Kent State aftermath • October 19, 2026 • Opinion
Beck's Offense Outsources Homecoming
29 points on the scoreboard. Please check which department supplied them.
Tim Beck's offense found an efficient way to finish a long touchdown run Saturday: let a defensive end do it.
C.J. Hicks scooped up a fumble and went 96 yards. The crowd celebrated. The scoreboard moved. Somewhere, an offensive play sheet enjoyed another few minutes without being implicated.
South Florida beat Kent State 29–2 and improved to 5–2, with its American record still 1–2. Enjoy the win. Just don't send the offensive coordinator a fruit basket because the final score looks comfortable.
The defense submitted the group project
The defense allowed no points and scored eight itself: Hicks' touchdown and a late safety. Kent State's only points came when South Florida surrendered a safety.
At halftime, South Florida led 10–2 despite being outgained 197–101. The offense had contributed a field-goal drive. Hicks had contributed nearly the entire length of the field, apparently because someone had to demonstrate what forward progress looked like.
This was Kent State, which left Tampa 2–5. The homecoming crowd did not need an offensive masterpiece. A functioning first half would have been a lovely souvenir.
The touchdown needed 44 minutes and six seconds
Luke Kromenhoek's one-yard run finally produced the first offensive touchdown with 54 seconds left in the third quarter. That is 44:06 of game time spent waiting for Beck's unit to reach the end zone.
Not three complete quarters, as some frustrated fans claimed. Just almost three. We wouldn't want to shortchange this operation its precious 54 seconds of punctuality.
South Florida finished with 271 yards, including 78 rushing yards on 32 attempts. That's 2.4 yards a carry. The ground attack had all the urgency of a printer warming up.
Official scoring log and statistics.
Michael Van Buren completed 22 of 27 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown. The completions were there. The sustained threat wasn't. Completing passes is useful; turning them into an offense that scares someone before the third quarter ends would be even better.
Hartline has opened a mystery investigation
In postgame remarks published by South Florida Athletics on October 19, Brian Hartline described the first half as “abysmal.” He also said:
“We are practicing well and it's not translating consistently.”
And:
“I've got to solve that mystery.”
Seven games in, the head coach is still searching for clues. Perhaps start with the laminated sheet in the offensive coordinator's hand. No trench coat required.
Hartline accepted responsibility for the team's self-inflicted mistakes and said the bye would focus on “areas of enhancement, not necessarily change.”
Hartline's postgame comments and bye-week plans.
Enhancement. What a soothing word. If your car stops at every intersection, the mechanic can call it an enhancement all he wants. You still need to get to work.
These are criticisms of the performance and coaching operation, not an announced firing or demotion of Beck. Hartline is responsible for deciding whether Beck remains the right person to run it. Changing the vocabulary doesn't answer that question.
The 27-point win fooled fewer people than expected
Joe Henderson's October 18 analysis for Green, Gold and Bold pointed to the modest yardage and stalled running game as reasons the offense remained a concern. A wide final margin did not make the afternoon convincing.
Henderson's postgame analysis.
On Reddit, u/anxiousauditor wrote:
“Pulled away in the second half, but this game was a lot closer than the score indicates. Not a very inspiring performance.”
Public r/CFB postgame discussion.
Other commenters pushed back on how close it really was. Fair argument: the defense strangled Kent State after halftime. That's precisely why Beck's offense shouldn't get to borrow the defense's report card.
A bye week is not a pardon
South Florida has no game this Saturday. UAB visits on Halloween at noon Eastern on ESPNU. There is time to work on an offense that starts before the concession stands consider closing.
October 19 kickoff announcement.
Hartline should use the break to examine the calls, the preparation and the person responsible for both. Beck has had seven games. Fans are still being asked to accept a few productive stretches as proof that the whole thing is nearly ready.
It would be nice if the next homecoming gift came from the offense. The defense has already done enough shopping.