We knew a lot would have to break our way to win. Not much did. I thought the gameplan was a little too conservative especially when we got behind. Despite getting blown out, I still feel better about this team than I would've last season.
I don't have access to the Pac 12 online so I don't think I will be able to watch the game again. I will still have my thoughts and grades up Sunday night.
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USC was a much better team but our players didn't quit.
They have a top notch defense for sure and we were smothered all day.
I said before that they would take away Williams and Amidon and boy did they ever.
We are on the road. Under Spaz this would have been 56 or 63 to 0.
Just got back from the game. The day leading up to the contest was really a great time. The BC Alum tailgate was fun--the USC campus was alive with student & alum action. It was hot and everyone was up for this game. We took a festive train ride in from Santa Monica and the buzz was exciting.
Living here, I knew that USC was going to want to prove to everyone that they were not stumble bums waiting to blow yet another game. The Coliseum crowd was pumped & the SC kids just out-quicked us from the get go. Our guys looked slow...and then slower. Rettig's passes seemed to barely move in the air, were often inaccurate and desperate, and his throws were pushed & threaded to tiny spaces that lacked zip & were just asking for picks--can't believe they didn't get some.
We had no YAC's for most of the game. Amidon was always covered, as Jack pointed out--and even though Andre had moments, he got few blocks to open holes and had to make his own way (a la Montel, sorry to say.) I thought the sack might get us going but...smoke with no fire. Their big plays made us look like observers--we never answered. In the last stanza we had brief moments of promise, when Amidon had some catches & Andre rolled, but so short-lived. They had playmakers, as Addazio said they would, and we did not. Their D was superior and disciplined--skillful, and again way more quick than our guys. They scored 1 TD per quarter and if we had any pop to our game we should have answered with a few scores.
Hell--penalties kept us in the game so my MVP for our side was the Refs who made the calls that kept us from nothing but 3 & outs that were BC's big problem. Yeah-- it could have been worse--but it was rarely good and never great.
I was at the '87 game, too. SC had Rodney Peete that day & he smoked us. This was far less dramatic. The SC fans were less arrogant, too. But the SC players weren't nearly as good as the '87 vintage and we were just not good enough in this one to matter today. It's a start...Go Eagles. Learn and advance. We scored...and Herbstreit will never pick us again this year! No big, that.
Surprisingly, Rettig froze and overthrew receivers all day. The BC lineman that came in from Florida played well. Amidon is a Wes Welker type of receiver. He is not the long threat that he is made out to be. USC had speed in the secondary that smothered him all day. Where is Spiffy Evans? They need speed. Williams looked good for the first couple of sequences and that was it. Lee did get that 80 yarder when he turned on the jets. BC was well organized and never quit. However, the same could be said of Custer at the Little Big Horn. The defense was adequate. If Rettig was cared this week, then he better grow up quickly because Burt Reynolds and the Seminoles will leave him tied to an ant hill.
USC had superior athletic talent at every position, but most notably on the O and D lines. BC O-line was horrible. Rettig rarely made a throw without having a USC hand on him or getting planted immediately afterwards (usually both), and there were no running lanes at all. It was as loud a reality slap as one can possibly get. This is a three-year project, at least.
It was a brutal game to watch. Bad viewing made worse by the TV announcers - just too biased (yes, i know it was the PAC network)
Our DL was awful and OL was awful too. Ryan Day is a very plodding and unimaginative play caller.
Our secondary was pretty awful. The SC receivers were so open. But their QB had time, the SC receivers are fast and quick, great route runners, and that's what happens.
BC was, in a word, non-competitive. Not all that surprising given where we are. Still, not fun to watch.
Positives:
- Freese punting! Wow!
- Don Brown was aggressive with some of his defensive calls. Good training for defense.
- Two frosh backs sparkled, albeit briefly
- that it was only 35-7. Without the countless stupid SC penalties, score could have been 62-7.
- our TD drive was exciting
One troubling note
Dazz seemed to turn into Spaz at the end of the first half.
Was Dazz really happy to run out the clock so BC could go into half down by a "respectable" 14-0.?
I wished Dazz managed the clock better and gave BC a shot at a score before half.
Seeing Day's play calling for three games now I feel safe making the judgement that we have figured out why Chip Kelly has never brought him along anywhere. People have called him "one of the brightest young minds in football" but all I see is a boring dink and dunk offense with no cajones. If he had wrinkles he was hiding for the first two games this was the time to break them out, but it was the same crap. I'm not turning on this team or Adazzio but I wasn't a fan of Day before and am rapidly disliking him more and more. I know the line isn't great and chase isn't incredibly mobile but if he is as "bright" as everyone claims he would find a way to make it work. Chase has a great arm and he's barely been able to show it. He will never get in a good rhythm if he is only throwing a dozen times a week. Andre will never get holes unless we spread the field outside of 10 yards from the line of scrimmage. I really hope Adazzio has an introspective moment during the off week and realizes Day needs to open up the play book but Day proved yesterday he is stubborn and won't change or adapt his plan. Down 14 or 21 and still drinking and running into the line? Awful awful awful.
Eagle1331- well said!
Day had close associations with Chip Kelly, Urban Myer, Al Golden and Tom O'Brien. All elite coaches who know how to assess talent. All got at least a season's-long (and more) taste of Day, and none retained him. That is telling. Even Spaz pushed out the "very talented" Mr. Day (it seems).
Day biggest booster seems to be the host of this blog (why? I'll never know; flattery to gain a source?) and, at least for now, Dazz.
From BC's Web Bio of Day:
#Day joined Al Golden's staff at Temple as the wide receivers coach in 2006.
#Spent the 2005 season as offensive graduate assistant at the University of Florida for Urban Meyer The Gators posted a 9-3 record with Day assisting the offense.
#With the Eagles, Day worked with the wide receivers and helped the team to a 9-3 overall record in 2004 [TOB] and a No. 21 ranking in the final AP and ESPN/USA Today poll
#Began his coaching career as a tight ends coach alongside his own quarterback coach and offensive coordinator Chip Kelly at the University of New Hampshire in 2002.
I'd like to see that game on video playback, but I'm out here in Newport Beach on vacation.
From my vantage point in the stadium, the difference in talent was obvious.
I was not happy with Day's calls. Maybe a lot of that had to do with the USC Defense, but still........
As an example, when we went for it on 4th and 1, everyone in the coliseum knew it was going to be a handoff to Williams. If you are trying to win the game, you call something different - even a QB sneak.
If they tried a play action and Chase tossed a bomb to the end zone - even if wildly unsuccessful, I would have been happier than a telegraphed handoff for a loss at midfield.
The difference between the play calling yesterday and the play calling of one Gary Nyquil was negligible. Day may be on my probation list soon.
Our players are hard-nosed with a lot of heart, but we have a long way to go. We need more tough, nasty guys on both lines. We have had them in the past and we can recruit them again.
Canelo Alvarez is a hell of a fighter, but he wasn't going to beat Mayweather. We are not Alvarez either - but I hope we can get there.
Go BC
As the coaches prepare for Florida State, let's hope we see some adjustments. Otherwise the score will be the same as last year. Give the players something to work with, please.
I agree with mmason as the time leading up to the game was a lot of fun. It almost seemed as though there was - catch this - electricity among the BC fans.
Chase Rettig's parents are really nice (they had a huge tailgate across from the main gate) and we met other parents as well - great time.
The over-riding theme is that their sons on the team love Boston College and their experience there. We can take solace in that, at least.
Everyone needs to relax. I have been saying all off-season that this is a 3-year turn-around project. If you gave Urban Myer a month, he would have been unable to beat USC with BC's talent. BC is not an elite level program and when it falters, the rebuilding takes much longer. There is a pathway to 6 wins, but all of the stars have to align. Expect losses versus Florida State, Clemson and Virginia Tech. Most likely these will be lopsided losses. This, we need to win 4 of the remaining 6 games. I'm hoping we get revenge on Army and defeat New Mexico State. If we accomplish that, we need to win 2 of the games versus North Carolina, NC State, Maryland and Syracuse. That is going to be tough, but not impossible.
2016 folks. That is the year BC competes for the ACC Championship again.Until then, we need small victories to keep us enthused.
So Eagleboston, are you recommending that nobody criticize Day (or anyone else) until 2016? Would that approach also apply to criticizing the criticizers?
NYET to all that
I am not a potted plant
This game reminded me a great deal of the last time I saw BC-USC, in 1988 at Alumni. USC simply had too much size; but more importantly, too much speed. "Speed Kills". 25 years ago it was Rodney Peete. Yesterday it was Lee and company. Just be thankful, USC is in such a "weakened" state with no depth due to sanctions and reductions in scholarships, as per the PAC 12 announcers.
While I agree the play-calling was way too conservative, Day did try a couple of new wrinkles yesterday. There were three (3), count'm, three (3) shovel passes. The first one worked for about 5 yards. The next two were stuffed.
There was also one (1) completion to a tight end down the seam, right middle. It was good for about 12 yards and a first down. They never came back to it as Rettig was pressured, when forced to pass, since we couldn't run.
BC can't say we weren't warned about Daz's tendency to tunnel vision -- running up the middle. Florida and Temple fans told us in detail what to expect and why they were glad he had moved on to his second "dream job".
I think Bates and Fr. Leahy are about to find out that daily Mass attendance, dressing the "dudes" in blazers, and a steady stream of sports movie platitudes is just not enough to win in modern college football. Maybe if they'd been honest and upfront in the hiring process, somebody close to the program would have told them that....oh, wait, somebody did. The VIP panel's recommendations of "who not to hire" were specifically ignored.
BTW don't think that Army and SU are gimmes this year.
Ok let's think about this a little clearly.
Spaz was terrible. he left the cupboard bare. So, we have no talent.
the top brass will discover that Daz can't play games with attitude and turn things around in one year.
Day is a total waste because the players are part of the 'bare cupboard" and can't beat USC who everyone says has much better talent.
So, we lost because Day is unimaginative, and Spaz left us with no talent and USc has better talent and Daz has instituted some rules about Mass etc.
Wow is this a wonderful example of crystal clear analytical thinking. And where did you folks learn to be so insightful?
On a different note. Watching the game on the PAC 12 network ....gives a totally different perspective .
After watching the 50 th TV ad extolling the virtues of the PAC 12 teams and schools it certainly does seem to brainwash or at the minimum enhance fan loyalty. Their talk of pioneers spirit probably motivates the children of those pioneers to donate some cash on a regular basis.
Big Jack K made a nice comment about the Rettigs. BC has "other fish to fry". Mark Harmon, UCLA qb,(NCIS) is the son of a Michigan hero as well as a genuine war hero. Who knows where Chase Rettig will surface down the road. That is the message of BC. Football is important but not "life or death". As Joaquin Andujahr of the baseball Cardinals said so succinctly, "Ya never know". BTW, Chris O'Donnell of NCIS LA is from BC. You just have to remember when Lou Holtz ran up the score with a fake punt and BC was devastated. And yet, the next year was the magical kick when BC made the cover of SI. Ya just never know. Rettig has to reinvigorate that "surfer" mentality and unleash the relaxed dude on the beach.
Mod34,
I would never tell people they cannot criticize the coaches. My point was not to freak out that we lost to USC in Year 1 of a massive rebuild. We're going to lose to the big boys over the next 2 years due to the talent gap.
Lenny, not sure why you have given up on a coach in year one. We have already matched our win total from last year, the recruiting is absolutely amazing and the players appear to have bought in to the vision. So we lost to USC on the road. Big deal. Jags lost to Va Tech (twice), Florida State and Clemson. Historically, BC only wins 30% of contests versus the elite programs. In year 1 of a rebuild, that percentage is closer to 0 than 30%.
We can still get to 6 wins and go to a bowl.
Joseph, you really are insufferable and a BC administration shill. To break it down for the ignorant (i.e., you), BC lost because USC had much better talent. Spaz did leave the cupboard bare which was one of the main reasons why BC lost. However, the offensive game plan was equally terrible. It was way too conservative and played right into the strengths of USC's defense. A conservative gameplan may have been acceptable to begin the game, but once BC went down by two TDs, there was no adjustment. Just more of the same: running the ball up the middle and short play action passes. It's quite clear that Ryan Day is pretty useless and unable to make adjustments. He seems to be a younger clone of Spaz. The Spaz leaving the cupboard bare and Ryan Day being useless arguments are not mutually exclusive.
Sorry to cause you so much consternation and confusion, BB. It might help you to better understand if you read what El Miz says on the next thread. What you say was too conservative may, quite possibly be what the coaches, who may know a little more about the capabilities of the players, thought was the best that could be done with the talent level we have. We were beaten big. Everyone says that it was because we don't have the talent. But, you want to blame Day. For what, not having the talent, or perhaps, not having consulted experts like you when he was devising the game plan? In your mind, are the coaches to blame whenever a team loses? The BC team played their hearts out. The coaches can't make players faster, quicker, smarter. They can help them reach their potential. What inside info do you have that says that that is not happening.
If after Daz gets his team (three years from now) and they don't perform, then you can criticize him and his staff. Until then why not think a bit. Maybe you think that WF had a crappy game plan. Maybe T A&M had a crappy game plan. But, then again, the other team was better.
Read my previous post Joseph. I specifically said that the cupboard being bare was one of the main reasons for the blowout. You are trying to make this argument and the Day criticisms mutually exclusive. Day had a very conservative gameplan (which really did not utilize BC's strengths and actually played right into the strengths of USC's defense). Further, he made no in game adjustments when his plays did not work and when USC went up 3 TDs. Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity and one of the hallmarks of the Spaz regime. Again, both these points are not mutually exclusive. And are you suggesting that Day is above criticism because he knows the team better than any outsider? Does this mean that every NCAA coach is above criticism? Does this mean Lane Kiffin couldn't be criticized for his pathetic offensive gameplan in USC's first two games? What about Mack Brown at Texas and their woeful defense? What an truly inane argument.
BB, do you ever read what you write?
First you agree that BC has a huge talent deficit. Then you say that Day should make adjustments because what they have been using was not working, but played into the USC strengths. SO, your assumption is that the talent level on the team was good enough to make these dubious adjustments work. Why you make this assumption is way beyond logic. I am not defending Day, or am I a shill for the administration. These are more silly assumptions on your part. After three games, we have two wins. USC was clearly much better. Read what BJK wrote. We all would love to have seen the game opened up. Could the O line be good enough to let Rettig do it? Was USC bad enough to allow it? Would we have won?
Why not take a minute and think about your point, if you have one.
Read the actual post Joseph. Reading comprehension would do you some good as well. Do you actually read what you post? It borders on the absurd. Again, if a gameplan is not working, why on earth would you not making any adjustments? And of course the adjustments would have to reflect the talent on your team. No one is asking Rettig to throw deep on every play. However, assuming that BC does not have the talent do anything but running the ball up the middle is not grounded in reality and why you make this assumption is "way beyond logic." Making adjustments is one of the primary responsibilities of all coaches. Expecting coaches to make these adjustments is not asking for too much. Coaches eventually get fired for not doing this, i.e., Spaz (and soon Mack Brown, and Bo Pelini.
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