Monday, March 13, 2017

Reading into Addazio's Spring Ball press conference

Despite an incoming blizzard, as far as BC Football is concerned, it is spring. The reality of College Football is that the players are working with the Strength and Conditioning staff year round, but Spring Ball allows Addazio and his coaches to run organized official practices. With the official practices about to begin, Addazio addressed the media and discussed his team. Here are a few of the takeaways:

-- Addazio says both QBs have a shot. When Wade started following other coaches on Twitter, many assumed he was transferring. But based on what Addazio said, Wade is still very much in the picture at BC. He's going to get plenty of reps in Spring Ball and Addazio talked more about him publicly on Monday than he has in months. Addazio also pumped up Anthony Brown and spoke of Brown's physical maturation. The backups like Fadule and Perry also got a token mention. While I would love Brown to emerge this Spring as a viable ACC starter, I know this will take time. Addazio doesn't need a perfect QB in three weeks, but he does need an idea of what the guys can do and where the staff is going to place their time, energy and faith.

-- BC is being cautious about injured players. I was surprised by how many players Addazio is holding out of the practices either due to injury or recovery from recent surgery. Jon Baker, Kam Moore, Chris Garrison, Connor Strachan, and Jake Burt are being "held back." Addazio implied they will have some level of participation but not full contact. In theory this caution will allow other guys to step up and develop. My fear is that one of these injuries or recoveries will linger. Plus nearly ever Spring one or two key players gets injured during the spring. BC has more depth than any other time under Addazio, but I don't want it tested with key injuries.

-- Addazio claims the offense is changing.  Addazio referenced the bowl game and BC's surprise uptempo shift multiple times. He seemed to really focus in on the number of plays. He also referenced a permanent shift in that style of play. I am glad he is finally owning up to the offensive struggles. But can he really go against his instincts this fall? I am cynical. I think BC will play faster, but I still think that Addazio is going to remain conservative and continue to screw up clock and late game management. 

13 comments:

AlbanyEagle said...

To his credit, Daz did seem to shed his mantra of "we have a young team".

HOWEVER, he did emphasize several times how critical the QB position is, AND how we don't really have any experienced QB's. (i.e. everything is perfect now, except we don't have the most critical piece of the puzzle.)

Of course, not having an experienced QB at this point is a direct result of Daz's decision making.

I'm afraid we've just been introduced to the theme of this year's excuses.

bceagle93 said...

Rumor has it there is a debate amongst the football staff as to whether they should use the following hashtags this year:

#BeADud

#EverToDecel

#DecideToCry

#SoreEaglesSore

I am partial to #BeADud personally.

CT said...

His transcript had a few instances where he lamented the staff's inability to redshirt the guys who just graduated. In other words, we'd be pretty good if those guys were around this year. #Everthepolitician.

I get lowering expectations in his division, whose strength he emphasized yet again, but most fans have only ever asked to be competitive. One senses that if you speak as if you expect great things, as opposed to subtle references to an inherently unfair circumstance, that you're much more likely to achieve. The in-game dismemberment of time/down/distance is bad enough. The "woe is me" thing is much more corrosive. He talks up his players, sure, but it feels like he's talking down the program at the same time. It's a unique skill set that requires speaking many words without saying very much.

He says he learned from the first half of the bowl game that the up-tempo philosophy worked up until a point. I expect some measure of adaptation then. Not Malzahn-lite, but not Rockne-lite, either. I think the defense will be good enough. Use the TEs more than you used Willis last year, for starters.

CT said...

Listening to Coach Pastner from GTech on the radio just now and it's pretty clear why he has overachieved in his rebuild thus far. He said the number one thing he heard over and over again after taking the job but before the season began was the need to get the students re-engaged at home games. So he would go to student groups, 3 or 4 people strong in some cases, and speak with them about how critical they
were to the process and hoped they would pay it forward. And he said the players know that renewed presence willed the team to a couple of wins they otherwise wouldn't have gotten without that investment.

I'm sure Christian and his staff have followed a similar path?

Pastner is buying in any student who wants to come to tonight's NIT game vs Indiana as a thank you.

TeddyE said...

Remember all, this was the year Addazio always mentioned as the year to compete for ACC Championship. A 5 year plan. Certain Losses: Notre Dame, Clemson, Va Tech, Louisville, FSU. Certain Wins: UConn, UVA, and one MAC game. That's 3-5. Toss ups, other MAC game, Cuse, Wake, NC State. We have to win all toss ups for him to have a shot at keeping his job and going 2-2 in toss ups leaves him at 5-7 and fired. This biggest issue is that play calling and time management in close games is awful, so winning majority of toss ups and upsets fall into this category. Do we really expect a leopard to change his spots? What are we really expecting with the QB situation? Again, the redshirts and QB are his fault now, and no one else.

JBQ said...

The bowl game certainly raised expectations. The first half had everyone patting the Dazzler on the back and noting his change for the better. The second half was a dud and heart breaking almost to the point of losing. Brown is an option quarterback. He is a Tyler Murphy clone. Addazio can't change his stripes. Brown will fail and Wade will be frustrated. He still may transfer after he sees the graffiti on the wall in the spring. The new A.D. will see a lot quickly and should pull the parachute cord as quickly as reality is seen. This is year five of the nightmare which was extended for three more years with an economic debacle on the part of BB. BC either gets it right and quickly with input from TC or they had better start making preparations for a Patriot League schedule as early as 2018.

EL MIZ said...

Addazio also got gifted redshirts of Hilliman (starting RB) and Wade (likely starting QB). he conveniently leaves that out. still, it is nice to hear that he is apparently upping the expectations.

are we sure ND is a certain loss next year? they were 4-8 last year and lose a bunch of players to the NFL.

knucklehead said...

Donohue did all that bullshit with the students and he failed. Get good players and you win. Plus GT won 20 games last year. He had good players to start with. BC is in the gutter basketball wise.

Brown is the QB, if he is healthy. The Globe quotes of Daz infer that Wade is the starter now because of time in program.

Perry is going to give Brown a run. Daz doesn't like him because he is smart. He always sides with the dumbass who is going to do exactly what he is told even when the play breaks down.

Perry and his father could run the BC offense better than Dazzler and Loeffler.

Unknown said...

Any idea on what happened to Wide Receiver Thad Smith??

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Actions speak louder than words. The words mean very little - especially self congratulations for wins against mediocre opponents. Like it or not - Addazio gets another season. If he enjoys his job and everything that goes with it - he needs to deliver on the ACC part of the schedule. Otherwise its another assistant's job, a new house and years before he gets a similar opportunity. Lots of incentives and pressure - but that goes with the $$$$.

CT said...

All of GT's offense left. They do not have a talented roster. It LEFT. Mitchell, George's-Hunt, Smith. Rebuild time. Gregory gone.

Brilliant stuff again.

Drive around Tech's campus lately? Lots of experience there, huh? Half the campus is non- white. Much more diverse than BC whitey from Worcester or Long Island. Mostly Asian. But it is Tech. Too good a school for the math curriculum of most US high schools.

Pastner was getting run out of Memphis yet has completely overachieved. Without a good roster. Hustle Culture. There's a buzz about the program again. Go away.

You need good players. Insightful. You also need the coach. Especially in college ball.

mod34b said...

BC is less white than 75% of ACC

GT has far more gender imbalance than any other ACC school (34% women)

Geezer eagle said...

I understand Berkeley has a quota limit for Asians. They are too smart. Only in Looney CA.