Latest / 4th AND BULL / USF vs Army Preview + Rivalry With UCF Not Renewing

Transcript

USF vs Army Preview + Rivalry With UCF Not Renewing · 4th AND BULL

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: I'm Bulls fans. Welcome to fourth and bowl. My name
• 0:03
  Speaker 1: is Nick wise. Good to have you along. I really
• 0:05
  Speaker 1: do appreciate you checking out the podcast. We got a
• 0:07
  Speaker 1: lot to talk about today. USF army noon Saturday. We
• 0:11
  Speaker 1: will preview that game along with the preview of that game.
• 0:15
  Speaker 1: Big article came out yesterday from on three. They spoke
• 0:18
  Speaker 1: to both athletic directors, USF UCF, and it doesn't look
• 0:23
  Speaker 1: like that rivalry is going to renew anytime soon. I
• 0:25
  Speaker 1: have some thoughts on that, but before we get into
• 0:28
  Speaker 1: the game, Before we get into the rivalry that appears
• 0:32
  Speaker 1: it's not coming back anytime soon, I want to take
• 0:35
  Speaker 1: a second to say thank you guys so much for
• 0:37
  Speaker 1: the support on this.
• 0:38
  Speaker 2: It's really been awesome. We're now four. What are we,
• 0:42
  Speaker 2: four episodes in? One, two. Yeah, four. No, this will
• 0:45
  Speaker 2: be five. And we've had two player interviews, and we've
• 0:48
  Speaker 2: done two.
• 0:48
  Speaker 1: We did a pre-show to FIU, and then we did
• 0:51
  Speaker 1: a post-show to FIU, and then now we're previewing Army.
• 0:53
  Speaker 2: So five.
• 0:54
  Speaker 1: The first episode, over 2,000 views already. And for the
• 0:58
  Speaker 1: first episode of a podcast, that's huge. So thank you
• 1:01
  Speaker 1: guys so much for making that happen. I'm reading your
• 1:03
  Speaker 1: comments on YouTube. It's all been positive. You guys are
• 1:06
  Speaker 1: a great fan base who, like every comment's just like,
• 1:09
  Speaker 1: thank you for doing this. Thank you for doing this.
• 1:12
  Speaker 1: And so I just want to say thank you for
• 1:14
  Speaker 1: watching this. Thank you for listening on iHeartRadio, also Apple Podcast.
• 1:18
  Speaker 1: And I really appreciate the support and helping me grow
• 1:21
  Speaker 1: this thing. It's something that I can't.
• 1:23
  Speaker 2: Grow on my own. We got to grow it together.
• 1:25
  Speaker 1: So my favorite to ask from you would be share
• 1:29
  Speaker 1: this podcast with five USF Bulls fans. If we can
• 1:34
  Speaker 1: grow this together, just think about the things that we
• 1:36
  Speaker 1: can do on this channel. I mean, we're already doing great, right?
• 1:38
  Speaker 1: Grayson Pop Howard has joined us. Thomas Schrader has joined us.
• 1:42
  Speaker 1: We've had really good guests. I just, the things that
• 1:44
  Speaker 1: we could do together, if we make this thing even bigger,
• 1:47
  Speaker 1: will be endless.
• 1:49
  Speaker 2: And I really think that we can make it happen. So, yeah.
• 1:52
  Speaker 1: You know, you guys have been thanking me. I want
• 1:53
  Speaker 1: to say thank you to you. I'm having a lot
• 1:55
  Speaker 1: of fun doing this. I love college football. We have
• 1:57
  Speaker 1: a college football program here in our backyard. So this
• 2:00
  Speaker 1: just made perfect sense. So let's get right to it.
• 2:04
  Speaker 1: USF Army this weekend. Before I kind of get into
• 2:08
  Speaker 1: the Army game, let's just go back to week one
• 2:09
  Speaker 1: just for a minute. Because what happened in week one,
• 2:13
  Speaker 1: I think, could play a factor into week number two.
• 2:16
  Speaker 1: So they beat FIU 19-9, as you know. But nobody
• 2:19
  Speaker 1: was satisfied. Fans were not happy. A lot of outrage
• 2:23
  Speaker 1: over a victory. More than, you know, this is not
• 2:27
  Speaker 1: something you would have seen six, seven years ago. You
• 2:31
  Speaker 1: would have been happy just to get the dub. But
• 2:34
  Speaker 1: the expectations have changed for USF.
• 2:37
  Speaker 2: You know that. I know that.
• 2:39
  Speaker 1: And most importantly, the team knows that because from my conversations,
• 2:44
  Speaker 1: you know, we talked to Thomas Schrader on Wednesday and
• 2:47
  Speaker 1: just talking to some other people that are inside the building.
• 2:51
  Speaker 1: nobody is happy or satisfied with that win on Saturday night.
• 2:57
  Speaker 1: Of course, they're happy they got the win, and that
• 2:59
  Speaker 1: is most important. They are 1-0, so let's remember that.
• 3:02
  Speaker 1: I also think with week number one, everybody tends.
• 3:05
  Speaker 2: To overreact, right? We go from our predictions.
• 3:08
  Speaker 1: Of, oh, they're going to be 10-2, 11-1, they're going
• 3:10
  Speaker 1: to the playoff, and we're fighting people that say they
• 3:12
  Speaker 1: aren't going to the playoff, and then the moment they
• 3:15
  Speaker 1: don't have a great performance or live up to your expectations,
• 3:19
  Speaker 1: Season's over, Don.
• 3:21
  Speaker 2: I'm not there yet, all right? It's one week.
• 3:25
  Speaker 1: Tim Beck obviously got a lot of the criticism. Deservingly so.
• 3:30
  Speaker 1: The offense wasn't great, but I don't want to overreact
• 3:33
  Speaker 1: on my thoughts that I have of Tim Beck yet
• 3:36
  Speaker 1: because it's one game, guys.
• 3:40
  Speaker 2: By the way, I saw your comments. Thank you for
• 3:41
  Speaker 2: talking us off the ledge.
• 3:43
  Speaker 1: I might not be able to do that every week, right? Like,
• 3:45
  Speaker 1: I might be there with you at... But I'm not
• 3:48
  Speaker 1: with you there on just one game.
• 3:51
  Speaker 2: Was it bad? Yes, it was bad.
• 3:53
  Speaker 1: The biggest positive coming out of week number one is
• 3:56
  Speaker 1: that nobody was satisfied with the win.
• 3:59
  Speaker 2: That's important to me.
• 4:00
  Speaker 1: Top to bottom, inside that building, players, coaches, nobody was satisfied.
• 4:06
  Speaker 1: And that is very encouraging because it tells me that
• 4:10
  Speaker 1: the standard inside that program is higher than just simply
• 4:13
  Speaker 1: getting a win. The way they win is now matters,
• 4:17
  Speaker 1: and that wasn't the case years ago. USF only had
• 4:20
  Speaker 1: 208 yards against FIU.
• 4:21
  Speaker 2: You know it. I know it. They know it.
• 4:23
  Speaker 1: Not going to get it done against Army this weekend.
• 4:29
  Speaker 1: Was this offense performance a one-game problem or something that
• 4:31
  Speaker 1: we should actually be concerned about is a question I've
• 4:34
  Speaker 1: gotten a lot.
• 4:36
  Speaker 2: I'm going to hold off on being concerned.
• 4:38
  Speaker 1: I think if you are concerned and questioning it, I
• 4:42
  Speaker 1: think that's okay. I will be a little bit more
• 4:46
  Speaker 1: concerned if we see the same struggles happening in week two. Now,
• 4:51
  Speaker 1: Brian Hartline made a comment in his post-game presser. A
• 4:55
  Speaker 1: team usually grows most from week one to week two. Now,
• 4:59
  Speaker 1: he's put a lot of pressure on himself because we
• 5:02
  Speaker 1: better see that growth here in week number two, or
• 5:05
  Speaker 1: he's going to be answering a lot of questions to
• 5:07
  Speaker 1: what's been going on all offseason.
• 5:09
  Speaker 2: The NIL is there. The roster is there.
• 5:13
  Speaker 1: According to 24-7 Sports, it is the best group of
• 5:16
  Speaker 1: six roster in the country. So things have to change
• 5:20
  Speaker 1: this weekend. Brian Hartline has never been under this kind
• 5:25
  Speaker 1: of pressure, right? Ohio State has pressure. But Brian Hartline
• 5:30
  Speaker 1: wasn't the one facing that pressure. It was Ryan Day.
• 5:32
  Speaker 1: You know, when they were losing, you never heard Brian
• 5:35
  Speaker 1: Hartline's offense this, Brian Hartline's offense that. It was Ryan
• 5:38
  Speaker 1: Day needs to be fired. Ryan Day's this, Ryan Day's that. Well,
• 5:42
  Speaker 1: now it all falls on Brian Harlan. He is the
• 5:44
  Speaker 1: head guy for the first time. And he, I think,
• 5:47
  Speaker 1: is in a position that is a little bit more
• 5:50
  Speaker 1: challenging of a coaching job. One, not only is he
• 5:53
  Speaker 1: not just an offensive coordinator anymore, he's the head coach
• 5:56
  Speaker 1: overseeing an entire program. But Ohio State has some advantages
• 6:00
  Speaker 1: USF doesn't. And he has the roster. And he is
• 6:04
  Speaker 1: going to need to coach his way to a better
• 6:09
  Speaker 1: performance than what we saw in week number one. There
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: are going to be a lot of eyes focused on
• 6:14
  Speaker 1: what Brian Hartline does this week. And you could say, well,
• 6:18
  Speaker 1: it's Tim Beck in the offense. Brian Hartline is the
• 6:20
  Speaker 1: guy that oversees all of this. He's the guy that
• 6:23
  Speaker 1: hired Tim Beck. So all eyes are on both of
• 6:26
  Speaker 1: those guys. Now, I will say in this game, those
• 6:29
  Speaker 1: are not the two most important coaches. I'll get to
• 6:31
  Speaker 1: that in just a little bit. There's a couple storylines
• 6:34
  Speaker 1: in this game on the coaching staff that I want
• 6:36
  Speaker 1: to get to that I think is going to give
• 6:38
  Speaker 1: you a little bit of hope going into this game.
• 6:40
  Speaker 1: I should say a little bit of hope because I
• 6:41
  Speaker 1: think you guys have hope. It's a three and a
• 6:44
  Speaker 1: half point spread, so anyone can win it. But I
• 6:46
  Speaker 1: think it's going to, when you're done watching this, I
• 6:49
  Speaker 1: think you're going to leave here with a pretty good
• 6:50
  Speaker 1: feeling and feeling confident going into.
• 6:52
  Speaker 2: That game on Saturday.
• 6:56
  Speaker 1: So when Harline met with the media this week, usually
• 6:59
  Speaker 1: when a coach steps to the podium, they have some
• 7:02
  Speaker 1: opening statement comments that they say, and then they open
• 7:05
  Speaker 1: it up to the press and the press can ask questions.
• 7:09
  Speaker 1: there was no opening statement this week. It went straight
• 7:12
  Speaker 1: to questions and nothing to say. And normally I wouldn't
• 7:18
  Speaker 1: love that. But in this situation, I love that because
• 7:24
  Speaker 1: coach Hartline isn't satisfied. No one is, which is what
• 7:27
  Speaker 1: I've just been preaching for the last seven minutes. I
• 7:30
  Speaker 1: liked the fact that he didn't have an opening statement
• 7:32
  Speaker 1: and went straight to the questions. Now, USF is going
• 7:35
  Speaker 1: to have to establish the run better. And, I also
• 7:39
  Speaker 1: think the passing game needs to become a little bit
• 7:42
  Speaker 1: of an identity as well. I know that they are
• 7:45
  Speaker 1: a run-first offense. I've been preaching this for so long because, again,
• 7:51
  Speaker 1: and if you've watched all the episodes, you're probably tired
• 7:55
  Speaker 1: of me saying this, but everyone thinks Brian Hartline and
• 7:58
  Speaker 1: these wide receivers in this offense, and don't get me wrong,
• 8:00
  Speaker 1: that wide receiver room is talented. When we talk to
• 8:02
  Speaker 1: Grayson Popoward, I asked him about the wide receiver room
• 8:06
  Speaker 1: because that was one of the biggest questions everybody had
• 8:08
  Speaker 1: going in is how good are they? He praised them.
• 8:10
  Speaker 1: He named like eight different players. They had some drop
• 8:12
  Speaker 1: passes in week number one. They didn't really live up
• 8:14
  Speaker 1: to the hype.
• 8:16
  Speaker 2: I think those are correctable mistakes. I'm not really worried
• 8:20
  Speaker 2: about the drop passes.
• 8:21
  Speaker 1: I think I'm more concerned about what went on up
• 8:24
  Speaker 1: front and how they were dominated there than I am
• 8:27
  Speaker 1: the drop passes. But I do think the passing game
• 8:30
  Speaker 1: needs to become more of an identity. I think they
• 8:33
  Speaker 1: want to be a run-first team, and I have no
• 8:35
  Speaker 1: problem with that. But they are coming in here with
• 8:40
  Speaker 1: a Big Ten-style offense. And in the Big Ten, they
• 8:44
  Speaker 1: like to run. And they never got away from the run,
• 8:48
  Speaker 1: even when it wasn't working. And I don't know if
• 8:50
  Speaker 1: that game plan is going to work against Army. If
• 8:55
  Speaker 1: you're trying to run and it ain't working... you're going
• 8:58
  Speaker 1: to have to bail on the run this week, and
• 8:59
  Speaker 1: you're going to have to open up the playbook a
• 9:02
  Speaker 1: little bit. Now, I think there is one big advantage
• 9:06
  Speaker 1: USF has going into this game, and I think there's
• 9:08
  Speaker 1: one big disadvantage that USF has going into this game
• 9:12
  Speaker 1: against Army. The one advantage is being game two to
• 9:17
  Speaker 1: take on Army, I like that. I would actually prefer
• 9:21
  Speaker 1: them to be week one. And let me explain, because
• 9:24
  Speaker 1: I know when you hear that, you're like, well, wouldn't
• 9:25
  Speaker 1: you want to play maybe a couple cupcakes.
• 9:28
  Speaker 2: First, get things going, and then take on a conference opponent?
• 9:32
  Speaker 1: Yes, in most situations, unless it is Army or it
• 9:37
  Speaker 1: is Navy that run a completely different offense. So the
• 9:41
  Speaker 1: one advantage that I think USF has is from my
• 9:45
  Speaker 1: conversations with Brian Hartline, in my conversations with the players,
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: they have been preparing for this Army offense in the offseason.
• 9:58
  Speaker 1: I don't think they were necessarily looking over FIU, which,
• 10:01
  Speaker 1: by the way, you could say, all right, well, they've
• 10:02
  Speaker 1: been practicing for Army.
• 10:05
  Speaker 2: All offseason.
• 10:06
  Speaker 1: Maybe the focus wasn't totally on FIU. Maybe they were
• 10:10
  Speaker 1: looking ahead. And they might have been, right? They were
• 10:14
  Speaker 1: kind of trying to prepare for two different teams. I
• 10:17
  Speaker 1: think in the moment.
• 10:20
  Speaker 1: Leading up to the game week, I think all the
• 10:23
  Speaker 1: attention was on FIU. I think before that, I do
• 10:26
  Speaker 1: think time at practice was spent on Army, just based
• 10:30
  Speaker 1: on what players and coaches have said. And so I
• 10:33
  Speaker 1: think that gives them an advantage by playing them in
• 10:36
  Speaker 1: week two, because if you play Army in, let's say,
• 10:38
  Speaker 1: week eight or nine, you can't do that. You have
• 10:43
  Speaker 1: eight or nine games that you need to be focused
• 10:46
  Speaker 1: on before you can even think about Army. And having
• 10:49
  Speaker 1: them in Week 2, Brian Harline and this defense have
• 10:51
  Speaker 1: had a chance to really prepare. Now, the one disadvantage
• 10:56
  Speaker 1: is USF is full of transfers. And what did we
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: see last week with an offensive line room full of transfers?
• 11:03
  Speaker 1: There's eight new offensive linemen that transferred into this program.
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: There's only one returning starter from a year ago. What
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: we learned is that the continuity just wasn't there yet.
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: And it's going to take time to click. And that's
• 11:21
  Speaker 1: the new world of college football we live in. Transfer portals,
• 11:24
  Speaker 1: getting guys used to each other, familiarity of playing with
• 11:28
  Speaker 1: each other. And those are things that you just don't
• 11:30
  Speaker 1: get at practice. Those are things that you can only
• 11:32
  Speaker 1: get in a game. And that's where the advantage is
• 11:35
  Speaker 1: to Army because Army doesn't have a transfer portal. These
• 11:38
  Speaker 1: guys have all played together. It's a lot of the
• 11:41
  Speaker 1: same team from last year. And they all know each other.
• 11:45
  Speaker 1: It is a brotherhood there. And it's a brotherhood at USF, too.
• 11:48
  Speaker 1: It's a very connected locker room. That's the one thing
• 11:51
  Speaker 1: I can say being around these guys is they're a
• 11:53
  Speaker 1: very tight group. Members of the coaching staff have said
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: they've never been on a team with players this close.
• 12:01
  Speaker 1: But just because they're close off the field doesn't mean
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: that's going to translate on the field. Army has that continuity. Now,
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: Army coming into this game pretty good. Last year, what
• 12:09
  Speaker 1: was the record? 7-5?
• 12:11
  Speaker 2: A lot of one-score games. Two of those losses came
• 12:14
  Speaker 2: in overtime.
• 12:15
  Speaker 1: And all of those losses except one were very close.
• 12:19
  Speaker 1: And that only loss that wasn't close was against a
• 12:24
  Speaker 1: Josh Aldridge defense in East Carolina, 28-6.
• 12:27
  Speaker 2: We can talk about that here in just a little bit.
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: Because that's going to be one of my storylines going
• 12:34
  Speaker 1: into this game. Is Josh Aldridge versus Army? Actually, let's
• 12:37
  Speaker 1: just talk about it now. Josh Aldridge versus Army. Last
• 12:40
  Speaker 1: season at East Carolina, Aldridge was the defensive coordinator.
• 12:44
  Speaker 2: You guys know that.
• 12:46
  Speaker 1: Army rushed for 241 yards, which kind of sounds like
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: a lot, but it's not when you only pass for
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: barely over 100. Actually, I don't even think they hit
• 12:55
  Speaker 1: 100 passing yards in that game. I think they were
• 12:57
  Speaker 1: in the fourth. I don't have the box score in
• 12:58
  Speaker 1: front of me. Regardless, 241 rushing yards for Army is
• 13:02
  Speaker 1: not a good day. If you can hold them to
• 13:04
  Speaker 1: 241 on Saturday, I think you win this game. They had, okay,
• 13:08
  Speaker 1: I actually do have it in front of me. They
• 13:09
  Speaker 1: had 290 total yards. So if I do the math correct,
• 13:12
  Speaker 1: what's that, 49 passing yards?
• 13:15
  Speaker 2: I'm not good at math. I hope it is. I
• 13:17
  Speaker 2: didn't go to USM. I don't have the good education. No,
• 13:20
  Speaker 2: it is. But ECU won that game 28-6.
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: So that gives me a lot of confidence going into
• 13:27
  Speaker 1: Saturday that we have the right guy coaching this defense,
• 13:30
  Speaker 1: and I think we already kind of knew that. I
• 13:32
  Speaker 1: think everyone's big on Aldridge, and I know the players are.
• 13:35
  Speaker 1: talking to them at Bulls Fest, every defensive player I
• 13:37
  Speaker 1: talked to was, hey, what made you come to USF? Well,
• 13:42
  Speaker 1: Coach Aldridge called me, and he explained this and this
• 13:44
  Speaker 1: and this. Coach Aldridge is highly respected and a really
• 13:47
  Speaker 1: great defensive coordinator. And so him being on this coaching
• 13:52
  Speaker 1: staff gives me high hopes. Now, he also faced Army
• 13:55
  Speaker 1: in 2021 when he was at Liberty, and he held
• 13:57
  Speaker 1: Army to a 3.5-yard rushing average per play.
• 14:01
  Speaker 2: They won 31-16. It's good.
• 14:06
  Speaker 1: Now, not only do you have Josh Aldridge, but you
• 14:10
  Speaker 1: have Danny Verpale on this coaching staff. And I think
• 14:14
  Speaker 1: this is a storyline that's kind of gotten forgotten. He
• 14:17
  Speaker 1: was on the staff of Army and knows this team
• 14:20
  Speaker 1: almost better than anybody. He spent the previous three seasons
• 14:24
  Speaker 1: at Army. He knows the players. He knows the offense.
• 14:26
  Speaker 1: He knows how they practice. He knows the terminology. He
• 14:29
  Speaker 1: knows exactly what Army wants to do offensively. And I think, again,
• 14:34
  Speaker 1: this is one of those stories that hasn't gotten enough attention.
• 14:37
  Speaker 1: I think having Danny Verpell, along with Aldridge, I think
• 14:42
  Speaker 1: is going to give this team an advantage against Army that.
• 14:45
  Speaker 2: No other team has.
• 14:46
  Speaker 1: So those are two of my storylines going into this
• 14:50
  Speaker 1: football game. Now, remember, at the beginning of the show,
• 14:52
  Speaker 1: I said, I don't even think Hartline and Tim Beck
• 14:55
  Speaker 1: are the most important coaches this week. Those are your
• 14:58
  Speaker 1: two most important coaches in my book. These are guys
• 15:00
  Speaker 1: that are familiar with Army. And they know how to
• 15:03
  Speaker 1: beat Army. Well, Verpell doesn't know how to beat them
• 15:06
  Speaker 1: because he's always been with them. But he knows the insides.
• 15:08
  Speaker 1: But Josh Aldridge does know how to beat them. And
• 15:11
  Speaker 1: so I feel good about the defense going into this
• 15:14
  Speaker 1: game against Army. I think they're going to be able
• 15:16
  Speaker 1: to stack the box. And I liked the run defense.
• 15:20
  Speaker 1: The run defense wasn't bad against FIU. So you have
• 15:25
  Speaker 1: to feel really confident in the defense with those two storylines. Now,
• 15:28
  Speaker 1: another storyline in this game is USF's passing game. against
• 15:32
  Speaker 1: Army's secondary. I told you last week, I thought they
• 15:36
  Speaker 1: were going to try to win this game on the ground.
• 15:38
  Speaker 1: I think they're going to try to win every game
• 15:39
  Speaker 1: on the ground, obviously, but I think the biggest advantage
• 15:43
  Speaker 1: for USF this week is going to be against this
• 15:46
  Speaker 1: good Army defense.
• 15:49
  Speaker 2: Is the passing game.
• 15:50
  Speaker 1: Because as good as Army's defense was last year, they
• 15:54
  Speaker 1: didn't get a lot of pressure on quarterbacks.
• 15:57
  Speaker 2: And so, Week one, you go back to the FIU game.
• 16:01
  Speaker 2: What was the biggest problem?
• 16:01
  Speaker 1: There was a lot of pressure on MVB, which is
• 16:05
  Speaker 1: why I think they couldn't open up the pass game
• 16:09
  Speaker 1: as much as we wanted it to open up.
• 16:12
  Speaker 2: They didn't have a ton of time. Well, I think
• 16:14
  Speaker 2: they're going to have time.
• 16:15
  Speaker 1: And I think that the wide receivers on this team,
• 16:19
  Speaker 1: I believe, is the mismatch against this Army defense. And
• 16:24
  Speaker 1: I think it's USF's receivers that are going to be
• 16:26
  Speaker 1: the difference makers on the field.
• 16:29
  Speaker 2: It has to be this week against Army.
• 16:32
  Speaker 1: And not only that, in a game where we believe
• 16:35
  Speaker 1: it's going to be limited possessions, you want the passing
• 16:38
  Speaker 1: game to be effective to give your offense more opportunities.
• 16:42
  Speaker 1: You know, this is one of those games where every
• 16:44
  Speaker 1: possession is going to count. And really, every possession is
• 16:53
  Speaker 1: so important, more so than any other game, because they
• 16:55
  Speaker 1: are so limited. So The pressure is going to be
• 16:57
  Speaker 1: on the offense to score every single time they have
• 16:59
  Speaker 1: the ball. And if they have the same game plan
• 17:02
  Speaker 1: as a week ago and it's going to be run, run, run, run, run,
• 17:04
  Speaker 1: the possessions are going to be very low. But if
• 17:07
  Speaker 1: they can hit some explosive plays, which they didn't hit
• 17:09
  Speaker 1: any in week number one, they can do that against Army.
• 17:12
  Speaker 1: Then I like their chances even more on the offensive
• 17:14
  Speaker 1: side of the ball because that's going to give them
• 17:16
  Speaker 1: more possessions. And you're going to need every single possession
• 17:20
  Speaker 1: that you can get against, you know, this this this
• 17:24
  Speaker 1: Army team. Now, USF's offense has to be much better.
• 17:27
  Speaker 1: I don't need to really reiterate what happened in week one.
• 17:30
  Speaker 1: You guys know. My game plan for this, I was
• 17:35
  Speaker 1: pretty proud of myself. I was telling a coworker here
• 17:38
  Speaker 1: at the radio station. If you guys are just checking
• 17:40
  Speaker 1: this out on the podcast, I also have a radio
• 17:42
  Speaker 1: show on 95.7 WDAE and AM620 here in Tampa.
• 17:48
  Speaker 2: And I.
• 17:50
  Speaker 1: Just happened to tell one of my coworkers, I go,
• 17:52
  Speaker 1: you know, I'm really proud of My analysis of week one,
• 17:59
  Speaker 1: the game literally played out exactly how I thought. I
• 18:04
  Speaker 1: thought Harline was going to go with the run. I
• 18:06
  Speaker 1: thought FIU was going to try to win with the pass.
• 18:08
  Speaker 1: They threw it 50 times. I said it was going
• 18:10
  Speaker 1: to be a 10-point game, although I thought it was
• 18:12
  Speaker 1: going to be 31-21. I expected more from the offense,
• 18:15
  Speaker 1: and I got more from the defense. But all in all,
• 18:18
  Speaker 1: I was on with it. And look, I'm not always
• 18:21
  Speaker 1: going to be right. This isn't me gloating, but I
• 18:23
  Speaker 1: was proud of that call. And so Now I sit
• 18:26
  Speaker 1: down at week two and I wonder, can I do
• 18:28
  Speaker 1: it again? And I think the way USF is going
• 18:31
  Speaker 1: to have to win this, it is going to have
• 18:34
  Speaker 1: to be through the air. I believe that is how
• 18:37
  Speaker 1: they win this game. I believe that's their biggest advantage.
• 18:40
  Speaker 1: Take advantage of the pressure that Army doesn't typically generate.
• 18:44
  Speaker 1: And I think this week, if the offensive line can
• 18:47
  Speaker 1: hold up, And when we talked to Thomas Schrader on Wednesday,
• 18:50
  Speaker 1: I asked him, when you looked at the film, are
• 18:52
  Speaker 1: these easy things that you can clean up?
• 18:55
  Speaker 2: He said, yes.
• 18:56
  Speaker 1: He said there was a lot of positive stuff on
• 18:58
  Speaker 1: the tape that maybe the regular fan doesn't see.
• 19:02
  Speaker 2: And that's good. I want to hear that.
• 19:05
  Speaker 1: It sounds like a lot of these mistakes that were
• 19:07
  Speaker 1: made are correctable. And I think after they watched the
• 19:12
  Speaker 1: tape again, this is where we're going to go back
• 19:14
  Speaker 1: to heartline. How good of a coach are you? How
• 19:16
  Speaker 1: much can you get corrected going into week two? And
• 19:19
  Speaker 1: so if that offensive line can hold up against an
• 19:22
  Speaker 1: Army front that isn't known to apply a lot of pressure,
• 19:25
  Speaker 1: the passing game really can open up here. And again,
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: I think it has to. And so I actually think,
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: don't get me wrong, USF's always going to try to
• 19:33
  Speaker 1: run the ball first. But I do believe if they
• 19:38
  Speaker 1: start the run game early in this football game and
• 19:43
  Speaker 1: it doesn't work, Unlike last week, I think they will
• 19:46
  Speaker 1: get away from it. Where last week, they just stuck
• 19:49
  Speaker 1: with it. Run, run, run, run, run, even when it
• 19:52
  Speaker 1: wasn't working. So I'd like to see them take some,
• 19:55
  Speaker 1: take some shots downfield early, you know, get, get Army's
• 20:00
  Speaker 1: coverage back a little bit and then take them, take
• 20:02
  Speaker 1: advantage of them with the athletes you have on the outside.
• 20:06
  Speaker 1: I think that is how they are going to win
• 20:09
  Speaker 1: this game. Because Army wants to limit the possessions. Army
• 20:12
  Speaker 1: wants to control the clock. Which, by the way, so
• 20:15
  Speaker 1: do you. But that's Army's game. That's what they've been
• 20:18
  Speaker 1: known at for years. So I don't know if you
• 20:21
  Speaker 1: want to go in there and try to beat Army
• 20:23
  Speaker 1: at their own game. And I just think if you
• 20:25
  Speaker 1: can hit some explosive plays, I just think that's going
• 20:29
  Speaker 1: to lead to success. And the offense needs to create
• 20:31
  Speaker 1: some explosive plays this week. So the big questions that
• 20:36
  Speaker 1: I want answered on Saturday are, Can USF's offense be
• 20:39
  Speaker 1: much better than it was against FIU?
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: I think it can be. It has to be. It
• 20:44
  Speaker 2: really can't get any worse.
• 20:45
  Speaker 1: It really, you put up one touchdown and the field
• 20:48
  Speaker 1: goals you get were because the defense put you in
• 20:51
  Speaker 1: a really good position. Got to sustain longer drives. They
• 20:54
  Speaker 1: didn't sustain any long drives. When I looked at the drive,
• 20:57
  Speaker 1: it's one thing watching it, but then when I printed
• 20:59
  Speaker 1: out the drive sheet and I'm looking at it on
• 21:01
  Speaker 1: paper and you see it takes up this much line
• 21:04
  Speaker 1: on the paper and then FIU's offense is taking up
• 21:06
  Speaker 1: this much space, on the paper when it comes to
• 21:09
  Speaker 1: their drives. It wasn't super encouraging, but this week that
• 21:14
  Speaker 1: has to change. Can Josh Aldridge slow down Army's option again?
• 21:20
  Speaker 1: He's done it twice. Can he go three for three?
• 21:22
  Speaker 1: We'll be paying attention to that. And then my last
• 21:25
  Speaker 1: thing is, can USF win the limited possession battle?
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: So I'm going to.
• 21:31
  Speaker 1: Go with USF to win this football game in a
• 21:35
  Speaker 1: bounce back game. I would not bet money on it.
• 21:39
  Speaker 1: I wouldn't go money line USF or anything like that.
• 21:42
  Speaker 1: I'm going to stay away from that. But I do
• 21:46
  Speaker 1: feel good because it's the mentality they're going to go
• 21:50
  Speaker 1: into this game. I think the one thing that stood
• 21:52
  Speaker 1: out to me that Thomas Schrader said was before that
• 21:55
  Speaker 1: FIU game, they thought they had already made it. And
• 22:00
  Speaker 1: if you remember on Monday's show after the game, I
• 22:02
  Speaker 1: said this was a humbling experience for Brian Hartline. He's
• 22:05
  Speaker 1: never been humbled like this before. The whole team got
• 22:09
  Speaker 1: humbled real quick. And hearing a player tell me that
• 22:14
  Speaker 1: they thought they've already made it before a game kicks off,
• 22:18
  Speaker 1: I don't like that. Don't like that at all. That
• 22:21
  Speaker 1: starts at the top. Nobody here has made it. All right,
• 22:24
  Speaker 1: this program has been on the rise, but these are
• 22:26
  Speaker 1: all new players. None of you have made it. You
• 22:27
  Speaker 1: have to go out there and prove it. And what
• 22:29
  Speaker 1: I like is, and maybe they learned it a little
• 22:32
  Speaker 1: bit too late, but at least they're learning it after
• 22:33
  Speaker 1: a victory, and it wasn't a loss. At least they've
• 22:36
  Speaker 1: learned it. And they know they haven't made it. You
• 22:39
  Speaker 1: don't just walk out there on a Saturday in college
• 22:41
  Speaker 1: football and pull off a victory. So I really think
• 22:47
  Speaker 1: they win this football game. I think it's going to
• 22:50
  Speaker 1: be a low-scoring game. I'm going to say, because here's
• 22:54
  Speaker 1: the thing. I know Army put up a lot of
• 22:56
  Speaker 1: points last week. It's hard for me to take everything
• 23:00
  Speaker 1: that I'm telling you about Army. I'm going based off
• 23:02
  Speaker 1: of last year. They played Bryant. Bryant is an FCS program.
• 23:09
  Speaker 1: No disrespect to them. I know they're really good at
• 23:11
  Speaker 1: their level, but it is a whole different level below
• 23:14
  Speaker 1: this level. And so when I went back and I
• 23:19
  Speaker 1: watched some of their game, it's like preseason NFL football.
• 23:24
  Speaker 1: I think it's hard to really learn anything, but I
• 23:27
  Speaker 1: do think it's going to be a limited. I do think, again,
• 23:30
  Speaker 1: I've pounded that message, limited possession. So I think it'll
• 23:33
  Speaker 1: be low scoring. I'm going to say UCF, wow, did
• 23:38
  Speaker 1: I just say the ultimate swear word? I'm going to
• 23:40
  Speaker 1: say USF wins this football game. The reason why I
• 23:45
  Speaker 1: said UCF, let me state my case here. I'm getting
• 23:48
  Speaker 1: into the UCF-USF rivalry next, and I was looking at
• 23:51
  Speaker 1: my notes.
• 23:52
  Speaker 2: Sorry.
• 23:56
  Speaker 1: USF is, I think, going to go put up 21 points.
• 24:05
  Speaker 1: and i'm gonna go army 17 usf 21 army 17
• 24:16
  Speaker 1: that is my prediction all right now to ucf usf
• 24:22
  Speaker 1: ucf usf fiu fau uf fsu my god i apologize
• 24:28
  Speaker 1: bulls fans um Let's talk about the UCF-USF stuff. Looks
• 24:35
  Speaker 1: like the rivalry not going to renew anytime soon, which
• 24:39
  Speaker 1: is very disappointing. Because this is a rivalry that I
• 24:46
  Speaker 1: think needs to happen, especially on the USF side. They
• 24:50
  Speaker 1: need this rivalry more than UCF. Unfortunately, it sucks to
• 24:55
  Speaker 1: say that. It kind of feels like right now UCF
• 24:59
  Speaker 1: is getting you back for the way that you treated
• 25:00
  Speaker 1: them years ago when you were in the Big East
• 25:02
  Speaker 1: and they were in Conference USA. And now they're doing
• 25:07
  Speaker 1: what you did to them. Let's just be honest with it.
• 25:11
  Speaker 1: There was a quote from their athletic director over at USF. See,
• 25:14
  Speaker 1: now I did it to them. There was a quote
• 25:16
  Speaker 1: from the athletic director over at UCF. My God. I
• 25:22
  Speaker 1: should just say Central Florida and South Florida would make
• 25:24
  Speaker 1: this so much easier. The athletic director at the University
• 25:28
  Speaker 1: of Central Florida said when USF gets into an autonomy conference,
• 25:34
  Speaker 1: it will be easier.
• 25:36
  Speaker 2: That's my game.
• 25:37
  Speaker 1: And I'd never have to leave the state to fulfill
• 25:39
  Speaker 1: the Big 12's powerful non-conference requirement. We'll play USF every year.
• 25:45
  Speaker 1: That would be great. Now, the key word that stands
• 25:47
  Speaker 1: out when USF gets in. So kind of feels like
• 25:51
  Speaker 1: he thinks they will get into a power conference soon.
• 25:54
  Speaker 2: The Big 12 makes so much sense.
• 25:56
  Speaker 1: I think that if they ever get into one of
• 25:58
  Speaker 1: the power force, it will be the Big 12 or
• 26:00
  Speaker 1: it will be the ACC. There's a lot of people
• 26:03
  Speaker 1: that have I've seen a lot of rumors about the
• 26:05
  Speaker 1: Big 10. The Big 10 to me doesn't make as
• 26:07
  Speaker 1: much sense. The ACC and the Big 12 make so
• 26:10
  Speaker 1: much sense for USF to be part of that conference.
• 26:13
  Speaker 1: And if I had a choice, I would like it
• 26:15
  Speaker 1: to be the Big 12, because I do think rivalries
• 26:18
  Speaker 1: in college football are important. And this is a rivalry
• 26:21
  Speaker 1: I think college football needs. I think the state of
• 26:23
  Speaker 1: Florida needs this rivalry. USF absolutely needs this rivalry. And
• 26:29
  Speaker 1: in a degree, UCF needs it too.
• 26:32
  Speaker 2: Maybe not financially. It doesn't fit in for them.
• 26:35
  Speaker 1: And that's my problem with college football. Because really that's
• 26:39
  Speaker 1: the answer from the athletic director at UCF is financially
• 26:43
  Speaker 1: it doesn't make sense. And this is what I hate
• 26:46
  Speaker 1: about the new world of college football.
• 26:48
  Speaker 2: It's all about money. And I get it.
• 26:52
  Speaker 1: But I just wish for once a decision could be
• 26:55
  Speaker 1: made in college football that is best for the fan.
• 27:01
  Speaker 1: And I know it's never going to happen. I understand
• 27:03
  Speaker 1: why it's not going to happen. I just personally wish
• 27:06
  Speaker 1: it could happen. No decision has ever been made for
• 27:09
  Speaker 1: the fan. And it drives me crazy because without the fan,
• 27:13
  Speaker 1: you're not as big as you are.
• 27:15
  Speaker 2: You're not making as much money as you are.
• 27:18
  Speaker 1: And it sucks that none of the decisions can benefit
• 27:22
  Speaker 1: us because maybe UCF doesn't want to play this because
• 27:26
  Speaker 1: they feel there's no benefit.
• 27:27
  Speaker 2: And I get it. You're a power four school.
• 27:29
  Speaker 1: If you lose to a group of six, which this
• 27:31
  Speaker 1: is a group.
• 27:31
  Speaker 2: Of six school you could lose to, could ruin your season.
• 27:36
  Speaker 1: If you win the game, it's like, oh, well, it
• 27:40
  Speaker 1: was a group of six.
• 27:40
  Speaker 2: You're supposed to win.
• 27:41
  Speaker 1: So they feel like financially, yes, they feel there's no
• 27:45
  Speaker 1: benefit by coming here, but They also look at it
• 27:48
  Speaker 1: as scheduling. That's a game we could lose. And if
• 27:51
  Speaker 1: we lose that game, that's a bad look for us.
• 27:54
  Speaker 1: They're a group of six. That's how they look at it.
• 27:57
  Speaker 1: And so I get that front a little bit. Now,
• 28:00
  Speaker 1: the whole home and home. Notre Dame is going to
• 28:03
  Speaker 1: come here. Florida has come here. Alabama has come here. Now,
• 28:06
  Speaker 1: I know some of those were two for one. I
• 28:08
  Speaker 1: think Alabama, right? They're going to Alabama twice. Alabama came
• 28:11
  Speaker 1: here once. I'd be willing to do that for UCF.
• 28:14
  Speaker 1: And I understand that. the leadership at USF not wanting
• 28:18
  Speaker 1: to do that because it almost goes, I'm not going
• 28:20
  Speaker 1: to give them the power so that I understand, but
• 28:25
  Speaker 1: I would almost give them the power, go up to
• 28:29
  Speaker 1: their place and whip their ass and have that and
• 28:34
  Speaker 1: own that. To me, the fans want it. I would say, yeah, I, again,
• 28:40
  Speaker 1: and I get the school side, not wanting to do
• 28:41
  Speaker 1: a two for one. I think the fans would take it.
• 28:45
  Speaker 1: I think you almost have to swallow your pride, understand
• 28:48
  Speaker 1: the situation we're in right now, and maybe it won't
• 28:51
  Speaker 1: always be this situation. And that'll be great if it's not.
• 28:55
  Speaker 1: But with the situation it is right now, I would
• 29:01
  Speaker 1: do it. I'd go up there and, like I said,
• 29:04
  Speaker 1: whip their ass. Do the two for one. If that
• 29:11
  Speaker 1: is on the table, I'd like to see the two
• 29:13
  Speaker 1: for one to bring this rivalry back. And then hopefully
• 29:16
  Speaker 1: these guys play in a power four together. I'd like
• 29:19
  Speaker 1: to see USF get into the big 12. Cause you know,
• 29:21
  Speaker 1: I look at the rivalries in the big 12. This
• 29:25
  Speaker 1: would be a top three rivalry in that conference. I
• 29:27
  Speaker 1: think BYU, Utah, that's going to be number one, Arizona,
• 29:31
  Speaker 1: Arizona state. I'd put it number two. Like, I think,
• 29:35
  Speaker 1: I think Farmageddon is up there. Kansas and Kansas state
• 29:37
  Speaker 1: and TCU and Baylor.
• 29:38
  Speaker 2: Another one.
• 29:39
  Speaker 1: I could, i could slide this into the three spot
• 29:42
  Speaker 1: you know byu and utah you got the history the
• 29:44
  Speaker 1: intensity arizona arizona state's got the history as well tcu
• 29:49
  Speaker 1: baylor kansas kansas state they all got the history USF-UCF
• 29:54
  Speaker 1: don't necessarily have that. The records are 8-6, so they
• 29:58
  Speaker 1: haven't played each other very many times. But there's a
• 30:02
  Speaker 1: genuine hatred there. And their proximity, I'm a sucker for
• 30:06
  Speaker 1: in-state rivalries. I think they're great for college football. And
• 30:10
  Speaker 1: so I'd feel comfortable putting that as a top three
• 30:14
  Speaker 1: rivalry in the Big 12. At worst, it's top five.
• 30:20
  Speaker 1: So I think it would be a win for the
• 30:21
  Speaker 1: Big 12.
• 30:22
  Speaker 2: I think it's needed.
• 30:23
  Speaker 1: Now, I think the one thing that being a USF fan,
• 30:26
  Speaker 1: I think when you look at the UCF fans like, oh,
• 30:29
  Speaker 1: we don't need this. We have our Big 12 schedule.
• 30:32
  Speaker 1: We're focused on winning that. They talk like the Big
• 30:36
  Speaker 1: 12 is a gauntlet. And I just, I don't think
• 30:41
  Speaker 1: it's a gauntlet of a schedule. And by the way,
• 30:44
  Speaker 1: I also think Let's say USF and UCF do the
• 30:49
  Speaker 1: home and home. Let's say USF wins. I don't think
• 30:54
  Speaker 1: UCF season's over. In fact, I don't think the game
• 30:57
  Speaker 1: plays any factor into UCF in what they want to
• 31:01
  Speaker 1: accomplish in a season because UCF, in my opinion, I
• 31:05
  Speaker 1: still think they're years away. Right now, where they stand,
• 31:09
  Speaker 1: their only chance into the college football playoff is winning
• 31:11
  Speaker 1: the Big 12. And losing to USF doesn't... hurt you
• 31:15
  Speaker 1: from winning the big 12. I just, I don't see
• 31:17
  Speaker 1: them as a program getting in as a at large
• 31:21
  Speaker 1: bid into a 12 team playoff. Now, if they expand
• 31:24
  Speaker 1: to 16 and 24, yes, being an at large, you know,
• 31:28
  Speaker 1: team is, is on the table for them. But with
• 31:31
  Speaker 1: the current playoff structure, their only way in is to
• 31:35
  Speaker 1: win the big 12.
• 31:36
  Speaker 2: And this game would.
• 31:37
  Speaker 1: Play no factor into stopping them from doing so. So
• 31:41
  Speaker 1: that's why I think UCF should take the game. And
• 31:43
  Speaker 1: I also think a majority of their fans, despite the
• 31:45
  Speaker 1: ones on social media talking the trash, I think the
• 31:48
  Speaker 1: real Twitter, I always say represents the worst in every
• 31:51
  Speaker 1: fan base. I think the real UCF fans, the ones
• 31:54
  Speaker 1: that aren't typing away on keyboards, they want this.
• 31:57
  Speaker 2: You want this. And this is something that needs to happen.
• 32:00
  Speaker 2: We got to figure it out.
• 32:01
  Speaker 1: It just, it can't just be because, oh, financially, it
• 32:04
  Speaker 1: doesn't make sense. Get it done for the fans because
• 32:07
  Speaker 1: the fans, they deserve that more than really anything. And
• 32:12
  Speaker 1: so I'd like to see that, that get done. All right,
• 32:15
  Speaker 1: that does it for me. USF got a beating Army 21-17.
• 32:20
  Speaker 1: That is my prediction for Saturday, that game at noon
• 32:24
  Speaker 1: up at Army in West Point, day after 9-11. Going
• 32:27
  Speaker 1: to be an emotional day. Going to be, hopefully, a
• 32:30
  Speaker 1: victory for USF, and hopefully on Monday. Monday will be
• 32:33
  Speaker 1: when I put out the next show. Hopefully, we're talking
• 32:36
  Speaker 1: about a USF victory. Then Wednesday's show, we'll talk to
• 32:39
  Speaker 1: another player, and then we'll do, on Thursday, we'll do
• 32:43
  Speaker 1: a a week three preview is kind of the schedule
• 32:46
  Speaker 1: that I'm getting on right now.
• 32:47
  Speaker 2: So make sure you are subscribed.
• 32:50
  Speaker 1: Follow me on all my social channels, subscribe on YouTube,
• 32:53
  Speaker 1: subscribe on I heart radio, Apple podcast, wherever you get
• 32:56
  Speaker 1: your podcast, a fourth and bowl.
• 32:59
  Speaker 2: That is going to do it for this episode.
• 33:02
  Speaker 1: And I'll talk to you guys after the game, hopefully
• 33:05
  Speaker 1: a victory on hopefully we'll call it a, hopefully I'm
• 33:08
  Speaker 1: talking to you on a victory Monday. All right. How's
• 33:10
  Speaker 1: that sound? All right, go bowls. I'll talk to you
• 33:13
  Speaker 1: guys soon.