Third downs may be key against Rutgers

Sunday's practice notes from correspondent Kerry Klecic ...

TAMPA -- USF offensive coordinator Mike Canales said Sunday that he’s concerned about Rutgers’ ability to pressure offenses — especially in third-down situations.

The Scarlet Knights, who play host to the Bulls on Thursday, are holding their opponents to 33.3 percent on third downs, good for best in the Big East and 20^th in the nation.

“They’re a heavy-pressure team and that’s coach (Greg) Schiano’s deal,” Canales said. “He’s a pressure guy. He wants to bring more than you can block, and it will force you to leave guys in to protect. We’ll have to have answers.”

The Bulls are 13 of 42 on third downs in the last three games, all which were against ranked opponents. For Canales, it’s an area that he’s looking to improve, and he said it depends on how well USF can move the ball on first downs Thursday in Piscataway.

“We have to be getting into manageable situations,” he said. “The best thing to do is to get into third and 3 or third and 4 situations because it gives a lot of options, with different formations or different looks we can use.”

Mitchell doubtful: USF coach Jim Leavitt still didn’t rule out junior wide receiver Carlton Mitchell, sidelined by a high ankle sprain, but he said Sunday that he’s “probably doubtful” to play.

Mitchell, USF’s leading receiver with 542 yards, dressed for the second straight day and jogged off the field wearing cleats for the first time at practice since injuring his ankle nearly two weeks ago in a win against West Virginia.

Plancher’s status: No. 1 back: USF’s philosophy has long been to use a running-back-by-committee approach, but Canales said Sunday that senior Mo Plancher is emerging as the Bulls’ go-to guy.

Against the Mountaineers, Plancher had 86 yards on 18 carries, and he leads the running backs with 402 yards this season. Canales said he’s a well-rounded back.

“In terms of protection, in terms of being able to protect the quarterback, which is big this week, he’s able to step in there and is able to do what we need him to do,” he said.

Comments

[G.A.]

Wow. Somebody dropped "pluperfect" on my blog. Can I get an ablative shoutout? Nominative? Dative, at least?

Good stuff.

[Thumper]

Nathan,
do you ever drop in to the pluperfect?

[Ken]

There are a lot of things we disagree about here, but hoping for ND to lose and lose and lose again is something I'm sure we all agree on. I'd like them 6-6 at the end.

[Norb]

Pitt wins out, is BE champ @ 11-1. Cinci wins all other non-Pitt games, finishes 2nd in BE @ 11-1. Notre Dame wins remaining games (except vs Pitt) end up @ 9-3. Pitt goes to BCS game, Gatorbowl has to take Cinci (3 more wins that ND) & ND gets another tidy-bowl offer.

Or if Pitt & UConn beat ND, then Cinci could be 12-0, Pitt 10-2 and Gatorbowl still couldn't take ND, so Pitt goes to Gator.

[David Weber]

Sandro, I'd say it's 0%. It's pretty apparent that the voters are stuck with a negative perception of the Big East, despite the fact that there really isn't an objective argument against the on-field product.

Play-calling will be the most important aspect of the third down plays. If Canales repeats his performance at Pitt, we're doomed. He needs to put the offense in a position to succeed. Penalties will be huge, too. I know we did much better in that area against WVU, but that was at home, and hardly a sign that the problem is cured. Not shooting ourselves in the foot will be extremely important.

I hope Mitchell can play. When used properly, he's an excellent threat. Only Bogan can come close to his explosiveness. If Mitchell doesn't play, using Love, Griffin, and Hester on outs might be a good idea.

[Sandro]

What is the probability of Pitt and Cincy going to a BCS game if they are both 11-1?

GO BULLS !!!

[Jupiter Bull]

Werbito, what's your call v Rugters?

Also, I just saw that we set the Lville game...noon.

[werbito]

If we win out--I'll get a U tattoo. That's my proclamation. I will post pics.

[Nathan]

If Windbane's situation were to pan out (*cough*subjunctivemood*cough*), Gator may choose USF due to it being in-state and more likely to travel than Pitt. Ticket sales do drive selection, right? Am I off base here?

[windbane]

Same Big East record, of course. We would have beaten WVU and have a better overall record than Pitt (9-3 vs 10-2). Not likely, though.

[windbane]

Gator can not choose Notre Dame if they are more than 2 wins away from the Big East selection.

I still think there's a chance USF goes to the Gator. If we miraculously won out, Pitt lost to WVU and Cincy, and WVU loses to Cincy, we would be the highest ranked team with the same record as WVU and Pitt. Of course, they probably still don't choose us, but it'd be nice.

[Nathan]

[in my best Homer voice]

mmmmmm... future perfect

*drooling*

[gbudzban]

Hey G.A.

Can you bring clarity to the ND/Gator situation?

Can the Gator chose a 7-5 ND team over a 10-2 Pitt team that will have beaten them? (How do you like that future perfect?)

Last year the Sun was constrained by some set of rules for picking ND. Does the Gator hav the same set of constraints?

[BiggTipp]

G.A.

I've seen John Lejiste in at Nickel during the WVU game and like Him in there better than Baker...He is bigger and more experienced.

Especially with RU using the run more I like a Safety in at Nickel...especially one that brings the pain

[Pierre Roche]

I know it says USF vs. Rutgers, but the way I am looking at this it is Leavitt vs. Schiano. Both teams had bye weeks and the coaches had extra time to review video.
Here's hoping CJL and his staff have a strong gameplan and have figured in how to counter any unique wrinkles Schiano throws at them. (IE: Don't waste all these timeouts to figure out if a team is going to punt or fake)

[Even]

Nathan, You said it right. How many times has USF ever ran a screen?? I know we've tried, but the blockers never seem to block anyone, so it doesn't work. Therefore, we never run again and the blitzes keep coming.

Practice the screen all week!!!

[Nathan]

Do the Bulls have a screen pass in their playbook? I seem to remember at least one game in each of the last few years where Grothe was hammered with blitz after blitz and USF never ran any standard, simple play to offset the blitz—screens, draws, and the like. Is it because it's not that simple or because they just don't have it in the arsenal?

[G.A.]

KC, barring any big surprises, I think USF is headed to Birmingham.

If Notre Dame collapsed badly enough that the Gator had to take a Big East team, or if Pittsburgh and Cincy won out until their final meeting with the loser getting a BCS at-large, those things could bring Meineke into play perhaps.

[Jupiter Bull]

If I recall, Bedford was in late v WVU, and did a good job putting pressure on Brown on the last WVU drive. Selvie was on the sidelines, for some reason. Fresh legs?

[Sandro]

Thank you Greg

GO BULLS !!!

[KC]

GA,
What are you hearing about possible bowls for USF? Of course this assumes we beat one of our 4 remaining teams (probably UL).

Assuming the Gator gets Notre Dame, I know BCS and the Meineke are probably out so that leaves Papa Johns,
St. Pete, and Int'l.
I can't see us going back tot he St. Pete game. And I know the folks in Toronto will want someone that travels so the Int'l might be out.

What are the chances of us taking a bowl slot from a conference that can't qualify enough teams?

The Insight Bowl in AZ may have an opening with the Big Ten struggling and the ACC may not have neough teams for the Eagle Bank Bowl in DC.

[G.A.]

Sandro, Kayvon Webster would be the next corner in -- after him, there's a decent dropoff to George Baker with Tyson Butler injured.

Bedford is still getting a good amount of reps -- he's the fourth end right now, not playing quite as much as Selvie/Marshall/Pierre-Paul, but next in line for sure.

[Sandro]

I know our starting DB's are Murphy and Washington but who comes in when we play 3 or 4 DB's? Also what happened to David Bedford? At the beginning of the year he was a started or the first guy of the bench but now he is one of the last guys on the DL to come in and play. Is it his playing or is he injured?

GO BULLS !!!

[USFMikeB]

This will be the game to decide our season? Really?

Someone says that every week. Qualifies for the competition of the most repeated things said by Bulls fans...

[Joe B.]

Can we please adjust to the blitz. Pretty please? I'll never forget the 07 game up there when Schiano was sending everything at Grothe, and we just continued to go 5 wide and try to pass down field.

[Bill B.]

The biggest issue will be for BJ to have the correct hot read on third downs. As RU hides the package BJ may not get the right or correct read and the other partner (receiver, running back) also has to be on the same page. I hope the coaches have been working on that. Groethe would always go to his legs as the hot read. RU knowing that knew how to shut that down. This will be the game to decide our season. As CJL stated the BE is more important than beating FSU and UM.

[MikeT]

Ken - yes, Taylor is back. He was the running back that WVU tackled in the end zone for a safety...

[Ken]

Didn't Taylor already return? I thought he played a down or two against somebody in the last couple of games?

[Cat]

Yes, think we should focus on finding more ways to use our speed...Lamar or other speedster on a screen or the previously successful (albeit under- utilized) shovel pass. BJ wouldn't have to take a hit although if the pass isn't there he can tuck it & go. Also, like to see us try our toro loco or other forms of "trickery".

[Mike]

3rd down blitzing pressure?

Hit Lindsey Lamar in the flat. He seems like the kind of guy you put in space and he can burn them for serious yards.

[Jupiter Bull]

Off topic: Just watched Mike Jenkins make an excellent interception on McNabb, throwing to Jeremy Maclin. Impressive...much improved over last year, and hopefully the start of a long, successful career.

[Jupiter Bull]

Taurean...2/3! And Plancher is only our go to back till he's flat. Then the rotation is on. Another poster had it right: If we had the stable of backs UF has, no one would complain.

Still think Taylor's the best, but he seems to still be recovering, as he's not running his hardest. Hope we didn't waste a year & bring him back too soon.

[Taurean]

Leavitt said that Mitchell is "probably doubtul." I guess that's a lot better than "doubtfully probable." Our coach says the darndest things, doesn't he?

I'm amazed that we're merely halfway through the season and we've already found our "go-to back." Let's hope they won't take him out after he breaks off a 27-yard gain.

Our coaches should be more worried about playing a team that has nothing to lose. If they don't anticipate trick plays, lots of going-for-it fourth downs, and all out pressure on Daniels, I anticipate another L in the loss column.

[Jupiter Bull]

Just checked the temp...33/51 for Thursday. Cool, but not frigid like Morgantown last year. Our guys should be fine...

[werbito]

Like Cat said, just putting him in there to look pretty would keep the Rutgirls D honest.

[Ken]

Let's keep him on the sideline until he's ready to play--Rutgers isn't the only game we have left.

[Cat]

Sure wouldn't surprise me to see Mitchell in the game on Thurs. Since he's able to jog & practice. Even at less than 100% he can decoy. The running game will be important as it always is, so hopefully Mo can be successful.