How can USF win 6 in a row?

More proof that college football is a sickening business: Gene Wojciechowski writes that JoePa deserves a new deal. Just a few months ago, ESPN chronicled the myriad problems that Penn State has had off the field. It's not even fair to compare FreeShoesUniversity to the current Penn State mess. JoePa has no control over that program, but now that they are winning, apparently all is forgiven. Unless they lose.

Let's view both Paterno and Bobby Bowden for what they are: coaching legends who define their universities and espouse the virtues of college football while allowing an astonishing amount of players to demonstrate contempt for academics, their university, and the law. But the character flaws inherent in both programs are wiped away by winning. When each coach is losing, however, all of a sudden national writers call for their heads. Enough of the double-standard. If you want a coach who preaches the morality of his program, then hold him to that standard in good times and bad. If you want a coach that just wants to win, baby, then you have no right to complain about players running wild (like at Iowa).

Just needed to get that out there.

So I'm watching the Red Sox and Rays play a late-evening game. It's just so quintessentially American I can't help but put off my work (not to mention thrilled that I'll actually get some sleep because this one should be over by midnight).

I'm reasonably sure that USF is the subject of this blog, so let me address it. First off, I'll be in Florida on Friday, so that'll be fun (though the weather has been great up here the past few days). Second, the season isn't over. There are 6 games left, and all 6 are must-win games. Pitt will not win out, that's a guarantee. Nor will WVU. 5-2 probably will win the conference, so the opportunity for our first BCS game is there.

So how can USF win 6 in a row? Coaching and motivation. Burnham cannot stop strong running backs- that's become a fact over the past 2 seasons. Thus the onus is on him to stop Curtis Brinkley, Donald Brown, the Louisville trio, and even Jourdan Brooks. In fact, of the remaining opponents, I think we have the best shot to stop Noel Devine. On the motivation issue, Mike Simmonds needs to get the o-line to maintain a high level of energy, something they've done exactly twice this season (Kansas and NC State). If the team comes out flat again like in the Pitt game, this team is in trouble. Based on last year, that seems extremely unlikely.

A good start would be to run up the score on Syracuse. Somehow, though, I have a really bad feeling that the team won't get the message until the second half.

I don't mean to sound overly pessimistic, but the problems that were manifested on last year's team have repeated themselves this year. Hopefully the extra week will give the coaches a chance to address the only two real flaws on that team.

And by the way, since I'm coming down to Florida, Ray Jay better be rocking when I'm there...

Comments

[Jim]

I agree, they are able to play at a high level for tough games but play with no enthusiasm for other games.