BC-Clemson preview

A “Year from Hell” is unfortunately not new to BC fans. But the challenge for me with bottoming out under a new coach is always the timing. In my opinion, it is a really bad sign when it happens outside the first season. Losing in the first season can be excused by everyone – fans, recruits, the media, even the school leadership. When you lose like this in Year 2, everyone says “what happened?” Why I am bothered by it happening outside of Year 1, Billy O can do a lot to help the narrative. Put the Pitt game behind you, upset a few teams down the stretch and end with a win or two. It all starts Saturday with Clemson.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
The first major renovation to Alumni became official last week, when BC began sales of their premium Club-level seats. The seats and access are carrying a large price tag, but the change is overdue. Next they need to announce a true renovation to the rest of the stadium. Seating, walkways, food service and bathrooms all need to be improved. I also think Vanderbilt and Army have provided good examples of how smaller stadiums can do these sorts of renovations in phases while the season is going on.

Three Simple Keys
1. Pass first and use the run later. We keep forcing the run and it causes too many three and out drives and puts us in a hole. Let’s pass first and then see if the run game opens up later.
2. Win the turnover battle. It is probably the only way we are winning this game
3. Contain Klubnik on broken plays. We have let opponents break games open on broken plays again and again. It will start with the better tackling but also involves contain and sticking with your assignments.

Gambling Notes
-- Clemson leads the series 21-9-2
-- Dabo is 6-1 at Alumni
-- Clemson has won 12 straight in the series
The current line is BC+14

Factoid Dabo’s first victory as a head coach was at Alumni when he was still serving as the interim coach.

Scoreboard watching
Pitt-FSU. I am curious to see how Pitt does this week. They obviously looked much better than their record last week. I also think people have figured FSU and Castellanos out. Will Pitt look really good again?

BC is in trouble if…we can’t sack Klubnik. We are not generating much pressure. We need to get creative and bring him down.

I hope to see…the Lonergan we saw in the Michigan State game. He had confidence and poise. It has faded since to the point where I thought he should be pulled last week. We know what he can do. Let’s see it.

What ChatGPT Thinks: "based on the odds and expert predictions, Clemson is the strong favorite to win."

Bottom line I hate to do it. I always talk myself into believing, but this is a game where I don’t see us winning. I hope I’m wrong. I think we will play better this week. Maybe even lead at the half. But I think it becomes high scoring and we can’t keep up.
Final Score: Clemson 42, BC 31

BC-Clemson preview

The Red Bandana game morphed into a memorial and a marketing tool, which always makes this night a delicate balance of pride and tackiness. But it is still a great platform. Would ABC put this game on primetime if there wasn’t a great theme and story involved? Probably not. I remain onboard as long as the Crowther family does. I hope the game is exciting and BC uses its stage to celebrate Welles’ spirit, and to play with passion, and win.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Last week, as part of a BC Marketing push, Jeff Hafley and some other BC coaches were in the Mods handing out t-shirts and reaching out to students. In one particular Mod, Hafley came across a “Fire Hafley” sign. He, nor BC, mentioned the incident, so I can only go with the Twitter accounts of what happened. Long story short, he took it in stride. I don’t know if he internalized the slight. I have no idea if it became motivation. No idea if it hurt. I can’t read minds. But I am encouraged that he didn’t make a big deal out of it (or at least didn’t do so in front of students). Some recent coaches would have flipped out. Even successful BC coaches like TOB and Jags were still very sensitive to criticism. Spaz and Addazio took thin-skinned to a new level. This is the first time that Hafley is facing real scrutiny and he seems to be managing it well. I don’t know if that signals long-term confidence or resignation that this won’t end well. But I give him credit for composure. In an ideal world I want a coach who doesn’t care what anyone thinks and doesn’t want to be bothered with student outreach. But if you do have a coach who wants to connect and wants to be involved, I appreciate that we have a coach who understands the criticism and occasional awkward moments come with the territory.

Three Simple Keys
1. Improve the Run Defense. The DLine looked better last week, but Louisville still ran the ball too easily. If we are going to pull off the upset, we need to force them to make mistakes through the air.
2. Keep spreading the ball around. It is so tempting to force things to Zay, but the other guys are stepping up and having some moments. If Zay is doubled, someone should have a good look elsewhere.
3. Make some defensive adjustments midgame. It was obvious to the TV audience and the entire stadium that Louisville was targeting Elijah Jones last week. I have a little more faith in Jones than the Cardinals did, but sometimes it happens that one guy will get picked on. My frustration was with BC’s defensive scheme as the game went on. Why not give him some help? Why not move him around? Why not get him off the field for a play or two? If the other team becomes that predictable, it is on our staff to adjust and take advantage of our knowledge.

Gambling Notes
-- Clemson has won 11 in a row against BC
-- BC is 1-4 against the spread this year
-- Clemson is 2-3 against the spread this year
The current line is BC+20.5

Factoid
The last BC coach to beat Clemson was Spaz.

Scoreboard Watching
The game I thought would be on ABC Saturday night – FSU-NC State – still remains relevant to us. After our game, I thought the ‘Noles were very good. Last week they took a step back. If they lose again, then our loss looks more and more like a missed opportunity.

What I hope to see...
More Jurk running. It wasn’t really part of the game plan last week. His one big gain was from a broken play. Sprinkling a few more keepers off of the read option will help the entire run package.

BC is in trouble if...
We don’t improve our redzone defense. The Defense has been asked to do a lot this year. It is not fair. However, if we are going to win, they need to take it to another level. When the Tigers get in the redzone, we need to force turnovers and field goals.

Bottom Line
This is not some double reverse-jinx to pick us to lose with the idea that it will put some magic karma in the air that we will win. I think we lose this weekend. Clemson is good, while we are still flawed. Is the game close and respectable? Yes. In fact, there is a bit of a moral victory feeling after that we can still get bowl eligible.
Final Score: Clemson 28, BC 24

Wasted opportunities

That one will hurt for a while. BC should have won. This Clemson team is not good and BC's D -- which should be its liability -- did more than enough to win. But the Offense made too many mistakes and Dennis Grosel made more than his fair share of those mistakes for BC to beat anyone. 

I've whined about the Jurk injury already and on social media, but what makes this all more frustrating is that outside of QB, this might be the most talented offense we've had since Foley (if you include the depth and explosiveness of each position group).

Hafley did not sound defeated in the post game. I trust his steady hand to navigate the rest of the season. But I do think he needs to get snaps to other QBs. Just see what he has. Because he knows what he has in Grosel and the upside is very limited.

Game Day Info: Clemson

No comments this year.

What you need to know

Weather: In the 70s and partially cloudy

Radio: SiriusXM 194

TV: ACC Network

BC-Clemson preview

Regardless of what BC does in this game, the post-game narrative will be all about Clemson. If they lose, everyone will talk about how far Clemson has fallen. If they win, it was a bounce back game. So in that sense, BC has nothing to lose. We won't get much credit either way. But a "W" in the Atlantic standings is critical, so let's go win this thing!

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)

I've watched a lot of youtube highlights of last week and having Alumni filled makes a huge difference in how the game and program looks on those clips. When the game is televised live, the TV partner usually is so tight on the action, you rarely see the whole stadium or extensive shots of the crowd. But on these internet clips (usually taken by BC) the difference between packed stands and empty stands is dramatic. If Alumni does undergo renovations, I have no problem shrinking the seating capacity. I just think the density of a crowd needs to be maintained because it looks so much better.

Three Simple Keys

1. Dominate on the OLine. Last week's OLine performance was one the best of the BC unit in years (the home win against USC might have been the last time they looked that dominant at Alumni). Clemson's DLine is not as strong as some of their recent groups. It is paramount that our guys get good push, get to the second level and give Grosel time.

2. Give lots of looks defensively. We kept it simple the first few weeks and last week we dropped lots of guys into coverage. It made for some frustrating 3rd Down defense and didn't bring much pressure, but I think the same attack will work this week. Bend but don't break them to death.

3. Grosel need to be more accurate.  Can he be a 60% passer against Clemson and win? Probably not. But beyond juicing the completion percentage, he needs to be on time and on target (which was still an issue on some passes last week).

Gambling Notes

-- Clemson has won 10 straight in the series

-- BC is 4-1 against the spread in its last five games as an underdog

-- Clemson is 0-4 against the spread this year

The current line is BC+14.5

Factoid

Due to the COVID schedule shuffle, this game has been played three straight times in South Carolina. The teams faced each other four straight times in Boston in the 1940s.

Scoreboard Watching

BC is off to a great start. Clemson is down. Florida State is a mess. But look who is also hot: Wake. It had to be Wake, just when BC is trending up. Let's see if they are for real when they take on Louisville this weekend. Louisville is not special, so a good team should put the Cardinals away.

I hope to see...

Another big day from Patrick Garwo. Because Levy had the big carries late and because we went through the air in OT, Garwo probably didn't get the attention he deserved. If he has another big night, that will be a good sign for BC in this game and going forward.

BC is in trouble if...

We turn the ball over three times. We got lucky last week that the early INT didn't set the tone. Protecting the ball is critical again.

Bottom Line

I think it will be similar to last week on the BC side. I think we will run the ball to control and be conservative on D. I think Clemson has a better D than Mizzou but a worse offense, so I expect fewer points overall. In the end, I think we ride the Oline to another huge victory.

Final Score: BC 28, Clemson 24

Clemson is a reminder why great football can change a school

The only people who seem to disbelieve the "Flutie effect" are the ones at Doug's alma mater. But it is real and now as the college market place changes, having really good football is even more important for a place like BC. Great football will remain the best marketing tool the school has. If you don't believe it, look no further than Clemson. 

In 2007, the last year before Dabo, Clemson had 14,504 applications for their freshmen class. Last year 29,070 applied to Clemson. The school is transformed. 42% of the students are now from out of state.

BC's needs to figure out many aspects of their experience. Who knows what students and parents will want and pay for. But supporting and demanding great football can be critical. Just look at Clemson.

Daz could never be Dabo, can Hafley be a BC version of the Clemson coach?

Every year when we play Clemson, I flagellate myself for being so wrong about Dabo, who is now arguably the best coach in College Football. There is no denying what he has done at Clemson. 

For a long time I advocated that Steve Addazio had the perfect personality and strengths to emulate Dabo at BC. We all know he never could. Although Addazio shared Swinney's emotion, big personality and love of recruiting, he never learned to empower his staff like Dabo, nor ever even came close to learning to manage a game like the Clemson coach. Now we have a new coach who shares some of Dabo's strengths. But I think Jeff Hafley can be more than Swinney...an improved, BC-version of Dabo.

The most obvious commonality I see between Swinney and Hafley is how they talk and relate to players. They both seem to relate to the kids and understand how to motivate through positivity and confidence. This persona and communication skills seem to be having a Dabo-like impact on BC recruiting. Players are excited to play for Hafley and that will hopefully translate to a talent upgrade. It is early and we are not privileged to all that is going on, but Hafley also seems to be giving his coordinators a lot of autonomy. Maybe not as much as Swinney gives his staff, but certainly more than we've seen from recent BC coaches. If Hafley can follow Swinney's model of finding the best players and coaches and then getting out of their way, he will have success.  

Swinney isn't just motivation and talent evaluation. He's also been aggressive as a game manager. Though it is early, I think Hafley has shown Dabo-like qualities when it comes to game management. We are aggressive and have played to win throughout. Hafley has also had his team managed and prepared for close, tight games. 

Where I think Hafley can be more than Dabo is in how he carries himself. Dabo's personality and background work at Clemson. I don't think it would work everywhere. Even if he won in Boston, I think the media and portions of our Alumni would never take him seriously. Hafley doesn't have that problem. Aside from the northeast roots, he also is more earnest and serious than Swinney. That professionalism and seriousness, combined with winning and emotion, will win over even the most cynical BC fan or Boston media member. 

I will preface this by saying that although Hafley might have more upside than Swinney, I don't think that means BC is going to win multiple National Championships. The schools are in two very different situations and have two different coaches. Hafley's NFL experience  means that any success will spark NFL interest. Dabo's aw shucks shtick had most of the NFL dismissing him until recently. Clemson can keep Dabo happy financially to the point where the only jobs people even speculate about for him are the NFL and Alabama. If Hafley becomes a hot name, there will be plenty of College Football factories that come calling. I don't think he will take the first job offered to him, but I also realize that if the right one comes along, it will be tough to turn down.

The unknown in all of this is how Hafley will manage himself. Dabo is one of the rare people in any profession, who stepped back after failure, recognized the mistakes he was making and then had the ability to fix those problems. Most people let their egos get in the way. Hafley seems to have the right sort of personality to self-assess. He has owned up to his mistakes and shown that he can fix them game-to-game. If he can implement those same program-wise fixes, we are going to enjoy our own version of Dabo. 

Clemson embarrasses BC

When you enter a game as a 34-point underdog, winning is not expected. You plan and hope for the "W", but your primary goal should be to play your best and put up a fight. BC did neither in their loss to Clemson. The Tigers throttled BC in nearly every phase of the game. But most embarrassing was Boston College's Defense.

The talent between our D and their O was already a mismatch. But the awful tackling and continued blown assignments should not be happening in the eighth game of the season, regardless of who you are playing. Any sign of improvement from last week was wiped away.

Grosel was also overmatched. Do you pull him going into Syracuse? No, but his leash has gotten shorter. If any of the future games get out of reach, you might as well see what Valecce can do.

Dillon hit some BC milestones in rushing and TDs. I wish the marks had occurred in a less frustrating game.

Syracuse presents a great opportunity to bounce back. With Addazio being Addazio, I expect us to look like a different team next week.

Clemson embarrasses BC

When you enter a game as a 34-point underdog, winning is not expected. You plan and hope for the "W", but your primary goal should be to play your best and put up a fight. BC did neither in their loss to Clemson. The Tigers throttled BC in nearly every phase of the game. But most embarrassing was Boston College's Defense.

The talent between our D and their O was already a mismatch. But the awful tackling and continued blown assignments should not be happening in the eighth game of the season, regardless of who you are playing. Any sign of improvement from last week was wiped away.

Grosel was also overmatched. Do you pull him going into Syracuse? No, but his leash has gotten shorter. If any of the future games get out of reach, you might as well see what Valecce can do.

Dillon hit some BC milestones in rushing and TDs. I wish the marks had occurred in a less frustrating game.

Syracuse presents a great opportunity to bounce back. With Addazio being Addazio, I expect us to look like a different team next week.

Clemson embarrasses BC

When you enter a game as a 34-point underdog, winning is not expected. You plan and hope for the "W", but your primary goal should be to play your best and put up a fight. BC did neither in their loss to Clemson. The Tigers throttled BC in nearly every phase of the game. But most embarrassing was Boston College's Defense.

The talent between our D and their O was already a mismatch. But the awful tackling and continued blown assignments should not be happening in the eighth game of the season, regardless of who you are playing. Any sign of improvement from last week was wiped away.

Grosel was also overmatched. Do you pull him going into Syracuse? No, but his leash has gotten shorter. If any of the future games get out of reach, you might as well see what Valecce can do.

Dillon hit some BC milestones in rushing and TDs. I wish the marks had occurred in a less frustrating game.

Syracuse presents a great opportunity to bounce back. With Addazio being Addazio, I expect us to look like a different team next week.

Clemson embarrasses BC

When you enter a game as a 34-point underdog, winning is not expected. You plan and hope for the "W", but your primary goal should be to play your best and put up a fight. BC did neither in their loss to Clemson. The Tigers throttled BC in nearly every phase of the game. But most embarrassing was Boston College's Defense.

The talent between our D and their O was already a mismatch. But the awful tackling and continued blown assignments should not be happening in the eighth game of the season, regardless of who you are playing. Any sign of improvement from last week was wiped away.

Grosel was also overmatched. Do you pull him going into Syracuse? No, but his leash has gotten shorter. If any of the future games get out of reach, you might as well see what Valecce can do.

Dillon hit some BC milestones in rushing and TDs. I wish the marks had occurred in a less frustrating game.

Syracuse presents a great opportunity to bounce back. With Addazio being Addazio, I expect us to look like a different team next week.

BC-Clemson preview

What a difference a win makes. Instead of dreading this game, I actually have some hope. Is BC pulling off the biggest upset in program history? Probably not. Will I be cursing Addazio by the end of BC's first possession? Probably. But does BC have an outside chance to make this interesting? Yes.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Amidst all the speculation on Addazio's future, there is still plenty of talk of where BC belongs and who is responsible for the conference shift and who gets credit, etc. I can't believe we are still having this conversation in 2019. Regardless of what UConn did or does, BC is in the Big East in a way that UConn is not. We are in the same conference as Miami, Pitt, Virginia Tech and Syracuse. Throw in the weird Notre Dame relationship and Louisville (who weren't a real Big East team) and we are clearly where we belong. But what is not discussed in the who belongs where and who deserves credit nonsense is that BC's current position was somewhat inevitable. All the original Big East Football schools aside from Temple ended up in Power 5 conferences. Defilippo will always take credit, but it probably would have happened with or without him. The only real big decision looming is what to do when the P5 conferences break away from the NCAA and become a true minor league. I think that is coming. I just hope our leadership has a plan.

Three Simple Keys
1. Don't abandon the running game. Like everyone else, Clemson will sell out to stop our run game. They will probably be more successful doing so than others. The key for BC is to stay with it. It is the only advantage we have. We need to keep pounding them. Eventually, big plays will break.
2. Bring lots of pressure. Lawrence can handle the pressure. But I like our chances of coming at him instead of playing lots of zone. Our DBs can't be trusted in lots of zone against mediocre QBs. Against a great one, they will be killed.
3. Grosel has to complete at least 50% of his passes. He doesn't need to be aggressive or make huge throws. But he has to keep Clemson honest and hit some passes.

Gambling Notes
-- BC has lost eight straight to Clemson
-- Dabo is 70-7 at home
-- Addazio is 16-16 on the road as BC's coach
The current line is BC+33.5

Factoid
BC hasn't won at Clemson since this game.

Scoreboard Watching
Florida State and Syracuse is somewhat interesting. Both teams' seasons are teetering. A big loss for either might have them packing it in when they play us.

I hope to see...
Some kickoffs in bounds. Who knows what was going on last week. Hopefully it is corrected.

BC is in trouble...
If the DBs are lost again. The young guys played well last week (and arguably better than most of the starters from earlier in the year). This is a different sort of game. If they allow Clemson guys to run free, BC is toast.

Bottom line
Clemson has the occasional hiccup. If our OLine dominates and if the D is serviceable, I think BC can make this an interesting game. I think it is a slugfest and but BC attempts field goals instead of going for it and can't keep up.
Finale Score: Clemson 24, BC 16

Will Addazio ever beat Clemson?

We all know Addazio's issues. But the one that is probably least discussed is his record against Clemson (0-6). The Tigers are the only team on BC's annual schedule that Addazio has not beaten. There have been moments and one relatively close game, but in his six previous tries nothing has turned BC's way and he has never bested Dabo and Company.

Now the Addazio apologists would point out that Addazio's time at BC also coincided with the best six years in Clemson Football history. But that is out of Addazio's control. As is playing them every year. But that familiarity of playing them annually should result in the occasional upset. Since Addazio has been at BC, Pitt, Syracuse, Florida State and Georgia Tech have all pulled off upsets against the Tigers.

I don't expect a miracle this year. Clemson is once again a heavy favorite. But I think that too often Addazio has purposefully tried to play it close against them in order to pull off an upset. That hasn't worked, so why not go for broke and play every trick in the bag? At this point, he has nothing to lose.

What's good for Clemson is good for BC

I rooted for Clemson last night for a variety of reasons. First, I've always enjoyed games there and their fans are always refreshingly nice. Second, their success helps the ACC. It improves our TV money. It improves the perception of the conference among the media, recruits and fans. Clemson helps legitimize everything associated with the ACC. You can't dismiss the conference -- as so many are wont to do -- if it is producing champions. Finally, I rooted for Clemson because their success makes BC's potential success that much more attainable.

Although it wasn't all that long ago, when BC joined the ACC, Clemson was arguably a peer program. At the time, their historical winning percentage was nearly identical and they were branded as constant underachievers. Even the first few years of Dabo were a bit uneven. However, through patience, embracing who they were, maximizing their program's advantages and identity, and through putting together a great recruiting and coaching staff, they became a juggernaut.

I know BC's advantages and identity are not the same as Clemson's. But that doesn't mean we are getting the most out of who we are and what we can be. I hope seeing it done in our own division, is a reminder to BC leadership and fans that it can be done in Chestnut Hill.

Congrats to Clemson. I hope one day to thank Clemson too, for forging a path that BC followed.

Great day turns to frustrating night

It is already starting. If you read social media or message boards, some BC fans are vocally frustrated with BC coming up short in a big game again and think Addazio didn't do enough or play for the win. The Offense was frustrating to watch, but I don't know if things would have been drastically different with Anthony Brown. Clemson's DLine was that disruptive. Regardless of where you are on the QB debate, everyone has to acknowledge a great performance by the BC defense. They contained the hottest offense in college football and made plenty of big plays. The Special Teams also deserves credit for an early spark. 

We are not ready to challenge Clemson yet. That is clear. But if Addazio is a very good coach, he will still finish strong and figure out how to score potentially without Brown and with Dillon at less than 100%. 

There is a lot of good takeaways from Gameday and certain players and as always, lots of questions. 

In-game comments post: Clemson

It is all been pointing to this. Not much else to say. Let's do it!

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BC-Clemson preview

When you are involved in a long-term goal, there are many obstacles and setbacks along the way. But overcoming and enduring those issues are mentally part of the process. You're prepared for problems and prepared to pick up pieces. One thing that is hard to prepare is when you get to "the moment." The point where the past meets the present and it is all supposed to happen. That's the tough part. That is the real unknown. In football it is about how the staff and 90 something kids handle it. This is the time. This is why they all do what they do. Now can the deliver?

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game) 
All the hype has led to a rehashing of the "people in Boston don't care about BC sports" narrative again. This is wrong. Media coverage doesn't equal interest or "care." Just because sports radio is not talking about BC or we don't get much traditional print coverage doesn't mean anything. BC will have 45,000 people on hand to see this game. Only the Patriots will draw more at one time this month. More people will watch this game (and most of our games) than watch the Bruins or Celtics regular season games. If BC were to somehow make a playoff run, it would be a bigger TV draw than anything the Bruins or Celtics do all year and only really trail the Patriots and Red Sox playoffs. There is passionate interest and plenty of casual interest. Vocal BC fans should stop worrying about the media interest and just enjoy the moment.

Three Simple Keys
1. Aggressive game management. When faced with a Clemson powerhouse, we've seen Addazio go very, very conservatively. Who can forget all the times he punted at Death Valley when he had the ball in Clemson territory? He needs to go for it more often and unleash his big Special Teams moments to help build confidence and momentum.
2. Get to Lawrence. We can't let him sit back and throw. The Clemson WRs are too good and will win those one on one matchups (like NC State did). We need to bring extra pressure and at least have the pocket collapsing.
3. A perfect game from the Oline. This won't happen if there are no holes for Dillon and/or his backups. This won't happen if Brown is rushed or has no throwing lanes. We need to Oline to dominate like the best BC lines have done in the past.

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio is 0-5 vs Clemson
-- Addazio is 1-9 vs teams ranked in the Top 10
-- Swinney is 34-17 on the road
The current line is BC+20

Factoid
This is the latest into the season that Clemson has travelled to Alumni for an ACC game and only the second time they've played in Alumni in November.

Scoreboard Watching
Assuming we take care of business, the most important game for our future is Virginia Tech-Pitt. The winner of that is in the driver seat for the Coastal and could be a critical future opponent.

I hope to see...
Storming the field.

BC is in trouble if...
Brown completes less than 50% of his passes. We don't need him to be great, but we can't have him hurt us. He needs to hit the easy stuff, keep them honest with his legs and maybe make two true deep throws.

Overall
I am probably fooling myself, but I think things are lining up for a big night for BC. I think we get up early and Clemson struggles to adjust to the cold or pressure or whatever gets them off schedule. We get a little conservative in the second half as Clemson comes back, but hold on in the end.
Final Score: BC 28, Clemson 24

The biggest games at Alumni since expansion

BC has hosted Gameday before and had plenty of road tests. But it has been less common for these big matchups to be home at Alumni Stadium. I decided to look back at the critical home games since Alumni expanded in 1994. The larger venue, the expansion of the Notre Dame series and our transition from independent football to conference allowed more big games to come to Chestnut Hill. As you will see, my list is not always about the ranked team. Sometimes the big games were when our fans were engaged and ready for something special. I also based these on the feeling prior to the game and not the outcome. Here's my Top Ten list.

1. No. 8 Notre Dame, 1994
BC wasn't ranked at the time and the enthusiasm for Dan Henning was limited, but the fanbase was still pumped for Notre Dame's first trip to Alumni. The upset of Notre Dame from the year before was fresh, so people were also looking to continue the celebration and feel of that moment. BC went on to thrash the Irish again. It was probably the best moment of the Henning era.

2. No 2. Clemson, 2018
This weekend is setting up to be a huge moment in BC Football. Although we've had success under Addazio, it could be argued that BC Football hasn't mattered for a decade. That changes if we win this game and win the Division.

3. No. 1 Miami, 2001
There are plenty of parallels between this game and this week's Clemson game. Miami was in the middle of an incredible run and had arguably the most talented team in college football history. For added drama, BC's best playmaker William Green was suspended for this game. BC executed the perfect bend but don't break gameplan and nearly pulled off the upset, until Ed Reed saved the 'Canes' season.

4. Syracuse, 2004
This was supposed to be a formality. It was the final home game of the season against a lame duck Orange team. It was supposed to be wrap up BC's first Big East title and first major bowl since Flutie. It didn't end well.

5. No. 8 Florida State, 2005
This was the first time BC hosted Gameday. One could argue that hosting Gameday was an even bigger deal then (I have an upcoming post on the diminishing profile of Gameday). It was also our first ACC game and the first time Florida State and Bobby Bowden visited Alumni. Bowden was a legend and Florida State was an annual contender. We joined the ACC for this sort of moment.

6. Maryland, 2008
Many of our biggest games under Jags were on the road, but the rollercoaster 2008 season culminated with a home game against Maryland. Win and BC wins the division. They pulled it off in a night game at Alumni and the place was rocking from the opening kick.

7. No. 4 Virginia Tech, 2000
Michael Vick and the Hokies were coming off a Championship game appearance and were a must see team. This was a national game on CBS when CBS still had a Big East deal. Vick would deliver one of the best performances I've seen by a visiting player.

8. No. 8 USC, 2014
Anytime a traditional power comes to Alumni, it is a big deal. The Trojans were supposed to be "back" and ready to reclaim their status as an elite team. At this point Addazio was just trying to prove that his early success was not a fluke.

9. No. 12 Clemson, 2006
While Florida State's first visit was a bigger deal historically, Clemson fans helped this one feel big. There was orange all around Boston and in Alumni. The teams went to OT for the second year in a row and for the second year in a row the good guys won.

10. No. 11 Michigan, 1995
Night games used to be much rarer in College Football and around BC. When Michigan came to town, it was a huge deal and also on a primetime ESPN game.

Honorable Mention: Notre Dame 2003, No. 22 Virginia Tech 2006, Notre Dame 2008, No. 8 Florida State 2013

Clemson ends BC's ACC Tourney run

BC's fun week came to an end Thursday as they lost to Clemson in the ACC Tournament. The commentators referenced BC playing its third game in three days as the primary source of the loss. While Bowman and Robinson didn't have their same burst early, many of BC's problems were self inflicted and unrelated to playing multiple days. BC played at Clemson's pace early and allowed a mediocre 3-point shooting team to take and make more than their usual 3-point shot selection.

BC cut their deficit to two late but couldn't tie it up or get any closer. A few bad possessions and Clemson locked down the game.

All in all, it was a good week. BC probably locked up an NIT bid and proved that they can compete with any NIT team. Now let's go win that thing!

Second viewing thoughts and grades: Clemson

This team is better than their record and better than the current point differential. Watching the game again, you can see noticeable improvement in certain units. It shows that the coaches are still coaching and the players are still buying in. And it is not just watching that makes me think that. Monday morning, I talked to a person who sat among the players and coaches' families at Clemson (as a guest of BC). This person is no fan of Addazio. But the relayed message was clear: these families were into it. They were buying in during the game and in good spirits after. Addazio still has his staff and his locker room. That belief as well as the signs of improvement are what Addazio needs to save the season. Yet, I still don't trust him. The guy might be doing the right things behind the scenes, but he is giving these games away. He is terrible as a game manager. I don't know if we deserve to be 3-1 or 2-2 right now, but I do know the scores don't measure this team's potential. All they measure is that their head coach is inept in planning and execution of game strategy.

Offense: D

Brown did not play all that well. He had time and still made some bad throws and questionable decisions. He misses guys and is not being aggressive enough with some of his downfield looks. I know part of it could be coaching. Maybe they fear him forcing too much. But when he has the time he did against an elite D, he needs to make better throws.

I thought Dillon looked okay. He hits the hole hard and pushes the defense for another yard or two. In a game like this we needed him to either run over someone or make a few more guys miss. Hilliman was more decisive and looked okay in the passing game.

The Tight Ends blocked better and it made a difference. We even used them as H-backs at times.

If you want to bank on one reason for optimism, it is the OLine. They are getting better every week. Petrula is playing beyond his years. Lindstrom had his best game of the season. The left side did a good job opening holes and giving Brown time. Even Lazard looked better.

Smith had a nice long catch but most were short gainers. We need him to start shaking tacklers or something. White played well and hustled with good run after the catch. Sweeney was good.

I thought the game plan was bad. You are basically controlling the best front seven in the conference and you can't get first downs? Why not take more chances? Why not get the ball to guys who might actually break something open like Smith or White? When you dedicate so much time to running, there is going to be play action opportunities. We just didn't do enough of that. You can't beat elite teams when you only score seven points. I blame Addazio for most of that, but Loeffler shares some of the burden since we are still having trouble scoring on his watch.

Defense: C-

Landry played better. He let Bryant escapes a few times but overall was very disruptive and drew a lot of attention. Something remains off with Allen. He seems slowers. Merritt looked fine. Rayam looked okay as he got more time. Ray had some nice tackles. Ray Smith did a good job up the middle.

Bletzer had his best game and blew up multiple plays. Schwab was fine. Richardson was fine. Lamont looked good getting extensive playing time.

The DBs as a group were very good. Denis made multiple plays and had an INT. Harris still looks just okay and missed a few tackles. I don't know why he is not having the impact expected. Moore played well. Yiadom played well. Torres made a tackle.

Addazio said that the goal was to get Clemson to work it down the field. But what I appreciate is that we still brought pressure on occasion and got to the QB. The tackling wasn't great. The scheme was fine. My biggest problem is that we can't seem to stop the opposing QB from running on us. We've got to get that fixed.

Special Teams: B 

Mike Knoll might make first team all ACC. The only thing that frustrates me is that his good punts are helping rationalize Addazio's poor decisions.

The punt coverage has been good. Considering Clemson's play makers and the number of times we punted, only allowing one big return was good (and of course Knoll made the tackle).

Walker is being aggressive in his returns. I do think he will break something soon.

Colton Lichtenberg hit his only chance off the post. It was frustrating but not a terrible shank.

Overall: D

Things were going according to Addazio's plan right up until they didn't. I've belabored how antiquated his approach is and how he is a bad game manager. No need to rehash. One day it will work, but not against great teams with competent coaches. I am beyond frustrated. The only reason that another blowout didn't earn an F is because there is some noticeable improvement in certain units and some of the guys are playing their hearts out.