Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Why BC is a better job than most think

During the coaching change last fall, I discussed the various positions with some friends who were plugged into the coaching community. The general consensus was that BC was not as good a job as some of the others available at the time. One job that was supposedly better was NC State. That had me scratching my head. Tom O'Brien had just proven that it was easier to succeed at BC than in Raleigh. But the argument for NC State was the same thing you always hear: better facilities, easier recruiting, and great fans. Yet all that great potential hasn't led to much success. In fact, NC State is where coaching careers go to die.

Long-time ACC writer Caulton Tudor noticed that most ACC jobs lead to firings. But I think it is a bit different at BC. We may have fired four of our last six coaches, however, an argument could be made that two of the fired (Bicknell and Jags) could have used BC as a stepping stone had they had better foresight or timing. Bicknell missed his window and passed on bigger jobs. Jags tried to jump too early and saw it all blow up in his face.

The two that got fired without any prospects were Spaz and Henning. They share some of the same characteristics including that they never should have been hired in the first place and both were a little old for the job. Age is a factor in all of this. If you are young and hungry and ready to prove yourself, BC can be a great place. Expectations -- even among bloggers -- are relatively low. The Boston media is passive, as is the fanbase. Those might keep some from wanting the job, but that low pressure environment should be enticing to someone who wants to build a career.

Addazio is positioning himself as a lifer at BC. Odds say that won't end well. However, if history holds, he will have other opportunities in four of five seasons. I am not worried about him taking a new job either. There will be a smart opportunistic coach ready to fill his shoes at BC.

10 comments:

blist said...

Time stamp this one -- in four or five years the Dazzler goes somewhere else -- NFL or Florida maybe -- then Chip Kelly, who could never quite translate his speed offense to the NFL takes the BC job.

Lenny Sienko said...

Hasn't coached a single game; but already a "lifer". A case of premature adulation.

I'm still not buying a used car or a used football program from Daz.

I hope i'm wrong; but I'm a skeptic.

Joseph said...

I'm somewhat less than a skeptic, but that is only a matter of degree. Enthusiasm and intensity should make it better than last year, and who knows how much new coaching in the actual game will matter. I'm hopeful.

Knucklehead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Knucklehead said...

There are 4 winnable games in 2013: Villanova, WF, Army and NMST. We probably win three - very optimistic.

Next season Addazio will have some of his own players. However, the QB play will be poor with Rettig gone.

You are looking at 2015 as the first year where a 500 record is anywhere near possible(not impressed with the new QB recruits). With NO QB looking for a 500 record may be more realistic in 2016.

I think Addazio hampered the program by saying he wants to focus on the run. Boston College is known for 2.5 things: 1)Its Law School, 2) Offensive Lineman going to the NFL and 2.5) Being a pipeline to the NFL of Pro-style QB's. At one point a few years ago BC and Michigan were tied for the most QB's in the NFL

Hasselbach(no time for spelling) 1
St. Pierre
Hasselbach 2
Quinton Porter
Matt Ryan

Point being that Addazio better position himself as a lifer because this is minimum 3-4 year turnaround project.

Don't be surprised of he blots for a DC job at Ohio State or the Patriots - same money and far fewer restrictions






8:59 AM

Knucklehead said...

We have some juice on Wall Street to. Change the 2.5 things to 3.5.

EL MIZ said...

BC wins 6 games. write it down. cannot discount the fact that we had the worst coaching staff in college football last year. Spaziani didn't even TRY to win games. the guy was an utter joke and a disgrace.

we aren't the most talented the team in the ACC. but we do have enough talent to scrape by and get some W's. Rettig is decent, Amidson is one of the better WRs in the ACC, and i think the freshman RBs (willis and Rouse) are going to open a lot of eyes.

Defense literally could not be worse than it was last year. Brown has been good at turning units around the fly. again, there is some talent there (the LB corps is above average, the DBs are average at least, the Line i'm worried about).

Knucklehad - the "pipeline to the NFL" for prostyle QBs is ridiculous.

Tim Hasselbeck was a 3rd stringer who has less than 100 career completions in the NFL. Quinton Porter never attempted a pass in the NFL.

Matt Hasselbeck had a nice NFL career and made a super bowl, and matty ice has really made a name for himself. that's it.

BC athletics = O-Line U and hockey.

EL MIZ said...

given that it has been so long that BC fielded a competitive team or a coach that gave a damn, people forget that sometimes, in college sports, an underdog can upset the favorite. this happens, like, every week. look it up.

regardless, i count 6 "winnable" games in 2013:
- Villanova
- Wake Forest (5-7 last year)
- New Mexico State
- Army
- Maryland (um, we beat them last year!)
- Syracuse (lost their best player, a very good QB, to the NFL)

the ACC is a mediocre league. with a team that is hungry, well-prepared, and a game plan objective of "winning" instead of "keeping it close" this team wins 6 games and goes bowling. WRITE IT DOWN!

Knucklehead said...

Missed the point, we recruited and played QB;s that played in the NFL. Rettig will be the next. The focus on the running/option game will leave us with NO QUARTERBACK for the forseeable future.

This years team has less talent than last seasons. New coaches. Brutal schedule. No way we beat CUSE and MD . . . farcical.

I wrote it down crumpled it up and threw it away.

Realism hurts.

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