USF Preview
October 28, 2009 02:45 PM | General
October 28, 2009
USF GAME NOTES
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Ask Bill Stewart the No. 1 reason why West Virginia has struggled against USF in previous years and he will answer turnovers.
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| Noel Devine has run for more than 100 yards in three of West Virginia's last four games.
WVU Photographic Services/M.G. Ellis photo |
In four games against the Bulls dating back to 2005, the Mountaineers have averaged 355.3 yards per game including 191 per game on the ground. West Virginia has also done reasonably well on third down, converting 44.8 percent of its third-down tries.
Where USF has made out is in the turnover column, especially during victories in 2006 and 2007. West Virginia committed four turnovers including a 9-yard George Selvie fumble return for a score in USF’s 24-19 upset of the Mountaineers at Milan Puskar Stadium. Two years ago in Tampa, USF caused six West Virginia miscues including a Ben Moffitt 26-yard interception return for a touchdown.
“They have handled us pretty well in two of the last three outings,” said Stewart. “We have not done well against them offensively. We went down there two years ago and put the ball all over the place. If we go down there and do that again, the same thing will happen.”
Last year in frigid conditions in Morgantown West Virginia gave up only one turnover in a 13-7 victory. Stewart is expecting another tough game against the Bulls Friday night at Raymond James Stadium.
“I hope we can take our A-game because we are going to need it,” said Stewart. “I anticipate a big crowd and I anticipate a very hearty welcome from the USF fans.”
USF is the only FBS program to start three straight seasons 5-0. That’s the good news. The bad news is the Bulls have been unable to avoid midseason losing streaks.
This year, after a 34-20 victory over Syracuse, USF has hit a tough stretch with back-to-back losses to Cincinnati (34-17) and Pitt (41-14). The loss of Big East career total offensive leader Matt Grothe is also beginning to show itself at quarterback.
Grothe’s replacement, B.J. Daniels, is a tremendous physical talent who led the Bulls to a 17-7 upset victory over Florida State on Sept. 26. In seven games this year Daniels has completed 51 of 96 passes for 864 yards and seven touchdowns. He is also the team’s leading rusher with 415 yards and four scores.
However, the freshman struggled mightily in USF’s 27-point loss last Saturday at Pitt, completing just 4 of 8 passes for 54 yards with two interceptions. Eventually Daniels gave way to backup Evan Landi, who completed 3 of 5 passes for 36 yards and a touchdown.
“I am worried about their athletic ability on the offensive side of the ball with B.J. Daniels and Dontavia Bogan (team all-purpose leader with 675 yards),” said Stewart. “The running backs are good and tough and the line guys are tall and can play.”
Junior wide receiver Carlton Mitchell has been a big-play performer for USF in the passing game with four catches of 50 yards or longer so far in 2009. Mitchell shows 24 catches for 410 yards and three touchdowns in seven games, and his size (6-feet-4 and 212 pounds) will give West Virginia’s secondary problems, particularly when Daniels scrambles to avoid pressure.
“To say the least we’ve worked on a few scramble drills this week,” said assistant head coach Steve Dunlap. “That’s what tears the secondary down is time. Any time a guy can scramble around and buy time it’s just hard to keep them all covered.
“The problem with most players is they have a clock in their head and they think the play should be over,” said Dunlap. “This guy is going to extend plays up to maybe eight seconds, so we’re going to have our hands full trying to contain this guy.”
On the other side of the ball, the South Florida defense gave up 486 yards to Pitt one week after allowing Cincinnati to get 401 yards in a 17-point Bearcat victory. That is far more than the 314.6 yards per game the Bulls are giving up for the season.
“Defensively we had some coverage breakdowns (against Pitt),” said USF coach Jim Leavitt. “You can’t let receivers get over top of you.”
Stewart believes USF has the best pair of defensive ends in the country in Selvie and junior college transfer Jason Pierre-Paul.
Selvie has done especially well against ranked teams, producing four tackles for losses, two sacks and 11 total tackles in games against Florida State, Cincinnati and Pitt. Pierre-Paul has seven tackles for losses, a forced fumble, an interception and a sack in his last three Big East games against Syracuse, Cincinnati and Pitt.
The two have combined for five sacks, 16 tackles for losses and two forced fumbles for the season.
“When you have a guy like George Selvie, who is a star, they always double-team him and that has helped Pierre-Paul,” said Stewart. They are two stellar, top-notch All-America type players that are playing well.”
Middle linebacker Kion Wilson leads the team with 49 tackles. He also shows three tackles for losses, a sack and a fumble recovery.
Free safety Nate Allen leads the Bulls secondary with three interceptions and 48 tackles. He has also broken up four passes.
In last year’s game in Morgantown Wilson led the USF defense with 11 tackles. Selvie was credited with ½ sack and 1 ½ tackles for losses.
USF had two key red zone turnovers – a fumble by Mike Ford and an interception by Grothe – that took potential points off the board for the Bulls. South Florida had a chance to win the game in the fourth quarter, driving all the way to the WVU 16 before a Grothe pass in the back of the end zone sailed high of A.J. Love.
Noel Devine had 90 yards rushing for the Mountaineers after running for 36 yards on four carries in the 2007 loss at USF.
Devine is particularly excited about returning to his home state where several friends and family members will be at the game.
“It is most definitely going to make me play harder going back to Florida to play,” said Devine. “It’s like a homecoming and half of the people that I played against and my old teammates are there so it’s exciting.”
Devine put himself into the Heisman Trophy discussion with 100-yard performances in four of his last five games, including a 220-yard effort against Colorado and a 178-yard afternoon against Connecticut last weekend.
One hundred eighteen of Devine’s 178 yards came on just two carries against the Huskies. He now has 912 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 137 carries for an average of 6.7 yards per attempt.
Jarrett Brown returned to the field after missing almost the entire Marshall game with a concussion. Brown completed 16 of 27 passes for 153 yards and a touchdown against Connecticut. In seven games this year Brown shows 1,362 yards passing and nine touchdowns.
Two years ago at South Florida, Brown played the entire second half after Pat White went out with a bruised thigh. Brown finished the game 11 of 20 for 149 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.
Junior Jock Sanders is still on pace to break the school single-season reception record of 77 set by David Saunders and Shawn Foreman. Through seven games Sanders has 53 catches for 514 yards and two touchdowns.
Senior Alric Arnett has 22 catches for 300 yards and three scores.
Arnett, Sanders, Brown and Devine are among 24 Florida players returning to the Sunshine State for Friday’s game.
“If I’m not mistaken I think my mom said that she is bringing two busses,” said Brown. “J.T. (Thomas) has more people than me coming though. West Virginia is going to travel well this game.”
Defensively, Pat Lazear has taken over the team lead in tackles with 43. Cornerback Brandon Hogan is second with 40 tackles while also showing six pass breakups and an interception.
West Virginia’s secondary gave up 378 yards passing to Connecticut including an 88-yard touchdown late that almost cost the Mountaineers the game.
“The yards after catch is what is killing us,” said Steve Dunlap, who is in charge of safeties. “There was three passes out there last week for 150 yards. If you look back at the Auburn game they throw a little swing pass and the guy runs 80 yards with it after he catches it.
“If we can eliminate the yards after catch and put people on the ground after they catch it then we’ll be fine.”
Middle linebacker Reed Williams (shoulder) was forced out of the Connecticut game and Stewart said he will be a game time decision. Suspended defensive tackle Scooter Berry will once again not be available for the defense.
ESPN2 (Joe Tessitore and Rod Gilmore) will televise the game. MSN’s radio coverage (Tony Caridi, Dwight Wallace, Jed Drenning and Hoppy Kercheval) begins at 7 pm with the Mountaineers Today. Satellite radio listeners can get the broadcast on Sirius channel 127.
Kickoff is set for 8 pm.
