Guest Spot; Previewing USF With Voodoo Five

DTD: What is, in general going on with the Bulls this year. To an outsider it seems like they are playing all the bad songs from the Holtz and Leavitt era.

Voodoo Five: Oh this is far, far worse. This is a new producer trying to make music with a bunch of guys that can’t tell a quarter note from a half measure. Our players are just not anywhere near good enough to compete, and the lack of recruiting under Skip Holtz has come back to bite us. It’s also a totally different offensive system, so the few players we do have aren’t in a spot where they can be helpful. Except for Marcus Shaw (and occasionally Andre Davis) just not about no one is making an impact, and our offensive line can’t be fairly described as anything above atrocious.

It’s also a new defensive system under DC Chuck Bresnahan, but that side of the ball is completely terrible too. We have three sacks in four games, and can’t even get pressure when blitzing. From pillar to post, it’s just God awful to watch.

DTD: Is Steven Bench going to be the guy going forward. If not Bench then who?

VF: We’re all hoping Mike White, but he’s a redshirt freshman that we’re not going to take a year of eligibility away from on this lost season. Bench shows flashes of competence, but he doesn’t exactly blow you away with his athleticism, arm, or decision making. And it doesn’t help that the offensive line in front of him is probably the worst unit on a legitimately awful football team. Bench has been the best of the three guys we’ve used, but that’s not saying much.

DTD: On paper USF has one of the best front sevens in the conference. The production has yet to match the hype, but can it?

VF: I’d say at this point probably not. We’re not improving, which is the really scary part. You’d think by now we’d at least be getting a little bit better

DTD: Speaking of not meeting the hype what is up with Aaron Lynch? Is he just that rusty or is something else in play?

VF: The Aaron Lynch mystery I think is the biggest one for every Bulls fan. We penciled him in to be the next Jason Pierre-Paul or George Selvie, and he hasn’t even shown flashes of that. But boy did he really celebrate a tackle down 42-7 to Miami during a goal line stand. Of course Miami scored a TD on the next play.

Will Lynch ever become an impact player? No idea. But I think he’s got to regret leaving South Bend basically every day of his life presently. Sunshine and palm trees can only make up so much for that many lost dollars.

DTD: Is everyone still on the bus with Willie Taggart?

VF: Do we have a choice? We’re paying Willie $1.1 million per year, and his predecessor Skip Holtz $500,000 a year until 2017. Our ticket sales are down, our donations are down, and I don’t even want to imagine what the corporate dollars look like. That last check both our schools got from the Big East can only ease so much of the blow, and you know our TV revenue is well off too.

I’m still on the bus, and most of us certainly are. The overwhelming blame for this lies with Skip Holtz, and Taggart is going to be digging out of this for quite a while. Barring a miracle influx of JC kids that can play right away, this team isn’t going to be any good next year either.

DTD: Prediction for Saturday.

VF: Cincinnati 31, USF 6. You guys aren’t any good either, but you’re miles ahead of us.

<h4>More from Down The Drive:</h4>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.downthedrive.com/bearcats-football/2013/10/2/4796928/updated-nippert-stadium-rennovation-plans-will-be-made-public?utm_source=downthedrive&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Updated Nippert Stadium Renovation Plans Will Be Made Public Tomorrow.</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.downthedrive.com/2013/10/2/4794516/aac-power-rankings-week-6?utm_source=downthedrive&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">AAC Power Rankings</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.downthedrive.com/2013/10/2/4794958/bearcats-will-wear-helmet-sticker-in-memory-of-ben-flick?utm_source=downthedrive&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Bearcats Will Wear Helmet Sticker In Memory Of Ben Flick</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.downthedrive.com/2013/10/1/4793004/basketball-practice-has-begun?utm_source=downthedrive&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Basketball Practice Has Begun!!!</a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.downthedrive.com/2013/10/1/4792020/eddie-gran-is-just-the-worst-or-is-he?utm_source=downthedrive&utm_medium=nextclicks&utm_campaign=blogs">Eddie Gran Is Just The Worst, Or Is He</a></li>
</ul>