Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Time to start thinking about Northern Illinois

On Monday the Football team officially starts practice. Like all summer camps, there will be plenty of installations, scrimmages and position battles. But the team will also do some work getting ready for Week 1: Northern Illinois.

Don't take a MAC game for granted
In case you forgot, the whole set up against Northern Illinois is a little off and not in BC's favor. We're on the road and the game is a Friday night with a 9:30 PM kickoff. Because it is the first game, the team won't be breaking set routine, but those little schedule issues add up. It makes adjusting that much harder. Remember we had unexpectedly tough MAC road games to start the 2006 and 2004 season. BC is only a slight favorite now.

They have a QB battle too
While the enter the season with more experience at QB than BC, none of it is all that good. Ryan Graham has more experience and ok-ish stats. Daniel Santacaterina has youth and upside. Neither has faced the sort of pressure BC can bring. BC needs to attack these guys early.

BC should be able to run against them
We have an advantage on the OLine and need to ease our QBs into the game and season. The plan should be to run the ball and run some more. Sounds just like Addazio, right? I just hope that there is a bit of creativity in the approach as BC doesn't want to challenge NIU's respectable secondary.

In a season low on cupcakes, BC needs a win to start the year. NIU is a very winnable game. Let's hope the guys start thinking and preparing for that Monday.

21 comments:

knucklehead said...

I will believe the o-line has an advantage when I see it.

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
NYCEagle said...

The oline hasn't been 300+ at every spot since 2014. Size and maturity alone should make this unit much improved

Knucklehead said...

TGS doing his day job hawking the nutrient supplements.

Unknown said...

Until Spaszdazio is run out of town sad times "FOR BOSTON"

Even with all Tyler Murphy's many skills it was generally agreed his passing needed help.

Doug Flutie with many of Tyler's skills but also a great passer was not once consulted by
our moronic Spazdazio.

What makes anyone think he has suddenly developed the skill to develop a good qb?

JBQ said...

The site in question in regard to the spread is indeed at (-3). However if you look at the site more closely, you will note a hint of caution. This site has a prediction of a score of No. Ill 28-----BC 20. It goes on to say that NoI will cover the spread of +3. There are "bad vibes" all over this game. In 2014, there were "storm warnings" out in regard to Colorado State at home. A last second breakdown and a miracle pass beat them 34-31.

John said...

NYC Eagle - when we joined the ACC in 2005 our O-Line was much bigger than it is now. In those days we really could run it straight at them when we had to.

When we beat Clemson in Death Valley, that's pretty much what we did 12 years ago. Of course we could complete passes too.

I'm all for the power game when your line weighs in at 325, 330 and can play smash. But when you try it with a 240 pound Freshman, you are an idiot - like 2 years ago.

Go BC.

Danny Boy said...

John, was our line really that big back in the Jags days? I haven't done any research, but I remember Jags wanting our line slimmer to better match his zone blocking scheme, and I remember a lot of commentary focusing on the diets our line was on.

Danny Boy said...

Also, conspiracy theory time: The BCeagles.com roster page skips over the 2007 and 2008 ACC championship teams. It jumps from 2005 to 2009, so I can't verify my memory there.

John said...

It was Tom O'Brien back then. Yes, Jags did want leaner linemen.

Jeremy Trueblood - 6'9, 330; James Marten 6'8, 325, Josh Beekman 6'3", 325, Gosder Cherilus, 6'7", 320 etc.

Danny Boy said...

Ahh yes, for some reason my mind just blanked that TOB was in the ACC with us, so I set our entry date a few years too late.

Still odd that BC is missing 3 years of rosters.

John said...

I found the rosters from Google sources. But I remember the Clemson game very well - it was when their LB delivered a (seemingly late) vicious hit on Matt Ryan.

I went out of my way to yell at every Clemson fan who could hear me that our O-LINE would punish them for that, and we would run it straight down their throats just to show them who the real tough guys were. And I knew we would do it! When was the last time we felt like that?

Big Jack Krack (when posting from phone, it's "John".)

Unknown said...

BC 27 NIU 10

Unknown said...

Let's not forget that BC finally has some continuity at the Offensive coordinator level. I'd expect the offense to be much more productive given its experience.

John said...

I agree with Chris. I think we will come out of the blocks well this year.

NYCEagle said...

John I think we're on the same page here. BC needs to get back to the days where teams knew they were in for a bludgeoning every time they stepped on the field. Bring your hard hat and put 8 in the box, we're still gonna run it right at you and impose our will. Real blue collar football. No one wanted to play those teams. While our line is still smaller than it was a decade ago, we are moving in the right direction

Guido said...

JBQ - check your memory again on the Colorado State game at home in 2014 !!!! You might find out that we lost to the MAC giant under Coach Addazio !!! Was it not Colorado State 24 and Addazio 21!!!!!!

Guido said...

JBQ - actually misread your comment - thought you had said BC won - My apology !!!!

JBQ said...

@Guido: It was indeed 24-21. I misread my own records. That would be year two of the Addazio regime with now but four years to go including this year. Colorado State is from the Mountain West and won the Big Sky Conference in '99,'00.'02. Also, I always look for comments from BJK. It is interesting to note that he has been sneaking them in under "John".

John said...

JBQ - one of these days I'll sign into Google on my phone, and figure out whatever I have to do to change my screen name back to BJK. I have just been lazy. ☺️

JBQ said...

@John: BJK is a lot more colorful than "John" unless it's "Big Bad John". Whatever happened to those torches that you got out of your closet for the storming of St. Ignatius Church? Your comments are always worth a second reading. I do remember that you didn't renew your season tickets somewhat recently. I really wouldn't classify you as lazy with the passion that goes with your comments.