Why this trip to San Francisco is different

I know some of those around the program are disappointed in another trip to San Francisco but of all the potential options this might have the most upside.

At the end of the day bowls are a showcase for the team. This is a chance to close our season against a highly ranked team. It is a chance to end the season in the last game before the National Championship. It is prime time on a Sunday following NFL playoff football. Sports and football fans will watch. Last year's Boston College-USC game is the third-most-watched college bowl game in ESPN history. This should surpass that. We have a strong contingent of BC fans in Northern California. The late date should give them plenty of time to sell tickets and organize.

Nevada also offers a good test. They are explosive yet a running team. Their defense is solid, but hasn't faced a team or scheme like ours all season. It is a short trip for them, but they haven't played on this field before.

I hate having a month off but I like the idea of BC playing on a weekend night during a regular week. Those "bowl week" games get lost in the shuffle and are mostly forgettable. This won't be.

I will have more on the game, the set up and Nevada in the weeks ahead. I would love to be prepping for a Orange Bowl, but when we were 2-5 this day seemed impossible. All things considered, playing in San Francisco is a nice problem to have.

Bowls Pros and Cons

As usual this time of year, the Bowl picture is a jumble. To recap, BC is a bad ticket seller, but a pretty good TV draw. Our 4-4 conference record negates the "BC rule" which means all the eligible ACC teams can be selected ahead of us. The good news though is that Clemson, Miami and Georgia Tech all ended their seasons with a thud and are not expected to buy tickets in bulk. BC is in the mix for the Sun (El Paso), Military (Washington, D.C.) and the Kraftfighthunger (San Francisco). I've covered some of this ground before, but now that we know some of the opponents and new options, I will do a quick Pros and Cons.

Sun Bowl
Pros: Historic. Easily the most prestigious Bowl BC will have played in since the Outback/Hall of Fame with Coughlin. It is sort of a local event in El Paso, so ticket sales are not a big deal. They are more concerned with good TV ratings. We don't have a big alumni base in west Texas, but who knows, our fans in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio might rally. It's got a decent date and TV timeslot (December 31 at 2 PM). There is a rumored SEC opponent.
Cons: It is in El Paso. I've been to El Paso. It has its charm but very, very few BC fans are going to make that trip. It is also down on the list of desirable locations for the players and their families. The rumored SEC opponent is still just a rumor. We could very well end up playing a MAC team. The violence across the border has taken away from some of the seedy charm a trip to El Paso used to have. Fans and players can't wander over to Mexico to check things out.

Military
Pros: It's close. It's near one of our biggest Alumni centers. We might sell a decent amount of tickets.
Cons: We would play East Carolina and Dominique Davis. The BC DC Club fears that the 29th might be a bad date to generate interest and ticket sales. It is a bad date for exams and practice schedules and a less appealing TV timeslot (2:30 PM).

Kraft Fight Hunger
Pros: It is a good date and is potentially against Boise State or Nevada.
Cons: We were just there and it is potentially against Boise State or Nevada.

My opinion
Knowing that we would face East Carolina soured me on the Military Bowl. It is the ultimate lose/lose game. Our fans won't care. The Dominique Davis narrative is overwhelming and I actually think ECU would give us a heck of a game. I don't know if BC fans have noticed but they have a prolific offense. We could slow them down, but could our offense score enough?

I've been in favor of a return trip to San Francisco and the prospect of Nevada or Boise State makes it that much more appealing. In my mind it is a win/win. We would be huge underdogs against Boise State and slight underdogs against Nevada. I actually think that with a month to prepare we would and could beat both. It would be a huge attention getter at the end of the season and end the season on a high note.

The Sun Bowl seems like a decent and safe fit. Ticket sales are not a factor (which screams BC!). We would get it checked off of the ACC rotation (would you rather go to the Sun Bowl this year or in a year where we went 10-2). The biggest plus is that we could face a name yet struggling team like Georgia or Tennessee. For many BC fans the name means more than the ranking.

With all that said, my vote is for the Sun and I hope Gene is working the phones now.

He said it

“Nobody wants to play in the Emerald Bowl”
-- USC WR Brice Butler regarding Pete Carroll's desire to move on to greater challenges. Aside from the outcome, I sort of liked the Emerald Bowl. I guess Brice hasn't seen some of the other ACC options.

Once again BC tops TV ratings

Per ESPN's tweet, the Emerald Bowl was the highest rated game of the weekend. USC certainly helped, but one thing that is consistent in all of our bowls, is that BC brings in the eyeballs. Now if we can ever convert that into tickets...

Second viewing thougths and grade report: USC

This was a frustrating game to watch back and not just because of the inexplicably bad officiating. [In addition to the poor replay decisions, there were several bad spots and as noted on the broadcast, they were slow on the whistles -- which is very dangerous.] The frustration came from how close this could have gone the other way. Some of the mistakes were on Shinskie, but then some of our best like Harris, Kuechly and Claiborne also made errors.


Offense: C+

One season into his career and I don't think we know what we have in Dave Shinskie. This game didn't clear up anything. There are moments when he makes some really nice throws. His pass to Jarvis between the zones stands out. Yet other passes were late or one-hopers or forced. He also lost focus on a shotgun snap and still is not using his outlets and checkdowns. The good news is that he looked good with a moving pocket and on a few runs. He also is willing to stand in the pocket and make a throw (I just wish the throws were better). His scatter shot throws in the second half limited the offense. Let's hope he takes his game to the next level next year.

Harris' fumble was a killer. I know the ball was slick and field was sloppy, but in the red zone you have to hold on. I also wish he would hand off on occasion out of the bazooka/shotgun. On the positive side, he made some nice cuts and ran through a bunch of USC tacklers. McCluskey was good in limited action. I wish he had been healthy all year.

Rich Gunnell might have moved up a few draft boards with his performance. Good runs, good hands and surprising speed. Larmond didn't get many chances but fought hard for some tough catches. Jarvis started strong but had a few passes he should have pulled in.

The offensive line played well. The inside guys like Tennant, Claiborne and Richman all looked good. When USC had success it was on stunts on the outside. Lapham struggled a few times. Castonzo was solid.

The Tight Ends blocked well but weren't involved in the passing game all that much.

Shinskie wasn't good but Tranq didn't help him much in the second half. We waited too long to get the focus back on the running game and we called too many pass that were too dependent on Shinskie making good throws and good reads. Why not simplify with quick slants or quick outs? Why not more throws to the backs or TEs? Putting all these long, slow developing plays on Shinskie are high risk, high reward. Would they use that sort of scheme with a 18 year old against USC?


Defense: B

The defensive line didn't make a ton of plays but they also didn't get pushed around. Solid effort overall. Scafe was good. Albright showed more burst and speed than he has all season. Newman played really well. Giles made a few plays. Ramella was quiet. The others DLinemen didn't see as much action.

The LBs made great plays yet all had major mistakes. Morrissey and Kuechly both missed tackles on the first TD. Morrissey failed to wrap up a few other times. All the LBs blew their coverage assignment on the second TD. McLaughlin missed some tackles. LeGrande was ok.

Although we allowed 350 passing yards, I thought the DBs played well. Davis had a pick and some nice tackles. Bowman made some solid tackles and made a great read on his INT. Despite the cushion, Gause was solid in coverage. Rollins wasn't thrown at much, but did well supporting the run and making good tackles. Fletcher and Johnson got on the field but weren't as involved in the action.

Special Teams: C

Stevie missed a PAT. We were ultra conservative on our kick offs and punt returns.

Smith had some nice runbacks on the kick returns.

Overall: C+

The defensive scheme was conservative and worked (for the most part). The special teams decisions were conservative and didn't cost BC (for the most part). Yet surprisingly the offensive scheme had many aggressive throws in the second half and probably cost us. In general, it seemed like Spaz had the guys mentally and physically ready. Things just didn't go our way. All our other losses this year could be blamed on coaching. This one was partially just some back luck. Now let's hope Spaz can start a new bowl streak next year.

And the rollercoaster comes to an end...

When people tab BC as an overachieving, "little engine that could" type program, they kind of undersell the kids we have and their talent. Tonight showed that. I am not for moral victories, but we weren't outclassed by USC. We lost because of poor QB play, a couple of blown assignments and a few bad calls. It was exciting and when Bowman picked off Barkley, I thought we were winning this game. It wasn't to be...

Not ideal, but 8-5 (5-3 in the ACC) given all that happened has to viewed as a successful season. Congrats to the players and coaches for fighting through a variety of unexpected obstacles. Now let's build on this for next year. Ever to excel.

I'll have grades and second viewing thoughts up late Sunday night.

In-game comments post: Emerald Bowl

Tonight is the end of one of the most unpredictable and emotional 12 months in BC football history. Let's hope we end it on a high note.

I will not be online during the game so leave your thoughts and comments below.

Guest Blogger: USCFootballNews

There are many USC bloggers out there, but I've always been partial to Mike from Lex Icon and his USC twitter feed USCFootballNews. (His blog is a mix of personal stuff, links and USC news. His twitter feed is all SC.) This has been a weird season for the Trojans and no one knows what to expect on the 26th. I've asked Mike some questions about his favorite team. His answers are below.

1. Much has been made of the academics suspensions and the McKnight case. How much of an impact will these events actually have on the field of play?

USCFootballNews: The academic suspensions are going to hurt. Spicer is not a starter, but he gets significant playing time and has the ability to make big plays. Tyron Smith is a starter, but if there is anyplace USC has the depth to withstand a loss right now it is on the offensive line. If someone goes down, the Trojans will miss him a lot more. The big loss is Anthony McCoy. Without him, USC's offense struggled this season. USC likes to throw to the tight end, and McCoy was a big play threat. His replacements have struggled with dropped passes - including several sure touchdowns - and without McCoy, USC's third-down offense is not nearly as effective. McKnight's situation is a big distraction, and Pete Carroll has noted that McKnight's mental focus is not back yet. If McKnight does not play, Allen Bradford should be able to fill his spot capably. A lot of Trojan fans think Bradford is the better all-around back, even though McKnight is USC's leading rusher.

2. Unlike past seasons of the Carroll era, many teams have been able to run the ball on SC this year. Is talent the issue or the new defensive coordinator? How do you think Carroll will adjust for BC?

USCFootballNews: It's hard to tell how much this season's defensive struggles can be attributed to coaching, inexperience or a drop in talent. Given that USC has had several outstanding defensive performances this season against excellent offenses and outstanding running backs, I suspect that inexperience is the bigger problem. It's difficult to replace a defensive coordinator and four NFL-quality linebackers in a season without having problems with consistency. If you believe the high school rankings, the talent is still there. Experience and maturity are lacking. Regardless of the coordinator, Pete Carroll has always been the architect of USC's defense, and he has developed a reputation for putting together good defensive game plans for big games, given enough time. It's not too much of a stretch to believe that Carroll will have USC's defense playing at a high level for this game.

3. It has been a great run under Carroll until this season. Is this year a temporary setback or are the dynasty years over?

USCFootballNews: With the talent USC brings in each year, the Trojans are probably going to continue to have great success, but winning 6 or 7 straight titles is a feat that won't be easily duplicated. That they managed to reload several times since 2002 without missing at least a share of the Pac-10 championship is remarkable, and it required a combination of excellent talent, coaching, execution and luck. This season, the luck ran out, and the lack of experience on the field and the sidelines is showing. In 2004 and 2005, when USC made mistakes or got unlucky breaks, their amazing talent (Bush, White, Leinart, Jarrett) was enough to overcome the little problems. This year, the talent is strong, but it isn't quite as good as the amazing collection of skill position players they had in the Bush/Leinart years.

I tend to believe that great teams usually have to have great quarterbacks, and that the emphasis on quarterback play is well-placed. In 2009, USC played a true freshman quarterback all season, and it has cost the Trojans some games. As Matt Barkley continues to mature, USC should get closer to the level it has played at during the last 6 seasons. If that happens, the setback will be temporary, and the Trojans could be back in a BCS bowl or even competing for the national championship as early as next season. On the other hand, if Barkley turns out to be mistake-prone by nature, and not just because of his inexperience, USC could have a couple of tough years coming.

4. What is your prediction for the game?

USCFootballNews: If it rains, anything can happen, and if USC falls behind early, this could remind Trojan fans of the 1992 Freedom Bowl. However, I don't think it will happen, and I think USC will win by a touchdown or less.

Game Watches: Emerald Bowl

Need a break from the family? Want to watch a BC game amongst BC folks? Support your local game watch. Or you can turn the game watch into a family event. Bring your parents or in-laws or whomever. Your local chapter will appreciate the patronage. And those who are on the road, a game watch is a good place to still feel at home. If there are others hosting, place them in the comments section.



Albany Game Watch
Jillian’s
59 North Pearl Street
Downtown Albany

Atlanta Game Watch
STATS
300 Marietta Street NW
Atlanta, GA

Boston Game Watch
GameOn!
82 Landsdowne Street
Boston, MA 02215

Chicago Game Watch
Trinity Bar
2721 N. Halsted (Diversey & Halsted)
on the border of Lincoln Park and Lakeview

Cincinnati Game Watch
Mulligan's on Madison Rd.
Hyde Park, OH

Los Angeles Game Watch
Sonny McLean's
2615 Wilshire Blvd.
Santa Monica


Milwaukee Game Watch
Old Man McGoos Pub
Mequon, WI


Minnesota Game Watch
Majors Sports Bar (Gold Room)
6440 Wayzata Boulevard
Golden Valley, MN 55426

Nashville Game Watch
Private room at the Marriott Cool Springs


New York City Game Watches

Still
192 3rd Ave @ 17th
Manhattan


Pat Obrien's
88st and 2ave



New Jersey Game Watch
Green Rock
Hoboken, NJ


Orange County, CA Game Watch
Sharkeez - Huntington Beach
211 Main St
Huntington Beach, CA 92648-8136



Phoenix Game Watch
Gallagher's Sports Grill
7575 N. 16th Street, Phoenix





St. Louis Game Watch
Llywelyn's Pub
Webster Groves, MO

BC-USC preview

We are playing USC in two days. Doesn’t that seem weird? I know this version of USC is not the team that ruled the college football world earlier in the decade, but Pete Carroll will still be on the sideline. They’ll have their mega-band and horse and all the other pomp and circumstance. The game is in California. Sure, it is the Emerald Bowl not the Rose, but I am more excited about this game than most of the bowls we played during the past ten years.

Narrative talking point that you’ll tire of by the end of the game.
"Both of these teams have a bright future ahead in 2010…" With these lower tier bowls, the broadcast team often tends to build on the bowl game as spring boards for the next season. Don't buy into it. Sure, both teams will return most of their 2009 talent, but you never know what will happen between now and then. Look back to last year's Music City loss. Could anyone have predicted what happened with our coaching staff, with Herzy or with our QBs? This game is just a game.

Three Simple Keys
1. Establish the run and stick with it. USC allowed 173 rushing yards a game and got gashed in their losses to Oregon and Stanford. BC needs to follow the same plan and put the game on the line and Harris’ shoulders.
2. Give Barkley a variety of looks. Their freshman QB will be without some of his best weapons. Our heavy dose of Spaz zones should keep him off balance and lead him to force things.
3. Red Zone scoring. It almost cost us Maryland. Tranq needs to add a few new wrinkles (play action perhaps) and convert every opportunity.

Gambling Notes
-- BC is 4-4 against Pac 10 teams all time
-- USC has covered the spread in four of their last five bowl games
-- BC has not been an underdog in a bowl game since 2004
The current line is BC+ 7.5


Factoid
I don’t know if he will mention it on the air, but ESPN’s play-by-play man Joe Tessitore is a Boston College grad.

Scoreboard Watching
I watch parts of most bowl games, but none of them really matter. Also, don't get caught up in the ACC's post season success (or lack thereof). The only thing that will help the perception of BC nationally is beating USC.

I hope to see…
Someone other than Harris get carries in the bazooka/wildcat. The concept loses its effectiveness if Harris keeps it every time. Plus there were some big runs to be had if he had given it up during the Maryland game.

BC is in trouble if…
USC gets big plays. Even though they are not what they were, they still have plenty of people who can score quickly. BC needs to contain. The cushion, bend but don't break mentality should work here. We need to execute and play smart.

Bottom Line
I have a good feeling about this game. I think USC will come out strong but we'll hold them. By the second half, we'll have established the tempo and pull away in the fourth quarter.
Final Score: BC 28, USC 17

Spaz spin and other links

This quote in the Globe from Spaz ruffled a few feathers on the message boards:

“Hopefully it’s not a 76-second knockout.’’

One quote doesn't define a season or a coach, but I think that quote coupled with a few others reinforces the belief that Spaz (at times) plays not to lose. This game isn't for a championship, but it can set a precedent for the Spaz era. Let's hope the guys come out fighting.

Regardless of their record, Spaz still thinks very highly of USC.

NECN ran a fluff interview with Gene. There are some nice shots of campus though...

Trouble in Troy and other links

While the McKnight issue still remains unresolved, USC lost three players to academic suspensions. The biggest loss will be TE Anthony McCoy.

The Wall Street Journal dives into the recruiting ranking arguments by looking at the relative success of BC and USC. In my mind this sort of validates my argument that the rankings are skewed towards the powers. They sight 2006's top guys. By then USC was in the middle of their recent dynasty. Anyone they talked to was going to get an inflated value by the recruiting rankings. This ESPNLA article also looks at how the Trojans fell to Emerald Bowl status.

Here is news on one of our latest under the radar football recruit.

Rich Gunnell is sad to see his time at BC come to a close. It is sad since he's been a credit to the program.

There are lost of logistics in getting the team to California.

Women's soccer freshman Victoria DiMartino was named Freshman of the Year by Soccer America.

USC news and other links

One of USC's top players, RB Joe McKnight gained the attention of the NCAA for allegedly using a booster's car. We will see how it impacts the bowl game.

Reggie Jackson is working to become a better shooter.

Dominique Davis made his commitment to East Carolina official.

Ticket sales start strong and other links

It seems that ticket sales are strong for the Emerald Bowl. Little if any credit is given to BC. I know we are not bringing the band, but I think we will have a good showing from the Bay Area BC fans.

BC added another member to this year's recruiting class in OL prospect Andy Gallik. He seems like a prototypical BC lineman. Gallik was recruited by Dave Brock, who is shaping up to be the best hire of Spaz's offseason.

ACC Sports took a look at Spaz's defensive philosophy and results.

Pete Carroll rebuilding other links

Pete Carroll is hoping to use the Emerald Bowl as a new spring practice and hoping to reenergize his team. I don't know if that is good news or bad news for BC.

Chris Crane is part of the new Arena Football League. His former teammate Jolonn Dunbar's season is over now that he has been put on injured reserve.

The Band/Bowl controversy is now getting mainstream media attention (LA Times, Globe).

BC grad Joe Joe Tessitore will be the play-by-play man for our bowl. Joe does a great job and I am sure he won't let his alumni status impact his calls.

BC might not be the best at selling bowl tickets, but look what happens to the TV ratings when we are not around. This has to be a major disappointment to ABC/ESPN and the ACC as the game was moved to prime time to help ratings.

Finally, here is a better version of Jackson's dunk.

San Francisco sounds good to me

As expected, BC is headed to San Francisco for the Emerald Bowl. What wasn't expected until late last night was BC's opponent -- USC Trojans. Yes, that USC. The one with Pete Carroll, a slew of five-star recruits, history, tradition, etc. This happens to be the worst USC team since Carroll's first year, but it is still USC. It is not only a real bowl opponent, it is a college football heavyweight. I will not be in San Francisco, but I encourage any of you who have the time and don't have other obligations to head out west. This bowl might not have a storied history, but you'll get to see a good team in a good park in a great city.

Here are the pros and cons of the Emerald Bowl. Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Pros
-- Great destination
-- Great name opponent
-- In prime time
-- Will be the only game on at that time
-- In a city with a good BC alumni base
-- USC won't bring the same crowd that other potential opponents like Cal or Stanford would have
-- USC might not be especially motivated or excited to play in this game
-- AT&T is a cool park (for fans)
-- A chance for a signature win for this year's team
-- A chance to get to nine wins
-- A chance to see and be seen by California recruits


Cons
-- USC is USC in name only and not that good this year
-- December 26
-- Very far from most BC fans
-- While a great city, San Francisco won't be all that thrilling or warm for the players
-- The game is played in a baseball stadium, which is part novelty but part joke. The endzones but up against the walls and both teams share a sideline
-- No history for the bowl and very little excitement among casual fans or recruits

This is a great opportunity and better than most of the recent bowls BC has been in. I don't expect a huge showing, but hopefully BC fans can rally behind this event. And one final reminder to anyone going: buy your tickets from BC! We only get credit when you buy from our ticket office.

More honors and other links

Congratulations are in order for Anthony Castonzo and Luke Kuechly, as both were named first team All ACC. Boston College, North Carolina and Miami were the only schools with multiple first-team selections. Montel Harris and Matt Tennant are part of the second team. Honorable mention and freshman will be out later this week.

The ACC also named Kuechly the defensive back of the week for his play against Maryland.

HD placed BC 6th in her weekly power rankings.

Multiple sources are leaking this and I put it up on Twitter, but BC is going to the Emerald Bowl. Nothing has been officially announced yet since there are some contingencies for other bowls based on the results of the ACC Championship Game. However, we are not part of those contingencies and will be in the Bay Area the day after Christmas.