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.

Dabo tempts fate with Clemsoning rant

After the week we just had, BC could use some football karma to come our way. Could it be Dabo Swinney provided it with his rant about "Clemsoning" (above)? For Dabo's sake, he should have just brushed it off, but coaches are so thinskinned, he had to make a point about it. Please, oh please, Football Gods, please let this sort of rant come back to bite him this weekend. The little Catholic school in Boston would greatly appreciate it.

The reality is that Clemson is great right now. They are doing everything right and taking care of business. I have never been more wrong about a coach than I was about Swinney and still think Addazio should use Swinney as his role model.

I hope is a few years we are where Clemson is, but this weekend, I hope for a full on Clemsoning.

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.

Should Dabo be Addazio's role model?

I've underestimated Dabo Swinney from the start. The accent and name didn't help, but I never understood promoting a Bowden staffer and didn't think much of Dabo's first few years. I thought he was a terrible play caller and game manager and found his "rah rah" stuff grating. Now Clemson sits among the best teams in College Football and comes into BC a 24-point favorite. Clearly Dabo is doing something right.

It all seems to go back to losing at BC to a mediocre Spaz team in 2010. After that Swinney removed himself from the offense and went out to hire the best coordinators he could. He kept himself heavily involved with recruiting and let the coordinators own their sides of the ball. Swinney's gung-ho persona always played well with recruits, but rededicating himself to recruiting kept the pipeline full before anyone knew if Chad Morris's offense would work in the ACC. Since then, Clemson has gone on their best run since the Danny Ford days. Dabo -- despite my skepticism -- seems to know what works for him and Clemson.

Despite the different backgrounds and different jobs, Addazio and Swinney have a lot in common. Both wear their emotions on their sleeves. Both seems to love recruiting and both have been criticized for their play calling. Addazio avoided one of Swinney's first mistakes by not being his own playcaller or co offensive coordinator. He influences the process but it is Day's game. Addazio also realized he needed an ace defensive guy before he joined the ACC, so he hired Don Brown. That's where BC benefited from hiring Addazio after he had gone through coordinators and been a head coach at Temple. Swinney learned those issues while on the job. Where Addazio has yet to meet Swinney's success is on the recruiting trail. Early returns are promising, but Clemson's been doing it for a few years.

Clemson could still pull a Clemson this year. Swinney's show could fall apart when Chad Morris finally gets a head coaching job. I don't know. But right now, he's where we want to be. And should be a example to Addazio to recruit like heck and hire the best guys you can find. It seems to work for these rah rah types,