A very Merry Christmas from Saturdays on Shea to everyone. Enjoy the day with family and friends.
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Welcome, Doug Martin
The talk that BC would be hiring a new offensive coordinator has been floating around since the Mike Faragalli rumors of a few weeks ago. Since then it seems that BC has been interviewing a number of candidates for the offensive coordinator position. Yesterday, somewhat surprisingly, Doug Martin was announced as the new offensive coordinator for next season.
Most recently, Martin was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for New Mexico State. This past season, under his tutelage, the Aggies were ranked 25th in passing offense in the FBS, an impressive statistic and a reason for hope for BC fans. Prior to New Mexico State, Martin was the head coach at Kent State from 2004 to 2010. Martin's record at Kent State is not particularly impressive, compiling just a 29-53 record over seven seasons.
I am not sure how to react to Martin's hiring. For starters, I am not comforted knowing that the announcement came as a surprise to many current players, who expressed their astonishment openly on Twitter. It concerns me that if the players do not know about something as major as this what other things are they not being told about? Furthermore, aside from his performance at New Mexico State and that he can claim to have coach Josh Cribbs (who played for him as a quarterback but is now a running back) and David Garrard (during his time in the '90s at East Carolina) Martin does not seem to have much to hang his hat on. Statistically looking at his time at Kent State he was lack luster, with mediocre performances each year, no bowl appearances and 6-6 his best finish. It makes one worry.
That said however, I do think Martin has an upside. His success at New Mexico State can't be ignored, nor can his success with Cribbs and Garrard. Furthermore, as ATL Eagle points out, Martin has close ties, philosophically and otherwise, to Jags and Steve Logan. Arguably, Logan was the best offensive coordinator to set foot at BC. Martin is a Logan disciple from when he served as Logan's assistant at East Carolina from 1992- 2002. Frankly, I think that anyone who was even in the same room as Steve Logan at any point in time, would be an improvement over our current and former offensive coordinators. There is also reason for BC fans to hope in this. Martin may not have had tremendous success in the past, but that could be attributed to talent level. Perhaps with the talent he will inherit at BC, Martin could prove himself to be a more than capable (at least comparably...) offensive coordinator.
Martin's lack of past success concerns me, but not as much as the fact that he will be our fourth offensive coordinator in as many years. Continuity is important for athletes and for the BC football players to be unlearning one system and learning a new one almost every year makes it difficult to succeed. I was a club athlete in my time at BC. Over the course of four years, I also had the misfortune of having four different coaches. My team had success, yes, but not nearly as much as we could have had if we had been working and training in the same system for four years. The adjustments that need to be made to each new system take time and getting used to, things will not just change over night. I hope that the players can adapt quickly to Martin's system, whatever it may be.
Although I have my concerns and reservations about Martin I do think he has tremendous upside and he is certainly an improvement over our past few coordinators. My hope is that Martin will take a page from Logan's book and bring back an exciting brand of football to BC. Martin has in the past run pro- style and spread type offenses. The talent exists at BC for a successful offense, hopefully Martin can adapt his system and coaching style to maximize the talent that our players possess.
Most recently, Martin was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for New Mexico State. This past season, under his tutelage, the Aggies were ranked 25th in passing offense in the FBS, an impressive statistic and a reason for hope for BC fans. Prior to New Mexico State, Martin was the head coach at Kent State from 2004 to 2010. Martin's record at Kent State is not particularly impressive, compiling just a 29-53 record over seven seasons.
I am not sure how to react to Martin's hiring. For starters, I am not comforted knowing that the announcement came as a surprise to many current players, who expressed their astonishment openly on Twitter. It concerns me that if the players do not know about something as major as this what other things are they not being told about? Furthermore, aside from his performance at New Mexico State and that he can claim to have coach Josh Cribbs (who played for him as a quarterback but is now a running back) and David Garrard (during his time in the '90s at East Carolina) Martin does not seem to have much to hang his hat on. Statistically looking at his time at Kent State he was lack luster, with mediocre performances each year, no bowl appearances and 6-6 his best finish. It makes one worry.
That said however, I do think Martin has an upside. His success at New Mexico State can't be ignored, nor can his success with Cribbs and Garrard. Furthermore, as ATL Eagle points out, Martin has close ties, philosophically and otherwise, to Jags and Steve Logan. Arguably, Logan was the best offensive coordinator to set foot at BC. Martin is a Logan disciple from when he served as Logan's assistant at East Carolina from 1992- 2002. Frankly, I think that anyone who was even in the same room as Steve Logan at any point in time, would be an improvement over our current and former offensive coordinators. There is also reason for BC fans to hope in this. Martin may not have had tremendous success in the past, but that could be attributed to talent level. Perhaps with the talent he will inherit at BC, Martin could prove himself to be a more than capable (at least comparably...) offensive coordinator.
Martin's lack of past success concerns me, but not as much as the fact that he will be our fourth offensive coordinator in as many years. Continuity is important for athletes and for the BC football players to be unlearning one system and learning a new one almost every year makes it difficult to succeed. I was a club athlete in my time at BC. Over the course of four years, I also had the misfortune of having four different coaches. My team had success, yes, but not nearly as much as we could have had if we had been working and training in the same system for four years. The adjustments that need to be made to each new system take time and getting used to, things will not just change over night. I hope that the players can adapt quickly to Martin's system, whatever it may be.
Although I have my concerns and reservations about Martin I do think he has tremendous upside and he is certainly an improvement over our past few coordinators. My hope is that Martin will take a page from Logan's book and bring back an exciting brand of football to BC. Martin has in the past run pro- style and spread type offenses. The talent exists at BC for a successful offense, hopefully Martin can adapt his system and coaching style to maximize the talent that our players possess.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Dave Brock In?
By the end of the day Wednesday, the rumors that Dave Brock was out as the offensive coordinator were proven false... to an extent. As it turned out, the position of Boston College offensive coordinator was offered to Virginia running backs coach Mike Faragalli. And Faragalli turned it down. This is good, in that it should keep Brock as the offensive coordinator, allowing for consistency and further player development under one system. But at the same time, this is not a good sign.
To state again, Mike Faragalli was offered the offensive coordinator position and turned it down in favor of remaining the running backs coach at Virginia. Now, I know that Faragalli and UVa head coach Mike London have worked together for a long time and perhaps that influenced his decision, but Faragalli decided that being running backs coach at Virginia was a better opportunity and a better job than being the offensive coordinator at Boston College.
There are only 120 total offensive coordinator positions available in all of Division 1 football. That number shrinks dramatically when you consider AQ conferences only. Furthermore, only a handful of those jobs become available each year. Being the offensive coordinator at a major Division 1 school is a great opportunity and can be, and often is, used as the jumping off point for a job as a head coach. Faragalli was given that opportunity and turned it down, which for Boston College fans should be taken as a bad sign. This means that the job as BC OC is not a desirable one. There is much uncertainty right now that surrounds that position, not just because the staff could very well be gone in a year, but also because of what type of team a new OC could inherit. I do believe that defections are coming, and Faragalli's decision to turndown the job suggests the same.
This event also speaks volumes to the current perception of BC in the college football world. Many in the blogosphere have said that Gene's meddling in the football program, his reputation as "Coach Flip," would turn off many potential coaching candidates who would not want to be micromanaged. This is an example of that. With the sudden removal of Jags, as much the result of a power trip as anything else, as well as the departure of Tranquill, then Rogers, and now nearly Brock, BC seems like a revolving door where one misstep could land a coach on the curb. Other coaches see this and realize that BC is not a good place to be working right now. Gene has so mismanaged the football program that, what should be a very desirable place to coach, is now almost toxic. Faragalli's decision to turn down the offensive coordinator position should evidence this. Boston College is a place coaches should want to come coach at, instead it is beginning to be viewed as a place to avoid.
To state again, Mike Faragalli was offered the offensive coordinator position and turned it down in favor of remaining the running backs coach at Virginia. Now, I know that Faragalli and UVa head coach Mike London have worked together for a long time and perhaps that influenced his decision, but Faragalli decided that being running backs coach at Virginia was a better opportunity and a better job than being the offensive coordinator at Boston College.
There are only 120 total offensive coordinator positions available in all of Division 1 football. That number shrinks dramatically when you consider AQ conferences only. Furthermore, only a handful of those jobs become available each year. Being the offensive coordinator at a major Division 1 school is a great opportunity and can be, and often is, used as the jumping off point for a job as a head coach. Faragalli was given that opportunity and turned it down, which for Boston College fans should be taken as a bad sign. This means that the job as BC OC is not a desirable one. There is much uncertainty right now that surrounds that position, not just because the staff could very well be gone in a year, but also because of what type of team a new OC could inherit. I do believe that defections are coming, and Faragalli's decision to turndown the job suggests the same.
This event also speaks volumes to the current perception of BC in the college football world. Many in the blogosphere have said that Gene's meddling in the football program, his reputation as "Coach Flip," would turn off many potential coaching candidates who would not want to be micromanaged. This is an example of that. With the sudden removal of Jags, as much the result of a power trip as anything else, as well as the departure of Tranquill, then Rogers, and now nearly Brock, BC seems like a revolving door where one misstep could land a coach on the curb. Other coaches see this and realize that BC is not a good place to be working right now. Gene has so mismanaged the football program that, what should be a very desirable place to coach, is now almost toxic. Faragalli's decision to turn down the offensive coordinator position should evidence this. Boston College is a place coaches should want to come coach at, instead it is beginning to be viewed as a place to avoid.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Dave Brock Out?
Rumors have popped up today on a few of the message boards that Dave Brock, who took over duties as offensive coordinator when Kevin Rogers left for "medical reasons" after the UCF game, may no longer serve as the offensive coordinator. A rumor popped up today that Mike Faragalli, current running backs coach at the University of Virginia will be taking over as offensive coordinator for the 2012 season.
Again, these are only rumors that have been circulating on a few of the message boards today. True or not, it concerns me that this is even a rumor. If true, Faragalli will represent the third fourth offensive coordinator for BC in as many years. This is not good. Each offensive coordinator brings with them a different style and different type of play that they need to teach to the players they coach. This prevents the players from getting into a groove and getting comfortable with the offense that they are being taught; they have to unlearn one system and relearn a whole new type of play.
Furthermore, this possible change represents more meddling from the athletic department. Dave Brock did an okay job as offensive coordinator when he took over after the Central Florida game. He structured the play calling to the strengths of the offense and put the players in as much a position to succeed as he could. To this blogger, there seems to be no good reason to remove him from this position. Brock did an okay job this season and with an entire off season to teach his system to the offense, the team could have met with great success next year. However, this does not seem to be the case and instead of stability and continuity the team will once again face a coaching change for the third time in a year.
If this rumor does pan out and Brock is out as the offensive coordinator, I hope that he at least stays on the staff. Brock recruited important players on this team, including Chase Rettig and Christian Suntrup. If Brock stayed on, I would like to see him as the quarterbacks coach, giving him an opportunity to fine tune the quarterbacks he recruited.
Only time will tell.
Again, these are only rumors that have been circulating on a few of the message boards today. True or not, it concerns me that this is even a rumor. If true, Faragalli will represent the third fourth offensive coordinator for BC in as many years. This is not good. Each offensive coordinator brings with them a different style and different type of play that they need to teach to the players they coach. This prevents the players from getting into a groove and getting comfortable with the offense that they are being taught; they have to unlearn one system and relearn a whole new type of play.
Furthermore, this possible change represents more meddling from the athletic department. Dave Brock did an okay job as offensive coordinator when he took over after the Central Florida game. He structured the play calling to the strengths of the offense and put the players in as much a position to succeed as he could. To this blogger, there seems to be no good reason to remove him from this position. Brock did an okay job this season and with an entire off season to teach his system to the offense, the team could have met with great success next year. However, this does not seem to be the case and instead of stability and continuity the team will once again face a coaching change for the third time in a year.
If this rumor does pan out and Brock is out as the offensive coordinator, I hope that he at least stays on the staff. Brock recruited important players on this team, including Chase Rettig and Christian Suntrup. If Brock stayed on, I would like to see him as the quarterbacks coach, giving him an opportunity to fine tune the quarterbacks he recruited.
Only time will tell.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Kuechly Wins the Butkus
Congratulations to Luke Kuechly on winning the Butkus Award given for the naiton's top linbacker. Luke was presented the award by Dick Butkus himself at an awards banquet this weekend.
Again, congratulations Luke, you certainly deserve it.
Again, congratulations Luke, you certainly deserve it.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Another Matrix to Measure Spaz's Shortcomings
This week, the ACC announced it's All- Conference teams. Not surprisingly, Luke Kuechly was a unanimous selection for the All- ACC First Team Defense. The first of what is sure to be many more accolades as the college football season comes to a close. Luke certainly deserves this credit and after his snub as a finalist for the Bednarik Award, for the nation's top defensive player, it is good to see Luke get recognition for his outstanding play on the field.
It occurred to me then, that the All- ACC team could be a different light to view the shortcomings of Frank Spaziani's stint as head coach. Looking into the archives of the ACC's website, I discovered another trend that points to Spaz's inability as a head coach at this level: the number of Boston College players selected as All- ACC players.
2005- 7 Eagles named All- ACC selections, either first or second team or honorable mention
2006- 7
2007- 10
2008- 9
2009- 7
2010- 4
2011- 1
The high water mark for BC players as All- ACC selections was, not surprisingly, 2007, Jagodzinski's first year and the first year we made it to the ACC Championship with Matt Ryan. In 2008, there is not a huge drop off in All- ACC selections for BC. In Spaz's first year as head coach, the number of BC players included on the lists drops to 7, which still is not bad and is actually in line with what Tom O'Brien was able to produce in his two years as an ACC coach at BC. However, the sharp drop off begins in Spaz's second year as head coach, the year that I think many people began to realize that Spaz was not the person that was going to lead BC to the next level or produce championship winning teams. Just four BC players were All- ACC selections in 2010 including Luke, Montel Harris, and Anthony Castonzo.
Which brings us to this year, 2011, where just one lone BC player was named an All- ACC selection. Now many people could make the argument that if he had been healthy and had played, that Montel would have been a shoe-in for the All- ACC team. This of course is very true. In 2009, Montel was second team All- ACC and in 2010 was a unanimous first team selection. However, even if you include a healthy Montel in this year's All- ACC team, that is still only two BC players included on those lists, which is unacceptable when you consider that even Tom O'Brien was able to put seven players on All- ACC teams.
What this downward trend says to me is that BC football players are not being put into a position where they can successfully compete against our ACC competition. Even looking at the ACC teams we beat this season, NC State had seven All- ACC selections and Maryland and Miami each had two. Again, these are each teams that BC beat this season, and yet they are producing more All- ACC talent than BC. Furthermore, our players are not being developed to a point where they can succeed, they are not being put into a position to succeed by our coaching staff. Over the past six years, Boston College players have been mainstays on the All- ACC teams. Some of those players have been standouts such as Matt Ryan, Mathias Kiwanuka, Montel Harris, and Mark Herzlich. But those past ACC teams have also included names like Purvis, Chellenger, Beekman, Claiborne, Blackmon and Callendar, each excellent players in their own right, but also players who were coached into a position where they could stand out among all the football players in the ACC. Spaz has brought BC football to a position where just one player, who would be a standout on any team, is able to stand out among all ACC players. This is just another example to show that Coach Spaziani is not the future of BC football.
It occurred to me then, that the All- ACC team could be a different light to view the shortcomings of Frank Spaziani's stint as head coach. Looking into the archives of the ACC's website, I discovered another trend that points to Spaz's inability as a head coach at this level: the number of Boston College players selected as All- ACC players.
2005- 7 Eagles named All- ACC selections, either first or second team or honorable mention
2006- 7
2007- 10
2008- 9
2009- 7
2010- 4
2011- 1
The high water mark for BC players as All- ACC selections was, not surprisingly, 2007, Jagodzinski's first year and the first year we made it to the ACC Championship with Matt Ryan. In 2008, there is not a huge drop off in All- ACC selections for BC. In Spaz's first year as head coach, the number of BC players included on the lists drops to 7, which still is not bad and is actually in line with what Tom O'Brien was able to produce in his two years as an ACC coach at BC. However, the sharp drop off begins in Spaz's second year as head coach, the year that I think many people began to realize that Spaz was not the person that was going to lead BC to the next level or produce championship winning teams. Just four BC players were All- ACC selections in 2010 including Luke, Montel Harris, and Anthony Castonzo.
Which brings us to this year, 2011, where just one lone BC player was named an All- ACC selection. Now many people could make the argument that if he had been healthy and had played, that Montel would have been a shoe-in for the All- ACC team. This of course is very true. In 2009, Montel was second team All- ACC and in 2010 was a unanimous first team selection. However, even if you include a healthy Montel in this year's All- ACC team, that is still only two BC players included on those lists, which is unacceptable when you consider that even Tom O'Brien was able to put seven players on All- ACC teams.
What this downward trend says to me is that BC football players are not being put into a position where they can successfully compete against our ACC competition. Even looking at the ACC teams we beat this season, NC State had seven All- ACC selections and Maryland and Miami each had two. Again, these are each teams that BC beat this season, and yet they are producing more All- ACC talent than BC. Furthermore, our players are not being developed to a point where they can succeed, they are not being put into a position to succeed by our coaching staff. Over the past six years, Boston College players have been mainstays on the All- ACC teams. Some of those players have been standouts such as Matt Ryan, Mathias Kiwanuka, Montel Harris, and Mark Herzlich. But those past ACC teams have also included names like Purvis, Chellenger, Beekman, Claiborne, Blackmon and Callendar, each excellent players in their own right, but also players who were coached into a position where they could stand out among all the football players in the ACC. Spaz has brought BC football to a position where just one player, who would be a standout on any team, is able to stand out among all ACC players. This is just another example to show that Coach Spaziani is not the future of BC football.
Monday, November 28, 2011
A Good Finish
For the first time since 1984, BC defeated Miami at home. For the first time this season, everything seemed to come together for BC in this game. The running was good, the passing was great, and the defense was stellar. It was a great win and I am glad that the team could end the season on a high note and especially in Miami. You can say a lot of things about this team, but now you can also say they were the first BC team to win in Miami since Doug Flutie was playing.
The game started out I think the way most of us expected. Jacory Harris launched one to our own 20 to set up the first score of the game. I was watching at the BC gamewatch in New York and there was an audible sigh on that first play from scrimmage... "Here we go again." But then BC marched right back down the field, putting together a beautiful drive that ended in a pass from Rettig to Pantale for BC's first touchdown of the game. Our offense put together what I think was one of the truly complete games in a long while. Although I do think we left some points on the field you could not have asked more from Chase Rettig. Although we passed just 17 times out of 67 plays, Rettig went 13 for 17 and threw two of our three touchdowns. For the first time since the beginning of the season, Chase seemed comfortable in the pocket and the offensive line held up well enough to allow him to throw just four incompletions (though he did get sacked twice). Pantale was the star of the receivers, hauling in both of Rettig's touchdown passes. His second was particularly impresssive: a 32 yard touchdown pass from Rettig where he broke at least one tackle and outran the majority of the Miami secondary. The running was remarkably consistent. There were not very many big plays from the run game but our tailbacks kept the Miami defense on the field. Our 50 running plays can be attributed to our prevent offense that we went into as soon as we got up in the second half. This is also my only complaint from our offense this week, which isn't even their fault (thank you coaching staff). For better or worse, the prevent offense worked, especially since it was so consistent, however without the outstanding play of our defense, it very easily could have let Miami back into the game.
The defense played well. Beyond Harris' first play from scrimmage and Lamar Miller's 79 yard touchdown run, the defense was stout and limited the Miami offense. There is not much more to say than what the stat sheet does about how the defense played. They held Miami to 367 yards, 21 minutes of posession, oh, and force four interceptions, which nearly matched Jacory Harris' totaly for the season. In my opinion, this was the best game that the defense has played all season. And that, not the least of which, can be attributed to Luke Kuechly.
Over the past few weeks an argument on the message boards has been about where Luke Kuechly ranks among the best defensive players of BC. Where does he stand when up against names like Herzlich, Raji, and Kiwanuka? By and large the response was, Luke is not a game changer, but damn is he consistent. You can always count on him to register double digit tackles. That is true, except this week. Luke's interception return for a touchdown was a game changer. It put BC ahead for good and was a perfect way to cap off an already fantastic game for Luke.
There are a lot of questions for BC now that the season is over. Player turnover, coaching turnover, will Spaz be back are all questions that will be answered in the coming weeks and months. Regardless of those questions, BC still finished the season off with a great win against an old rival. The players fought hard and never gave up this season and deserved this win. With the long offseason ahead of us, its nice to go out on top of one.
The game started out I think the way most of us expected. Jacory Harris launched one to our own 20 to set up the first score of the game. I was watching at the BC gamewatch in New York and there was an audible sigh on that first play from scrimmage... "Here we go again." But then BC marched right back down the field, putting together a beautiful drive that ended in a pass from Rettig to Pantale for BC's first touchdown of the game. Our offense put together what I think was one of the truly complete games in a long while. Although I do think we left some points on the field you could not have asked more from Chase Rettig. Although we passed just 17 times out of 67 plays, Rettig went 13 for 17 and threw two of our three touchdowns. For the first time since the beginning of the season, Chase seemed comfortable in the pocket and the offensive line held up well enough to allow him to throw just four incompletions (though he did get sacked twice). Pantale was the star of the receivers, hauling in both of Rettig's touchdown passes. His second was particularly impresssive: a 32 yard touchdown pass from Rettig where he broke at least one tackle and outran the majority of the Miami secondary. The running was remarkably consistent. There were not very many big plays from the run game but our tailbacks kept the Miami defense on the field. Our 50 running plays can be attributed to our prevent offense that we went into as soon as we got up in the second half. This is also my only complaint from our offense this week, which isn't even their fault (thank you coaching staff). For better or worse, the prevent offense worked, especially since it was so consistent, however without the outstanding play of our defense, it very easily could have let Miami back into the game.
The defense played well. Beyond Harris' first play from scrimmage and Lamar Miller's 79 yard touchdown run, the defense was stout and limited the Miami offense. There is not much more to say than what the stat sheet does about how the defense played. They held Miami to 367 yards, 21 minutes of posession, oh, and force four interceptions, which nearly matched Jacory Harris' totaly for the season. In my opinion, this was the best game that the defense has played all season. And that, not the least of which, can be attributed to Luke Kuechly.
Over the past few weeks an argument on the message boards has been about where Luke Kuechly ranks among the best defensive players of BC. Where does he stand when up against names like Herzlich, Raji, and Kiwanuka? By and large the response was, Luke is not a game changer, but damn is he consistent. You can always count on him to register double digit tackles. That is true, except this week. Luke's interception return for a touchdown was a game changer. It put BC ahead for good and was a perfect way to cap off an already fantastic game for Luke.
There are a lot of questions for BC now that the season is over. Player turnover, coaching turnover, will Spaz be back are all questions that will be answered in the coming weeks and months. Regardless of those questions, BC still finished the season off with a great win against an old rival. The players fought hard and never gave up this season and deserved this win. With the long offseason ahead of us, its nice to go out on top of one.
Friday, November 25, 2011
BC vs. Miami
It's funny how two schools on opposite ends of the country can have a heated rivalry. Admittedly, this may not be as big of a deal as Florida State- Miami, but it's still a good game and has carried a little bit of weight ever since the Miracle in Miami. BC- Miami always carries with it a certain something that all college football rivalries do. We may care more about beating Notre Dame or Clemson, but when we play Miami in that Friday or Saturday after Thanksgiving (where they are seemingly always placed on the schedule) it adds a little something extra to the game. BC- Miami may not be the biggest game or the biggest rivalry this weekend, but it is still a special game.
I don't have much to say about this game today and will forego my Five Keys in favor of finishing this post a little faster and diving into leftovers. This is our last game of the season today, perhaps the last of the Spaz era, and perhaps the last time we see Luke Kuechly on the field in maroon and gold. The only thing left on the line for this team right now is pride. Last weekend, we played tough and hard against a mediocre Notre Dame team. The team showed heart and determination and never gave up. I hope the same happens today. There is no reason BC can't beat the Hurricanes today. These are not the Miami teams of yesteryear with that Miami swagger and championship rings. BC has a real chance to go into Coral Gables and come out with a win.
There are a few things I hope to see out of today's game. Obviously, it will be pretty spectacular to see Luke break the ACC tackling record and I hope they keep a tackle tracker on the screen during the whole game for him. I hope that Chase will calm himself down and find a rhythm in today's game. His play last week may have cost us some points in South Bend, but he is still a good quarterback who can get things done if he has his head on straight. Last week our defense played lights out, continuing that play this week will go a long way to beating the 'Canes.
With the Eagles staying at home for the holidays, this is our last game of the season for the first time in nearly 13 years. Despite this, and perhaps using it as motivation, I hope BC goes into Coral Gables and makes a statement. We may not be the BC team of 2004 or 2007, but we are still the Boston College Eagles and nothing can change that. With the last game just a few hours away, I hope our players and coaches especially, push for the greater and bring home one final win this season. We are BC. Ever to Excel.
I don't have much to say about this game today and will forego my Five Keys in favor of finishing this post a little faster and diving into leftovers. This is our last game of the season today, perhaps the last of the Spaz era, and perhaps the last time we see Luke Kuechly on the field in maroon and gold. The only thing left on the line for this team right now is pride. Last weekend, we played tough and hard against a mediocre Notre Dame team. The team showed heart and determination and never gave up. I hope the same happens today. There is no reason BC can't beat the Hurricanes today. These are not the Miami teams of yesteryear with that Miami swagger and championship rings. BC has a real chance to go into Coral Gables and come out with a win.
There are a few things I hope to see out of today's game. Obviously, it will be pretty spectacular to see Luke break the ACC tackling record and I hope they keep a tackle tracker on the screen during the whole game for him. I hope that Chase will calm himself down and find a rhythm in today's game. His play last week may have cost us some points in South Bend, but he is still a good quarterback who can get things done if he has his head on straight. Last week our defense played lights out, continuing that play this week will go a long way to beating the 'Canes.
With the Eagles staying at home for the holidays, this is our last game of the season for the first time in nearly 13 years. Despite this, and perhaps using it as motivation, I hope BC goes into Coral Gables and makes a statement. We may not be the BC team of 2004 or 2007, but we are still the Boston College Eagles and nothing can change that. With the last game just a few hours away, I hope our players and coaches especially, push for the greater and bring home one final win this season. We are BC. Ever to Excel.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
My Trip to South Bend: Part II
Admittedly, I made it into Notre Dame Stadium after Notre Dame had scored it's first ten points. I had made a detour to see the Father William Corby statue outside Corby Hall, which is an exact copy of a statue at the battlefield in Gettysburg (Father Corby was the chaplain of the all- Irish New York regiment in the Civil War). Ms. SaturdaysOnShea and I made it into the game about mid-way through the first quarter, just in time to be reminded how inept our BC offense can be and how stellar our defense can be.
The biggest talking point from the game seems to be the inaccuracy of Chase Rettig. Chase threw 20 incompletions over the course of the game, going 18- 38 with one touchdown and, mercifully, no interceptions. Chase seems skittish in the pocket. His never settles his feet and doesn't plant his back foot to throw. Certainly, we are seeing a sophomore slump from Chase, but he seems to be digressing in his abilities as a quarterback over all, something we saw with Dave Shinskie as well. At the beginning of the season Chase seemed to be the quarterback we had been looking for, showing sophomore mistakes but generally having an upside. Chase has not gotten any better this season and that's a problem. He deserves some of the blame, but so do the coaches and so does his O-line. Personally, I believe that it has been the lack of an effective O-Line this season that has caused many of Chase's woes. He doesn't set his feet because he's expecting to get hit the moment the ball is snapped. He is forcing throws because he's used to throwing under pressure. His passes are off target because he doesn't have or isn't expecting to have enough time for the play to develop. With better coaching and a better O-Line Chase could be much better, and hopefully we will see a junior jump next year. That is left to be seen.
Another problem that led to our offensive woes was the use of Bordner. Although he scored a rushing touchdown to bring the game 10- 7, he was used sparingly and over time, the defense was able to recognize that Bordner in the game meant a running play. It also disrupted any rhythm that Chase and the offense were getting themselves into. I do believe that there is a place for Josh Bordner in this offense, but he needs to be used wisely and strategically. Put Bordner in and have him throw one and run one to keep the defense off balance. If teams see him coming in, they know that more than likely the ball will be run, not thrown. If we want to go with a two quarterback system, we need to use that strategy better or not at all.
The defense played an excellent game. Although it was clear they schemed against him, Luke managed to become just one tackle shy of tying the all tie BC tackles record. Our defensive pressure held Notre Dame to just 3 points in the entire second half and were able to force Notre Dame into long yardage situations and turnovers. Max Holloway's interception could have been a game changer. BC was down 6 and the interception gave us the ball on the Notre Dame 48. A few plays later, though, BC could not convert a 3rd and 3. Additionally, the defense was able to effectively shut down Michael Floyd. More than anything else, this kept us in the game. The defense allowed Floyd just ten receptions for 92 yards and no touchdowns. The defense played this game to win and kept fighting to the bitter end.
BC should have, and could have, won this game. If a few different things broke a different way, no penalties, better accuracy from Chase, the reviewed calls that went to Notre Dame, I really do think BC would have won. However, winning teams shouldn't have to rely on "what-ifs" to win. The fact of the matter is that this was not a very good Notre Dame team. Losing by just two points means that BC could have just as easily won this game. Better play calling and better coaching could have made this a very different outcome. Some people are taking the moral victory out of this one. BC was a 24.5 point underdog going into South Bend and lost by just two points. I can't bring myself to take the moral victory when true victory was just as easily attainable. BC played well but in too many situations left points on the field. The team played hard and they deserved to win this game, but they have not been given the tools to succeed.
My Road Trip to South Bend: Part I
The trip to South Bend from Boston has become one of the most lasting traditions at Boston College. When I was a junior, it was the first time we played Notre Dame at South Bend in three years, yet there was no question that people would be road tripping out. For my part, this was my first trip out to Indiana for the game. It was a fun experience, great to see the Notre Dame campus, and even better to see a little bit of America. That said, the next time I make it out to Notre Dame, I think I'll fly.
My group left Boston around 9PM Thursday and drove through the night to make it to Indiana by noon the next day. The drive across was fun. As a New Yorker, I saw parts of my home state I hadn't seen before. Perhaps most exciting was driving past all the other BC RVs on their way to South Bend. You'd be driving along 90 West in the middle of Pennsylvania, coming up on another RV and immediately knew who was in it and where they were going. As the RVs past each other there'd be fist pumps, waves, and thumbs up. It was a nice little bit of BC camaraderie on the way west. At each rest stop, too, would be about a half dozen RVs gassing up. It was fun to have that small bond with all the other BC people heading out to South Bend.
I saw a limited part of South Bend, but what I saw was nice enough. Notre Dame has a beautiful campus. The architecture is similar to BC's except all made of brick instead of stone. The campus is very spread out, which surprised me. It seemed like all of BC's campus could fit into one quad at Notre Dame. The Golden Dome dominates the area, much the way that Gasson dominates the area around BC. Notre Dame was beautiful, a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
The tailgating on Saturday was a blast. The RVs basically turned into Mods on wheels. It was great to experience real college football tailgating. Many BC alums complain about the BC gameday experience and with good cause. Notre Dame police patrolled the area, but I saw no incidences whatsoever; I can't say the same thing for BC. Additionally we pulled into the lot at around 10 giving us over five hours to tailgate, which meant that at 3:30 that afternoon, we were some of the last people to leave the tailgating area to head to the stadium. People had had their fill of tailgating and were ready to go to the game.
Notre Dame has a great stadium. You really can feel the history when you walk in. The experience in the stadium, though, felt a little gimmicky. They trotted out the band Chicago at half time and then announced that Jon Bon Jovi was there and was directing the band, or something like that. It seemed odd at best and the announcement about Bon Jovi sent inquisitive looks all around.
I only met a few Notre Dame fans, most were nice and polite, but not overly so, I'd put them somewhere between Clemson fans and Maryland fans. My group did end up sitting next to a handful of Notre Dame fans who, as it turned out, were from the same town in Ohio as Bobby Swigert. The result was by the end of the game, we had a bunch of 40 or 50-something men decked out in Notre Dame gear cheering for BC as hard as we were.
Not much went on after the game. Most people left immediately afterward. Some made their way to the Wal-Mart parking lot, but it seemed that most BC people slept for a little while and immediately hit the road. My group stayed and let the following morning around 8 getting back to Boston around 11:30. The trip to Notre Dame was a great one. The memories were great and I couldn't have asked for a better time. Overall, the experience was a good one. There were nice people, a good time, and what ended up being a pretty exciting game. I'm already looking forward to my next trip out to South Bend
My group left Boston around 9PM Thursday and drove through the night to make it to Indiana by noon the next day. The drive across was fun. As a New Yorker, I saw parts of my home state I hadn't seen before. Perhaps most exciting was driving past all the other BC RVs on their way to South Bend. You'd be driving along 90 West in the middle of Pennsylvania, coming up on another RV and immediately knew who was in it and where they were going. As the RVs past each other there'd be fist pumps, waves, and thumbs up. It was a nice little bit of BC camaraderie on the way west. At each rest stop, too, would be about a half dozen RVs gassing up. It was fun to have that small bond with all the other BC people heading out to South Bend.
I saw a limited part of South Bend, but what I saw was nice enough. Notre Dame has a beautiful campus. The architecture is similar to BC's except all made of brick instead of stone. The campus is very spread out, which surprised me. It seemed like all of BC's campus could fit into one quad at Notre Dame. The Golden Dome dominates the area, much the way that Gasson dominates the area around BC. Notre Dame was beautiful, a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to live there.
The tailgating on Saturday was a blast. The RVs basically turned into Mods on wheels. It was great to experience real college football tailgating. Many BC alums complain about the BC gameday experience and with good cause. Notre Dame police patrolled the area, but I saw no incidences whatsoever; I can't say the same thing for BC. Additionally we pulled into the lot at around 10 giving us over five hours to tailgate, which meant that at 3:30 that afternoon, we were some of the last people to leave the tailgating area to head to the stadium. People had had their fill of tailgating and were ready to go to the game.
Notre Dame has a great stadium. You really can feel the history when you walk in. The experience in the stadium, though, felt a little gimmicky. They trotted out the band Chicago at half time and then announced that Jon Bon Jovi was there and was directing the band, or something like that. It seemed odd at best and the announcement about Bon Jovi sent inquisitive looks all around.
I only met a few Notre Dame fans, most were nice and polite, but not overly so, I'd put them somewhere between Clemson fans and Maryland fans. My group did end up sitting next to a handful of Notre Dame fans who, as it turned out, were from the same town in Ohio as Bobby Swigert. The result was by the end of the game, we had a bunch of 40 or 50-something men decked out in Notre Dame gear cheering for BC as hard as we were.
Not much went on after the game. Most people left immediately afterward. Some made their way to the Wal-Mart parking lot, but it seemed that most BC people slept for a little while and immediately hit the road. My group stayed and let the following morning around 8 getting back to Boston around 11:30. The trip to Notre Dame was a great one. The memories were great and I couldn't have asked for a better time. Overall, the experience was a good one. There were nice people, a good time, and what ended up being a pretty exciting game. I'm already looking forward to my next trip out to South Bend
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Five Keys to Beating Notre Dame
Any other coach and I would give us a fighting chance in this one. Even if Jags or Tom O'Brien were 3-7 entering this match up I might give us a chance. But I just don't think Spaz will get it done this weekend. I expect Brian Kelly to have his ND team chomping at the bit for this one. I also expect him to have his offense go from 0 to 60 on the first play from scrimmage and not to let up on the gas until the game is over. I'm sorry to be such a Debbie Downer (Sullen Saturdays?), but Brian Kelly is the type to go for the throat in this game. That all said, this is also the second most important game on the schedule for Gene and Spaz (after NC State). Gene especially realizes that many alumni would be fine with a 1-11 season, as long as that one win came against Notre Dame. Additionally, we know that crazy things can happen in rivalry games and that BC often wins this game when it really has no business winning it.
I am not convinced that Notre Dame is that good of a team either. My prejudices notwithstanding, they have drubbed the service academies of this world, but have been challenged by tougher competition. Are they better than us? Yes, definitely. But that doesn't mean that we can't keep it closer than the current BC +24.5 line. I'm not sure that we'll pull a W out of South Bend, but I'm also not sure that we will get massacred as many are expecting.
Five Keys to Beating Notre Dame:
1. Create Turnovers- One of the talking points about Notre Dame this year has been there abysmal turnover margin and the fact that they've lost every game where they lose the turnover battle. I do think that our defense can create turnovers and that will be key to winning. As I said, I expect Kelly to have his offense firing on all cylinders. If we create turnovers and slow them down a bit and have them thinking of South Florida, USC, and Michigan we may have a chance. It should be noted, however, that two years ago BC won the turnover battle in South Bend, but still came up short.
2. Hold onto the ball- We have had difficulty with turnovers ourselves this season, but more importantly turning it over in the red zone. Against FSU, Finch fumbled close the goal line when the game was still within reach. Two years ago, Montel fumbled on the Notre Dame 1 on what could have been a game winning score. Protecting the ball ourselves, especially in those red zone situations will be huge.
3. Shut Down Floyd- Michael Floyd has 922 yards over 10 games this season. Damn impressive. However, it also means ND's offense is vulnerable if Floyd can be contained. Their next leading receiver has just 589 yards over 10 games. Michael Floyd is the key to this offense. In 2008 BC had no problem containing Golden Tate. Containing Michael Floyd can cause struggles for Notre Dame.
4. Make the most out of our two quarterbacks- Let me first state that I am not of fan of flip-flopping Rettig and Bordner throughout the game. I think it has the potential to disrupt and already weak offense. That said, the last two games have shown that utilizing Bordner in the right situations can throw off opposing defenses. Rettig should be given the majority of snaps and be allowed to conduct the offense, but bringing in Bordner on short yardage situations or to throw the defense off balance could give us an offensive edge.
5. Play up the rivalry- A few years ago, Jags made the point to his team that nearly all of them had not been actively recruited by Notre Dame, giving the team a chip on its shoulder. BC teams generally already have a chip on their shoulder, but none more so than when we play Notre Dame. This game is just as important for the players as it is for the fans and alumni. In the past BC has stepped up to the plate in this game and taken it to the Irish. I hope that Spaz and the staff have played up the rivarly this week and have the team extra motivated to go in and win in South Bend. Motivated individuals can do amazing things in the right situations. This game could be one of those situations for BC.
I will be in attendance in South Bend for the game. It is the first time I am making it out there and am looking forward to taking it all in. Since I am leaving Boston tonight, this may be my last opportunity to post before the game. I will do my best to stay in contact on twitter, but can't make any promises. I wish everyone making the trip out to South Bend safe travels. See you all in Indiana.
I am not convinced that Notre Dame is that good of a team either. My prejudices notwithstanding, they have drubbed the service academies of this world, but have been challenged by tougher competition. Are they better than us? Yes, definitely. But that doesn't mean that we can't keep it closer than the current BC +24.5 line. I'm not sure that we'll pull a W out of South Bend, but I'm also not sure that we will get massacred as many are expecting.
Five Keys to Beating Notre Dame:
1. Create Turnovers- One of the talking points about Notre Dame this year has been there abysmal turnover margin and the fact that they've lost every game where they lose the turnover battle. I do think that our defense can create turnovers and that will be key to winning. As I said, I expect Kelly to have his offense firing on all cylinders. If we create turnovers and slow them down a bit and have them thinking of South Florida, USC, and Michigan we may have a chance. It should be noted, however, that two years ago BC won the turnover battle in South Bend, but still came up short.
2. Hold onto the ball- We have had difficulty with turnovers ourselves this season, but more importantly turning it over in the red zone. Against FSU, Finch fumbled close the goal line when the game was still within reach. Two years ago, Montel fumbled on the Notre Dame 1 on what could have been a game winning score. Protecting the ball ourselves, especially in those red zone situations will be huge.
3. Shut Down Floyd- Michael Floyd has 922 yards over 10 games this season. Damn impressive. However, it also means ND's offense is vulnerable if Floyd can be contained. Their next leading receiver has just 589 yards over 10 games. Michael Floyd is the key to this offense. In 2008 BC had no problem containing Golden Tate. Containing Michael Floyd can cause struggles for Notre Dame.
4. Make the most out of our two quarterbacks- Let me first state that I am not of fan of flip-flopping Rettig and Bordner throughout the game. I think it has the potential to disrupt and already weak offense. That said, the last two games have shown that utilizing Bordner in the right situations can throw off opposing defenses. Rettig should be given the majority of snaps and be allowed to conduct the offense, but bringing in Bordner on short yardage situations or to throw the defense off balance could give us an offensive edge.
5. Play up the rivalry- A few years ago, Jags made the point to his team that nearly all of them had not been actively recruited by Notre Dame, giving the team a chip on its shoulder. BC teams generally already have a chip on their shoulder, but none more so than when we play Notre Dame. This game is just as important for the players as it is for the fans and alumni. In the past BC has stepped up to the plate in this game and taken it to the Irish. I hope that Spaz and the staff have played up the rivarly this week and have the team extra motivated to go in and win in South Bend. Motivated individuals can do amazing things in the right situations. This game could be one of those situations for BC.
I will be in attendance in South Bend for the game. It is the first time I am making it out there and am looking forward to taking it all in. Since I am leaving Boston tonight, this may be my last opportunity to post before the game. I will do my best to stay in contact on twitter, but can't make any promises. I wish everyone making the trip out to South Bend safe travels. See you all in Indiana.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
NC State Wrap-up
A win against Tom O'Brien is always a good feeling. Since leaving in 2006, Tom O'Brien is 1-4 against BC and now 1-2 against his old defensive coordinator. This is a big win for Spaz. Some think it may have saved his job, but is still no surprise that, according to reports, Spaz has had this game circled on his calendar since the beginning of the season. His emotions following the win are also testament to that fact. The win shows that the players have not given up either, especially with a late game push by NC State. With the way things have gone and after last week, it would be just as easy to roll over. But the team is still playing hard and still fighting. Hopefully we can carry some momentum into South Bend.
I was not able to see the game, but by all accounts it was similar to the Maryland game. Messy, not particularly good football, but BC just managed to outlast and out play the other team. It seems that somewhat of a quarterback controversy is brewing. Rettig is still the starter, and solidly so, but the first touchdown of the game was scored on an option read by Bordner. The second, however, was a perfect pass by Rettig to Larmond. It should also be noted that Bordner's running score was set up by a 41 yard pass by Rettig to Amidon. On the outside, it looks as though Rettig and Bordner will be sharing the responsbilities a la Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson: Rettig taking the majority of the snaps and responsibility, but Bordner coming in in the right situations.
Defensively, BC took advantage of an offensive line as weak as our own. NC State has made a season out of short yardage passing plays and BC was able to disrupt that. As always, Luke was dominant and many pundits have highlighted a 13- minute period in the fourth quarter where he registered 9 of his 18 total tackles.
An important stat that I think is being overlooked in the wake of our victory is our total offense in the second half. That would be -2 yards. Yes, you read that correctly, the winning team in this game produced negative yardage in the second half. After an aggressive first half, BC turtled up in the second half. With a 14-3 lead at the half, BC went into the prevent offense, the signature Spaziani move when up in the game. We managed to out last the Wolfpack, but this game could have just as easily been 24-14 as it was 14-10. Don't forget, we intercepted NC State in the end zone and won the game on a tipped ball with 1:10 left to go. Either of those plays goes a different way and BC loses this game... because we were not aggressive to end the game.
BC has been in this same position a few times, where the opposing team, down, has the ball and a chance to win. Duke and Virginia last year come to mind. The problem is the coaching staff goes conservative as soon as BC gets the lead and instead of driving the nails into the coffin, BC merely hangs on. Teams can survive this way, but not all the time. Negative yardage in the second half, whether we still managed to win or not, is unacceptable. Winning teams do not turtle up in the second half and just try to wait out the clock. They continue to go for the throat and don't give their opponents a chance to come back into it. Constantly, our coaching staff does the opposite and just hopes that we can hold on.
Twice this season BC has been tied or up going into the half. We lost each of those games. The coaching staff just tries to outlast our opponents or the clock instead of trying to win. This has been their strategy for the last three years, but this year it has caught up to them. Winning this game was merely the gilded exterior of the same old BC performance. Negative two yards is the real story. I am glad that we won and I am glad that the team fought hard to win and they deserved this victory. But the fundamental problems still exist and are not going away. 14-10 is what most people will see in this game. -2 is what is between the lines.
I was not able to see the game, but by all accounts it was similar to the Maryland game. Messy, not particularly good football, but BC just managed to outlast and out play the other team. It seems that somewhat of a quarterback controversy is brewing. Rettig is still the starter, and solidly so, but the first touchdown of the game was scored on an option read by Bordner. The second, however, was a perfect pass by Rettig to Larmond. It should also be noted that Bordner's running score was set up by a 41 yard pass by Rettig to Amidon. On the outside, it looks as though Rettig and Bordner will be sharing the responsbilities a la Jarrett Lee and Jordan Jefferson: Rettig taking the majority of the snaps and responsibility, but Bordner coming in in the right situations.
Defensively, BC took advantage of an offensive line as weak as our own. NC State has made a season out of short yardage passing plays and BC was able to disrupt that. As always, Luke was dominant and many pundits have highlighted a 13- minute period in the fourth quarter where he registered 9 of his 18 total tackles.
An important stat that I think is being overlooked in the wake of our victory is our total offense in the second half. That would be -2 yards. Yes, you read that correctly, the winning team in this game produced negative yardage in the second half. After an aggressive first half, BC turtled up in the second half. With a 14-3 lead at the half, BC went into the prevent offense, the signature Spaziani move when up in the game. We managed to out last the Wolfpack, but this game could have just as easily been 24-14 as it was 14-10. Don't forget, we intercepted NC State in the end zone and won the game on a tipped ball with 1:10 left to go. Either of those plays goes a different way and BC loses this game... because we were not aggressive to end the game.
BC has been in this same position a few times, where the opposing team, down, has the ball and a chance to win. Duke and Virginia last year come to mind. The problem is the coaching staff goes conservative as soon as BC gets the lead and instead of driving the nails into the coffin, BC merely hangs on. Teams can survive this way, but not all the time. Negative yardage in the second half, whether we still managed to win or not, is unacceptable. Winning teams do not turtle up in the second half and just try to wait out the clock. They continue to go for the throat and don't give their opponents a chance to come back into it. Constantly, our coaching staff does the opposite and just hopes that we can hold on.
Twice this season BC has been tied or up going into the half. We lost each of those games. The coaching staff just tries to outlast our opponents or the clock instead of trying to win. This has been their strategy for the last three years, but this year it has caught up to them. Winning this game was merely the gilded exterior of the same old BC performance. Negative two yards is the real story. I am glad that we won and I am glad that the team fought hard to win and they deserved this victory. But the fundamental problems still exist and are not going away. 14-10 is what most people will see in this game. -2 is what is between the lines.
Friday, November 11, 2011
NC State
Tomorrow's game against the Wolfpack is our most viable chance for getting a third win this season. Lose tomorrow and you can put money on a 2-10 season. I am not sure what I expect out of tomorrow's game. Many people paint this as Spaz and Gene's Super Bowl. Both want to desperately beat Tom O'Brien and so I think look forward to this game all season. Spaz has also had a long week to prepare to take on his former boss and could have schemed well enough to put up another W. NC State is probably #3 on the "Worst Teams in the ACC" list along with ourselves and Maryland, so we have a good shot at winning this game.
Five Keys to Beating NC State:
1. Find a Quarterback- The use of Josh Bordner against FSU kind of threw everyone for a loop last week, it certainly was not something I expected but seemed to work. Chase Rettig is listed as the starter for this week and so I expect using Bordner last week was to give Chase a minute to get his head on straight. Whatever the outcome, whether we use Chase or use Bordner I hope to see that we use them consistently. Don't flip flop the way we did last week, Bordner and Chase are not Jarret Lee and Jordan Jefferson or Taylor and Glennon, our offense will do better with a consistent quarterback. Find a QB that works and stick with him.
2. Air It Out- Thought limited last week, our run game has remained strong and consistent over the last few weeks, especially against Maryland and Clemson. Running remains our strong suit so I expect NC State to defend primarily against the run. Chase's passes last week were a little better, giving him the chance to throw it deep to Larmond, Amidon, and Swigert can hopefully give us an edge. So far this season NC State allows 7.2 yards per pass against conference opponents. WIth a defense looking to stop the run, passing could be our go to.
3. Make NC State Run- NC State doesn't have the most prolific passing attack (it ranks 61st in the nation), but Mike Glennon can make plays and NC State has made a season out of short passes. The Wolfpack's rushing offense, however, ranks 106th in the nation. Shutting down Mike Glennon and forcing NC State to win the game on the ground will play to our defensive strengths.
4. Energize the crowd- Like I said in my post about the Florida State game, there is no energy in the stands anymore. The students are completely out of it. Furthermore, there are no students left at BC who were there when Tom O'Brien was still coach, so the added incentive to beat NC State isn't there anymore either. A quick score early on could get the crowd back into it. The only win at home this season has been against UMass. If BC has a chance and brings it against NC State, the crowd could get back into it just once more.
5. The Seniors- This is their last game at the Heights. If for no other reason, I hope they and the team are extra motivated to go out for the last home game and the last game for the seniors.
There isn't much hope left in this season. We are ensured to have our first losing season since 1998. Our two remaining games are against Notre Dame and Miami. NC State is the last winnable game that I see left on the schedule. I hope that Spaz has taken advantage of the long week and is prepped and ready to take on his old boss; it may also be the last time Spaz and Tom O'Brien are on the field together. It will be interesting to see what tone is set going into the Notre Dame game. I think that NC State and Notre Dame are the two biggest games on our schedule for Gene and Spaz. A win here, and looking good doing it, could propel us into Notre Dame. If for no other reason, though, I hope that Spaz is ready for this game for the seniors.
Five Keys to Beating NC State:
1. Find a Quarterback- The use of Josh Bordner against FSU kind of threw everyone for a loop last week, it certainly was not something I expected but seemed to work. Chase Rettig is listed as the starter for this week and so I expect using Bordner last week was to give Chase a minute to get his head on straight. Whatever the outcome, whether we use Chase or use Bordner I hope to see that we use them consistently. Don't flip flop the way we did last week, Bordner and Chase are not Jarret Lee and Jordan Jefferson or Taylor and Glennon, our offense will do better with a consistent quarterback. Find a QB that works and stick with him.
2. Air It Out- Thought limited last week, our run game has remained strong and consistent over the last few weeks, especially against Maryland and Clemson. Running remains our strong suit so I expect NC State to defend primarily against the run. Chase's passes last week were a little better, giving him the chance to throw it deep to Larmond, Amidon, and Swigert can hopefully give us an edge. So far this season NC State allows 7.2 yards per pass against conference opponents. WIth a defense looking to stop the run, passing could be our go to.
3. Make NC State Run- NC State doesn't have the most prolific passing attack (it ranks 61st in the nation), but Mike Glennon can make plays and NC State has made a season out of short passes. The Wolfpack's rushing offense, however, ranks 106th in the nation. Shutting down Mike Glennon and forcing NC State to win the game on the ground will play to our defensive strengths.
4. Energize the crowd- Like I said in my post about the Florida State game, there is no energy in the stands anymore. The students are completely out of it. Furthermore, there are no students left at BC who were there when Tom O'Brien was still coach, so the added incentive to beat NC State isn't there anymore either. A quick score early on could get the crowd back into it. The only win at home this season has been against UMass. If BC has a chance and brings it against NC State, the crowd could get back into it just once more.
5. The Seniors- This is their last game at the Heights. If for no other reason, I hope they and the team are extra motivated to go out for the last home game and the last game for the seniors.
There isn't much hope left in this season. We are ensured to have our first losing season since 1998. Our two remaining games are against Notre Dame and Miami. NC State is the last winnable game that I see left on the schedule. I hope that Spaz has taken advantage of the long week and is prepped and ready to take on his old boss; it may also be the last time Spaz and Tom O'Brien are on the field together. It will be interesting to see what tone is set going into the Notre Dame game. I think that NC State and Notre Dame are the two biggest games on our schedule for Gene and Spaz. A win here, and looking good doing it, could propel us into Notre Dame. If for no other reason, though, I hope that Spaz is ready for this game for the seniors.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Throwing in the Towel
I apologize for the infrequency of my posts the past week. I just received internet back this Monday and was very busy yesterday with Election Day. I have not had the chance to give my thoughts on the Florida State debacle which I had the opportunity to witness in person. In short, it was depressing.
There is no energy left whatsoever surrounding this program. The team is flat. The fan base is too. I had the misfortune of sitting in the student section for the first quarter of the game. I convinced a few friends to relive the glory days once more, hoping that if we pulled the upset, it would be a fun time. Instead, it was terrible. There was no interest in the game from the student section. For a Thursday night, primetime game, the student section was not even half full by the time kick off rolled around. With ten minutes left in the end of the game, the majority of the student section was empty once again (I guess they had to go study...). I remember being there and getting loud for big games, being rowdy and making Alumni as hostile as possible. This was not the case among the students this year. Not even at the beginning of the game when there was a chance we could do well. I feel bad for the students right now. Watching this team, with its defeatist coach, and really no end in sight (despite our wishes) is a difficult experience and the students are being robbed of one of the best things about going to Boston College. For their sake, I hope they get to experience a winning team and an exciting coach before they graduate.
On one of the message boards, the question was asked, somewhat tongue in cheek, somewhat not, "When did Spaz throw in the towel?" Possible answers were 7-0, 14-0, 21-0, etc. etc. Though the one that sticks out was "Before the game even started." It is frightening to think that this is even a possibility, let alone the likelihood. Spaz has shown, time and again, that he is outmatched and in over his head at his current job. He clearly does not believe that his team can win. What kind of coach believes that? Part of a coach's job is to make his athletes believe they can beat anyone at anytime. I once heard Mike Leach say, about coaching athletes, "Don't remind them that they're young. Don't tell them what they can't do, tell them what they can." We do have a young, inexperienced team, that fact is used constantly by the coaching staff and the Athletic Director to explain away our football woes, but what a real coach does, what a coach who believes in his team and their ability does is play to their strengths and make sure that those athletes believe that they can beat anyone. Whether, in reality, they can or can't is irrelevant. What is important is having a coach who wills his athletes to believe they are invincible.
With about ten minutes left to go in the fourth quarter, down by 24 points, Boston College had the ball. There were few illusions among the fans that we would win this game, but at least we would go down fighting. After two running plays, and a pass play, down 24 points with now about six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Boston College lined up for a punt. The yellow towel had been thrown in, the white flag waved. Frank Spaziani had made the decision that he would not go down fighting, that he would punt the ball away and pin Florida State down in their own territory and let them run out the clock and end the game. In that single move Spaz showed the entire nation, at least the ones still watching the game, but more importantly the entire BC community that avoiding a blow out, rather more of a blow out, was more important than fighting it out. More important that showing his players that, even though they were down, they were still going to go after Florida State, still be aggressive. Instead, Spaz threw in the towel. The only question that remains is when he made that decision. 7-0, 14-0, 21-0, 28-0? Or in August?
There is no energy left whatsoever surrounding this program. The team is flat. The fan base is too. I had the misfortune of sitting in the student section for the first quarter of the game. I convinced a few friends to relive the glory days once more, hoping that if we pulled the upset, it would be a fun time. Instead, it was terrible. There was no interest in the game from the student section. For a Thursday night, primetime game, the student section was not even half full by the time kick off rolled around. With ten minutes left in the end of the game, the majority of the student section was empty once again (I guess they had to go study...). I remember being there and getting loud for big games, being rowdy and making Alumni as hostile as possible. This was not the case among the students this year. Not even at the beginning of the game when there was a chance we could do well. I feel bad for the students right now. Watching this team, with its defeatist coach, and really no end in sight (despite our wishes) is a difficult experience and the students are being robbed of one of the best things about going to Boston College. For their sake, I hope they get to experience a winning team and an exciting coach before they graduate.
On one of the message boards, the question was asked, somewhat tongue in cheek, somewhat not, "When did Spaz throw in the towel?" Possible answers were 7-0, 14-0, 21-0, etc. etc. Though the one that sticks out was "Before the game even started." It is frightening to think that this is even a possibility, let alone the likelihood. Spaz has shown, time and again, that he is outmatched and in over his head at his current job. He clearly does not believe that his team can win. What kind of coach believes that? Part of a coach's job is to make his athletes believe they can beat anyone at anytime. I once heard Mike Leach say, about coaching athletes, "Don't remind them that they're young. Don't tell them what they can't do, tell them what they can." We do have a young, inexperienced team, that fact is used constantly by the coaching staff and the Athletic Director to explain away our football woes, but what a real coach does, what a coach who believes in his team and their ability does is play to their strengths and make sure that those athletes believe that they can beat anyone. Whether, in reality, they can or can't is irrelevant. What is important is having a coach who wills his athletes to believe they are invincible.
With about ten minutes left to go in the fourth quarter, down by 24 points, Boston College had the ball. There were few illusions among the fans that we would win this game, but at least we would go down fighting. After two running plays, and a pass play, down 24 points with now about six minutes left in the fourth quarter, Boston College lined up for a punt. The yellow towel had been thrown in, the white flag waved. Frank Spaziani had made the decision that he would not go down fighting, that he would punt the ball away and pin Florida State down in their own territory and let them run out the clock and end the game. In that single move Spaz showed the entire nation, at least the ones still watching the game, but more importantly the entire BC community that avoiding a blow out, rather more of a blow out, was more important than fighting it out. More important that showing his players that, even though they were down, they were still going to go after Florida State, still be aggressive. Instead, Spaz threw in the towel. The only question that remains is when he made that decision. 7-0, 14-0, 21-0, 28-0? Or in August?
Thursday, November 3, 2011
FUFSU
As I write this I am sitting in the dining car on Amtrak, Boston bound for the game tonight. Despite our performance up to this point I am excited for this game. BC- FSU games are always exciting and there is just something about Alumni Stadium at night. The Thursday night primetime is also exciting. The last time BC was in this situation was when we shellacked Virginia Tech in 2006.
This game is a big opportunity for BC. Sure there are some MAC games and hockey on, but there is no baseball and there is no basketball. The biggest thing BC will be competing with for viewers is The Office. This is a national game, many eyes will be on us, especially eyes that wouldn't normally tune into a BC football game otherwise. A win tonight could get people to take us more seriously, as well as put us on more solid footing for our last three games of the season. Conversely, a loss tonight on a national stage could be the biggest nail in the Spaziani coffin and could draw more attention to how far the program has fallen.
I expect Alumni Stadium to be electric tonight. Although the season has not gone as many of us have expected, this is still a night game against Florida State. Many people marked this game on their calendar prior to the season and are making the effort to go. FSU is also vulnerable. Although they have rattled off three wins the last three weeks, those have been against Duke, Maryland, and NC State. We may have lost to Duke, but I still think BC has more talent than these teams. An electric Alumni Stadium and the cold bite of November could make this a trap game for the Seminoles.
Five Keys to Beating Florida State:
1. Run, run, run- An offense that was once predicated on the abilities of Montel Harris has now found a new identity in the last two weeks. BC has shown that it can run the ball against defenses even without its star back. If Deuce Finch can have even half the game he had last week and Amidon can still make plays with his feet out of the backfield, BC could get Florida State reeling early. In 2008, BC was able to go into Doak- Campbell and win by running the ball down FSU's throat. Doing the same thing tonight could put BC ahead.
2. Contain EJ Manuel- BC's victory in 2009 against FSU was very much a result of being able to contain and limit Christian Ponder. Unlike Ponder, however, EJ Manuel is more of a dual threat quarterback, especially now that he is healthy. Our ability to keep him in the pocket and force him to make his plays with his arm will be a deciding factor. FSU is just as likely to run Manuel out of the backfield as they are the tailbacks. BC needs to be prepared to limit his ability to run and force him to throw. Solid pressure off both edges will force Manuel into turnovers and long yardage situations.
3. Force them to run- This key is partially dependent on our ability to limit EJ Manuel's passing and running. But, in 2011, FSU is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. Our rush defense is still stout this year, allowing 4.45 yards per carry. Limiting FSU's passing attack and forcing their offense to pound it out in the trenches can keep BC in this game.
5. Punch them in the mouth- Not literally. Mike Tyson once said "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Let's not forget that this FSU team was pre-season ranked in the top 5. Then they got punched in the mouth by Clemson and have been in a bit of a spiral since. These last three weeks they have been able to come back together and rattle off three wins, but not against the greatest competition. BC could be the toughest team FSU has seen since playing Clemson in mid- September. BC needs to get after FSU early. A short week and a cold, hostile environment has already put FSU out of its comfort zone. Punch FSU in the mouth early, and their game plan may being to unravel.
I believe BC has a real chance tonight to come out with a win. Since we joined the conference, the BC- FSU series has been an interesting one. The series is split 3-3 since 2005. The games have been hard fought and decided by an average of 8 points, the widest margin of victory being 11 points in 2005. BC played a strong first half against Virginia Tech only to get run out in the second half. Last week we played strong all the way through. If we can play our Virginia Tech first half all game tonight, and continue our offensive success from last week, BC can win this game.
This game is a big opportunity for BC. Sure there are some MAC games and hockey on, but there is no baseball and there is no basketball. The biggest thing BC will be competing with for viewers is The Office. This is a national game, many eyes will be on us, especially eyes that wouldn't normally tune into a BC football game otherwise. A win tonight could get people to take us more seriously, as well as put us on more solid footing for our last three games of the season. Conversely, a loss tonight on a national stage could be the biggest nail in the Spaziani coffin and could draw more attention to how far the program has fallen.
I expect Alumni Stadium to be electric tonight. Although the season has not gone as many of us have expected, this is still a night game against Florida State. Many people marked this game on their calendar prior to the season and are making the effort to go. FSU is also vulnerable. Although they have rattled off three wins the last three weeks, those have been against Duke, Maryland, and NC State. We may have lost to Duke, but I still think BC has more talent than these teams. An electric Alumni Stadium and the cold bite of November could make this a trap game for the Seminoles.
Five Keys to Beating Florida State:
1. Run, run, run- An offense that was once predicated on the abilities of Montel Harris has now found a new identity in the last two weeks. BC has shown that it can run the ball against defenses even without its star back. If Deuce Finch can have even half the game he had last week and Amidon can still make plays with his feet out of the backfield, BC could get Florida State reeling early. In 2008, BC was able to go into Doak- Campbell and win by running the ball down FSU's throat. Doing the same thing tonight could put BC ahead.
2. Contain EJ Manuel- BC's victory in 2009 against FSU was very much a result of being able to contain and limit Christian Ponder. Unlike Ponder, however, EJ Manuel is more of a dual threat quarterback, especially now that he is healthy. Our ability to keep him in the pocket and force him to make his plays with his arm will be a deciding factor. FSU is just as likely to run Manuel out of the backfield as they are the tailbacks. BC needs to be prepared to limit his ability to run and force him to throw. Solid pressure off both edges will force Manuel into turnovers and long yardage situations.
3. Force them to run- This key is partially dependent on our ability to limit EJ Manuel's passing and running. But, in 2011, FSU is averaging just 3.9 yards per carry. Our rush defense is still stout this year, allowing 4.45 yards per carry. Limiting FSU's passing attack and forcing their offense to pound it out in the trenches can keep BC in this game.
4. Energize the Crowd- Alumni Stadium is not known as a particularly difficult place to play. However, there are certain opponents that the fans "get up" for. Florida State is one of them. Keeping the crowd energized and loud and creating as much as a hostile environment as possible for Florida State will give BC a big edge. A quick score to start the game or solid defensive stops will keep the crowd in it. The crowd tonight may not be big, but it can be loud.
5. Punch them in the mouth- Not literally. Mike Tyson once said "Everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Let's not forget that this FSU team was pre-season ranked in the top 5. Then they got punched in the mouth by Clemson and have been in a bit of a spiral since. These last three weeks they have been able to come back together and rattle off three wins, but not against the greatest competition. BC could be the toughest team FSU has seen since playing Clemson in mid- September. BC needs to get after FSU early. A short week and a cold, hostile environment has already put FSU out of its comfort zone. Punch FSU in the mouth early, and their game plan may being to unravel.
I believe BC has a real chance tonight to come out with a win. Since we joined the conference, the BC- FSU series has been an interesting one. The series is split 3-3 since 2005. The games have been hard fought and decided by an average of 8 points, the widest margin of victory being 11 points in 2005. BC played a strong first half against Virginia Tech only to get run out in the second half. Last week we played strong all the way through. If we can play our Virginia Tech first half all game tonight, and continue our offensive success from last week, BC can win this game.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Technical Difficulties
So the big storm this past weekend has knocked out the power at my house leaving me without heat, internet, phone, or electricity since about 3PM Saturday (yep, didn't even get to see any of the game. Had to follow gametracker on my phone). With my internet use severely limited I won't be able to post as frequently this week as I usually do. Still, I will try to get a Florida State preview up tomorrow. I will be there in person and will try to tweet live from the game and hopefully will have post game comments afterwards (since my friends do have internet). Until then, Go Eagles.
- Saturdays on Shea
- Saturdays on Shea
Friday, October 28, 2011
Maryland Preview
Tomorrow's game against Maryland is going to be a battle for the bottom of the ACC. Maryland comes into this game 2-5 (1-3) and BC, as we all know comes in at 1-6 (0-4). So really, if we manage to win, then BC and Maryland will just be tied for worst teams in the ACC. I am interested, however, to see how this game goes. Much is made of the fact that Randy Edsall, Maryland's head coach, is a case of "always-the-bridesmaid" when it comes to BC after being passed over in the coaching "searches" in 2006 and 2009. Could he be extra motivated to beat BC because he feels slighted? It's possible, and I would not doubt it, emotions can often play important roles in college football games. I think this is one of the last few winnable games left on BC's schedule this season. A win in College Park could potentially give the team enough momentum to take down Florida State next Thursday. My hope is that things finally fall into place tomorrow afternoon. This game against Maryland is more akin to our first few games of the season, rather than Clemson and Virginia Tech. BC was close against Duke, Wake, and Northwestern, so if things break our way, we could finally be on the right side this time around.
Five Keys to Beating Maryland:
1. Take advantage of the QB controversy- There are instances where a team not announcing its starting QB is a strategy to throw off the other team. I do not believe this is the situation at Maryland right now. I believe the decision of whether to start Danny O'Brien or CJ Brown is turning into a difficult one for Edsall and Crowton. O'Brien has been struggling, but Brown does not have as much experience. Disrupting the Maryland quarterback(s) and confusing them could give BC the edge in this situation.
2. Exploit their weak defense- Maryland's defense ranks 94th overall in points scored against. This is actually worse than BC's defense right now. Maryland may be the weakest defense we see all year and is certainly the weakest we have seen in the past few weeks. My hope is that BC, which has been showing flashes of ability on offense, can exploit Maryland's weaknesses this week. BC is tempered against stout defenses right now after playing Virginia Tech and Clemson in the last few weeks. Still, BC was able to put points on the board against these two strong defenses. Showing ability against strong defenses the last three weeks, BC should be able to put more scoring drives together against this Maryland defense.
3. Shut down the aerial attack- Danny O'Brien has thrown for 1110 yards on 174 attempts this season. CJ Brown has thrown for 361 on 78 attempts. Although these numbers are a bit modest, it still showcases Maryland's spread attack. If BC can force incompletions and interceptions and make Maryland run the ball, it can turn the game in BC's favor. Maryland's leading rusher this season, Davin Meggett, is averaging just 4.8 yards per carry. Forcing Maryland to run the ball could make a huge difference in this game.
4. Establish the run- BC has shown a strong run game in recent weeks. The combination of Finch, Kimble and Williams has proven to be fairly lucrative in the absence of Montel Harris. If BC can grind the ball out on the ground, while at the same time exhausting the already weak Maryland defense, BC will be able to score points. A strong run game will also free up Chase Rettig's ability to pass more and take some of the pressure off of him to perform.
5. Consistency from Chase- Chase Rettig has been inconsistent this season. When he is good, he is very good and can be a game changer, but when he makes bad decisions, it often results in third and long situations or fourth downs. If Chase can show a little more patience and accuracy, BC can win this game. Over the course of the season there have been moments of brilliance out of our passing game. Chase's ability to be consistent with his throws and to make his passes catchable can swing the balance in this game.
BC has a chance here to get another win this season. A loss against Maryland will mean the end of our bowl hopes (for those of us who are still hoping). A win on the road could also be a confidence boost for the team going into the Florida State game and the end of the season. If we play a complete game, on both sides of the ball, BC can win.
Five Keys to Beating Maryland:
1. Take advantage of the QB controversy- There are instances where a team not announcing its starting QB is a strategy to throw off the other team. I do not believe this is the situation at Maryland right now. I believe the decision of whether to start Danny O'Brien or CJ Brown is turning into a difficult one for Edsall and Crowton. O'Brien has been struggling, but Brown does not have as much experience. Disrupting the Maryland quarterback(s) and confusing them could give BC the edge in this situation.
2. Exploit their weak defense- Maryland's defense ranks 94th overall in points scored against. This is actually worse than BC's defense right now. Maryland may be the weakest defense we see all year and is certainly the weakest we have seen in the past few weeks. My hope is that BC, which has been showing flashes of ability on offense, can exploit Maryland's weaknesses this week. BC is tempered against stout defenses right now after playing Virginia Tech and Clemson in the last few weeks. Still, BC was able to put points on the board against these two strong defenses. Showing ability against strong defenses the last three weeks, BC should be able to put more scoring drives together against this Maryland defense.
3. Shut down the aerial attack- Danny O'Brien has thrown for 1110 yards on 174 attempts this season. CJ Brown has thrown for 361 on 78 attempts. Although these numbers are a bit modest, it still showcases Maryland's spread attack. If BC can force incompletions and interceptions and make Maryland run the ball, it can turn the game in BC's favor. Maryland's leading rusher this season, Davin Meggett, is averaging just 4.8 yards per carry. Forcing Maryland to run the ball could make a huge difference in this game.
4. Establish the run- BC has shown a strong run game in recent weeks. The combination of Finch, Kimble and Williams has proven to be fairly lucrative in the absence of Montel Harris. If BC can grind the ball out on the ground, while at the same time exhausting the already weak Maryland defense, BC will be able to score points. A strong run game will also free up Chase Rettig's ability to pass more and take some of the pressure off of him to perform.
5. Consistency from Chase- Chase Rettig has been inconsistent this season. When he is good, he is very good and can be a game changer, but when he makes bad decisions, it often results in third and long situations or fourth downs. If Chase can show a little more patience and accuracy, BC can win this game. Over the course of the season there have been moments of brilliance out of our passing game. Chase's ability to be consistent with his throws and to make his passes catchable can swing the balance in this game.
BC has a chance here to get another win this season. A loss against Maryland will mean the end of our bowl hopes (for those of us who are still hoping). A win on the road could also be a confidence boost for the team going into the Florida State game and the end of the season. If we play a complete game, on both sides of the ball, BC can win.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The New York Television Market
It is no secret anymore that the newest round of conference expansion is not being driven by rivalries or tradition, but rather television sets. Conferences are expanding based on where they don't yet have people watching their football teams. How else can you explain the SEC taking a school look Missouri over, say, a school like Clemson? People are already watching SEC football in Spartanburg, they aren't watching SEC football in St. Louis or Kansas City.
One of the refrains I have heard constantly during the recent conference expansion is the question of which team can bring with it the New York media market, the #1 media market in the US. Living in the Tri- State area I constantly hear Rutgers, UConn, and Syracuse promising that they can bring with them that market. Statistically speaking, it seems Rutgers has the most fans living in that media market, much of that owing to Rutgers proximity to New York City. A recent study by the New York Times confirmed this stating that:
"The most popular team in New York, for instance, is Rutgers. They have about 600, 000 fans in New York City. That isn't bad, but it represents only about 20 percent of college football fans in New York... It also represents only about 3 percent of New York's overall population."
So, it seems Rutgers has the most fans in New York City. A conference hoping to secure the lion's share of that market would aim to bring Rutgers into the fold. However, I want to focus in on the 20 percent part of that quotation. Rutgers, although it ostensibly has the most fans in New York City, still only claims about 20% of the overall market. Notre Dame claims about 9.2% of that market, according to the Times study, and Penn State about 6.4% (Boston College rounds out the top 10 most watched teams with about 2.1% of the college football watching population). Although statistically Rutgers has the majority of the New York City market, I am not convinced that Rutgers, or any team for that matter, can really claim to bring with it the New York City market.
About two weeks ago I was at an outdoor beer garden in New York City. The televisions that were on were tuned to Tennessee- LSU and Texas- Oklahoma State. Among the patrons of the beer garden I spotted three Alabama supporters, two Texas supporters, and one each of LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Miami and Boston College. The bar that BC alums watch games at this year is across the street from a bar where Arkansas fans watch their games. Another BC bar on the Upper East Side was a popular spot for Ohio State fans to stop at on their way to and from their game watches up the block. The point I am trying to make here is that no one school can claim that it brings the entire New York media market with them.
New York is the largest media market in the country. A conference looking to expand into New York City would logically want to go after a school like Rutgers who can deliver television sets in New York. However, the fact is that there are about 2.9 million college football fans in New York. And all of those college football fans have varying allegiances to one school or another. While Rutgers may have the most number of people turning their televisions on to watch Rutgers football, there are still 2,300,000 people turning their televisions on to watch Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State or Arkansas. No one school can claim that it has the New York market. New York is the last true melting pot in the United States. As such, it is not made up just of Scarlet Knights and Huskies, but also of Buckeyes, Wolverines, Longhorns, Trojans, Ducks, and Tar Heels. As they each strive to bring the New York market in, what conferences are failing to realize is that they already have it.
One of the refrains I have heard constantly during the recent conference expansion is the question of which team can bring with it the New York media market, the #1 media market in the US. Living in the Tri- State area I constantly hear Rutgers, UConn, and Syracuse promising that they can bring with them that market. Statistically speaking, it seems Rutgers has the most fans living in that media market, much of that owing to Rutgers proximity to New York City. A recent study by the New York Times confirmed this stating that:
"The most popular team in New York, for instance, is Rutgers. They have about 600, 000 fans in New York City. That isn't bad, but it represents only about 20 percent of college football fans in New York... It also represents only about 3 percent of New York's overall population."
So, it seems Rutgers has the most fans in New York City. A conference hoping to secure the lion's share of that market would aim to bring Rutgers into the fold. However, I want to focus in on the 20 percent part of that quotation. Rutgers, although it ostensibly has the most fans in New York City, still only claims about 20% of the overall market. Notre Dame claims about 9.2% of that market, according to the Times study, and Penn State about 6.4% (Boston College rounds out the top 10 most watched teams with about 2.1% of the college football watching population). Although statistically Rutgers has the majority of the New York City market, I am not convinced that Rutgers, or any team for that matter, can really claim to bring with it the New York City market.
About two weeks ago I was at an outdoor beer garden in New York City. The televisions that were on were tuned to Tennessee- LSU and Texas- Oklahoma State. Among the patrons of the beer garden I spotted three Alabama supporters, two Texas supporters, and one each of LSU, Tennessee, Florida, Miami and Boston College. The bar that BC alums watch games at this year is across the street from a bar where Arkansas fans watch their games. Another BC bar on the Upper East Side was a popular spot for Ohio State fans to stop at on their way to and from their game watches up the block. The point I am trying to make here is that no one school can claim that it brings the entire New York media market with them.
New York is the largest media market in the country. A conference looking to expand into New York City would logically want to go after a school like Rutgers who can deliver television sets in New York. However, the fact is that there are about 2.9 million college football fans in New York. And all of those college football fans have varying allegiances to one school or another. While Rutgers may have the most number of people turning their televisions on to watch Rutgers football, there are still 2,300,000 people turning their televisions on to watch Penn State, Notre Dame, Michigan, Ohio State or Arkansas. No one school can claim that it has the New York market. New York is the last true melting pot in the United States. As such, it is not made up just of Scarlet Knights and Huskies, but also of Buckeyes, Wolverines, Longhorns, Trojans, Ducks, and Tar Heels. As they each strive to bring the New York market in, what conferences are failing to realize is that they already have it.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Father Leahy and the Rumor Mill
Talking about the game this weekend isn't really worth it. I was away from the television for most of the game Saturday, but was pretty shocked when I turned it on and the score was 7-3. Luckily, I turned it on just in time to watch Virginia Tech march down the field to make it 7-6 before the half. I will leave my commentary on the game there, because saying anything more will just make me upset and want to hurt something. I think we all have a little bit of hope that we will somehow win out and become bowl eligible, though I expect that as soon as we drop to 7 losses, that will be it for this sinking ship.
Something that I've wanted to address is Father Leahy's relationship to the athletics department and the football team. Many people in the blogosphere are under the impression that the only ranking Leahy cares about is the one in US News. Arguably, they are probably right. It is Father Leahy's job as University president to ensure that Boston College remains the excellent academic institution it is and to push the school to, pardon the pun, new heights. As such, I am sure Father Leahy has more important things to be doing than checking in and making sure everything is going smoothly down at the Yawkey Center. However, I am not sure that Father Leahy is totally separated from the athletics department, as some might suggest, but rather does keep his eye on what goes on down the road.
Following graduation, a few people I knew found jobs working at BC in various capacities, a few in the athletics department. Every now and then I would ask what the climate in Yawkey was like, if there was any awareness about the message boards and various blogs and what was being said about the program, etc. I began hearing more the idea that Father Leahy cared nothing about what went on in athletics so I finally asked a friend if this was true. As it turns out, while Leahy does not oversee the athletics department the way Gene oversees the football team, Father Leahy is at the very least aware that the athletics department in general, but the football team specifically, is a national representation of the school. Father Leahy is not all hands off with athletics, on the contrary, he is aware of the things that go on and appreciates the importance of the success of BC athletics program to the school and alumni.
If anything is taken away from this post, I hope that at the very least it is the knowledge that Father Leahy is very much involved with the athletics department and understands the importance athletics has to the school not just in terms of pride, but also in terms of perception and revenue. Contrary to what many believe, Father Leahy is involved with the athletics program, his meeting with Spaz is testament to that, and hopefully Father Leahy is aware, just as we all are, that changes may need to be made if things do not get better.
Something that I've wanted to address is Father Leahy's relationship to the athletics department and the football team. Many people in the blogosphere are under the impression that the only ranking Leahy cares about is the one in US News. Arguably, they are probably right. It is Father Leahy's job as University president to ensure that Boston College remains the excellent academic institution it is and to push the school to, pardon the pun, new heights. As such, I am sure Father Leahy has more important things to be doing than checking in and making sure everything is going smoothly down at the Yawkey Center. However, I am not sure that Father Leahy is totally separated from the athletics department, as some might suggest, but rather does keep his eye on what goes on down the road.
Following graduation, a few people I knew found jobs working at BC in various capacities, a few in the athletics department. Every now and then I would ask what the climate in Yawkey was like, if there was any awareness about the message boards and various blogs and what was being said about the program, etc. I began hearing more the idea that Father Leahy cared nothing about what went on in athletics so I finally asked a friend if this was true. As it turns out, while Leahy does not oversee the athletics department the way Gene oversees the football team, Father Leahy is at the very least aware that the athletics department in general, but the football team specifically, is a national representation of the school. Father Leahy is not all hands off with athletics, on the contrary, he is aware of the things that go on and appreciates the importance of the success of BC athletics program to the school and alumni.
If anything is taken away from this post, I hope that at the very least it is the knowledge that Father Leahy is very much involved with the athletics department and understands the importance athletics has to the school not just in terms of pride, but also in terms of perception and revenue. Contrary to what many believe, Father Leahy is involved with the athletics program, his meeting with Spaz is testament to that, and hopefully Father Leahy is aware, just as we all are, that changes may need to be made if things do not get better.
Friday, October 21, 2011
5 Keys to Beat Virginia Tech
Going into Lane Stadium and winning is not an easy thing. Currently, BC is 3-5 all time in Lane Stadium, the most recent win being the Miracle in Blacksburg. Considering that BC is 1-5 going into this game and it is at Lane, I don't have high hopes for this game. It's going to be a difficult path to victory, but here are what I think are 5 keys to either keeping it close or perhaps winning outright.
1. Make Logan Thomas Beat Us- Logan Thomas is not Tyrod Taylor. If a passing play was not developing as expected, Taylor could beat you just as easily on his legs as he could with his arms. Additionally, Virignia Tech offenses the last few years have been run heavy. Between Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and now David Wilson, Virginia Tech has turned into a run first/ pass second team. Wilson ranks up there in ability with Williams and Evans, and in many respects surpasses him. If BC can limit his productivity, maybe play a little of that #1 run defense that we saw last year, and force Thomas to throw the ball, we may have a chance. A lot of things can go wrong when a ball is in the air and if the defense can force incompletions and interceptions, things could go our way.
2. Establish as Strong Run Game- Our game against Clemson was one of the most complete run games that I have seen so far. It was refreshing to see that, even without Montel, we were able to get production on the ground. If BC can get some of that same production against the Virginia Tech defense, and take some pressure off of Chase's arm, then we could make things a little more difficult for the Hokies. Running the ball down their throat, wearing out their defense and keeping Bud Foster's boys on the field could make a difference
3. Just Find an Offense- In our first few games, our offensive production was not necessarily limited, but it couldn't pull through when we needed it. Last week, Chase was able to get some production in the passing game. Coupled with the improvement out of our running backs, if we can put together even somewhat of a complete offensive attack we may finally see some production out of BC.
4. Convert on 3rd Down- So far in 2011 BC is 26 for 73 on third down, converting just over 25% of third downs. In our past three games against Virginia Tech, Spaz's two games and the 2008 ACC Championship, BC has converted just 8 of 43 third downs or 18%. The key here is to keep the Virginia Tech defense on the field. BC's inability to sustain drives against Virginia Tech has been what has killed us in the past, it tires out our defense and lets Virginia Tech keep control of the time of possession. If BC wants to have a chance against Virginia Tech, we need to convert and keep our drives alive and keep Bud Foster's defense on the field.
5. Take the Crowd Out of It- What makes Lane Stadium so "magical," is the home field advantage that the Virginia Tech crowd gives to it's team. Lane Stadium is a loud, intimidating place to play football. Tomorrow, I would love to see BC score early and silence the crowd. In 2008, against Florida State, BC marched down the field in Tallahassee and silenced a Florida State Homecoming, "Blackout" crowd. If BC can score early and even get some solid defensive stops to deflate the home crowd, Lane Stadium could become a much easier place to play for BC.
I am not sure that BC can go into Lane Stadium tomorrow and beat the Hokies. My hope, however, is that a week off to refocus and prepare for Virginia Tech will have given BC the much needed rest they need to get things back on track. Although I want BC to win, we may soon be approaching moral victory time, a close game against Virginia Tech could be a good sign with Maryland next week. If BC can sustain its drives and force Logan Thomas to beat us through the air, BC could have a chance against Virginia Tech.
1. Make Logan Thomas Beat Us- Logan Thomas is not Tyrod Taylor. If a passing play was not developing as expected, Taylor could beat you just as easily on his legs as he could with his arms. Additionally, Virignia Tech offenses the last few years have been run heavy. Between Ryan Williams, Darren Evans and now David Wilson, Virginia Tech has turned into a run first/ pass second team. Wilson ranks up there in ability with Williams and Evans, and in many respects surpasses him. If BC can limit his productivity, maybe play a little of that #1 run defense that we saw last year, and force Thomas to throw the ball, we may have a chance. A lot of things can go wrong when a ball is in the air and if the defense can force incompletions and interceptions, things could go our way.
2. Establish as Strong Run Game- Our game against Clemson was one of the most complete run games that I have seen so far. It was refreshing to see that, even without Montel, we were able to get production on the ground. If BC can get some of that same production against the Virginia Tech defense, and take some pressure off of Chase's arm, then we could make things a little more difficult for the Hokies. Running the ball down their throat, wearing out their defense and keeping Bud Foster's boys on the field could make a difference
3. Just Find an Offense- In our first few games, our offensive production was not necessarily limited, but it couldn't pull through when we needed it. Last week, Chase was able to get some production in the passing game. Coupled with the improvement out of our running backs, if we can put together even somewhat of a complete offensive attack we may finally see some production out of BC.
4. Convert on 3rd Down- So far in 2011 BC is 26 for 73 on third down, converting just over 25% of third downs. In our past three games against Virginia Tech, Spaz's two games and the 2008 ACC Championship, BC has converted just 8 of 43 third downs or 18%. The key here is to keep the Virginia Tech defense on the field. BC's inability to sustain drives against Virginia Tech has been what has killed us in the past, it tires out our defense and lets Virginia Tech keep control of the time of possession. If BC wants to have a chance against Virginia Tech, we need to convert and keep our drives alive and keep Bud Foster's defense on the field.
5. Take the Crowd Out of It- What makes Lane Stadium so "magical," is the home field advantage that the Virginia Tech crowd gives to it's team. Lane Stadium is a loud, intimidating place to play football. Tomorrow, I would love to see BC score early and silence the crowd. In 2008, against Florida State, BC marched down the field in Tallahassee and silenced a Florida State Homecoming, "Blackout" crowd. If BC can score early and even get some solid defensive stops to deflate the home crowd, Lane Stadium could become a much easier place to play for BC.
I am not sure that BC can go into Lane Stadium tomorrow and beat the Hokies. My hope, however, is that a week off to refocus and prepare for Virginia Tech will have given BC the much needed rest they need to get things back on track. Although I want BC to win, we may soon be approaching moral victory time, a close game against Virginia Tech could be a good sign with Maryland next week. If BC can sustain its drives and force Logan Thomas to beat us through the air, BC could have a chance against Virginia Tech.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
A Needed Break and the Next Few Weeks
BC needed this by week. The past six weeks have seemed like nothing except bad news was coming out of the program. Between losing games, the loss of Montel Harris for the season, and the constant stream of excuses coming from Spaz and Gene, being a BC fan was becoming downright depressing. Furthermore, I am sure that the players needed the break. It can't be easy to be giving your absolute maximum effort week in and week out, only to lose to inferior opponents. My hope is that the weekend off gave the players a chance to catch their breath, rest, and relax. Sometimes all a team needs is a minute to step back and refocus themselves and things can turn around.
My hope is that BC can turn things around after their bye week. Before the season started many people, including myself, saw the rest of the season after the bye week as a Murderer's Row. Seven weeks in, while certainly a difficult stretch of games, Murderer's Row has become more of an "Aggravated Assault Row." When looking back at the first half of the season, you begin to realize that BC was just one or two key plays away from winning games. With the exception of the UCF or Clemson games, BC was often no more than a touchdown away from victory in the games we lost. Although I have no reason to believe that the coaching staff has made the necessary adjustments and made the most of their two weeks to prepare for Virginia Tech, there is the hope that the weekend off gave the team a chance to catch their breath and realize that they are close to where they need to be.
The rest of the schedule is not easy, but there are games that are winnable. NC State and Maryland can certainly go either for or against BC. I think Spaz will step up to beat his former boss when NC State comes to Chestnut Hill. Maryland, although they looked good against Clemson, has struggled. Alumni Stadium, on a cold Thursday night in November, could be a stumbling block for a Florida State team that just isn't as good as people thought they were. Against Notre Dame and Miami, well, funny things happen in rivalry games.
I have no reason to believe that BC will be able to turn things around for the second half of the season and, if I am honest with myself, expect us to lose most, if not all, of our second half games. But, each new week brings hope and my hope is that a week off to rest and refocus will give BC the chance to get things back on the right track.
My hope is that BC can turn things around after their bye week. Before the season started many people, including myself, saw the rest of the season after the bye week as a Murderer's Row. Seven weeks in, while certainly a difficult stretch of games, Murderer's Row has become more of an "Aggravated Assault Row." When looking back at the first half of the season, you begin to realize that BC was just one or two key plays away from winning games. With the exception of the UCF or Clemson games, BC was often no more than a touchdown away from victory in the games we lost. Although I have no reason to believe that the coaching staff has made the necessary adjustments and made the most of their two weeks to prepare for Virginia Tech, there is the hope that the weekend off gave the team a chance to catch their breath and realize that they are close to where they need to be.
The rest of the schedule is not easy, but there are games that are winnable. NC State and Maryland can certainly go either for or against BC. I think Spaz will step up to beat his former boss when NC State comes to Chestnut Hill. Maryland, although they looked good against Clemson, has struggled. Alumni Stadium, on a cold Thursday night in November, could be a stumbling block for a Florida State team that just isn't as good as people thought they were. Against Notre Dame and Miami, well, funny things happen in rivalry games.
I have no reason to believe that BC will be able to turn things around for the second half of the season and, if I am honest with myself, expect us to lose most, if not all, of our second half games. But, each new week brings hope and my hope is that a week off to rest and refocus will give BC the chance to get things back on the right track.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Gene's Mouth
I may be a few days late with writing about this story, but the fallout is still a topic in the blogosphere and I heard Mike Leach and Jack Arute discussing the topic yesterday on their show on Rivals Radio on Sirius XM. On Sunday, an article was published in the Boston Globe where Gene admitted to blocking UConn's bid for entrance in the Big East. According to the article, Gene was quoted as saying:
"We didn't want them in," he said "It was a matter of turf. We wanted to be the New England team."
That BC is blocking UConn from entering the ACC should be no big surprise to anyone. Bad blood as always existed between the two schools since BC left for the ACC and UConn sued BC, the University of Miami, DeFilippo, Leahy, and the ACC. When it first came out that UConn was trying to gain admittance to the ACC and was being blocked, most BC fans knew, without saying anything or being told, that BC was probably the one's doing the blocking. I have no problem with blocking UConn from the ACC and agree with DeFilippo that this is about turf. BC wants to be the only New England team in a major BCS conference. However, Gene said something that did not need to be said and certainly not said on the record. His admittance that BC is actively blocking UConn's entrance to the ACC just gives UConn more fuel for its fire against BC.
Gene's comments about UConn, however, were not the biggest news out of this article. In the article, Gene is quoted once again, citing ESPN as the driving force behind the addition of Pittsburgh and Syracuse to the ACC, rather than other Big East schools:
The idea that ESPN is the one who dictated to the ACC what schools to add caused a whirlwind of outcry. My initial reaction was one of face-to-palm. It seemed that Gene was just drawing negative press to the ACC and, more importantly, to BC. Soon after his comments, major media outlets such as the New York Times, CBS, and the Daily News picked up on the story, pointing to how major were Gene's comments.
It is not that what Gene said was particularly shocking, but it was simply that he said it. I think most people, if they were honest with themselves, would be able to admit that ESPN exercises more power in the college football world than should be allowed. Money from ESPN television deals has been a major driving force behind conference realignment. With a nod and a wink, most people understood that expansion was being undertaken to pull in more media markets for each conference, perhaps with the tacit direction of ESPN. So when the Athletic Director of a major university in a major BCS conference is admitting publicly and on the record that ESPN was a part of the decision making process of which schools the ACC should add, it was a major story. The comments immediately illicited accusations that ESPN was operating a monopoly and was in violation of anti- trust laws, not the first time this has happened to ESPN.
The ACC, for its part, immediately went into damage control mode, stating that ESPN did not dictate the moves of the ACC's expansion. A few days later after the original article appeared in the Boston Globe, Gene issued an apology, backhanded though it may have been, for his comments.
I don't mind Gene's comments about blocking UConn. I don't think he needed to state it publicly that he was actively blocking UConn, but at least he's looking after BC's best interests. I am still divided on his comments regarding ESPN. Was it the smart thing to state that ESPN was, from what it seems, involved in the decisions regarding ACC expansion? Probably not, especially considering the ACC's quick statement refuting his comments. But, it did point out the elephant in the room and was, to an extent, a breath of fresh air about what really is driving expansion and conference realignment. My biggest complaint about Gene's comments is that it has brought negative attention on BC from the media, but perhaps this may be a wake up call to the board of trustees and other higher ups at BC to reign in their AD. In the long run, I don't think this will have much of an effect on anything. UConn fans will continue to complain that they are being slighted by the ACC because of BC (and ESPN) but that's their problem. If there is anything positive to be taken out of this mess, it is the knowledge that Gene is at least keeping the Huskies out of the ACC.
Monday, October 10, 2011
Since I graduated, there has only been one year that I have not purchased season tickets and that was the year right after I graduated, when I could buy tickets off of friends still at school. Since then I have spent about $160 on season tickets each year. Usually, I drive to and from Chestnut Hill for football games, which costs about $100 round trip in gas. Add to this cost concessions at the game and maybe a trip to the bookstore or souvenir stand and you're looking at about $350 per weekend for me to see a football game. I know many people spend just as much, sometimes more, sometimes less, to see BC play football each weekend. We go because we are fans of the team and can't imagine spending a Saturday afternoon any other way, even when the team is on a 1-5 skid and the program's worst start since 1991. This is why I, and many other fans, were so incensed at Gene DeFilippo's tweet this weekend prior to kickoff of the Clemson game:
"Very impressive to see ALL Clemson fans in their seats 10 minutes before kickoff, in time for the National Anthem."
The comment was a thinly veiled, not-so-subtle dig at BC fans and our notorious problem of not being in the stands in time for kick off. Whether Gene is right or not, at a time when he is under such severe scrutiny for his mismanagement of the program and the abilities of his handpicked head coach who's seat gets hotter each day, this was neither the time nor place for a comment like this.
Let me state that I don't disagree with Gene that BC fans have a problem getting to the stands for kickoff. It is well known among BC fans that attendance is an issue at football games. It is often difficult to sell out Alumni Stadium unless the opponent is Notre Dame. Furthermore, most fans do not even show up until midway through the first quarter. The last game I was at, Duke, the student section was not even close to being filled by kickoff, much less by the end of the first quarter, but neither was the rest of the stadium. Part of this is due to the product on the field, there just isn't any buzz around the program right now. However even when Matt Ryan was on campus, BC still had similar attendance issues. But not all of this is the fault of the fans. For a long time, BC fans have made suggestions to make the gameday experience at BC more fun and welcoming. Much has been made about "Gestapo policing" by Boston Police and BCPD in tailgating areas prior to game time. Furthermore, tailgating is strictly regulated to just two hours before and two hours after a game. This severly limits time for people to enjoy socializing before kickoff. As many people said in response to Gene's tweet "BC fans would be in their seats by kickoff too if they had seven hours to tailgate."
From my experience, tailgating before the game is not necessarily spent drinking to extremes. Rather, it is spent having a drink at one tailgate with friends, before running to a different tailgate to see other friends. Many people I know have the same sort of schedule prior to kickoff at BC: running from tailgate to tailgate to meet up with old friends and classmates. Most games I've gone to since graduating, I am trying to make it to two, three, sometimes four tailgates. Some people just aren't ready to go into the game by the time kickoff rolls around.
For years now, Gene and the BC administration have ignored suggestions to improve the gameday experience for fans. Fans are there to watch the game, yes, that's what they bought tickets for and so should do their best to be in their seats by kickoff. But the game is part of the greater game day experience that includes tailgating, seeing friends and being back on campus again and, perhaps, just reliving a little bit of the glory days. Gene needs to realize this and slighting his fans, his customers, on Twitter is not the way to get people into their seats.
"Very impressive to see ALL Clemson fans in their seats 10 minutes before kickoff, in time for the National Anthem."
The comment was a thinly veiled, not-so-subtle dig at BC fans and our notorious problem of not being in the stands in time for kick off. Whether Gene is right or not, at a time when he is under such severe scrutiny for his mismanagement of the program and the abilities of his handpicked head coach who's seat gets hotter each day, this was neither the time nor place for a comment like this.
Let me state that I don't disagree with Gene that BC fans have a problem getting to the stands for kickoff. It is well known among BC fans that attendance is an issue at football games. It is often difficult to sell out Alumni Stadium unless the opponent is Notre Dame. Furthermore, most fans do not even show up until midway through the first quarter. The last game I was at, Duke, the student section was not even close to being filled by kickoff, much less by the end of the first quarter, but neither was the rest of the stadium. Part of this is due to the product on the field, there just isn't any buzz around the program right now. However even when Matt Ryan was on campus, BC still had similar attendance issues. But not all of this is the fault of the fans. For a long time, BC fans have made suggestions to make the gameday experience at BC more fun and welcoming. Much has been made about "Gestapo policing" by Boston Police and BCPD in tailgating areas prior to game time. Furthermore, tailgating is strictly regulated to just two hours before and two hours after a game. This severly limits time for people to enjoy socializing before kickoff. As many people said in response to Gene's tweet "BC fans would be in their seats by kickoff too if they had seven hours to tailgate."
From my experience, tailgating before the game is not necessarily spent drinking to extremes. Rather, it is spent having a drink at one tailgate with friends, before running to a different tailgate to see other friends. Many people I know have the same sort of schedule prior to kickoff at BC: running from tailgate to tailgate to meet up with old friends and classmates. Most games I've gone to since graduating, I am trying to make it to two, three, sometimes four tailgates. Some people just aren't ready to go into the game by the time kickoff rolls around.
For years now, Gene and the BC administration have ignored suggestions to improve the gameday experience for fans. Fans are there to watch the game, yes, that's what they bought tickets for and so should do their best to be in their seats by kickoff. But the game is part of the greater game day experience that includes tailgating, seeing friends and being back on campus again and, perhaps, just reliving a little bit of the glory days. Gene needs to realize this and slighting his fans, his customers, on Twitter is not the way to get people into their seats.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Where We Could (and Should) Be
Going into this weekend's game against Clemson, it's a bit difficult for me to get excited about this game, which is unfortunate because in past years, this game has often been one of my favorites. I will admit that I have a soft spot for Clemson, while at BC I was on the rowing team and each spring break we would do spring training in Clemson. In 2009, I was fortunate enough to go see a game in Death Valley and there is no place quite like it. In past years much has been on the line in this game and more than once the outcome has decided who would win the Atlantic Division. However, this year we sit at 1-4 as Clemson is steam rolling teams that in the preseason seemed unbeatable. I'm almost looking forward to the weekend being over so that I can go back to rooting for Clemson again.
But one thing caught my eye today when I was reading the previews of this game. Currently, Clemson is ranked #8 in both polls and this reminded me of something. The last time BC played a #8 team, it was October 17th against Virginia Tech and we were ranked #2. Yes, the Miracle in Blacksburg was played against a #8 team. And this got me thinking some more and so I dug a little deeper. In 2007, the October 7 polls had Boston College ranked #4. That's right, four years ago, this weekend, we were the #4 team in the country, a spot currently held by Wisconsin. It angers me that this is how far Boston College has fallen in such a short period of time when we could just as easily be in the same position this year as we were four years ago.
In 2007 and 2008 Boston College had a tremendous amount of potential. Many have pointed out that we were brought to that threshold of breaking through as an elite program in the ACC and in the country. We were rising to prominence on the national stage until the Jags Firing Debacle stopped us cold in our tracks. Where could we be had things played out differently? One need only look as far as Boise State and Oregon.
Nevermind whether Gene D. should have hired Chip Kelly or not, but four years ago Mike Bellotti, then the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, brought them to the #2 ranking in the country just two weeks after we vacated it ourselves. The difference is that Oregon continued its upward trend. After Bellotti resigned, Chip Kelly came into place and last year, while BC was floundering in the ACC, Kelly led the Ducks to the national championships game. This year the Ducks are ranked #9, with a sole loss coming to #1 LSU. Four years removed from when both programs held the #2 ranking in the same year, Oregon is still moving upward and keeps itself in the national title talk. BC, by comparison, has languished behind, falling in the ACC and in the esteem of the college football world. The unfortunate thing is, BC could just as easily be a high powered team the way Oregon is today. What holds us back now, and has been holding us back these last three years, is a short sighted Athletic Director and and inept coaching staff.
The second program I look at when thinking of where BC could be today, if not for past missteps, is Boise State. In 2005, BC played Boise State in the MPC Computers Bowl. Although the record books officially show BC as the home team, the bowl game was played on the Blue Turf in Boise. In that game, BC beat Boise State 27- 21. Since that time the Broncos have gone, that's right, undefeated on the blue turf and since that game has lost just five total games in six years. Six years ago, BC beat a team that since then has had two undefeated seasons, two one loss seasons, and year in and year out is considered the BCS buster from a non-AQ conference to make it to the national title game. Six years ago BC was talented enough to beat Boise State on their home field, something no team has done since, and yet today, people would scoff at the idea of BC even playing Boise State.
I have heard the argument that BC can't compete with the high powered teams because we have to recruit excellent athletes who are also excellent students. Our ability to compete against high powered teams from large state schools is restricted due to our academic standards. In the most recent US News & World Report rankings of national universities, Stanford University was ranked #5 in the nation which is actually worse than their #4 finish in the BCS rankings at the end of last year. Stanford is an elite academic institution, on par with the Ivy Leagues, and yet they are able to reconcile recruiting gifted athletes and gifted students. Again, just another example of the potential that Boston College could have that it just has not yet realized.
It is frustrating as a fan to look at the success of programs such as Oregon, Boise State, and Stanford and know full well that Boston College could just as easily be in the same position. Just four years ago Boston College was knocking on the door of being an elite team each season just as Oregon and Boise State were at the same time. The argument that academic standards are restricting the football success of BC is quickly dispelled by looking at the success of Stanford. What is restricting BC is shortsightedness and inability. Four years ago this week, Boston College was ranked #4 in both polls. This week, we aren't even ranked #40. BC can achieve success, it is something that we have done before. If the Athletic Department does not allow our team to be governed by shortsightedness and ineptitude, then it won't be long until we are back competing for championships.
But one thing caught my eye today when I was reading the previews of this game. Currently, Clemson is ranked #8 in both polls and this reminded me of something. The last time BC played a #8 team, it was October 17th against Virginia Tech and we were ranked #2. Yes, the Miracle in Blacksburg was played against a #8 team. And this got me thinking some more and so I dug a little deeper. In 2007, the October 7 polls had Boston College ranked #4. That's right, four years ago, this weekend, we were the #4 team in the country, a spot currently held by Wisconsin. It angers me that this is how far Boston College has fallen in such a short period of time when we could just as easily be in the same position this year as we were four years ago.
In 2007 and 2008 Boston College had a tremendous amount of potential. Many have pointed out that we were brought to that threshold of breaking through as an elite program in the ACC and in the country. We were rising to prominence on the national stage until the Jags Firing Debacle stopped us cold in our tracks. Where could we be had things played out differently? One need only look as far as Boise State and Oregon.
Nevermind whether Gene D. should have hired Chip Kelly or not, but four years ago Mike Bellotti, then the head coach of the Oregon Ducks, brought them to the #2 ranking in the country just two weeks after we vacated it ourselves. The difference is that Oregon continued its upward trend. After Bellotti resigned, Chip Kelly came into place and last year, while BC was floundering in the ACC, Kelly led the Ducks to the national championships game. This year the Ducks are ranked #9, with a sole loss coming to #1 LSU. Four years removed from when both programs held the #2 ranking in the same year, Oregon is still moving upward and keeps itself in the national title talk. BC, by comparison, has languished behind, falling in the ACC and in the esteem of the college football world. The unfortunate thing is, BC could just as easily be a high powered team the way Oregon is today. What holds us back now, and has been holding us back these last three years, is a short sighted Athletic Director and and inept coaching staff.
The second program I look at when thinking of where BC could be today, if not for past missteps, is Boise State. In 2005, BC played Boise State in the MPC Computers Bowl. Although the record books officially show BC as the home team, the bowl game was played on the Blue Turf in Boise. In that game, BC beat Boise State 27- 21. Since that time the Broncos have gone, that's right, undefeated on the blue turf and since that game has lost just five total games in six years. Six years ago, BC beat a team that since then has had two undefeated seasons, two one loss seasons, and year in and year out is considered the BCS buster from a non-AQ conference to make it to the national title game. Six years ago BC was talented enough to beat Boise State on their home field, something no team has done since, and yet today, people would scoff at the idea of BC even playing Boise State.
I have heard the argument that BC can't compete with the high powered teams because we have to recruit excellent athletes who are also excellent students. Our ability to compete against high powered teams from large state schools is restricted due to our academic standards. In the most recent US News & World Report rankings of national universities, Stanford University was ranked #5 in the nation which is actually worse than their #4 finish in the BCS rankings at the end of last year. Stanford is an elite academic institution, on par with the Ivy Leagues, and yet they are able to reconcile recruiting gifted athletes and gifted students. Again, just another example of the potential that Boston College could have that it just has not yet realized.
It is frustrating as a fan to look at the success of programs such as Oregon, Boise State, and Stanford and know full well that Boston College could just as easily be in the same position. Just four years ago Boston College was knocking on the door of being an elite team each season just as Oregon and Boise State were at the same time. The argument that academic standards are restricting the football success of BC is quickly dispelled by looking at the success of Stanford. What is restricting BC is shortsightedness and inability. Four years ago this week, Boston College was ranked #4 in both polls. This week, we aren't even ranked #40. BC can achieve success, it is something that we have done before. If the Athletic Department does not allow our team to be governed by shortsightedness and ineptitude, then it won't be long until we are back competing for championships.
Monday, October 3, 2011
#FireSpaz
At one point on Saturday afternoon, following the loss to Wake Forest, three of the biggest Boston College sports blogs, ATL Eagle, BC Interruption, and Around the Res each featured headline posts exclaiming the same sentiment: Fire Spaz. The "hash tag" #FireSpaz was all over twitter and more than a few of my friends' facebook status were calling for Spaz's head. With a 1-4 start and heading into the difficult part of the schedule, it is hard to argue with this. The talent is in place on this team, but the coaching staff and the Head Coach are failing to get this team to reach its full potential.
I was a senior when Jeff Jagodzinski was fired as head coach of BC and Frank Spaziani was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach. I was skeptical of the hire, but was willing to give Spaz the benefit of the doubt. He had dedicated ten years of his life to coaching BC football, stayed on through two different staffs, led BC to a bowl win against Navy and came recommended by current (Mark Herzlich) and former (Matt Ryan) players at the time of his hire. When he entered his first year as the head coach there was buzz and a hope that Spaz could help get us to the next level, the threshold of which BC football had reached under Jagodzinski. But those hopes were, at least for this blogger, by disastrous losses against Virginia Tech (-26 first half yards) and Clemson, where Spaz, when asked about what he expected in the second half, famously quipped "It could get ugly."
That year, 2009, BC went 8-5. In 2010, BC went 7-6 with a five game losing streak in the middle of the season. Frank Spaziani has lost one more game each year since he took over as head coach and is now 1-4 through five games. Against FBS opponents he is 14-15 with the loss to Wake Forest putting him under .500. Since taking over, against teams that finished the season with a .500 record or better, Frank Spaziani is a paltry 1-10. In 2006, when Tom O'Brien left BC for NC State, Spaz was passed over for the head coaching job. As many have said, what made him anymore qualified in 2009 than in 2006. The fact is Gene DeFilippo felt jilted by Jeff Jagodzinski and hired Spaz because he was the safe hire and he knew he would finish his coaching career at BC. Spaz was not hired because of his coaching abilities or because he could motivate players to win, Spaz was hired for his loyalty. There is nothing wrong with hiring for loyalty, but there is something wrong when that is the only attribute that qualifies them.
When Spaz was first hired, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Since then I have found myself further and further pushed into the anti- Spaz camp. At the beginning of this season I was firmly entrenched in the belief that BC would never again reach its full potential or compete in the ACC until Spaz was gone as head coach. I wanted and hoped to be proven wrong about that, but Spaz has consistently shown over his years as head coach that he is patently unable to win football games. His attitude is consistently defeatist, he exudes the opinion that "we are what we are," that is, that BC cannot compete against the upper tier teams, and constantly deflects the blame for losses from himself to, most often, the players. What kind of coach does that?
Spaz has already lost the support of many alumni. He is losing the support of the students. Rumors suggest that he is losing the support of the players. If BC hopes to return to the days not just of Jagodzinski, but even of Tom O'Brien, a change needs to be made at the top of the program. Frank Spaziani has done much for this football program and for that I will always be grateful as a BC fan. But this football program is reaching lows not seen in 25 years and if BC wants to remain relevant and wants to break through to the next level, then Frank Spaziani needs to be removed.
I was a senior when Jeff Jagodzinski was fired as head coach of BC and Frank Spaziani was promoted from defensive coordinator to head coach. I was skeptical of the hire, but was willing to give Spaz the benefit of the doubt. He had dedicated ten years of his life to coaching BC football, stayed on through two different staffs, led BC to a bowl win against Navy and came recommended by current (Mark Herzlich) and former (Matt Ryan) players at the time of his hire. When he entered his first year as the head coach there was buzz and a hope that Spaz could help get us to the next level, the threshold of which BC football had reached under Jagodzinski. But those hopes were, at least for this blogger, by disastrous losses against Virginia Tech (-26 first half yards) and Clemson, where Spaz, when asked about what he expected in the second half, famously quipped "It could get ugly."
That year, 2009, BC went 8-5. In 2010, BC went 7-6 with a five game losing streak in the middle of the season. Frank Spaziani has lost one more game each year since he took over as head coach and is now 1-4 through five games. Against FBS opponents he is 14-15 with the loss to Wake Forest putting him under .500. Since taking over, against teams that finished the season with a .500 record or better, Frank Spaziani is a paltry 1-10. In 2006, when Tom O'Brien left BC for NC State, Spaz was passed over for the head coaching job. As many have said, what made him anymore qualified in 2009 than in 2006. The fact is Gene DeFilippo felt jilted by Jeff Jagodzinski and hired Spaz because he was the safe hire and he knew he would finish his coaching career at BC. Spaz was not hired because of his coaching abilities or because he could motivate players to win, Spaz was hired for his loyalty. There is nothing wrong with hiring for loyalty, but there is something wrong when that is the only attribute that qualifies them.
When Spaz was first hired, I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Since then I have found myself further and further pushed into the anti- Spaz camp. At the beginning of this season I was firmly entrenched in the belief that BC would never again reach its full potential or compete in the ACC until Spaz was gone as head coach. I wanted and hoped to be proven wrong about that, but Spaz has consistently shown over his years as head coach that he is patently unable to win football games. His attitude is consistently defeatist, he exudes the opinion that "we are what we are," that is, that BC cannot compete against the upper tier teams, and constantly deflects the blame for losses from himself to, most often, the players. What kind of coach does that?
Spaz has already lost the support of many alumni. He is losing the support of the students. Rumors suggest that he is losing the support of the players. If BC hopes to return to the days not just of Jagodzinski, but even of Tom O'Brien, a change needs to be made at the top of the program. Frank Spaziani has done much for this football program and for that I will always be grateful as a BC fan. But this football program is reaching lows not seen in 25 years and if BC wants to remain relevant and wants to break through to the next level, then Frank Spaziani needs to be removed.
The Bottom
I am hesitant to say that Boston College football has reached rock bottom since losing to Wake Forest this weekend, but that's only because I don't think we've reached it yet. BC has now gone 1-4 in its first five games, the easy part of the schedule. Many predicted that BC would be able to go, at worst, 3-2 through this stretch, while some even thought 4-1 or 5-0 was possible. BC is losing games at a rate unprecedented in recent memory and it may only get worse in the coming weeks. Looking at the schedule, the only games that seem winnable right now are against Maryland on October 29 and NC State on November 12 but then again, most people expected Northwestern, Duke, and Wake Forest to be winnable games.
The problems that have been in place all season were still present this weekend. The offensive line play is sloppy. Although Chase Rettig made more mistakes this weekend than he has in past games, it still doesn't help that there are defensive ends in the backfield from the moment the ball is snapped. The defensive line is still not getting the penetration needed to force opposing quarterbacks to make mistakes. For what it's worth, however, I thought that they did play better against Wake Forest but I am not sure whether to attribute that to Wake's offensive line or our defensive line.
The lone bright spot this weekend was the return of Montel Harris. Yes he played last week, but we saw him return to true form this week. Montel made a display Saturday of turning nothing into something, a talent that has become his trademark since playing at BC. On his way to registering a 108 yard rushing performance, Montel also surpassed Derrick Knight as BC's all time rusher, with a total of 3,735 yards to this point.
With the loss to Wake Forest, BC is traveling down a very dangerous path. 1-11 is a very real possibility this season. The damaging effects that a 1-11 season could have would not just effect our chance to make it to a bowl game this season. A 1-11 season would effect recruiting, donations, and Athletic Department revenues. The Athletic Department is already having difficulty selling tickets. Group-on has been used to sell tickets to the public. Prior to the season starting, season ticket holders were offered four additional tickets to either the Northwestern, Duke or UMass games, for free. Trouble selling tickets means less people in the seats, which means less people buying concessions, buying souvenirs and making use of BC facilities. Donations have also taken a hit over the last few years. Many people I have talked to have stated they will not donate to the Flynn Fund until changes are made at the top of the program, myself included. Recruiting can also suffer. If a team isn't winning, high school players are not going to want to play there. As a result, the talent level will dip making it that much more difficult for the team to compete in the ACC.
The threat of decreased revenues and donations, recuiting difficulties, to say nothing of the possibility of current players transferring or leaving early for the NFL (Kuechly) is what Boston College is currently facing if we continue down the path toward a 1-11 season. Changes need to be made if there is a hope that things can turn around for Boston College. Right now, I fully expect BC to be facing a losing season this year. How bad this season could be is yet to be seen. My hope is that a win this weekend in Clemson will be the turnaround the team needs to finish the season strong. The reality could be a far different story
The problems that have been in place all season were still present this weekend. The offensive line play is sloppy. Although Chase Rettig made more mistakes this weekend than he has in past games, it still doesn't help that there are defensive ends in the backfield from the moment the ball is snapped. The defensive line is still not getting the penetration needed to force opposing quarterbacks to make mistakes. For what it's worth, however, I thought that they did play better against Wake Forest but I am not sure whether to attribute that to Wake's offensive line or our defensive line.
The lone bright spot this weekend was the return of Montel Harris. Yes he played last week, but we saw him return to true form this week. Montel made a display Saturday of turning nothing into something, a talent that has become his trademark since playing at BC. On his way to registering a 108 yard rushing performance, Montel also surpassed Derrick Knight as BC's all time rusher, with a total of 3,735 yards to this point.
With the loss to Wake Forest, BC is traveling down a very dangerous path. 1-11 is a very real possibility this season. The damaging effects that a 1-11 season could have would not just effect our chance to make it to a bowl game this season. A 1-11 season would effect recruiting, donations, and Athletic Department revenues. The Athletic Department is already having difficulty selling tickets. Group-on has been used to sell tickets to the public. Prior to the season starting, season ticket holders were offered four additional tickets to either the Northwestern, Duke or UMass games, for free. Trouble selling tickets means less people in the seats, which means less people buying concessions, buying souvenirs and making use of BC facilities. Donations have also taken a hit over the last few years. Many people I have talked to have stated they will not donate to the Flynn Fund until changes are made at the top of the program, myself included. Recruiting can also suffer. If a team isn't winning, high school players are not going to want to play there. As a result, the talent level will dip making it that much more difficult for the team to compete in the ACC.
The threat of decreased revenues and donations, recuiting difficulties, to say nothing of the possibility of current players transferring or leaving early for the NFL (Kuechly) is what Boston College is currently facing if we continue down the path toward a 1-11 season. Changes need to be made if there is a hope that things can turn around for Boston College. Right now, I fully expect BC to be facing a losing season this year. How bad this season could be is yet to be seen. My hope is that a win this weekend in Clemson will be the turnaround the team needs to finish the season strong. The reality could be a far different story
Friday, September 30, 2011
ACC Expansion
Discussion of this topic may be coming about two weeks too late, but with Texas A&M's jump to the SEC made official and rumors of Missouri and West Virginia's interest in the SEC still mulling about, it still seems pertinent. Expansion seems unavoidable at this time as conferences and television stations (ESPN) are trolling the waters for more exposure and more money. Previously, I was against expansion. The conferences, as they were, made sense. The ACC took care of the Atlantic Coast, the Big East the Northeast, the PAC-10 the Pacific Coast, and the SEC existed as the newest incarnation of the Confederacy. But then all hell broke loose when A&M went to the SEC, Baylor started suing everybody in sight, Oklahoma started looking west, and ACC Commissioner John Swofford came out of nowhere and made the ACC the first super-conference.
I hoped two things during the latest round of conference expansion. First, was that John Swofford was doing everything he could to keep the ACC intact and second, was that Gene DeFillipo was making sure Boston College was going to be in the best position it possibly could. As it turned out, both of these things happened. Gene is a member of the "444" committee begun by John Swofford to consult about the shifts in college sports, specifically expansion. The 444 committee is an organization of four university presidents, four athletic directors, and four faculty representatives from each of the ACC schools. Certainly, any decision regarding conference expansion would have been made only after consulting with the 444 committee. By making the move to add Pitt and Syracuse, Swofford ensured the survival of the ACC as conference expansion continues (which it most assuredly will). Gene, for his part, almost certainly was privy to knowledge about the expansion, if not actively involved in the decision making process. Through the efforts of Swofford and of Gene, BC remains in a strong position in the conference it wants to keep as its home.
Pitt and Syracuse shifts the focus of the conference north. BC no longer remains as the lone northern outpost of the ACC. The teams also bring football programs with strong traditions to the conference and although irrelevant in recent years, Pitt has consistently posted winning seasons over the last decade. Syracuse, though certainly not what it once was, is resurgent under the leadership of Doug Marrone and brings with it a strong history of excellence on the football field. I think I am most excited to continually play Syracuse. I was excited last year when the series was renewed and now look forward to playing them in conference each year. BC vs. Syracuse has the potential to become a great rivalry again and Gene has said publicly he would like to see it become a Thanksgiving game. The opportunity to play Pitt each year will also give BC exposure in western Pennsylvania which could help in future recruiting.
The one fear I have about the addition is the shakeup it could have for the current Atlantic and Coastal Divisions. For one, I like the way the divisions are set up and the current form of inter-division scheduling, allowing for one cross division rival. Ideally, Syracuse would be added to the Atlantic and Pitt to the Coastal maintaining the current division formats. What I expect to occur, however, is that Wake or NC State will move to the Coastal with the other Carolina schools and Pitt and Syracuse will be added to the Atlantic.
Swofford's move to add Pitt and Syracuse was a great move for the ACC. The addition of two great programs, in the north, will make the ACC stronger in the long run and will give BC two neighbors north of the Mason- Dixon. Most important though, is the stability Pitt and Syracuse will give the ACC as conference expansion continues. With 14 teams and arguably the best basketball conference in the nation, the ACC will most assuredly have a seat at the table as college football moves towards super conferences. For BC, this will allow us to remain in the conference that we want to keep as our home as we begin to assert ourselves more on the national stage in football and basketball.
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