

The brown pants games will be WVa and USF, both of which were victorious over the Cards at respective out of town dungheaps in 2005. However, in both of those games, Petrino and team combined for massive brain-fartage. At USF, UL outgained them by 200 yards or some such but lost by 31 (yikes). At WVa, a horrible officating mistake(later officially apologized for) and Coach P squatting to pee conspired to blow a 17 point 4th quarter lead.

Here’s the OOC schedule:
Murray St, 1-AA: guh
Middle Tenn. St: buh
at Kentucky: best UK team in probably 20 years, but lingering efects of uber pwnage
Utah: snuh
at NC St: interesting.

Coaching changes do cause palpitations, but AD Jurich is probably one of the few guys that can give Foley at UF a run for “most first-born children gladly given to for baby fondue.” in terms of hires.

That 5.0 Guy – according to Athlon, USF had five receivers last year at 6-3 and one (Amarri Jackson, former basketball player) who’s 6-5. They moved 6-3 QB bust Carlton Jackson to receiver, too.

“And if Pitt makes any noise whatsoever, we’ll grow a Wannstache in apology/tribute. "

You should be careful what you promise… remember your all-time-favorite-sportswriter had to buy a lot of hotdogs in Midtown last year for just such a promise. I would think that given your deep insight into CFB mythology, you’d understand that the Football Gods tend to make people regret that sort of statement.

The term of the day is: seat of easement.

The trick is that we wouldn’t mind growing a Wannstache.

Wouldn’t TCOAN have something to say about the arrival of a Wannstache?

Damn you Orson. I went out and bought this Phil Steele thing this weekend after seeing the references to it on this site, and like a crack pipe, I can’t put it down. There goes any hope I had of finishing War and Peace before Labor Day.

Kirk Herbstreit, during the epic display of offensive force exhibited by WVU and Louisville last year, said that the Big East takes a backseat to no other conference and these guys, whoever wins, should be playing for the national championship. And he knows…remember, he also knew Michigan should have replayed Ohio State. After all, he watches football.

Can you believe that guy drinks scotch? Weird, huh?

Who wouldn’t want a Wannastache?

And Whoever said Fuck Phil Steele needs to settle down. Rutgers had ONE good year and got bitch slapped by Cincy. Settle down now, you can’t take back everything you say.

OhioDawg, my concern with Cincy is that they are unable to recruit Big East athletes. They consistently rank at the bottom of whatever recruiting list you want to pull up – heck, even in Conference USA, they were middle-of-the-pack, at best. Until Cincy can improve the quality of their players, they can’t improve that much.

As far as the rest of the Big East, I just have a bad feeling about WFVU losing Trickett. Their offense is predicated on the blocking, so the question becomes: was Trickett highly regarded because of Rodriguez, vice versa, or somehwere in between. All I know is that FSU really scares me with Trickett and Fisher. Right now, I’m putting losing Trickett right up there with the change at HC at Louisville. I’m probably wrong, but it just doesn’t look right.

Syracuse might’ve been able to make noise before Delone Carter went down, but now they’ll probably be right back at the bottom. I doubt Robinson makes it out of this year.

Thoughts: 1) The nice thing about USF is Grothe is a 1 man team. The Bad thing about USF is that Grothe is a 1 man team. They have some rangy athletic seemingly interchangable receivers, but what’s up with that offensive line?
2) Yeah, West Virginia is just plain scary good.
3) I understand Phil’s math, but it works in the field of generalities. Rutgers is on a major uptick, and that is the one factor he does not take into account, particularly the Defense. Schiano’s 2nd year as D-Coordinator saw the Defense go apeshit, that is expected to continue, and Scarlet Nation remains hopeful that the major uptick post Cincinatti (Where we quietly switched O-Coords mid season) in the passing game continues as well. As to that Cincinatti game….Thursday Night Nov. 9 v L’ville was like drinking a bottle of the world’s sweetest most delicious tequila…heady times….and we all know what comes after heady times…Rutgers could have been beaten by St. Mary’s Sisters of the Blind the next week with the hangover they had.
4) I agree that ’Cuse will be better this year. No Perry Patterson=eliminating half the retards that ruined their on field performance. Too bad G-Rob is the other one. Their new quarterback will be a good one, me thinks.

I appologize for the length of this post, and will attempt to participate in the show tonight.

Odell,

All I’m saying is that he was wrong about both Rutgers and WVU last year, and I believe the same will hold true this year.

While statistics can be a good tool, some of his assumptions don’t work for every team. Rutgers, while certainly not doing it as well, has a certain Beamer Ball quality to them, as like VaTech they focus on special teams and turnovers and thus are going to do well in turnover margin and blocking punts, etc. Its not always just lady luck.

I assure you, knowledgable AU fans respect USF as an emerging program and hey, Steele has them ranked above Auburn by something like 18 spots, so I don’t think they’ll be overlooked. But the Matt Grothe hype-machine (mattgrothe.com seriously?) needs a little grounding.

First, that Youtube reel is all highlights from games against Pitt, UConn, UCF Syracuse and wait for it.. McNeese St. (with one play against WVU throw in). Where’s the video from Kansas, Rutgers and Louisville?

Second, Grothe finished the 2006 season with a QB rating of 138.8, exactly 1/10 point ahead Brandon Cox who played (mostly hurt) against much better competition including wins over the mighty, mighty Gators and #1 draftee Jamarcus Russell.

Third; the game kicks at 8pm meaning the crowd should be plenty loud from the extra drinking hours. I imagine the atmosphere is going to be a little new for him.

Finally, Matt Grothe, meet sackmaster Quentin Groves (and his buddy Sen’Derrick Marks). Quentin enjoys planting QBs from the state of Florida into the turf at Jordan-Hare (just ask Chris Leak).

WDE!

#12:
Greg Robinson is taking the right approach to rebuilding the program

I don’t know when, but there will be a day when I will remind you of this, and you will be shamed, if you aren’t already.
Mark my words.

Bizarre song choice aside, that video just put me somewhere around cloud 8. USF beating Auburn would be just about the best thing to happen to me this coming season*, unless someone sets Jim Tressel’s nipples on fire.

*This is not true, but it would be fun.

1. smg -
   I stand fully corrected. My bad.

Orson – I respectfully submit that it may be of interest to you to host a show on the Big (number deleted on advice from legal dept) network called the “Quest for the Fulmer Cup”. For my part, I just ask that I be allowed to live in your mansion like Rocky’s Uncle Paulie and enjoy your wine, food, pool, and robot housekeeper.

Oh f***, wrong damn thread.

Big East = B-List BCS

But does Owen Schmitt like to fuck fat chicks? That is the true question.

While I certainly understand Steele’s remarks; I just want to make a few remarks regarding Rutgers:

1. Their offensive and defensive line are STACKED. STACKED,
I tell you. They’ll bring the heat on opposition quarterbacks, while giving Ray Rice glorious holes to run through.

2. Dave already mentioned the receivers, which should help the passing game. Oddly, the loss of Clark Harris and Brian Leonard should open up the passing game; forcing Teel to look to his wide-outs rather than his short term options.

3. If there’s a weakness on defense I see hurting Rutgers more than anything, it’s at linebacker. Renkart’s the only returning linebacker and the inclusion of newer players could result in some growing pains.

4. While he ran for a hell of a lot, I wonder if giving Rice 330+ carries again is a good idea. I know there’s some talent behind him; but if he’s carrying the load, all Rutgers fans like me will hope as much as possible he doesn’t get hurt.

Overall, I don’t think Steele’s assessment is unfair; Rutgers will have another winning season and another bowl, I’m confident of that. But I don’t see any of the Big East games outside of Syracuse to be gimmies and 10-2 isn’t easy to replicate.

Rutgers football rules babeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! We should have James Gandolfini doing the coin toss at every single one of our eight home games!!!! Every single one of our recruits gets to take one Greg Schiano’s Camaros for a test drive on our way to ESPN Zone for official visits!!!!

Rutgers football New Jersey!!!!!

Wow, lot of “Yankees” fans have given up on the season already and jumping on the Rutgers bandwagon early

Of course the night I’m not going to be in front of the computer you do a show about the Big East.

P!
I!
T!
T!
P! I! T! T!

LET’S! GO! PITT!

put the quotes on the wrong word

RUTGERS BABY!!! RAY RICE WILL WIN THE HEISMAN AND RRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUU WILL BE NATIONAL CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“Rutgers football rules babeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!”

Exactly how many times would anyone of you post that say…3 years ago? Anyone? Anyone?

I think the only chick that could handle Owen Schmitt at this point might be Paris Hilton.

Well Dave K. You fail to mention that Rutgers lost to WVU’s backup QB. WVU was without the Big East Player of the year that game. If he plays its a 10 pt WVU victory. Also Jai if the Big East is B-List BCS the ACC must be somewhere in the shitter.

Is it weird that I can’t tell whether post 34 is serious or not?

Rutgers weakness will be the inexperience at LB.

Dave K. brings up an excellent point, RU’s turnovers were not entirely accidents or products of luck, as Steele seems to infer. Special teams are very similar to Beamer ball, a major major emphasis on Block That Kick. It worked out quite well, and has been quietly getting better since Schiano has taken over and the talent has increased.

Speaking of Special teams, one of RU’s major concerns is going to be kick coverage…atrocious last year. Watch out!

This brings up an interesting point, will USF ever be a powerhouse in the Big East or will they always come up just short. The problem for USF is recruiting. They will always get the second or third tier guys. Unlike West Virginia, Rutgers or Louisville which are the premier programs in their state (granted Louiseville does have to compete with UK but the way they are playing and the conference they are in, it is not that hard). USF has to go up against UF, FSU and UMiami, which all have better, more prestigious programs.

Granted more inspired and creative play can take you far, but can that lead to consistent success in conference and bowl play?

#42,

 USF is still solidly the #4 school in Florida for football.

 Trying being one of 9 D-IA schools in Texas, then talk to me about difficulty in recruiting.

You may have a point, but other the UTexas, Texas A&M and TCU (maybe) what premier programs are there to compete with in Texas.

Florida still has UCF, FAMU and FIU waiting in the wings.

Smart analysts point out that Trickett’s loss could have a big effect on WVUs offense. More incisive analysts check the mediocre running stats at Auburn and LSU when he was there. And the obsessive fans point out that we poached USFs OL Coach to replace him and USFs OC just cuz we can. No worries about the running game in Morgantown baby.

Phil Steele’s first two power rankings has USF going undefeated.

USF gets both WVU and UL at home and won @RU last time they were there.

USF is 2-0 against UL in Tampa.

5 star Rival’s RB MIKE FORD will be the difference for USF this year. Last year USF had NO running game and Grothe had to do it alone.

Take the points and bet the farm on USF @AU!