Jags as OC: Season 2, West Virginia

This loss to West Virginia was the last game Jags coached at BC. After the season he took a job as Green Bay’s Tight Ends coach. TOB hired Dana Bible and embarked on BC’s longest, sustained run in the modern era (the DI split). You’d hope that Jags time as OC would have ended in a crescendo of points and passing. Instead it was our second straight loss and one of many tough games in Morgantown.

Stat Line
First downs 15
Rushed-yards 42-162
Passing yards 105
Sacked-yards lost 4-41
Return yards 37
Passes 9-17-1
Punts 6-39.7
Fumbles-lost 1-0
Penalties-yards 7-60
Time of possession 27:04


What can we learn from this game? Jags could run the ball. I know fans are concerned about this year and can rattle off a variety of reasons why we'll struggle: "players are different," "line scheme is different," and "Jags is not even calling the plays," but I think we will have good rushing production. Just look at this game…Mike Cloud, pretty much our only offensive weapon at the time, was able to run for 179 yards in Morgantown. On a less stellar note, Jags was not a miracle worked with QBs. In 1997 he did some good things with Matt Hasselbeck. However, this game ended Scott Mutryn's mediocre college QB. Jags never made Scott better or undid the damage already inflicted on Mutryn’s college career.

What can we learn from this series? Considering the circumstances, Jags did pretty well in his first go around. At the time, the coordinator spot was a big step up for him. He moved from position coach at a mid-major to OC in a top conference. He left his mentor Steve Logan and working with a new head coach and a team with a lousy defense.

Over the course of two seasons, Jags tried a variety of things and only saw a portion of those ideas work. However, he kept the attack balanced and productive. He used his best players and helped some of the lesser know players blossom. Aside from the W-L record it was a positive output.

Although he missed out on the true turnaround, the timing of Jags' departure served him well for his current role. He has enough familiarity with the school to know what works, yet brings fresh ideas. BC fans dealt with his on the job growing pains 10 years ago and will probably deal with a few head scratchers this time around, but the upside is so promising that I am really looking forward to the Jags era.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Pitt

After suffering through a six-game skid, BC needed a turnaround in 1998 and got one with a 23-15 over Pitt. The Panthers were pretty lousy in 1998 too, so the win wasn't an upset, but it did tell us a few things about Jags as an OC.

Stat Line
First downs 15
Rushes-yards 43-178
Passing 106
Comp-Att-Int 10-23-1
Return Yards 38
Punts-Avg. 7-41.9
Fumbles-Lost 1-1
Penalties-Yards 9-80
Time of Possession 27:42

What can we learn from the game? This wasn't a true look at Jags and his play calling. In fact the game is one of those weird ones where you are left wondering "how'd we win this?" The BC defense got torn apart but made enough key plays to keep Pitt out of the endzone. On the offensive front the season was really a culmination of Jags' work with Mike Cloud and the offensive line. Cloud passed the 100 yard mark for the ninth time in this game. Revisiting Cloud's success has given me plenty of comfort about our current offensive line. Regardless of who starts, I think Jags has shown he can get a group of guys together and play well enough to open holes. We don't have anyone of Mike Cloud's caliber, but we still have talent.

As you can see from the stats, there wasn't much else to be happy about. Fortunately we have more talent this year. Too bad we are not facing anyone as bad as Pitt's 1998 team.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Notre Dame

Think the Notre Dame game is a big deal now? When we were at one of our low points and they were the No. 13 team in the country, it was an even bigger deal. In 1998, TOB and Co had the Irish on the ropes and were about to pull off a huge upset only to come up short in the most frustrating manner. You can read about the 31-26 loss here or just watch the end below.



Stat Line
First downs 26
Rushes-yards 40-173
Passing 318
Punt Returns 1-13
Kickoff Returns 5-103
Interceptions Ret. 0-0
Comp-Att-Int 22-35-1
Sacked-Yards Lost 2-14
Punts 3-29
Fumbles-Lost 0-0
Penalties-Yards 6-47
Time of Possession 31:25


What can we learn from the game? Before I get into the lessons learned, did you guys notice the young kid with the headset and dejected look? That was Jags. As I mentioned in the very beginning of the coaching search, Jags was a key figure in that loss. But I’ve moved on in a major way and hold no grudge against our new coach. In fact, I think the stubborn way TOB dealt with the team over the next eight years leads me to believe it was TOB’s call to go for it four straight times. Enough about the final series, let’s focus on the offense. (Nah, those four downs should be our lesson!) What does this game tell us about Jags? With the game on the line, our current coach went with our best player behind his best unit (the offensive line) four times. Hindsight is 20/20 and he looks like a chump for not mixing it up. I don’t blame Jags for what happened. Everything you do in that situation takes guts. If his style is to go man to man for the win, I think I’ll be happy. However, if after ten years he never mixes it up and becomes more rigid than TOB, I’ll be pissed.

Although it is all under the bridge, if I ever get a chance to interview Jags I will ask him about that game.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Miami

One thing this series reminded me of is how bad TOB's first defenses were. In this game BC got pounded early en route to a 35-17 loss to Miami. This lousy defense also hurt Jags. While he did a good job of moving the ball and putting up points throughout his short tenure at BC, if you're always playing from behind, it certainly starts to effect your calls and strategy. Here are the stats from the losing effort against Miami.

Stat Line
First downs 18
Rushes-yards 39-158
Passing 167
Comp-Att-Int 15-23-0
Return Yards 27
Punts-Avg. 7-42
Fumbles-Lost 2-0
Penalties-Yards 4-37
Time of Possession 30:47

What can we learn from the game? Sometimes there is nothing a coordinator can do. Look at those stats. While not explosive, they are certainly balanced, low on penalties, good time of possession, high completion percentage and no turnovers. Yet nothing to show for it...because our defense was unable to even slow the Canes.

This frustration of watching one unit get trampled repeatedly is one reason why I've come around to Spaz staying on this year. We know what we're getting. If we struggle this year I don't think it will be because our defense doesn't show up. They may have an off game or two, but they will not ruin good offensive effort after good offensive effort like we saw a few times in 1998.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Navy

BC lost this game in a gut wrenching fourth quarter meltdown. Even after letting the Middies back in the game, BC was able to drive into field goal range. Matich missed and BC lost 32-31. I don’t know when TOB decided to make a change defensively, but I am sure squandering this lead played into the decision. On the flipside, Jags’ offense played well.

Stat Line

First downs 32
Rushed-yards 40-241
Passing yards 369
Sacked-yards lost 0-0
Return yards 20
Passes 30-45-0
Punts 4-42.8
Fumbles-lost 0-0
Penalties-yards 7-59
Time of possession 33:15

What can we learn from the game? Offensive explosions guarantee nothing. Look at those stats. BC moved the ball at will. Mutryn had the best day of his career. Cloud ran for 186 yards. The line was perfect. BC didn’t turn the ball over. Yet, we lost. The only fault the offense could take was not killing more clock late. You could also gripe about the drives stalling out...but this loss was really on the defense.

I hope that Jags remembers this game because the lesson is important. You can never let up. The defense and the offense could have locked this game down. Because blown leads would become a hallmark of the TOB era, I’ll give Jags a pass on this loss.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Syracuse

UPDATE: Regular reader Michael S. made a good point about the Jags as OC series -- many of the posts are lacking context. I appreciate the feedback and will try to make a change going forward. I often start writing these things and forget that readers are not familiar with the games or haven’t recently researched said game. My bad. And if you’re a regular and want to send feedback, either post in the comments section or send me an email. I appreciate it and I’m always open to new ideas.

After a promising start the 1998 season continued its downturn with this loss 42-25 loss to Syracuse. Fortunately for current BC fans, Jags put the offense back on track after getting shut out in the previous game against Virginia Tech. Take a look at the stats.

Stat Line
First downs 20
Rushes-yards 42-144
Passing 226
Return Yards 115
Comp-Att-Int 13-23-2
Sacked-Yards Lost 1-13
Punts 3-48
Fumbles-Lost 1-0
Penalties-Yards 2-15
Time of Possession 31:36


What can we learn from the game? The offense regrouped. I referenced the Virginia Tech shutout in the opening, but there was more to the story. Syracuse was very good at the time and kept Mutryn and company off the field for most of the first half. Yet in the second half, some solid play calling and adjustments put BC back in the game. If not for some poor Eagle special teams, Jags might have pulled off a huge comeback.

Despite the loss and continued losing, I find comfort in Jags use of Cloud. He was the focal point for any team we faced in 1998. Yet even with everyone in the stadium and on the field knowing he was going to get the ball, the guy was able to amass 126 total yards. I hope this means that Jags and Logan will be able to use our best weapons regardless of what our opponents do.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Virginia Tech

If this blog had been around in 1998, I might have raked Jags over the coals for the Virginia Tech game. His two years were a great run, but this was the obvious stinker. First the stats and then the story.

Stat Line
First downs 15
Rushed-yards 47-179
Passing yards 116
Sacked-yards lost 3-26
Return yards 15
Passes 10-20-3
Punts 7-30.1
Fumbles-lost 4-1
Penalties-yards 7-78
Time of possession 33:53



What can we learn from the game? A good play caller can have a bad day. Like some recent October games at the Heights, the weather was not kind. Slick balls created turnover problems for both teams. My criticism of the play calling at the time was that we were able to run the ball on them at will and didn't stay with it. Cloud alone racked up 186 yards. But pass plays in the red zone led to INTs, including a run back for a TD. This was the heart of VT’s ascent and their defense was playing really well. But if we had just played more conservative in the weather, we might have stolen the game. In other games, I’ve praised Jags for adjusting, so in this case, I have to be fair and say it was a mistake to continue passing.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Louisville

The offense came into the Louisville game humming. They continued to move the ball against the Cardinal. However, two things happened. First: BC special teams and defense played got run over. Second: despite their heroics, the offense coughed up the ball repeatedly. Take a look at the stats:

Stat Line
First downs 24
Rushes-yards 31-174
Passing 291
Comp-Att-Int 22-34-1
Return Yards 62
Punts-Avg. 5-39
Fumbles-Lost 3-3
Penalties-Yards 3-30
Time of Possession 26:23

What can we learn from the game? Mutryn was coming into his own. Sure he killed drives with turnovers in this game, but he was also finally showing his ability. Out of high school, experts tagged him as a sure fire blue chipper. Signed and ready to be the next Foley, he then saw the coach that recruited him (Coughlin) leave. He played as a true Freshman, redshirted and then eventually lost a QB battle to Matt Hasselbeck. This is not a sob story for Mutryn or a claim that Jags is some sort of expert at reclamation projects. I think Mutryn’s eventual development into a solid starter during Jags’ first run at BC is just another good sign. Whenever you take over a program, you are inheriting other coaches' players (good and bad) and those players’ histories (good and bad). A resourceful coaching staff will work with what they have until the roster is filled with their own recruits. In 2007 Jags is fortunate enough to inherit a great QB in Matt Ryan. But next year he and Logan will need to do some of the same things they did with Mutryn. Find someone who has potential but might not have been their type of player and get him ready to play. That guy could be Chris Crane or the raw recruits Davis and Johnson. It is comforting to know that Jags has done it before.

Jags as OC: Season 2, Rutgers

Another week, another 41 point explosion. Jags dialed up the right plays again as BC got off to a very hot start and crushed Rutgers in week 2.

Stat Line
First downs 27
Rushed-yards 51-268
Passing yards 218
Sacked-yards lost 0-0
Return yards 51
Passes 17-30-2
Punts 3-45.7
Fumbles-lost 0-0
Penalties-yards 6-35
Time of possession 33:30


What can we learn from the game? Not much. Remember this was during Rutgers dark ages. Scoring 41 on them was no big deal. The offensive mix was very similar to many of the previous Jags games. Mutryn played well but it was not in line with the type of numbers we’ll expect from Ryan this year. Cloud remained the key player. He continued to dominate every time he touched the ball. I know we don’t have a Cloud-like guy in the backfield but we do have one or two explosive players. I hope the lesson of his first go around is that Jags will get the ball to our difference makers.

Things would continue rolling, yet the W-L record would begin to sour.

Offensive starters: 1997 vs. 2007

Going back over Jags’ first season as an offensive coordinator the past few months was reminder of where we are and where we were. Take a look:

Quarterback
2007: Matt Ryan
1997: Matt Hasselbeck
Better situation: 2007. Despite Hasselbeck’s success in the NFL, Matt Ryan is clearly the better college QB heading into 2007 than MHass was heading into 1997. Ryan has more wins, better numbers, is more athletic and has a better arm. Hopefully he’ll develop into a ProBowl Quarterback like Hasselbeck did after leaving BC. While Ryan and 2007 get the edge at QB, it should be noted that the backup situation was much better in 1997. TOB and Jags had one-time and future starter Scott Mutryn on the roster as well as future starter and NFL backup Tim Hasselbeck on the roster. Even if Flutie and Applegate were still on the QB depth chart, there may not be another starter on the roster. Crane will get his chance in 2008 but he is not a sure thing.

Running Backs
2007: LV Whitworth, Andre Callender, et al
1997: Mike Cloud, Omari Walker
Better situation: 1997. This one is not even close. Cloud was arguably the best back of the TOB era and would have an All America year in 1998. Walker was a solid contributor and a very productive back. Whitworth and Callender (or even Brooks or Smith) may explode this season, but I am not counting on it. We were in better shape a decade ago.

Fullbacks
2007: James McCluskey
1997: Mike Hemmert, Frank Chamberlin
Better situation: 1997. This position is not a make or break now and wasn’t then, but we had better depth and experience in 1997. Hemmert proved to be a good pass catcher and Chamberlin played well before being moved to LB later in his career. This season we are looking at converted and untested James McCluskey

Tight Ends
2007: Ryan Thompson, Jon Loyte, Ryan Purvis, Jordan McMichael
1997: Todd Pollack, Scott Dragos, Rob Tardio, Mike Guazzo
Better situation: 1997. This is expected since Henning made Tight Ends such a point of emphasis. While McMichael still represents unknown upside, most of the current crop would be called “serviceable” and “solid.” No game breakers in the bunch. In 1997 Pollack was very good and had very good hands. The rest of the 1997 crew all spent time (briefly) on NFL rosters.

Wide Recievers
2007: Brandon Robinson, Kevin Challenger et al
1997: Anthony Dicosmo, Dennis Harding et al
Better situation: 2007. Dicosmo was good, but Challenger has been much more productive and Robinson has better upside. While the remainder of our 2007 WR crop has many untested underclassmen, the depth and potential is much better now.

Offensive Line
2007: Gosder Cherilus, Ryan Poles, Kevin Sheridan, Matt Tennant, Pat Sheil, Tom Anevski, Ty Hall
1997: Damien Woody, Andy Mitcham, Doug Brzezinski, Dan Collins, Noah LaRose, Jon Miles
Better situation: 1997. This is a toss up but the parallels are striking. One established all conference type player (Woody and Cherilus) and then rotation/depth based on a bunch of untested/unproven/undersized players. It was somewhat hard confirming the 1997 line. A bunch of people told me LaRose started, but according to the archives he did not letter in 1997. Darnell Alford, who would be a solid starter in 1998 and 1999 sat out 1997. The reason I give 1997 the edge is that Woody had a great season, and Collins and Brzezinski would go on to have really strong seasons. The same could happen for this year's team, but now we are still facing a lot of question marks.


Overall Edge: 1997. I would give a slight advantage to our 1997 talent. I obviously have the bias of knowing how the 1997 team performed versus the unknowns of this season. Our offensive line could still come together and our Running Backs and Tight Ends may surprise people this year.

Going back over Jags’ first season as offensive coordinator sparked this little exercise and it also laid to rest many of the TOB related misconceptions I keep reading and hearing about. “TOB inherited a disaster of a program” – off the field there were certainly some behavior issues, but there was still talent. “TOB left a loaded team” — our overall and defensive roster is better than 1997 but his recruiting missteps have left us very thin at Offensive Line and Quarterback. “BC fans are impatient” — this should serve as a reminder that TOB probably underachieved early in his time at BC. But BC game him a wide berth because the Henning years were so bad.

I think we can be a very good team this year. I also think an experienced Steve Logan will be a better coordinator than a young Jeff Jagodzinski was in 1997. And best of all, we have a player in Matt Ryan who has proven he can raise the level of play of those around him. This exercise shows that talent ebbs and flows and that Jags is going to have to bring in some good players soon.

Jags as OC: Game 11, Army 1997

Offensively this game didn’t mean much. However, a small stirring in the stands would have long term implications.

Stat Line
First downs 23
Rushed-yards 28-96
Passing yards 393
Sacked-yards lost 3-18
Return yards 23
Passes 31-46-1
Punts 3-25.0
Fumbles-lost 2-0
Penalties-yards 9-57
Time of possession 29:24


What can we learn from the game? Jags will chuck it when he has to. All the talk this spring has been about “throwing it around.” But in his time calling plays 10 years ago we were pretty run oreinted. I think a closer look shows that Jags was more concerned with what was working and what the opposition presented. In a case like Army, where we out skilled them and could give Hasselbeck protection, we threw it 46 times. It is also important to note that just because we threw it, didn’t mean we ignored our playmakers. Mike Cloud caught three balls for 52 yards.

I referenced the long term implications at the top because this was the day where the BC student section began to turn and the Super Fans first gained notice. In the past when a team like Army took a lead, many BC students would head for an exit. This game was different. Fans hung in there. Late in the 4th quarter guys even took off their shirts as it began to snow. The team rewarded this behavior with a win and a post game salute. That student enery has grown since and I am hoping Jags gives us a product on the field that will spread the Super Fan passion to all sections of the stadium.

Jags as OC: Game 9, Pitt 1997

While this series is about Jags as OC, going back over the games made me realize that many of my (and others’) complaints over the past few years are a product of TOB, not his assistant coaches. For example in this game we had special teams problems and ran a questionable two-point conversion. Does that sound like a team you know?

The offense really clicked against Pitt – yet it didn’t translate to the scoreboard. In the end, we pulled out in bad weather with a late drive. Here are the stats.

Stat Line
First downs 22
Rushed-yards 31-136
Passing yards 268
Sacked-yards lost 2-15
Return yards 6
Passes 24-38-0
Punts 5-45.8
Fumbles-lost 2-1
Penalties-yards 3-20
Time of possession 34:15



What can we learn from the game? This was a well called game. Good balance of run and pass. Good adjustments after falling behind early. But we’ve seen all of that before. The Jags' takeaway from this game was the two minute drill he called to win the game. BC chipped away with some short plays and then MHass hit DiCosmo for a long pass to set up the final kick.

Give the team, TOB and Jags credit…they pulled out of their tailspin and it was largely due to that drive.

Jags as OC: Game 8, Notre Dame 1997

Like any good blowhard writer I occasionally pick and choose my stats to reinforce my own hypothesis. Sometimes I claim each game is a separate event. Other times I’ll blame what happened in a prior game. I bring this up because at this point in the 1997 season it felt like everyone had kinda thrown in the towel (the end of the season would prove me wrong). So what Jags did on offense in this game was nice but the Irish were so far ahead it is hard to gauge tendencies or effectiveness.

Stat Line
First downs 19
Rushed-yards 32-83
Passing yards 277
Sacked-yards lost 3-20
Return yards 16
Passes 23-33-1
Punts 7-40.9
Fumbles-lost 0-0
Penalties-yards 10-95
Time of possession 30:24


What can we learn from the game? Players make the ultimate difference. I think Jags and Logan will take us to that next level, but ultimately it is about the talent. Just look at this game. Dicosmo returns and suddenly Hasselbeck is throwing the ball well. Notre Dame was effective in slowing the run, which also forced us to chuck it a little.

This was a bad game. But I’ll give the offense credit. They kept chipping away and narrowing the scoring into the third quarter. It didn’t matter though. Whenever we cut the lead, Notre Dame waltzed back down the field to score again.

Jags as OC: Game 7, Miami 1997

When I first mentioned Jags as a candidate for this job, I referenced the Notre Dame game in 1998, which turned out to be one of the worst losses of the TOB era. This game was another low point. TOB deserves the blame for not knowing the OT rules, however, if I ever get the chance, I would like to get Jags’ take on this game.

Despite being a lowpoint for TOB, but a high point for Jags’ offense.

Stat Line
First downs 26
Rushed-yards 49-360
Passing yards 134
Sacked-yards lost 3-19
Return yards 21
Passes 13-26-1
Punts 4-46.3
Fumbles-lost 1-1
Penalties-yards 4-19
Time of possession 25:50


What can we learn from the game? Jags called a great game. What is so reassuring about his coaching style is how we dealt with an early deficit. In a show off confidence and understanding of your resources, we staged our comeback on the ground. Walker ran for 186. Cloud added another 156. In my opinion, this was one of the biggest differences between the Jags OC era and the Bible OC era. Bible would only abandon his gameplan late and even then, reluctantly (see Peterson’s comeback at South Bend). Jags was willing to go in a new direction as soon as the score dictated it (I’ve heard this same thing about Logan). In this game, Jags was down early. Balance got tossed, yet not in the direction you’d expect. Dicosmo was still out so he put the ball in the hands of our best players. He didn’t care that both were running backs. We didn't get pass happy. Jags kept going with what was working. BC got back into the game and forced OT.

Downsides: another uneven performance from Hasselbeck. This is where my memory is playing tricks on me. I called this game on ZBC and remember Matt having a good game and good senior year. But as I look back at the stats, his numbers weren’t all that great. We’d be killing QB performances like that today. In this game, the line’s pass protection slipped a notch below the previously high standards.

Finally, there is the OT. Long story short, BC went for 2 before we had to. After the game TOB explained that he misunderstood the rules. Because this was before the internet took off, and because BC was under the media radar and because he was a new head coach, this inexcusable excuse never got much attention. I hope Jags knew the rule and got overruled. Who knows? The sideline can be a chaotic place. Not that it justifies anything but I can tell you that the radio and TV booths were a mess. No one had a good grasp of the new OT rules. Sean Grande, who was calling the game for WEEI, is always on top of that stuff and even he and Cronin were popping their heads in the hallway to get clarification.

In the end, this fits in with the recurring theme of the 1997 season: we lost the game, but the running game dominated and the play calling was solid.

Jags as OC: Game 6, Virginia Tech 1997

The latest in the series. The Virginia Tech marked another low spot for the offense. Scoring struggles continued, Hasselbeck proved ineffective after returning from injury and the two headed backfield may have been giving the wrong guy the ball. Here are the stats.

Stat Line
First downs 10
Rushed-yards 28-123
Passing yards 153
Sacked-yards lost 0-0
Return yards 43
Passes 10-24-1
Punts 8-41.1
Fumbles-lost 0-0
Penalties-yards 5-28
Time of possession 23:52

What can we learn from the game?
The protection remained strong. That's a good thing. That was about the only good thing from this game. MHass couldn't take advantage of the quality protection, so he sprayed his balls around the field. Jags hadn't worked with him very long, but during his senior year, you never would have guessed that Matt would go on to be Pro Bowler. Other challenges: with Dicosmo still out, this team did not have many guys who could make plays in the open field. At this point Cloud was a known gamebreaker, yet he was still splitting caries. Sure he didn't explode in this game, but he caught two passes for 60+ yards. We should have given him the ball more (a mistake we would correct in 1998). In addition to not scoring points, this team did not do itself any favors grinding out the clock.

Virginia Tech would prove to be one of the better teams on our schedule. However, that doesn't mask the offensive problems from this game.

Jags as OC: Game 3, Rutgers 1997 [Updated]

[The best thing about this blog is the feedback and cool stuff I get from readers. Thanks to LBI Eagle for catching a mistake in the header and thanks to Ed C. for sending along the box score. ]
This project may be a little harder than I imagined. The stats for this game are not available in the same format as the previous games. I am kicking myself because I called this game on BC radio and kept all sorts of stats and press releases, yet all that stuff got tossed years ago. Oh well. Here is what is available.

Stat Line

First downs 29
Rushed-yards 58-210
Passing yards 314
Sacked-yards lost 3-32
Return yards 29
Passes 21-27-0
Punts 3-38.7
Fumbles-lost 2-1
Penalties-yards 4-35
Time of possession 37:15




So what can we tell about the game? Jags understands getting the ball to your best player. A week after Mike Cloud burst on the scene with a 200 yard day, he hit another milestone by scoring four TDs in one game. Three of Cloud's scores were on the ground and one was a pass. There wasn't as much balance as the Temple game, but why work for balance when you can run so well and control the clock for 37 minutes.

Hasslbeck was very efficient connecting on 21 of 27 passes and completing throws to nine different guys.

I don’t have the complete stats but I also remember Hasselbeck having a decent game and us mixing up the run and pass pretty well.

Through the first three games Jags was really clicking. He would face his first hiccup the next game against Cincinnati.

Jags as OC: Game 2, West Virginia 1997

Running a good offense is not easy. To succeed you must be a good game planner, play designer and play caller. I always thought Bible did pretty well with design, was an inconsistent game planner and a poor play caller. Too often I felt Bible either stuck with something that wasn't working too long or moved away from something that was effective without explanation. In Jags' second game he realized when something is working, you stick with it. Look at the stats.

Stat Line
First downs 25
Rushed-yards 52-295
Passing yards 168
Sacked-yards lost 2-15
Return yards 36
Passes 19-24-2
Punts 3-41.7
Fumbles-lost 1-1
Penalties-yards 7-41
Time of possession 34:07

295 rushing yards! Gotta like that. Best of all the game was a huge comeback. We went into halftime down 17-3 after two Hasselbeck INTs. Omari Walker ran well but got dinged up in the first half. In Walker's place Jags gave the ball to Mike Cloud and let him and our very good line go to work. They opened holes up the middle. Cleared out spots on the side. Got a great push. And Cloud ran to daylight. He had 209 yards in the second half! Jags was only in his second game, yet he was impressing people. Here is what Don Nehlen had to say after the game: "They're offense was almost 80% more than it was against Temple."

So what can we tell about the game? As far as trends and tendencies go, Jags called far more runs than passes in this game (52 to 24). But there were good signs, MattHass connected with eight different receivers. The passing TDs were not big plays, but given how Cloud was rushing, it makes sense that we moved into the red zone with ease.

It was only two games in, but things were looking good.

Jags as OC: Game 1, Temple 1997

As a first-time Head Coach, Jags has a clean slate. I can’t look at a body of work and suggest how it will translate to BC. But we can glean some information about how his offense will run from his previous stint at BC. This time around he won’t be calling plays (that Logan’s call) but you can infer some tendencies and styles from what Jags did. Let’s take a look at his first game a 28-21 loss to Temple in Philadelphia.

Stat line

First downs 25
Rushed-yards 40-149
Passing yards 277
Sacked-yards lost 5-42
Return yards 10
Passes 25-41-2
Punts 4-32.0
Fumbles-lost 2-0
Penalties-yards 10-86
Time of possession 33:48

Pretty impressive for his first time out. I don’t have the actual drive charts (if anyone knows where I can find them, please email me) but I do remember the game. I was there with a few thousand others.

BC lost but not because of the offensive play calling. The special teams and late defense were shaky (sound familiar?) and this was one of Temple’s less shitty better teams.

So what can we tell about the game? Jags had a good mix of run and pass (40 rushes, 41 passes). Both were very productive and netted more than 400 total yards. He also was aggressive. We had two long scoring passes (26 and 30 yards), both to Anthony DiCosmo. MattHass also mixed it up, completing passes to nine different players including a balance of WRs, TEs and RBs.

So why did we lose? The offense did not stall in the red zone, like Bible teams tended to do. However, Matt Hasselbeck threw two drive killing picks. And the defense (not coached by Spaz) allowed too many big plays.

I was working for the student radio station at the time and we used to fly on the team charter. The flight home was deadly silent. I remember seriously questioning if TOB was the right guy at the time, partially because we lost to Temple and partially because he was so unmoved. I was worried about the big plays, but don’t remember being concerned or even disappointed in the offense that day. As we stroll back down Memory Lane, we’ll see that Jags had his ups and downs, but the Temple game was a good start (for him).