Sunday, October 02, 2016

Second viewing thoughts and grades: Buffalo

What Addazio and Bates probably didn't realize when they put this schedule together is how empty it would feel. We now have three wins and I don't feel like we've accomplished anything. I also don't feel like we know much. I am glad this part of the season is over. The games weren't fun to watch live or the second time around.

Offense: B-

The stats don't cover Towles' problems. He underthrew a sure TD on the play where Garrison got hurt. He was stripped in the pocket on two plays where he should have felt the pressure. He also continued to miss open men. I think he has more than enough physical tools. I pray the staff and he find a way to leverage those tools without exposing him.

Their stats are similar, but I feel like Jones is playing much better than Hilliman. Jones moves with a quickness and clarity around the line that Hilliman has been lacking. I don't think it is Hilliman's recovery. I think his challenge is the line is so inconsistent and he's not adjusting as decisively as Jones. Willis didn't get many touches and got dinged up at one point. Wofford blocked well.

Smith made some big catches, but also dropped a few. I thought Callinan played well and blocked better than most of the WRs. Garrison's catch was great. I hope he returns at 100%.

I really don't know what to make of the offensive line. Or even how to judge them. Buffalo went all out to stop the run that our line was collapsing on too many plays. Even if our talent and experience was better on the OL, I don't know if there is an answer when the other team is crashing down like that.

Aside from the Towles isssues or the Offensive line problems, I still see too many moments of confusion out there. Taking time outs to before a critical play. Confusion coming out of the huddle. That is on Loefler to start to fix those problems. I know we scored plenty but I don't feel like it was a sharp, well designed gameplan...more like talent prevailing.

Defense: A- 

Smith was great. He dominated his matchups and showed real quickness. Gutapfel was good. Landry looked good.

Milano's biggest play was on Special Teams, but he looked good on D. Strachan played well. Scwab was good.

Moore played well. Johnson was very active and had some nice tackles. Yiadom was very good in pass coverage. Harris was good.

While Georgia Tech was a tougher task and the UMass game included plenty of sacks, this was BC's best Defensive performance of the year. Things were sound. The tackling was good. The scheme was the right mix of aggressiveness and conservative.

Special Teams: B+

Rouse continues to be a breathe of fresh air on Special Teams. His day was great even with his best run getting called back.

Knoll was solid throughout. His punts were well placed.

The punt block was very encouraging. Our Special Teams needs to be more aggressive to help the offense.


Overall: B

Didn't it feel like BC should have won by more? I hoped for a flawless victory, but this will have to do. My primary concern and criticism of Addazio is how flat the team seems during the early possessions. I am sure the weather, empty seats and opponents left the team wanting more. But during down moments like that, motivating the team becomes Addazio's primary job.

The real tests begins this week. Considering this was Addazio's last warm-up, he gets a decent grade.

42 comments:

mod34b said...

Punting is not ok

Against VT knoll punted 13 times for an average of 41.3 yards. Last game he avg 28 yards. 30 yards v Wagner. What has happened?

Taking out "inside the 20" attempts, Knoll is averaging 30.1 yards per punt in last 2 games

What's going on? Is this more Daz conservative insanity or is guy hurt in some way?

BC is the last team that can give away 14 yards of field position.

Buffalo punts
*
* 4th and 12 at BC 39
(11:03 - 1ST) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 29 YDS

* 4th and 20 at BUFF 35
(13:01 - 3RD) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 18 YDS, DOWNED AT THE BUFF 17
*
* 4th and 10 at BC 36
(15:00 - 1ST) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 31 YDS, DOWNED AT THE BUFF 33

* 4th and 9 at BUFF 41
(8:33 - 4TH) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 34 YDS, PUNT OUT-OF-BOUNDS AT THE BUFF 7
*
* Wagner punts
*
* 4th and 16 at BC 29
(13:56 - 1ST) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 26 YDS, DOWNED AT THE WAGN 45

* 4th and 9 at BC 30
(14:44 - 2ND) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 24 YDS, PUNT OUT-OF-BOUNDS AT THE WAGN 46

* 4th and 2 at BC 35
(1:43 - 2ND) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 20 YDS, DOWNED AT THE WAGN 45

* 4th and 2 at BC 33
(13:44 - 3RD) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 41 YDS, FAIR CATCH BY JESSE FLAHERTY AT THE WAGN 26

* 4th and 14 at BC 34
(9:32 - 3RD) MIKE KNOLL PUNT FOR 40 YDS, FAIR CATCH BY ANDRE YEVCHINECZ AT THE WAGN 26

* 


John said...

Wow. Had this ever been done in major college football?

We have a PK as a punter, and he is not very good at it. Another Addazio recruiting failure. Next we'll be without a snapper.

Edward Taylor said...

I sat in the student section with my kids during the second half. The place was empty. You could see and hear virtually everything that was said on the BC sidelines. In the third quarter, Tyler Rouse had a nice punt return that was called back due to a BC penalty. The culprit was #4, Hamp Cheevers, a freshman. I
personally thought he made a great block but that is beside the point. Coach Addazio went ballistic. He was in the kid's face with a rage that did not seem justified to me. I know that this is big time college football but he did not let it go. He just kept staring at the kid for quite sometime after the play.

In another instance after the second Patrick Towles fumble, OL Aaron Monteiro was inconsolable on the sideline after the fumble / sack. Addazio then comes over and screams at the offensive linemen to get it together. The kid still had his hands in his face. I felt terrible for the kid.

I know Nick Saban and Urban Meyer are not treating their players with kid gloves but it seems to me that Coach Addazio is coaching through fear. The team seems uptight afraid to make a mistake. I hate to say it but I think he has lost his team. I hope that I am wrong because I hate the thought of starting over again. I am not getting any younger!

Just my 2 cents.

knucklehead said...

I would like to see a few three back sets with two fb's, 1 or 2 we'd/te's against Clemson. This will improve protection of towles, draw up the defensive secondary and give wr/tight end 1:1 down field. Down field throws are towles strength.

knucklehead said...

Towles also needs to slide early when he runs. An injury at qb will be problem against teams we have a chance to be competitive against later in the schedule.

mod34b said...

Edward t = interesting observations.

Guido said...

I believe that giving any grades against high school opponents like Wagner and Buffalo is really a waste of time. Just my opinion. I look forward to the grades next week, however , when they play another ACC opponent. But can u believe it ? - we are 3-2 and only a few games from being eligible for consideration for the "Cement Bowl". Brad Bates is a genius !!!!!Yuk Yuk .

Tim said...

"I also don't feel like we know much."
Disagree. Season is almost half way over. We are 0-2 in ACC play, most recently having been blown out 49-0 by a mediocre VT team. We know everything we need to know. This year's BC team is bad.

mod34b said...

knuckle, assuming Towles has protection, it is a whole new world for our WR/TE to try to gain some separation from Clemson. I see it as unlikely that 'downfield' passes will be effective vs Clemson. Short quick passes, with play action, some deception, might work for short yardage. That is if Towles can throw with an accuracy.

going to be a very rough game for BC.

baldysheehan said...

I'm told the attendance at the BC Buffalo game was 24,000 plus but others suggest that was very generous. Even if correct it is the fourth worst crowd since 1994 - the third worst was the week before with Wagner (the two tops were 1997 with Army in a storm and 2006 with Buffalo in a storm) Number 5 is Kent State in 2009. Now get this the next five all were while Addazio was coaching the team. In a nut shell there have been 10 games were the attendance has been under 30,000 over 23 years and Addazio owns seven of them.

That more than anything tells what is happening. BC fans get more enjoyment out of watching the swan boats in Boston Common than a boring, losing team. I do not understand the indifference of the school to this. They began driving away loyal season ticket holders when they put a sur tax on anyone wanting a decent seat. I wonder how that is doing? Is it becaue they get so much money from the ACC that they don't care if people come to the games?

I know hopes are dim for the upcoming game Friday. Clemson could suffer a let down after last week and the game could be close. But no one believes this so there is no excitement that the number three team in the nation is playing at Alumni Stadium -- the old electricity in the air is missing. That will always be missing under a team that schedules four or five cup cake teams hoping for six wins to get to a bowl and call the season a success.

Add to the Addazio problem the AD Bates. Under him the attendance has flopped also. His response is paying people to dress up like Samuel Adams (isn't he associated with beer more than the Revolution) to advertise the team. That is really dense. A good team is all you need to advertise it.

Someone wrote that BC was number 2 in the nation not too long ago. BC can be great. It made bad mistakes hiring Addazio and Bates. They should have been gone last year - keeping them accomplishes nothing. When you are going the wrong way you stop, turn around,go back and correct the problem by starting again.

Ned in Savin Hill suggests bringing back Tom O'Brien. I have a better idea - fire Addazio even if he beats Clemson 49 - 0 and bring back Tom the Elder - Tom Coughlin as AD. I'd suggest it would be a nice way for him to end out his career where he began it and he could bring back the excitement that used to exist.

baldysheehan said...

One further thing. Read Edward Taylor's comment above. Ask yourself if you would want to send your kid to BC to play for that type of coach is you witnessed that?

dixieagle said...

I like Addazio less and less on every level. He has a short fuse, throws kids under the bus, and sounds like a broken record ("the team is young...") I'll be surprised if we win another game this season. The morale on the team has got to be awful.

John said...

Tom Coughlin wasn't afraid to play the big teams, even with players not as good as their players.

He looked into the camera and said "(when you play BC, know that) we're going to hit you hard in the first quarter, we're going to hit you hard in the second quarter, and then we're going to come out and hit you hard in the third quarter. And in the fourth quarter we are going to really hit your hard."

No matter the score, you will not forget that you played Boston College.

And he built a winner in short order and everyone jumped on the band wagon with hope and trust.

We need that again.

NEDofSavinHill said...

Projections for the top three QBs in the 2017 NFL drat are Watson, Kizer and Kaaya all ACC connected. When you add in Jackson one conference has the top four QBs in the country. Can this be possible? The public has been fed a decade of hype about the dominance of the SEC. Could any SEC apologist kindly explain this anomaly? If this is true isn't the ACC per se better than the SEC? 2. Saw the start of the Pats-Bills game Sunday. The starting QBs were Brissette and Taylor neither of whom could start for Louisville or Clemson. The four top ACC QBs may be better than half the starters in the NFL. 2. One can complain all they want about the schedule but BC fans will watch the two leading Heisman candidates in Watson and Jackson perform in Chestnut Hill this season. 3. If Daz is canned would it make sense to bring Brown back as HC and then find an OC who doesn't run it 57 times a game. About forty years ago Woody Hayes punched a Clemson player after a tackle. Will Daz adopt Woody's forceful approach Friday as he has adopted his offense?

Bravesbill said...

So now that the Oregon fan base has turned on Helfrich (https://www.gofundme.com/2sanndxd), is there any way some BC guy can set something like this up for both Bates and Daz?

janebc said...

No No No to Tom O'Brien. While certainly a better coach than Daz, he suffered from the same stubbornness. His insistence on playing Quinton Porter over Paul Peterson and then Matt Ryan was a source of great fan frustration and cost BC very key wins. I think TOB wanted the ceiling he set at BC for success and did not want to exceed it

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

In response to baldysheehan, no my kid would not be allowed to play for him. Want to add that prior to the start of the game EEI aired a recorded interview with Spaddazio that I listened to which was a confused mess of words and he basically said nothing. So when the sideline and the team looks confused it's just an extension of what is actually going on. But there is no point going on this track complaining about the obvious, we have beaten this horse to a pulp. Now the discussion needs to be why this entire athletic program is acceptable to anyone in charge. In the real world we would all be unemployed if these were our results. You don't have any "customers" no one is interested in your product, and there is nothing on the horizon suggesting that anything will be different any time soon.

John said...

I thought Addazio sounded fine and at times great during his first year. But now, in year four, it's like he talks ragtime.

As Henry points out, it's no wonder the players are confused. And can you imagine, this young team might get this coach fired, thereby taking food out of his family's mouth.

The gall!

mod34b said...

let's talk about that OL....and the bogus excuse that "they stuffed the box"

BC ran 57 times for apathetic 142 yards and 2.5 ypc

Compare

Nevada ran 64 times (must have been noticed by Buff, right) and gained 352 yds and 5.5 ypc. I am sure Buffalo keyed up its defense for the rushing attack.

or Army - 396 yards rushing, 67 carries and 5.9 ypc. again, I am sure Buffalo keyed up its defense for the rushing attack.


do not forget, Buffalo lost to FCS SUNY Albany.

BC rushing was really bad. really bad. If you can't run on Buffalo, you can't run!

NEDofSavinHill said...

TOB. Eight straight bowl wins. 2nd best in college football history. Six straight over ND. 2nd best in college football history. 80% bowl record 4th best in history and the best developer of NFL QBs in history ( Ryan, Wilson, Hasselbeck, Glennon, Hasselbeck and St. Pierre). The winningest coach in BC history. Critics of TOB expose themselves as clueless know nothings.

knucklehead said...

Mod,
We have no realistic chance of beating or being competitive against Clemson.

My comments were meant to provide the best strategy to score against Clemson. If we implemented that approach I think we could score 7-10 points in the game.

Going traditional run and pass will be a total disaster.

Someone just compare Oregon to BC in any way, shape or form. Fucking apples to oranges.

The site would get very few hits. There are about 10,000 people in the world who give a shit about BC football. 50% of them don't know how to get on the internet.

mod34b said...

True... gonna get ugly Friday night....

I think comparing BC to Oregon is like comparing a Bald Eagle to a Duck. I admire and am inspired by the majestic Bald Eagle. I eat ducks.

7-10 points. maybe a pic 6?

So as to Clemson - can we run up the middle? no. Can we run to the edge? no. Can we beat them long? no. Has BC executed a decent screen all year? not that I recall. Short passing game? Can Towles thread the needle for the short ball? Not so far but he did complete a wheel route a couple times

Maybe we can use punting as weapon and "pin them deep" ? nope.

maybe our defense can stick it too them? Hmm.. well we did give up 476 yards to VT.

Ok, well maybe out head coach has some tricks and can out smart them.... hmmm that can't happen. HC is a dumb bunny.

So what are we left with Clemson being Clemson. Except they don't do that anymore....

In conclusion, Daz should run the ball for 2 reasons: 1) run out the clock 2) signal to Clemson that we suck and to not run up the score..

Geezer eagle said...

I'm going to watch the game Friday night at a local gin mill. Hope they have a lots of gin. Worse, I'm going with a Clemson fan. Told him if they don't win by at least thirty points, It must be Clemson HS that showed up.

SaturdaysOnShea said...

@NED - TOB did not develop Wilson. Stop.

Bravesbill said...

I wasn't comparing Oregon to BC in any way, shape, or form. It was more of a lamentation than anything.

John said...

Win the toss, take the ball and open with 4 wideouts against Clemson.

Let the players play to win.

janebc said...

Childish name calling aside. Dispute the fact that he cost BC several key games by his mind numbing loyalty to Quinton Porter. Why strive for the Orange Bowl when we can get to the Continental Tire Bowl? Not to mention Russell Wilson st NC Staye

bceagle93 said...

Still hoping for TC for AD & HC in 2017, but....

looking like Charlie Strong will soon be available, and he would be a very interesting option. I would have no problem with a new AD *Tom Coughlin* hiring him and ending the clown show.

knucklehead said...

The Navy coach would be good for BC. Been there for a while probably poach-able.

marcos said...

Why TC as AD? I say TC as HC. He may be 70 but he has the energy of someone at least 10 years younger. Also, I don't really think he would want that job. I think he's dying to get back out there and coach.

CT said...

I close my eyes and see Mike Williams running with his freakish speed and size and want to cry. Is a pass rush on scholarship? If any of you watched what Clemson's defense did to GT...it was impressive. Going to have to be creative on offense and lucky on defense.

It's been an interesting sidenote wrt the SEC and QB play in recent seasons. Guess it doesn't stop them from winning titles. In my warped mind, that counts as dominance to me.

I'm adopting the BJK attitude on this one. With absolutely no expectations except the obvious, let's get a good gameplan. Hang in there in the first half.

Napolean Bonaparte said...

We're probably gonna get killed unless these players resign themselves to playing out of their minds. And that is possible but highly improbable.

FYI - ran into a non revenue team at the airport and chatted with them briefly. Nice kids but it was sad to hear their quiet sense of embarrassment around the football program. This constant losing is extremely tough on our students and the pride they want to show in their school. The adults in charge of the programs (incl basketball) have really ruined a nice part of the college experience for so many of our kids. This has to change.

Big Jack Krack said...

Just doodling and thinking that it was pretty cool to see LSU kill Missouri Saturday night, and compile the highest offensive yardage in program history with temporary Head Coach Ed Orgeron. All he did was inspire his players and let them play without fear, etc. Back-ups and 4th stringers played a prominent role.

Addazio does just the opposite. Once he keys in on "his guys", many very good players on the roster do not get to see the field - or at least not very often. Those who do get to play are subject to getting yelled at and screamed at in public if they make a mistake. They are too choreographed and therefore they play tight.

So Head Coach Addazio - do you want to keep your job? Great, then let's play college football. You give the players the basic framework and game plan - AND LET THEM PLAY. I guarantee you if they could call their own plays they would be a lot different than what you and Loeffler call.

In the Boston slang vernacular - "Cut the shit" and let them play.

Go BC - bust Clemson's bubble on a Friday night of a long weekend with the Red Sox playing a playoff game down the street. Get some glow from Big Papi and company and swing for the fence.

Players - please know that we are with you and wish you had some more inspiring leadership.

Coach Addazio, if you come out against Clemson with the RRPP approach and philosophy, you are an idiot, sir.

We beat USC two years ago because our OLine was much better, led by Patchan, and QB Grad Student Tyler Murphy - a fantastic college football player. USC couldn't tee off at the line of scrimmage.

Towles is not Murphy, unfortunately, and Clemson will be in his grill all night. Teams can load the box on you and there's no answer from your OC - at least until this point. Open up the playbook. Show us plays we haven't seen, for crying out loud.

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

Yes, Dazzler will go with the white flag approach.

I was trying to provide a fighting-chance alternative.

Bravesbill said...

He will play to lose close like Spaz did, and like Derek Mason does at Vandy. Who besides Daz would punt the ball down a touchdown with under two minutes left in the game?

mod34b said...

Clemson is a 17 point favorite . yet they barely beat Troy and barely beat a so-so Auburn

Last year, ND was a 16 point favorite.

The BC D showed up and we lost by 3 - yet it was a fun and winnable game. BC does still have the #1 D in the ACC. and get this, statistically, we are the #1 D in all of FBS. So, just maybe....

honestly, i don't feel that vibe for this game, but i'll be watching. you never know.

Big Jack Krack said...

At this point we can be optimistic that the BC we know and love will show up.

"Cowboy up" - "Why not us?" etc.

Is Patrick Reed as good as Rory McIlroy? No - but............what a gutsy performance on a huge stage. He believed in himself.

Make Clemson prove it on the day.

Believe in yourself and don't play scared. Play with fire and be quietly pissed off and rock these guys. I don't mean "run the rock", I mean rock these guys!

Figure out a way and get into their heads.

Geezer eagle said...

A field of dreams. I'll be in a bar Friday night surrounded by Clemson and SEC fans.Im just praying I don't get embarrassed.

Bravesbill said...

Those defensive rankings are kinda sad mod, esp. after the beat down by VT. It goes to show you how inflated rankings and stats can get after you beat up on 3 cream puffs.

mod34b said...

BB. Exactly. Lose 49-0 and you are still #1. Joke

Later in the season when you compare ACC teams to other ACC teams in conference play the stats can give a more meaningful view.