Tuesday, November 15, 2016

Why should we trust Addazio to correctly handle Anthony Brown?

While many of us wonder why Darius Wade is not getting a shot at starting, Steve Addazio is moving onto the future. He talked up Anthony Brown to the ESPN crew and then used his radio show to also talk about Brown's upside. If I were really cynical, I would say the coach is using Brown as both an excuse for the current struggles and the promise of next year. The argument being that Addazio has been patch working his offense because of issues he inherited and next year -- Year 5 -- he will finally have his own, redshirted QB star. There is a lot of nonsense in that argument on many levels. I don't know if Addazio really believes it or is just trying to spin away his struggles. But first let's look at Addazio's track record of recruiting and developing QBs while at BC.


The Talent
In his four years at BC Addazio has recruited (including transfers and preferred walk-ons) 10 quarterbacks. Of those ten, I think it is fair to say that only one has thrived. That would be Tyler Murphy. He played like an All-ACC QB, was a great story and carried BC through what could have been a challenging year. Addazio deserves much of the credit for Murphy since he initially recruited him to Florida and then leveraged that relationship to BC years later. Conversely Addazio also deserves blame for not finding or developing another Murphy. He's thrown all sorts of different types of QBs on the field in the past two years and had little success. If you are only hitting on 1 QB recruit for every 10 you bring in, you are doing something wrong.

2013 QB Recruits
James Walsh
Mackay Lowrie (inherited Spaz recruit)

2014 QB Recruits
Darius Wade
Tyler Murphy
Troy Flutie

2015 QB Recruits
Jeff Smith
John Fadule (Preferred Walk-on)
Elijah Robinson

2016 QB Recruits
Patrick Towles
Anthony Brown

Other recruits of note who played QB in high school
Myles Willis
Mike Walker
Brendan Nosovitch

The Approach
In my opinion, Addazio's offensive issues are only partially QB related. I think there is something lacking in his offensive approach and preparation. BC has huge execution issues and has mixed a jumble of schemes, vision and talent. The mixed bag worked in the first two years with Ryan Day as the OC and a decent OLine. Since, Addazio has not had a good OL, QB or relationship with his Coordinator.

Play Brown now
If Addazio truly believes Brown is the future, he needs to play now. There is no next year for Addazio if he doesn't win these final two games. We know Towles is limited. If the staff has really given up on Wade, then Brown is the only choice. I don't care if he was going to redshirt. This happens. We've played plenty of true freshmen QBs over the years. He has more time in the program than most of the other guys before they were thrown to the wolves. It is sink or swim. Whatever time Brown might lose by playing now, he gains in game experience.

If Addazio feels like playing Brown sacrifices a 5th year four years from now, then it is on the coach to go out and find more QBs. His desired development cycle will never happen, if he doesn't start winning games now.

23 comments:

JBQ said...

I think that you forgot one. Christian Suntrup from St. Louis Chaminade graduated in May of this year. He had been recruited by Spaz and was redshirted. Actually, he had one year left which he could have used this year. This means that he was on the roster when Addazio came to town. He was ostracized and used as a scapegoat. I saw him play in high school and he was a very good quarterback. St. Louis Chaminade has a history of producing NBA talent in David Lee and Bradley Beal. St. Louis CBC now has a sophomore quarterback in the brother of Blaine Gabbert of Mizzou and SF 49ers who should be looked at by BC. He just won a state title. The pro Gabbert is 6 ft 4. Addzio can't recruit. All of his qb recruits are terrible. He wanted to run the option with 190 lb speedsters when it takes a Cordale Jones 260 pounder. That is how Wade broke his ankle. Now, he runs a pro set with a 250 qb who should be allowed to run. Instead, he just hands off to Hilliman who gets smacked. Jones is adequate. The bottom line is that they don't have the horses. He has no concept of an offense other than viewed as offensive. He is not head coach material and BC has to see that and make a change. T. Coughlin should be brought in on an interim basis to evaluate and then to hire a new coach.

mod34b said...

why encourage our resident idiot to save himself by burning Brown's Red Shirt? He apparently reads this blog and despises you ATL. So Don't give him ideas.

I think even the pompous Mack Brown said during the last game broadcast that burning Brown RS that would be nuts at game 10/11/12 of this ill begotten season.

Instead, Dazoo should bench Towlet and go with Wade. If Wade gets better in two games, the Spring competition between Wade and Brown will be all the better.

but the QB issue is the #2 issue. Issue #1 is still the woeful OL. Towles can legitimately claim his performance was greatly hampered by the fat boys on the OL.

ReiDaDor said...

I agree mod,it all starts with the OL and they have been dreadful....absolutely awful!

marcos said...

I do not agree with burning Brown's redshirt at this point in this awful season. Let Wade mop up the rest of the way.

Big Jack Krack said...

Darius Wade, not Towles.

I do not agree with leaving Towles in there, and no AB this year.

Unknown said...

Why should we trust Addazio handling Brown? Well, based on what we've observed these past four years, we shouldn't.But,do you recall the introduction Brad Bates gave of Addazio in the press briefing with a big buildup prior the Pin Stripe Bowl? He referred to BC's Head Coach as a pedagogue. I think that is how he is viewed by the Administration and because of that perception, Addazio is going no where. Expect hm to be at BC for the duration of his current contract.

dixieagle said...

Thanks for ruining my day, David. Daz is no pedagogue... he has taught nothing except that he is a terrible, awful coach.

Play Wade the next two games; I agree that burning Brown's redshirt would be a waste. (Which means that's likely just what Daz will do if he thinks it will save his cushy job for another year or so.)

Napolean Bonaparte said...

What do you think the odds are of anything happening if we somehow lose to UConn? And by anything - I mean anything from BC - a token announcement, Leahy saying something about athletics, Brad Bates being reassigned to the School of Theology - anything. My guess is nothing - even if we lose 50 -0.

BCballer said...

We should burn Brown's redshirt...but only while Daz is wearing it in a tub of kerosene.

Get rid of this clown.

dixieagle said...

I'm afraid you're right, Napolean. Nothing.

mod34b said...

David - Did you hear Bated correctly??

I am thinking he said pseudologue ", not pedagogue !!

Unknown said...

Good one!

In The Post-Truth Era by Ralph Keyes, (2004)
Keyes wrote, "Even a grandiose pseudologue, must be evaluated carefully to see if he is a compulsive liar or simply “someone for whom truth is temporarily unavailable.”

dixieagle said...

"Pseudologue"... that's impressive, mod. Sadly, he's also a pseudo coach.

Geezer eagle said...

Okay,guys. Stop with the intellectual bs. You didn't go to Harvard.

Knucklehead said...

The offensive line coach needs to be terminated immediately. Problem is that he is attached to Addazio's hip. He is not going anywhere until Dazzler does.

The Brown redshirt is a joke. It has no bearing on anything.

If you think the QB is the problem then you need to evaluate your knowledge of football.

Guido said...

Following up on Knucklehead's comment - why do we think the O-Line problem this year will be any different next year? Is there an "O-LINE" guru out there who can come in and correct improper technique etc. . If the same coaches and the same young men are to return , why will things improve ? We have two games left and this Board feels there has been little ,if any, improvement on the O-Line. Just a question and a depressing one at that !!

dixieagle said...

Isn't the O-line supposed to be Daz's specialty? Doomed.

notfadeaway said...

Burn the redshirt? Now? What you talkin' 'bout Willis?

mod34b said...

a walk down memory lane to 2012 when Daz was hired and the reaction of this blog.... many still here appalled at hire - me, bb, Dixieagle, knuckle. Some forced positivity - EBoston - Some skeptical - el miz.. ATL focuses on OL.....

ATL 2012 Daz hire

Bravesbill said...

It would be abhorrent for Daz to burn Brown's redshirt just to try to save his own ass. Callahan almost got run out of town at Nebraska for pulling that same crap years ago.

Bravesbill said...

Hey, looks like I predicted the Run, Run, Pass, Punt offense back then. Looks like he's been doing this same crap for about a decade now.

mod34b said...

BB - almost everyone was instantly correct that Daz was a bad hire.... some, looking for any hint of success, viewed Daz as a hero after the .500 season 1 and 2. But honestly, Spaz was a much better recruiter than Daz, and Daz succeeded (barely) with Spaz's players

I also nailed BB in my 2012 comment for the bad hire .. just saying..

Unknown said...

Where have all the Super Fans gone?