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.

We're all Clemson fans tonight

I don't know about you, but I am rooting for Clemson in the National Championship tonight. There are more than a few reasons as to why.

What's good for the ACC is good for BC

Florida State's Championship was good for all of college football as it broke the SEC's monopoly on Championships. But even with Ohio State's win the following year, it didn't change the narrative that the SEC is still the best conference in football. However, if the ACC wins another title Monday, combined with the conference's success in out of conference games and bowl games and throw in the Heisman trophy, and it will hard to argue that any conference is better. With that perception comes respect, attention, recruits and money. BC's program won't suddenly change overnight, but the halo effect will make things easier for BC and improve our chances of getting better.

Clemson is the more realistic model for BC

Alabama got here by hiring a great mercenary coach. His wisdom and leadership combined with their tradition and resources led to this historic run of success. Clemson got here by promoting a relatively unknown young coach who after some initial stumbles, unlocked Clemson's long discussed, but never reached potential. Dabo woke the Sleeping Giant. BC is not a Sleeping Giant, but I don't think we've maximized our resources and potential in a long time. If -- or when -- we do, it is more likely to come from a youngish coach who figures it out at BC, instead of some hired gun.

Clemson fans are some of the best in sports

Aside from being overly friendly and welcoming on trips to Death Valley, the Clemson community has done other things to earn my respect. They wrote hundreds of letters to Clarence Megwa when he broke his leg in a Clemson game. They raised a lot of money for Mark Herzlich's charities when he first announced his cancer. They've built a fan culture that goes out of its way to demonstrate sportsmanship. I can be a cynical jerk in life and certainly as a fan, but I do respect that culture. The alternative is much, much worse.

Go Tigers!

How many Clemson fans were at Alumni?

BC listed Friday's game as a sellout. The stadium didn't look completely full, but something was noticeable: all the orange.

More orange than maroon and gold tonight. Pathetic crowd and mostly Clemson @bcatleagle pic.twitter.com/bQXOMdWxDB

— Chris Eidt (@cjeidt) October 7, 2016

@bcatleagle pic.twitter.com/7mFEbt8brN

— PanickyFloyd (@PanickyFloyd) October 8, 2016

Clemson fans are known for travelling and I don't begrudge them. They're great people and I've always enjoyed interacting with them. This is also not the first time they've traveled in droves to Alumni. What made this trip different is that they were not limited to the traditional "visitors" sections (Lower East corner on the Beacon St. side, small section of north endzone, and upperdeck endzone). This time they were everywhere. The Tiger fans were sitting in BC fans' seats. This meant that BC fans either resold their tickets like never before, or the season ticket base has dwindled much more than BC has let on and BC sold all those traditional "BC" seats.

I understand why Clemson fans wanted to be there. Boston is a great trip and the team is in the middle of a great run. What Brad Bates and BC should worry about is why didn't more BC fans want to be there. We've been big underdogs at home before (think back to some of those Miami games or during the Spaz years). But big name opponents still brought out BC fans. Now they either don't care or are so turned off by the gameday experience and product on the field that they would rather stay home.

The remaining home games are such that I don't think you'll see visitors take over Alumni again this year. I just hope BC fans start to show up.

Lessons from the National Championship Game

I think BC is a long way from winning a National Champion in Football, but there are still plenty that BC and Addazio can learn from new Champions Alabama and the ACC's Clemson. 

-- In-game coaching matters and so does being aggressive. Saban is great at many aspects of coaching, but he's a very good game manager. Calling the onside kick was gutsy and pressed his advantage. But it wasn't just a gutsy call, it was also well planned. They saw Clemson leave that side of the field open and caught them by surprise.

-- Depth matters. You can only play 11 guys at once, but because of their recruiting momentum, Alabama has incredible talent all over their second and even third teams. That allows them to rotate fresh players. It allows them to overcome injury. And it means an afterthought like O.J. Howard can dominate as soon as he is given the ball. BC cannot recruit the same type of player as Alabama, but BC can upgrade its roster. Every guy on scholarship should be able to play. Addazio has improved the talent level, but he needs to do more.

-- The ACC's belongs in the Power 5. Unfortunately perception still matters in College Football and the media would love to dismiss the ACC. But Florida State's win two years ago and Clemson's showing this season, reinforces that the ACC has great talent. 

How good is Clemson's Defense?

Clemson DC Brent Venables

After touching on BC's win, Addazio quickly turned his Monday press conference to Clemson and their Defense. He seems legitimately scared of the Tigers. This wasn't fluffy coach talk, Addazio is comparing them to the 2009 Alabama team he faced at Florida. Addazio is always respectful of our upcoming opponents but this was over the top for him. It got me thinking, if he is this worried, should we all be worried? After looking at the stats, I don't know what he's seeing.

I do think Clemson is talented and will give us trouble, but the numbers don't back up Addazio's fears. The Tigers are a middle of the pack defense so far. Their 7th in the ACC in scoring per game and 3rd in yards per game (just slightly ahead of BC). Georgia scored 45 on them and UNC score 35. They held Florida State to 23 points, but that was without Winston.

Will they put pressure on BC? Sure. Do they have playmakers? Of course. Is Venables a good coordinator? Yes, but we knew that last year. They contained our main threat in Williams, but Willis and Amidon exploited them for big TDs. This year we have more weapons and are not as one dimensional. Scoring won't be easy, but we have plenty of guys who can break a big play.

Addazio knows more about his team and more about Clemson than I do. Maybe he's right. I just hope we are giving the Clemson coaches the same sort of worries they are giving us.

Clemson talent and other links

Reader Jeff sent along this link comparing Clemson and BC's talent. What's interesting is how this study captures so many misnomers. First he is working the assumption that the recruiting services are good at evaluating mid-level talent. Second, there is the issue of coaching. As much as I criticize Spaz, I think our staff is better than most of the other ACC staffs -- especially Clemsons. Finally depth isn't as important as the recruiting services would have you believe. In most programs, the best players play the majority of the minutes. The writer acknowledges the limitations of his post, but doesn't point to the real problem -- Clemson recruits are often overrated.

HD thinks Ramsey will have a big year. I think the DLine will exceed most expectations but have my doubts Ramsey will become a game-changer.

Caroline King is one of three Eagles headed to the NCAA East Regional for Track and Field.

The Rugby team will play in the Collegiate Sevens Championship next week.

BC-Clemson lovefest continues

If you haven't seen it, Sandon Herzlich wrote a thank you letter to the Clemson fans. It is well worth the read. Let me echo his statement that the Clemson fans are the best in the ACC.

With our ND series set to go on hiatus, I strongly encourage all current and future BC students to turn Clemson into the away game destination. It is an easier trip to make, has a better tailgate environment, and in my opinion is a more exciting stadium experience.

I never would have anticipated the benefit of being in the same division as Clemson, but it has been one of the best parts of joining the ACC.

Clemson thoughts

As you watch the Tommy Bowden mess unfold at Clemson, all BC fans should thank our lucky stars for Gene D. Our AD is not perfect by any means. I could go on about fundraising issues, marketing challenges or various other complaints, but his iron grip on the Athletic Department has its upside during moments like this. Just compare and contrast Bowden-Clemson with O'Brien-Boston College.

Paying for results
Walking out of Death Valley after BC's win last fall, it was clear that the majority of Clemson fans were tired of Bowden. A few weeks later Arkansas came calling and offered him their job. Clemson, fearing a missed opportunity with their returning talent, got in a bidding war and resigned Tommy with a $4 million buyout. In 2006 when TOB had turned off a good portion of BC fans and NC State came calling, Gene D. let TOB walk. He could have opened up the checkbook and probably got TOB to come back. He certainly risked wasting Matt Ryan's senior year with an unknown coach. But he rolled the dice that change needed to be made. He wasn't going to get in a bidding war for a coach he and his fans didn't want.

Dealing with Alumni and Boosters
It seems like Clemson boosters were calling the shots here and forced the move after Bowden fumbled away the Wake game and then threw his QB under the bus. When BC made its change, the Alumni were kept at a distance (for the most part). There were some gripes afterwards from movers and shakers like Greg Barber but it was an university and athletic department decision, as it should be.

Protecting the students
After the Bowden news broke Clemson players started sounding off in the media with a variety of vicious quotes about their former coach. I couldn't believe this. It didn't surprise me that this guys were pissed. It did surprise me that no one from the school rounded them up and gave them talking points and media coaching. Where was their AD? Where was their SID? Why didn't one of the assistants get them in a room and remind them to take the high road in all interviews? When TOB left BC all you heard were a few cookie cutter sound bites from team leaders. All praised TOB and all spoke positively of the future at BC. Letting your student athletes speak off the cuff like Clemson did is irresponsible. The kids are too close to the situation and lack perspective. How bad does Cullen Harper look right now? If Clemson had any leadership someone would have controlled media access to the players.

BC has had its rough patches, but a smart and empowered AD makes a world of difference when things are in flux.