Ratings dissapoint for Kraft Bowl

One often overlooked asset of BC football is that we are a historically good TV draw. We have had high ratings on all ESPN platforms. Raycom usually jumps at the chance to broadcast our games. Up until this year our ability to spike TV ratings was the only silver lining to selecting BC in a bowl game. Maybe that isn't the case anymore. Ratings for the Kraft Bowl were down 65%. That is a huge drop. When you consider that the game was moved to January 9th and to a Sunday night the number should have been much better. Since BC was in both games, logic would point to the opponent as the driving force in the decline. USC is a great TV draw and Nevada, not so much. But if BC is going to take credit for the stellar ratings vs USC, than we have to take some of the blame for the stinker against Nevada.

The lack of Neilsen Eagle fans can be attributed to many things. I think the long layoff, the lack of storylines and the frustrating style of play turned off many casual BC fans. But there is also something to be said for how BC presents itself to its own fans. The constant lowering of expectations and playing up "the little engine that could" narrative grows stale or leaves BC fans wondering when are we ever going to get better. BC is quick to remind people of the turmoil of the Jags firing but like TOB touting the gambling scandal eventually it becomes a tired crutch. And a narrative, while important in selling a program to the media and recruits, doesn't make the product on the field any more exciting.

I think a new offensive coordinator and maturing team will win back some of BC's casual/TV only fans. But it is only a step. I think Gene needs to use his influence on Spaz to be more aggressive in his game management. Why should people watch if we keep playing it safe and not to lose. I also know it is hard for Spaz to be something he is not, but a little more optimism in his interviews would go a long way. His candid assessments at halftime would be charming if we were winning big. When you are barely over .500 they often come off as defeatist.

In the long run BC will always be a big market team that is an attractive TV partner. But I hope Gene works with ESPN and the ACC on how to make BC a better ratings generator. It our only hope to ever get into a decent bowl game.

Parts are greater than the sum UPDATED with OC note

Sometimes bowl games are aberrations. Sometimes they are a microcosm of the season. This was microcosm of the entire Spaz era and I believe a look into the future under Spaz. First let me say the guys played their hearts out. You can criticize some of Rettig's throws and decisions, but the kid has heart and is competitive. We already knew the defense would play hard until the end and they did. Too bad our offense was "anemic" and Spaz's game management continues to be a cowardly and/or confused.

I understand we are a flawed team, but we are not as bad as we looked. In my opinion the staff is not maximizing or utilizing their talent on both sides of the ball. We could have won this game. But we finished at 7-6 after another terrible offensive performance. While we should have a lot of optimism for next season due to all the returning talent, I fear that this type of season is all we can expect. How can you win 10 games or win the division when your coach plays not to lose?

I know Tranq tends to be the scapegoat, but the bigger problem is Spaz and Gene. Spaz coaxed Tranq out of retirement for this, and Gene created and environment where this all happened. We will have a new OC next year. Once we find out who is taking over, we will have a much better idea of who is truly pulling the strings and what we can expect in 2011 and beyond.

Thank you to all the Seniors. You guys are a class bunch.

I will have second viewing thoughts and grades later in the week.

UPDATE: Ryan Day will be the new offensive coordinator. I applaud the move and will post more on the topic when BC announces it.

In-game comments post: Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

I really hope this is a special night. We've got a great group of seniors playing their final game and we have a chance to end a roller coaster season with a statement win. I think we will play very well, get some national attention and head into next year with a lot of optimism.

You can leave your thoughts and comments below during the game or join the conversation at Eagle Insider.

You can also follow me during the game via twitter.

When does the Fat Lady come on?

Since this is our last game of the season, I had to share this piece of art from BC message board poster Onyx Blackman. Let's end the season on a high note! Go BC!

Bowl stuff, Oreos, HD and other links

Who says you can't have fun at these bowl games? Pic taken by @duquette12

HD is pretty excited about this game. Here are her keys to the game. She doesn't think BC will win.

That good recruiting news I referenced the other day: Curt Evans switching from Wake to BC.

The first commercials from America's golden voiced, homeless man will air during the bowl game. As I've been tweeting, Kraft will also work in some of their iconic products into the game like the Oreo coin toss.

Nevada has to get used to playing on a baseball field. We are pros on the diamond.

Here is an interesting post on football game theory and the odds. As we've been saying, our ball control, field goal kicking strategy is very limiting and not supported by stats.

Christian Suntrup's highlight video is floating around. Let's hope he can redshirt next year and we build some long term stability at the position.

Game Watches: Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl

One of the reasons I favored this Bowl was due to its time slot. By playing on a Sunday after the holidays there is no excuse not to watch. And why not watch with your fellow BC fans. For the BC Clubs this is a chance to start off 2011 with a bang and build momentum for the rest of your year. If I didn't include your club's Game Watch, be sure to add it in the comments and email me.

Austin Game Watch
The Dogwood
715 West 6th Street
Austin, TX



Boston Game Watch
Atlantic Beer Garden
146 Seaport Blvd
Boston, MA

Chicago Game Watch
Trinity
2721 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL

New York City Game Watches
Vertigo
354 Third Avenue at 26th Street


Thunder Jackson's
Bleecker and Sullivan

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

Washington, D.C. Game Watch
The Bayou (this is the Rookery with a new name)
2519 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC

BC-Nevada preview

Wow, it has been a long time since we played some football. Excuse making alert: if either team gets down early look for the announcing crew to blame the long layoff. Since both teams have had a long layoff, I don't think it will be an issue. You would think that drawn out game prep would also hurt us on the recruiting front. We are playing while other schools can shift to recruiting mode. But if anything we've had better recruiting news the past two weeks than we've had in months. Ideal or inconvenient, we should just be glad there is a game. Enjoy it because it is our last taste of BC football for months.

Overlooked storyline for the game: This is probably Gary Tranquill's last game as a college football coach. I know he has retired multiple times, but this -- by all accounts -- is it for our Offensive Coordinator. I don't expect it to be a "storyline" because BC still hasn't announced the change. I assume they are waiting until after signing day or when a new guy is onboard. Regardless of how you feel about Tranq and as frustrating as his BC tenure has been, he has coached a lot of football and should be acknowledged in his final game.

Three Simple Keys
1. Go deep. Did you see the Boise State game? Nevada gave up some big plays in the passing game. I think we can exploit them in the same way.
2. Confuse and contain Kaepernick. In his worst game of the year -- and Nevada's only loss -- Hawaii played a lot of zone and contained him on run plays. That sounds just like a Spaz/McGovern special.
3. Redzone offense. Our Achilles Heal will be a factor in this game. Nevada will score so we cannot trade FGs to their touchdowns. I hope we mix in some pass and don't just settle for runs near the goalline.

Gambling Notes
-- BC is 0-4 against the spread in our last four bowl games
-- BC is 1-4 all time in the state of California
-- BC is 7-5 in bowl games outside the Eastern time zone
The current line is BC+8

Factoid
With this game, BC will have played current WAC teams in bowls twice. While we've only had one regular season game against a current WAC team (Hawaii in 1996).

Scoreboard Watching
We are the only game in town on Sunday night. Nothing really impacts us before or after.

I hope to see...
A big game from Herzy. This season didn't contain the accolades we had hoped for but Mark played well. One more great performance in a win would be a fitting conclusion to one of the most memorable BC careers of alltime.

BC is in trouble if...
We can't score. Everyone is talking about their offense vs our defense. I don't think that will be an issue. We will slow them down. What will be an issue is our ability to break the 21 point ceiling we have. BC needs to open it up and needs to get to 28 points to win.

Bottom Line
I loved the matchup the minute it was announced. We played our best against Florida State and Nevada reminds me a lot of the 'Noles. I think we will stiffen their running game. I think Castonzo can lock up their speedy DE Dontay Moch. I think we open up the pass game and complement it with some big runs from Harris and Williams. The season ends on a high note and we all start to get excited about 2011.
Final Score: BC 31, Nevada 20

Pistol Offense 101

By late Sunday night you will probably never want to hear the term "Pistol Offense" again. In the simplest terms the Pistol is more a formation than an offense. Instead of standing seven yards back in the shotgun, the QB stands three or four yards back. The goal is to get the benefit of the shotgun (better vision, more space) and not lose the opportunity to have a power running game. Nevada was the birthplace of the Pistol and now, like other innovations in football, it has spread and variants are popping up all over.

BC has yet to face a true Pistol Offense but our staff is certainly familiar with it. We even used some Pistol during the season with Rettig. Of the teams we faced, the closest in style and philosophy to Nevada is Florida State. Both run similar zone blocking schemes. Both have mobile QBs and have explosive runners. The team's passing stats were very similar but a most would concede that a healthy Christian Ponder is a better passer than Kaepernick.

For BC the key will be winning the battle upfront. Most of Nevada's runs are inside Zone reads. This will put pressure on our DTs and LBs to clog holes and then play assignment football. If we can get Nevada out of a rhythm running, I like the matchup of our pass defense against their passing game.

Here is more background on the Scheme:

This is Nevada's former OLine coach discussing his line drills for the zone.

Indiana runs the Pistol with a passing focus (and uses man) but here is how the formation helps the run game.

Here is how dangerous Kaepernick can be when he gets a seem.

Smart Football has some great posts on the Pistol too.
-- Pistol Breakdown
-- Deconstructing the Pistol
-- The Pistol's Horn

Absence makes the heart grow fonder

It's been 31 days since we played football and we still have 12 days to go. This will be the longest streak between BC games within one season ever. As a BC fan we are conditioned for a bowl game right about now. This year is a little different. We will have the longest layoff of any team in college football. Some perspective:

Days between BC's games with Syracuse and Nevada: 43 days
Days between Oregon's last game and the BCS national championship: 37 days
Days between Auburn's last game and the BCS national championship: 37 days
Days between Nevada's games with La Tech and BC: 36 days
Days between BC's 2007 ACCCG appearance and the 2007 Champs Bowl: 27 days

Number of games BC played between October 2 and November 13 (42 days): 7

Since Nevada has a long layoff, I don't think the gap will negatively hurt our team. I am just worried about other BC fans like me. We might have to watch some of these meaningless bowl games just to remember what college football looks like.

Hotel issues in San Fran and other links

Host cities usual dread BC because of our travel reputation. This year our small (but spirited) crew might be just what San Francisco needs. The new date of the bowl game is bumping up against a huge series of biomed conferences in the city and hotels rooms are scarce. For those who don't know the area, if you can't find a hotel in the city, just work your way south down the peninsula. There are plenty of nice hotels and the drive to the park is pretty easy from the south bay.

The second portion of this video shows how the BC hockey teams made a difference with a local special needs hockey team.

BC commit Kyle Caudill more than held his own against one of California's top teams.

Nevada sells their tickets and other links

Our Bowl game is technically a neutral site affair, but it will feel like a Nevada home game. The Wolf Pack fans sold out their original allotment of 11,000 seats and have sold an additional 4,000 tickets. I don't have an official count from BC but I can assure you we are well behind that pace. This is as expected though since Reno to San Francisco is an easy drive and this is Nevada's first drivable bowl game. Plus they are coming off the Boise win. I don't think the atmosphere will make a big difference. The silver lining though is we can continue to tell Bowls that although we don't sell a lot of tickets directly, we generate interest locally and among opposing fans.

Here is a story from a few days ago on John Cahill one of our walkons receiving serious playing time.

Although he didn't win many individual national awards, Luke Kuechly was named to the Walter Camp team.

This Maryland blog has a good early take on our basketball team. I can't wait for the game against the Terps on Sunday. We've shown we can beat some quality teams, but this game will show if we can be competitive within the upper half of the ACC.

Respect for BC and other links

I don't know if it is the Nevada factor or begrudging respect, but instead of mocking our bowl situation the pundits are respecting the matchup. Some view it as a Keuchly vs Kaepernick battle.

HD -- who is usually takes the coaching at BC takes miracles narrative -- rightly points out that much of our late season comeback was built off of a forgiving schedule. She also notes Kuechly's dominance and amazing amass of tackles.

The cool gift at the Fight Hunger Bowl is probably the headphones.

This is from the weekend, but Bob Ryan is on the Steve Donahue bandwagon.

BC is prospecting for the class of 2012 already. Another prospect is Domenic Martinelli.

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.