Football 2006 In Review: Biggest Disappointments

Here is part 2 of the year in review stuff. This gets a little harsh, but probably needs to be said. So here are my biggest disappointments.

1. Ryan Ohliger. He’s a bad kicker. But that is not what makes him a the biggest disappointment. In fact, once I put aside my frustration with the doofus kicks, I felt bad for him. TOB kept sending him out there despite the fact that he has been a headcase for three years. No…what makes him a disappointment was his conduct off the field. I’ll feel bad for you when they stick a camera in your face before a kick and start asking about your gum. I won’t feel bad when you get in a stupid bar fight. I won’t feel bad when you violate the school’s academic code (allegedly) after getting your second chance. Throw in his popping off to the media and his strutting after the rare made kick and I think Ohliger becomes one of the least likable BC players in a long time. He is a disappointment in his play and behavior.

2. Ryan Poles. BC is known as O-Line U, yet we had a 13-game starter who looked lost throughout the season. Poles clearly has the tools and size to be an NFL Guard yet on run blocking he was slow and on pass protection he let plenty of blitzers blow right by him. His best moments were when fellow big men came right at him. But a BC lineman has to be more than that. Poles did not deserve to start the whole season.

3. B.J. Raji. This may seem overly harsh for a guy who made second team all ACC and had a very nice Bowl Game, but I am disappointed in Raji. I thought he would be much more dominant and consistent than he was. He actually had five fewer tackles this season (down to 23). I expected him to improve on last season’s strong showing, not to slightly regress. The Raji of the Virginia Tech game or the Navy game should have been the one we saw all year. Instead we only caught glimpses. I know his reputation and size helped free things up for guys like Brady Smith, Albright, and Giles but he can and should be more than that. If Raji brings it every game, he should be first team all ACC. Hopefully next season will be the end of his occasional disappearing act.