TAMPA, Fla. – It’s homecoming weekend for USF. And I am not just talking about for alumni. USF football has not played at home at Ray Jay since September 22 against ECU (A 20-13 win). USF hosts UConn on Saturday night.
Quick Facts
- USF is currently on a six game winning streak against UConn.
- The Bulls have scored a combined 79 points over the last two meetings with UConn
- USF is 6-1 all-time at home against UConn.
Torello is Thinking Out Loud
Since that agonizing win against ECU in September the Bulls (6-0, 2-0 AAC) have remained perfect, but only in that their record is still without a loss. Ask any of their fans (or media) and you’ll hear something like this:
“This team is 6-0, but is so frustrating to watch. How can you win by just ONE POINT to Tulsa? Our O-line needs work, Our defense is slow at times and will SOMEONE tell STERLIN GILBERT there are other plays that can be run besides HB-DIVE?!”
There. I just saved you tons of time on Twitter with that mini rant which perfectly sums up the feeling around Bulls nation. What’s also becoming a habit for head coach Charlie Strong and his players is to repeat the same lines week after week:
“We just aren’t playing a full four quarters”… “I think guys are afraid to make a mistake”…. “I have said this time and time again we need to play the whole game the way we play in the second half.”
You get the idea.
This does not feel like a team that is about to go 7-0 and match it’s best start in program history. But that is what USF should do this weekend. Let me repeat: that is what USF should do this weekend.
USF has a tendency to play to the level of their competition. For Example:
- ECU only gave up 20 points to USF.
- ECU has given up an average of 42 points per game over its last three games.
- Tulsa surrendered 25 points to USF.
- Tulsa was coming two games with the average scored allowed by them being 36.
So Bulls fans should be on the lookout for a hungry Bulls team this weekend. Otherwise they will fall into the same trap of not competing until the 2nd half.
Run With Us (on Offense)
Yes “Run With Us” is a USF basketball slogan, but the Bulls need to let loose in this game against UConn (1-5, 0-3 AAC). The Huskies defense ranks DEAD LAST (130 out of 130) in all the FBS allowing 53.7 points per game. Their rush defense is 2nd-to-last in the nation allowing just over 322 rushing yards per game. They are also 2nd-to-last in pass defense.
I am convinced IMG Academy, Lakeland High and St. Thomas Aquinas could challenge the Huskies into the 4th quarter of any game.
So, the Bulls need to turn to Jordan Cronkrite: he has four straight 100-yard rushing games and is coming off back-to-back games with at least 150 rushing yards. Cronk. It. Up.
I think Blake Barnett is licking his chops to get on the field on Saturday. He should carve up the UConn secondary and put up 300 passing yards. I know Charlie Strong is a nice man and doesn’t want to embarrass another team, but go embarrass UConn or you will embarrass yourself. It’s that simple.
Keep Alpha Dog on a leashUConn quarterback David Pindell is a solid athlete. He is just not playing for a good team. The only game this season in which Pindell threw for more than one touchdown was a 56-49 win against Rhode Island. We are not talking a fun battle on the hardwood at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT. We are talking about Rhode Island football. That’s not good. Still, contain Pindell because he can hurt you if you give him the chance.
UConn averages 20.3 points per game this season. Good enough for 122nd-best in the nation. Their rushing attack has some promise (mainly because of Pindell) so the Bulls need to stay true to their assignments and be aware of the broken play, which will happen.
Prediction Time
I am giving you two predictions:
What SHOULD happen: USF 55 UConn 17
What WILL happen: USF 38 UConn 21
And then it’s on to Houston (gulp!).