A Commentary on USF football

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The University of South Florida Bulls head to Annapolis this weekend to face the Navy Midshipmen. The Bulls have just gotten to .500 on the season, while Navy has cruised to a 4-1 record. Also at .500 is the all-time record in the series, with each team having one win. The Bulls will need to be prepared for rough seas, but there is light in the darkness.

1. Score early and often. Navy is well-known for their use of the triple option offense. The offensive style of play is a challenge due to its unfamiliarity to players who rarely face it, but the killer is the clock. The Midshipmen have run 348 total plays this season, 305 of those plays were run plays. They rank 5th in the nation for most run plays and 6th in the nation for time of possession. Because of how much they run, they average over 34 minutes per game, nearly ten minutes more than their opponents. To win the game, USF needs to score on every possession, because they may not get many.

2. Play disciplined defense. The effectiveness of the triple option offense is the due to motion and reads. The key for the Bulls to contain Navy scoring is to ensure that the defensive players stay on their assignments, resisting the urge to run to where they think the ball is going.

3. Stop the penalties. USF has been penalized 51 times (117th) for 455 yards (119th). Navy has been whistled just 25 times (5th) for 221 yards (8th). The Bulls have been fortunate to post some wins with the kind of penalty disadvantage they have had. They will not be so lucky against Navy, where scoring opportunities will be extremely limited and the Midshipmen won’t be willing to repay the favor. If they double up Navy on penalties, as the statistics suggest, they will have a very hard time finding a way to win.

4. Protect the quarterback. This one is also familiar but very important. Blake Barnett is now officially out for the season. That leaves only Jordan McCloud as a scholarship quarterback for the Bulls, and he has played injured in every game since winning the starting spot. Backing him up is Kirk Rygol, a walk-on quarterback.

5. Convert on third down. The Bulls have had 83 third downs this season. They have converted just 30, ranking them 90th in third down conversions. There is no way to overstate how important this is during this game. Navy will control the clock with their running offense, wearing down the USF defense. The defense needs to rest. If they go three-and-out, as they have done 53 times through six games this season, the defense will be completely depleted by the third quarter and Navy will score at will. The Bulls must extend drives on offense to rest the defense.