Sunday, October 23, 2016

Second viewing thoughts and grades: Syracuse

Watching it back, I realized that I've lost all faith in Addazio. It is not something new that happened in this game. It is about my feelings watching and following it live and then the fresh look that came by watching it back. As the game happened live, I never felt like we were going to win. I was just waiting for the next screw up or next head scratching decision. Watching it back on Sunday (a little more dispassionately) I realized BC was in this game throughout. So why did if feel like such a lost cause live? Because I have lost faith in Addazio. I don't know what he is going to do from here. I don't know what I am going to do from here either. I will tell myself we have a chance, but my heart clearly doesn't believe it.

Offense: C-

I think Wade should start next week. It is not that he was a revelation in the final quarter, but his passes were a little more accurate. And a few more reps in live action might make the difference. Towles' throws and decisions were bad again. He waits too long in the pocket, he throws too high, he runs when he shouldn't and tries to throw when he should run. The best part of his game was the TD. It is too bad it has taken us this long to use him more in the read option.

Jones ran well. He is tough to take down and has a good little burst. The stiff arms are nice too. Rouse didn't get that many touches. Willis had a real nice run called back because of a penalty. Wolford dropped an easy catch.

The INT off of Walker's bobble was brutal. How do those things even happen? Maybe that is the cursed endzone since that is also where Ed Reed took back the ball 15 years ago. Walker looked good on the sweeps. Callinan caught some nice passes but also got whistled for holding on a first down. Wade's last throw was a bit high, but he needs to pull that down. Sweeney dropped some and also didn't get the best passes.

The Offensive Line did not play well. Syracuse got too much pressure with just a four man front. The blocking was inconsistent and no one was getting to the second level. Lindstrom and Monteiro had the roughest game.

The sweeps and end arounds are a good adjustment but also a huge lack of faith in the QB. It is one thing when we did it in Addazio's first two years and we were using elements of Oregon's playbook. Now we are supposedly "Pro Style" and still doing it. But Loeffler has to do it. It is the only way to punish the Defense for crowding the box. We can't pass successfully against it. I hated the wildcat to Smith. He needs to touch the ball, but there has to be a better way. Why not a simple screen pass? My other big concern is that when we passed Syracuse seemed to know it was coming. They had the right call on with plenty of guys in coverage on many of our pass attempts. Did they get lucky or are we not changing tendencies and formations enough?

Defense: C+

Landry was great. At this point we need to do all we can to unleash him. Add more twists and stunts and whatever, where his speed can create havoc for the opposing line. The official stats gave Gutapfel lots of assists, but I didn't see that much activity. He's not disrupting enough nor is he stuffing guys. Smith was quiet. Kavalec played well. Ray also made some nice plays.

Milano had his best game in weeks. Like some of our other play makers, I think he needs to be more aggressive. When he is, good things happen. Schwab was very active, but missed a few tackles too. Grice played a lot and had a few moments good and bad. He struggled trying to cover when called upon.

The DBs looked better on the second viewing. Many of Cuse's big plays were just nice catches and plays made over our guys. Harris' INT was a nice play. Too bad we didn't turn it into more points. Moore got burned a few times, but overall his coverage wasn't bad. Yiadom missed a few tackles. Torres was okay.

I didn't understand our defensive approach. In my opinion we played way to far off and didn't bring enough pressure. These DBs can play a lot of man. They did it last year. But for them to be effective, BC needs to bring lots of pressure in front of it. I feel like waiting back and playing off in zone is not our strength or nature. We brought more pressure in the second half. It slowed Syracuse, but obviously didn't stop them completely. There is chatter that Pasqualoni took over defensive play calling. I don't know if it is true, but I hope someone begins to up the number of blitzes. It might be the only way to get defensive momentum turned around.

Special Teams: B+

This is our best unit. I am happy for Al Washington's success.

Willis' kick return was great. Good cut by him and great blocking from everyone.

Knolls kicks were good.

Rouse remained aggressive on his punt returns.

The punt and kick coverage was good.

Overall: D

At halftime Addazio mentioned the herky jerky nature of the game and our offense. Paraphrasing: we'd have two good plays and then a drive killing penalty or mistake. His assessment is accurate but I don't know if he realizes that this is his own creation. We are not a big play offense. He wants us to methodically move the ball down the field. The problem comes in that we don't have the type of coaching or players to do execute that vision. If you want to be methodical, you have to be well drilled and well disciplined. It means execution is perfect because you need say 11 plays for the drive. Instead of precision and drilling in a series of well executed plays, Loeffler and Addazio throw shit against the wall "let's try Jeff Smith in the Wildcat!!" and then seem surprised when they have herky jerky execution issues. There were a few plays when Towles seemingly turned to play fake and no back was there. Is that on him or Jones or the OC who can't seem to get his players on the same page?

Regardless of the gossip going around about who is doing what and who is calling what plays on Defense, does the unit feel as well coached as last year? How does that happen with 80% of the same players? It is a coaching and execution issue. The decrease in blitzing is hurting the DBs, but I also feel like their position fundamentals are not as good. Who would have thought we would miss Kevin Lempa so much.

Beyond the game prep, there were plenty of game management issues. Punting before halftime. Burning time on the final drive. Taking a penalty that gave Syracuse another down. After 12 straight ACC losses, you would think he would try something new. Doesn't look like he is going to change.

It will be interesting to see how Addazio coaches from here. He knows that he needs to win two more games to keep his job. Does he go all out or does he check out?

39 comments:

CT said...

Just two more to keep his job? I'm thinking there is a general discontent among the team that we don't hear about. I hope they keep trying, if nothing but for their teammates, their families, and their position coaches. Keep grinding.

Congrats to a fellow Marist guy Myles Willis. Great return.

It's hard to lose 12 straight conference games, but not when Daz makes Les Miles look like Bill Walsh. We HAVE to get the QB position figured out. Harambe's ghost haunts us all.

JDK said...

ATL - Hard to believe Daz can keep his job after 12 conference losses in a row. Guy's a bum.

Keep us posted on the coaching hunt. Two terrible decisions have put BC football on life support, we need the right guy to put us back on the right path.



mod34b said...

Dungy had a career day. 32-38. 84% completion is unheard of and strong evidence our pass defense scheme sucks. BC defense (except last year) knows how to make mediocre players into NFL prospects.

Per SU's Troy Nunes blog, Dungy's only better game was throwing 85% vs Colgate Good lord. We are only as potent as an FCS team

Jim Reid is awful. He imparts no confidence in his squad. That is the big diff vs Don Brown. Perhaps Daz shared some his "play not to lose" poison with Reid

Our D went from among best to among worst in ACC play.

Our O stayed bad . But that is too be expected with Scott "Loser" Loeffler and Steve "I suck" Addazio.

Was Hilliman hurt?

Was Bates really AWOL from game? (Great sign if he was!)

mod34b said...

Jack. - get those "unknown comic" brown bags ready.

It is the best idea for BC football this year

The protest bag of shame. Cmon students. Get it going for the upcoming Louisville debacle

nceaglefan said...

Is anyone else absolutely sickened by the fact that this incompetent boob makes 2.5 million a year. Grand Larceny, this is such an embarrassment!

bceagle91 said...

Nceaglefan, agreed, but that salary is competitive in the ACC. We can't afford to pay less than the other schools in the conference. He's by far the highest paid BC employee. Jim Christian is second (check out the Form 990). The real problem is we certainly aren't getting our money's worth. We'll probably soon be paying yet another coach 7 figures to not work at BC. I don't want Bates hiring Daz's replacement. Brad hasn't shown himself capable of making even a mediocre hiring decision in a major sport. He does, however, have magnificent hair.

Shabby1011 said...

There has to be comment from someone at BC about Bates not being at Luke's retirement. If they want to keep him out of public because he is being let go, then just make announcement that he is not being renewed now.

Someone in the media has to ask this question?

blist said...

This is the worst type of losing team -- they're not less talented underdogs , scrapping for a W, they're not lovable losers, they're not hard luck. They're just badly coached. (well, Towles ain't so great either)

JBQ said...

For BJK, For Boston, bring those brown paper bags. OMG, I agree with "mod34b". It was announced on "Watch ESPN" that Hilliman was hurt. When you have a qb who is 6 ft 5, 250+, and runs a 4.5 40, you have something to work with. He has all of the tools and is putty in the hands of a good coach. He will get a real shot on Sundays. He also has blood lines. He is the nephew of Detroit Tiger Jim Bunning. What does it say when he runs 75 yards for a score and then is pulled for not following orders? Jack Nicholson would have a lot to say about it. The receivers all have "hands of stone" which is another sign of poor coaching. Actually, Darius Wade made a good pass into the end zone and Callinan couldn't handle it. I am sure that he will now start. There is a good chance that FSU will break his leg once again if he is still playing three weeks from now. Burt Reynolds will put that lance right between the eyes of the BC bench.

dixieagle said...

"Incompetent boob" is an understatement. It is an absolute travesty that such a thorough loser pulls down that much $$; for a competitive salary, he needs to be competitive in the ACC, and that's clearly not happening.

I loved Willis' run. This is a stellar kid who deserves far better than he's had to endure. I hope the rest of his season is outstanding, as I'd love to see him down here for the Senior Bowl.

I simply can't imagine us winning an ACC game anytime soon, and am nervous about UConn, too. Cannot wait to hear that Bates is, indeed, gone, as he can't be the one to hire a new coach. I sure hope some heavy-hitter BC guys are putting pressure where it hurts to turn this program around.

EL MIZ said...

Daz gets his money regardless of whether he's back next year or not - i don't think he cares and doubt we see anything different from here on out. if he had any tricks up his sleeve we would've seen em already.

BC loses out, Daz is canned, Bates isn't renewed, and a new AD hires the new HC.

notfadeaway said...

How can you possibly think Daz is back if he wins 2 more games?! WE NEED TO MOVE ON. Reading that ruined my day. Only saving grace is I don't think this loser Daz can win two more. BTW - the blist comment is spot on. It's hard to watch this team given the incompetence at the helm. We just don't even have a plan.

mod34b said...

Recruits are voting too:

"Former Boston College three-star DE commit Kwity Paye has flipped his commitment to #Michigan." Michigan blog

Hario said...

2 more wins and Daz comes back?!? --- that is a nightmare scenario

The Tall One said...

If (when) BC gets trounced by Louisville in a couple of weeks, I hope that the administration fires Addazio then. He should not even get to finish the season, particularly when I have seen such a lack of preparation, execution, overall ability from HIM. Not just the players, but the COACH.

Shabby1011 said...

Again I don't think he will get fired mid year regardless of how bad but Petrino will try to top 80pts here and then you have to go down to FSU. Those two embarrassments will get him fired at year's end regardless of what happens vs UConn and Wake.

You really have to feel for the team. There is talent, seem like good kids and work hard. They and the BC program, former players should not be the laughing stock of cfb world.

Kash86 said...

Leahy will not allow a mid-season firing, its literally not an option outside of some kind of scandal, so don't even entertain the thought.

Shabby, I agree, if BC ever has the luxury of being run by adults and they can hire an actual coach with an understanding of offense in 2016, there will be immediate improvement (look at UCF this year, they went from winless and being blown out every week to at least being competitive in games).

NEDofSavinHill said...

Daz is complaining that he wasn't afforded the option of turning down the penalty. This is a peculiar claim. When the flag was thrown and the penalty announced fans in our section were yelling decline it. Daz stood on the sidelines in a trance. It was an almost identical look to Gary Johnson when he was asked about Aleppo. Befuddled, confused baffled. It never dawned on Daz that a coach could turn down a penalty. Johnson and Daz two clueless brain dead men. 2. Did anyone see the Ohio St. game? Herbstreit was the broadcaster. When OSU was ahead he was effusive in his praise of the buckeyes QB. Saying he does one aspect of his job better than any other QB in the country. What spin, what nonsense, what propaganda. Barrett isn't close in ability to Watson, Kiser or Jackson but the relentlessly false broadcaster is promoting a second rate Buckeye QB. He is repeating his disinformation from a decade ago when he trumpeted an nonentity OSU QB Smith as he told the nation that Matt Ryan was not a quality QB. He speaks with a forked tongue. Ignore him.

mod34b said...

Ned - "herbie" Herbstreit is a big dick. Hate that guy. Mr Ohio state factory football man.

HE is the new Bret Mush-burger or, worse, the new Howard Cosell.

Lots of false praise for the power schools and players. He also went to THE Ohio State university , was starting QB his senior year and team captain - as everyone knows....because he says it all the time

Didn't some coach lock up his son in a sweltering hot box because he too was being a junior dickhead like his dad? Got Mike Leach fired?

mod34b said...

Daz does go into some funky trances on the sidelines. I think that is way Pasqualoni -- aka Dad - stays nearby

ObserverCollege said...

BC's motto: "Ever to Excel". Really? You "excel" when you talk up a dirty coach like Tom Coughlin (ask Lou Holtz) as your AD AND Head Coach while the incumbents are in place.

You fans "excel" when you absolve a QB who can't follow directions? You fans "excel" by ignoring a receiver who bobbles a pass UP IN THE AIR so the other team can intercept it?

The players' parents they badmouth Coach Addazio from the stands because they're so sad Coach told their little snowflakes in chapter and verse exactly how the players FAILED!?

Somebody's got to step up and show Coach the adulation he deserves, the appreciation for running off seven straight (game plan) wins to start the season. Coach Addazio said it best during the halftime interview Saturday, where he said the team plays "herky jerky". They'll execute a couple of times as they're supposed to, but then the players will get a penalty, or drop a pass, or miss a block, or blow an assignment, or flub a tackle, or fumble the ball, or throw it away.

Then the players ask why Coach doesn't trust them. If they want to take a shot to score at the end of the half, they gotta actually make the play as drawn up in the notebook.

That's why I've dropped some cash to get midfield seats right behind the BC sideline on Saturday at NC State. I've loaded up a "megaphone" app onto my Samsung Galaxy Note 7. I plan to stalk the PLAYERS during pregame warmups and throughout the game. I'll point out each and every mistake each player makes in REAL TIME, and how they fail Coach Addazio in doing so. I've also connected with Coach Addazio to load up video of each player's own mistakes from throughout this season, so I can respond WITH EVIDENCE when parents inevitably whine to me about why I'm so mean to their little darlings.

Coaches coach. Then players play. Players don't coach. It's about time these players AND THEIR PARENTS understand that.

Knucklehead said...

Craig James' kid was locked up by Leach.

Anonymous said...

I have it on good authority that BB was at the pre-game reception for Kuechly and gave a good talk.

Knucklehead said...

Maybe Brad doesn't like the rain.

Knucklehead said...

His customers seem averse to it as well, softies

baldysheehan said...

Observer College aka little dazzle you are right on. When Daz freezes up on the sideline it's probably some player's fault: when no one decent wants to play at BC it's a player's fault; the winless ACC performance is on the players. Daz is a brilliant coach who has the misfortune of having players who can't perform. We would not want to ever judge a coach by his record. Never heard of anyone ever doing that. We judge the coach only by the players and when they lose a game it is on them and not the coach.

bceagle93 said...

BTW, unfortunately Bates is NOT going to San Diego State.

http://www.bcinterruption.com/2016/10/24/13389396/sdsu-names-john-david-wicker-as-new-ad

TC for AD & HC in 2017.

Bravesbill said...

SDSU really dodged a bullet on that one. And if BB showed up for the pregame reception, why didn't he show up for the actual ceremony? Was he afraid he would melt?

CvegasEagle said...

Was a the game yesterday....Right before the Willis kick return, Al got the return unit pumped up by getting all of them jumping up and down... Addazio was not in that huddle, just Al and that return unit. That is something you wouldn't be able to see on TV. Speaks volumes on the player's respect for that guy..

Kash86 said...

The SDSU thing really doesn't mean much, it may gave gotten him out of here a bit earlier (although not guaranteed as he may have honored the rest of his contract regardless), but other than that, its just going to mean that Bates will be w/o a paycheck in the near future. Hes out in the spring. Doesnt affect anything with re: to BC or any of the coaching stuff (if they want to move on Addazio it will happen with or w/o Bates).

mod34b said...

BB -- isn't it obvious??


The Hair!

EL MIZ said...

Fire Daz and Bates, make Coach Al the interim HC, and issue a press release stating "everything is under review and we'll have more when we announce our new AD in December."

credit is due to MOD 34B who sniffed out Daz's fraudulence long ago. what an absolute joke this guy is - now on the radio ripping BC fans saying we are a "disloyal" bunch and throwing shade at bloggers like ATL saying they are watching at home in their boxers. ATL looks fully dressed in his periscopes but he may need to have his wife help him zoom out to show himself fully dressed to refute this bogus Daz charge.

#fireBATESZIO #interimAL

Big Jack Krack said...

I'm sorry that it has come to this.

Suggestions for the Grocery Bag "Brown Out" for Louisville.

Scribble something like this on the bags:

We're #1 - at losing!
I couldn't give my tickets away!
C'mon man!
On the Road to 0-16!
Really?
We Stink!
All I want for Christmas is a new AD and HC!
Upset Fan!
Ashamed Eagles Fan!
Thanks Brad - Thanks Steve!
Decade's Worst!
If you paid for DBS, you'd hide your face too!
We'll be better next year, right Brad?
Wait till Year 5!
You can't make this up!
Cut the Sh&t!
(I'm a) Dunce!
1st down, 3 to go Bates, Addazio, Leahy
Tormented Soul!
Put me out of my misery!
I am not enjoying this!
Who am I? Why am I here?
Up the Middle! What a Surprise!

Anyway, I'm having some fun putting this list together.




Bravesbill said...

Ah yes how could I forgot mod ha. And kash, BC has done nothing that would instill any confidence in me that it will take action to rectify the situation after the year. Come next year, BC will slap some lipstick on the pig, trot out the same three laughable losers and call it progress.

Big Jack Krack said...

Here's another one for the Brown Bag consideration:

This game is rigged against us.

:-)

mod34b said...

tx Miz weird video by Daz


BJK - seems that some 'games' are rigged these days.... 'the fix is in' but not BC games... we 'fixed' ourselves...as in neutered football..

Good to see the Syracuse AD stomp on the boneheaded Syracuse football staff pushing BC player on sidelines.

CT said...

Please tell me everyone has read on BCI Daz's comments wrt social media.

Just wow.

nceaglefan said...

From Bruce Feldman, BC has scored 113 points in their last 11 ACC games, have not scored more than 17 since 2014. Don't we have a former OC as a head coach? This is why people have lost faith, pleare just get rid of this guy now, he is such a pathetic loser and a clown. BC deserves better. If you put a good product on the field, people will support the program. Nobody is going to pay money and waste their time to watch this garbage. Leasy must go along with Bates as well, he is ultimately responsible for the state of hoops and football. This is tarnishing the image of the school.

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Glad to see people here finally focusing on the money Addazio and Bates make. When you get paid as much as these guys get paid - there are few excuses and very little fucking sympathy. That's the case in the rest of the world for the highest paid. Its high pressure and extremely difficult - and in return they get paid a ton of money. Its not for everyone and Addazio's excuses make it clear that its really not for him either. He needs a much lower paying job.