Guest Bloggers: CU Sporting News

My knowledge of Clemson is limited to the national angles (Tommy Bowden is always on the hot seat, Whitehurst needs to bounce back, etc.). So to find out things I should know, I’ve asked Jeremy and Jason from CU Sporting News to guest blog this week. Like last week, I asked them questions and posted their unedited responses below. For even more information on the Tigers, go to CU Sporting News.

1. Cole Downer is out after having a big game last week. Is there a big drop off after him? How will it impact the offense?

Downer's backup, Bobby Williamson is about the same skill level as Downer. So initially there should not be much of a drop off in talent. The problem is depth. Clemson now only has two usable tight ends in an offense that requires A LOT from the tight ends with run blocking 75% of the time and pass routes the rest of the time. Throw in the no-huddle element and two tight ends could be rather winded by the end of a close game. There is a third tight end on the roster, but he is a true freshman, and Tommy Bowden would prefer to redshirt as many freshman as possible, especially on the lines to build depth and strength. The only way the freshman tight end would be used if there was an injury to one of the two remaining tight ends. The tight end is becoming a favorite target for Spence's offense. If there is inexperience up front, expect Clemson to throw to a back coming out of the backfield more this Saturday, as they did in the Texas A&M game. #28 Kyle Browing and #37 Reggie Merriweather are favorites to throw out of the backfield.

2. BC faced a Rob Spence offense a few years ago. Aside from the athletes, how is what he is doing at Clemson different from what he did at Toledo?

Well, not being an expert on what Toledo has been up to the past few years, my first response is to say: not much, to what Spence has been doing. Clemson does have a lot of depth at wide receiver and running back. At each position, there are probably three players who could start today for most other teams in the ACC. Another thing Spence has this year is the biggest offensive line in Clemson history, who have some experience after last year's struggles up front. Last season, Clemson's offense under former Tiger QB, Mike O'Cain was known for an unimaginative running attack and an inability to throw underneath linebackers 5 yards out. Clemson had a good post pass pattern in the offense and not much else. Unfortunately, the offense ran what was known as the "hurry up and wait" offense. The team would get set up and then just sit and wait until the play was called, sometimes changed, from the sideline. It was infuriating as a fan to watch. But much worse opposing defenses fairly quickly figured out what was coming and did a great job of disguising coverages, ending up in 17 Whitehurst interceptions last year. This season, so far, Clemson still does not huddle (has not since '99 when Bowden arrived) but Whitehurst calls a play from among 2-4 options he is given and then the play is called. The offense thrives on high percentage passing - which is why Whitehurst has a 70% completion percentage for the year, and mix of zone/man blocking for the running backs. You will notice a very quick hesitation from the backs before they pick a route to run. They are waiting for one of two or three holes to open with the blocking scheme before they commit to one.

3. Charlie Whitehurst's pick cost you guys the Miami game. Is that the type of thing that will send him into a funk this week or do you expect him to bounce back?

Beyond his skills throwing the ball, what sets Whitehurst above his competitors is his leadership and his competitive spirit. I don't mean this to be hyperbole, but if Whitehurst could have lined up to play BC at 10PM on Saturday night, 1 hour after the Miami game, he would have done it. He wants to get back on the field. Last week, Whithehurst made some of the errors that plagued him last week: throwing the ball high to receivers or even to hard, causing drops. A lot of that can be attributed to the speed and power of Miami's defense and the 5 to 6 future NFL players on their starting defense. There is probably no one in college today that you would want more leading a team downfield with the game on the line. He has a way of putting the pall through 2 defenders and leading his receiver to a point. I do expect this Saturday for Clemson to set up the passing game with the run. If Whitehurst does get into a funk, it will be caused by a frustrating defense from the BC side that he has difficulty figuring out. You will notice his frustration if and when he keys on one receiver continually. If Whitehurst is throwing the ball around, using a variety of plays, he's having fun. He is a solid leader, has great physical skills; but at the end of the day he just loves playing ball in a team concept. The players, by all accounts love him. He is not especially vocal, but has such high demands on himself that the other players find him easy to follow. He'll probably be a 2nd round NFL draft pick next season. Taught correctly, he has potential to be a star in the NFL, and go places where his father, former Furman U. and Green Bay Packers QB, David Whitehurst did not go.

4. At Clemson, Tommy Bowden has had some rough starts. This your a few plays away from being 3-0. You also could be 1-2. Will it always be a rollercoaster ride with his teams or has he finally turned the corner?

Well, I don't want to be a contrarian just to be a contrarian but the idea of Bowden's rough starts is a little over-blown in the media. Here is a snapshot of Bowden's starts at Clemson:
--'99 turn a 3-8 '98 power option-team into a 6-6, 3rd place in the conference team by winning every other game, starts by losing to a top 20 Chad Pennington led Marshall team, then defeats a top 20 Virginia team
--'00 starts the season out 8-0 on the way to a #3 ranking in the nation, losing 3 out of 4 to Georgia Tech, Florida St. and Michael Vick's last game at Virginia Tech and beating a top 20 Holtz led Gamecock team
--'01 starts the season out at 4-1 under Woody Dantzler's 2000 pass/10000 rush QB play, but then loses three straight in November to Florida St., ACC champ Maryland and the best USC team in a generation
--'02 starts the season out at 3-1, then struggles in October by losing 3 of 4 to ranked teams from Virginia, Florida State and NC State - probably Bowden's worst team, finished with 7-6 record
--'03 starts the season out at 3-1, then proceeds to lose every other game in October, including getting blown out by Wake Forest, then finishes with wins over top 10 ranked Florida State, Tennessee and a historic rout over rival USC
--'04 starts the season out at 1-4, then wins the rest of the way against teams like Miami and Maryland with an inexplicable loss at the last second to Duke being the only blemish on the second half of the season.

I list that out to show that Bowden has only had 1 real bad start to the season, last year, since he has been at Clemson. He has gotten in trouble with the middle part of the schedule when Clemson has played good NC State and Maryland teams after playing ranked Virginia and Florida State teams. October is the danger month for Clemson under Bowden. You can't really predict how 18-23 year olds will react on any given week, but there are signs that players are better motivated and are concerned about putting in a consistent effort week end and week out. For example, Sunday is an off day for the Clemson. Until this year, 3 to 4 playes would voluntarily watch film. This year just about the entire team is watching film on Sunday evenings. Clemson has only made one turnover, the last play against Miami in overtime, and less than 10 penalties in 3 games (whereas Miami had 14 Saturday). The team is playing with a lot more precision this year. Now they are still flat, for some reason, in all 3 games in the 3rd quarter. All of our opponents so far have played better and scored more, than Clemson in the 3rd quarter, which is why Clemson has had to come from behind in all 3 games. There have been times in the past when the offense would just disappear for a quarter or two, unable to move the ball at all. That has changed this year. I don't recall a series yet where Clemson just goes 3 and out without gaining a yard. Even when Clemson is punting, they are still gaining 5 or 6 yards on the ground. The improved running game, especially under freshman James Davis #1, has been the biggest improvement and the lack of a running game has been the biggest detriment when Clemson faces teams with large defensive lines. Now that a running game is there, let's see how the middle part of the season goes. The team is eager to get back on the field after last Saturday, that's public knowledge. If Clemson has turned the corner from last season, it is because they have a new defensive coordinator, Vic Koenning, to whom good enough is not good enough and Spence who is thriving on multiple formations that are involving a lot of the offense that makes it difficult for the defense to adjust to and strokes the players’ competitive fire.

5. Anything that else BC fans should know?

Clemson's glaring weaknesses this season have been punting (witha 30 yard average) and kick off returns - average start around the 20. This has forced Clemson to drive for much longer distances down the field.

Clemson's Death Valley this past Saturday against the Miami Hurricanes was loud, jet-engine, little children crying, shaking the stands, loud for several hours Saturday when Miami was on offense. When Clemson's offense was on the field, you could probably hear a pin drop. I don't know what the Eagle team is used to, but I would expect more of the same from the Clemson faithful this Saturday. Clemson is the reason the NCAA instituted a noise rule, after Notre Dame's Dan Devine complained after a '77 matchup in Death Valley when Joe Montana brought the Irish back to win. Bring ear plugs if you come.

Another thing: the temperature will be in the low 90's this Saturday with a 12 o'clock start. In both Clemson homes games this season, which started in the evening or late afternoon, lots of players had heat-related cramps. BC will need to substitute freely in order to save their players for a probable close game. For fans, find the first aid station underneath the section where most BC fans will sit and drink the free cold water provided. I expect the heat to be brutal.

For more information on Clemson, check out CU Sporting News.

Old Man on the scene

You know that guy that becomes a campus legend while you're in college? Well the version among my crowd was Old Man. His accomplishments were many, but what most impressed me is that he extended his stay at BC to nearly a decade. This is unheard of at an expensive private school like BC. He is also a good guy, a diehard fan and someone who would never miss an event like Gameday's first visit to the Heights. Here are his pictures of the momentous occasion.

Blogpoll ballot week 4

BC is out of the AP poll and barely hanging on in the coaches’ poll. I had a hard time keeping them in my ballot. It was either BC or Clemson at 25, so I went with my bias. The difference between the two teams will be clear this weekend.

Games I watched

Florida State-BC 100% (twice)
Houston-UTEP 50%
Utah-TCU 25%
ULM-Georgia 20%
Michigan State-ND 75%
Miami-Clemson 25%

1. Southern Cal
2. Texas
3. Virginia Tech
4. Florida
5. Louisville
6. Louisiana State
7. UCLA
8. Georgia
9. Florida State
10. Michigan State
11. Cal
12. Purdue
13. Georgia Tech
14. Alabama
15. Virginia
16. Miami (Florida)
17. Texas Tech
18. Ohio State
19. Vanderbilt
20. Michigan
21. Wisconsin
22. Oregon
23. Notre Dame
24. Arizona State
25. Boston College

Second viewing thoughts and grade report: Florida State

How can you outplay a Top 10 team for most of the game and still come out with an “L”? BC did it Saturday. Here are my thoughts after watching the game a second time.

Offense: C

The offensive line had a great game. For the most part they gave Porter and Ryan plenty of time. They mixed up the schemes well. They opened big holes. The draw was less effective in the second half, but I think that was more to do with Florida State adjusting rather than blocking.

The running backs played well too -- easily Whitworth and Callender’s best game of the year. Callender seems out of his funk. And every time I thought he should be in there getting more carries, Whitworth would respond with a decent run.

Good effort from the receivers. Lester scared me with his reaching for first downs, but he also had his best game of the year. Purvis also had a nice game. Gonzalez continues to show he has the best hands on the team. Nice showing from Robinson. Miller…dropping the late touchdown pass was a killer. And then there is Blackmon. As the touchdown catch showed, Will is great with the ball in his hands. But he had two deep drops and missed a catchable fade pass too.

Ryan played pretty well in a tough spot. By my count he had four bad plays. But he moved the ball downfield when we needed a score. And certainly has better touch and zip on passes than Porter. Like Syracuse last year, Ryan just happened to be under center during a tough loss. He was not the cause in either.

Times like this is when it is nice to be a fan writing a blog rather than someone trying to objectively cover the team. In Sunday’s Herald Porter said this: "It was awful," he said of watching the rest of the game, first from a kneeling position on the sideline, and then standing next to O'Brien. "It was awful because I was seeing things so clearly." I say, "bullshit". In addition to his two really bad interceptions (both were underthrown) he had -- by my count -- six other bad passes in the first half. Later he botched an exchange that Trueblood fortunately recovered. He overlooked a wideopen Gonzalez for a TD the play before Ohliger's missed field goal. And got very lucky on another play where Gonzalez came up with a ball that could have been another pick. Despite his own critique, Porter had a "D" effort. The offense moved the ball in spite of him not because of him.

Bible called a good game right until they got to the two yard line, down 11 with 2:48 left and three timeouts. Here is the sequence:

-- 1st and goal from the three. Whitworth up the middle. No gain.
-- 2nd down (the play started at 2:24) Run up the middle. 1-yard loss.
-- BC called a timeout with 2:12.
-- 3rd down pass. Holding penalty on Florida State. Half the distance. New set of downs.
-- 2:06 to go. Two timeouts remain.
-- 1st and goal. Toal run. Short gain.
-- BC timeout. 1:56 left.
-- 2nd down. Another Toal run. Stopped at the 1 foot line.
-- BC timeout.
-- 3rd down. 1:47 left. Pass...right through Miller’s hands.
-- 4th down. Push up the middle with Ryan. Stopped. FSU ball.

Now they needed two scores. So you could question going for it on fourth. You need the field goal anyway. But I understand going for the TD. "If the team can’t get it in, they don’t deserve to win yada yada yada…" I understand. But it is not what I would have done. The real second guessing comes in with four running plays when you need to score quickly. They burned all three timeouts with those plays. And what is the point of bringing Toal in if you can’t fake out of it? The whole stadium knows what you are trying to do when he is in the game. He is a stud, but he is not going to score every time he touches the ball. Please tell me they have a play action play when he is in the game.

I know that even if they had scored, it would’ve been tough to score again, but the coaching staff (TOB and Bible) did not give the team the best chance to win.

So the offense got a C. But really that should be a D for Porter. C for Bible and a B+ for everyone else.

Defense: C+

They only really allowed one TD on their own. The others could really be attributed to others’ mistakes. But I am giving the unit a C+ for the chickenshit play calling in the fourth. The easing up in the fourth was made even more frustrating because Spaz had called such a great game up to that point. You can’t sit on a 3-point lead against a team as talented as FSU. For example, the team blitzed or run blitzed six times in the first half and five were positive plays. In the third quarter they blitzed or run blitzed an astounding nines times. Unexpected aggressiveness kept Florida State guessing the whole time. The players seemed to feed off it. Raji was destroying the middle of the FSU line. Kiwi had his best game of the season. Larkin finally made some noise. Things were great. They were rotating players with little drop off. (However, middle linebacker remains a problem. Dunbar loses his assignment in coverage when spelling the great coverage MLB Henderson. In contrast Henderson still is a weak tackler. He had two bad/missed tackles to start the fourth.)

So things were going well. The offense spotted the ‘Noles 14 and our D held them through three quarters, including the ultimate hustle play by Kiwi on Booker’s strip.

But in the fourth Spaz and/or TOB backed off. Only two blitzes the entire quarter…and both were half-hearted delays. The announcers attributed the difference to Weatherford finally clicking with the four-wide set. Nonsense. He was just comfortable for the first time. Because of this strategy, Florida State moved the ball for one TD and score the second on a short field after the blocked punt.

Overall, the defense played above expectations. Nearly everyone had their best game of the season. Spaz called a hell of a game for three quarters and one of his worst in the fourth. Porter’s play was the primary reason for the loss, but the fourth quarter defensive play calling didn’t help.

Special teams: C

First the good things. Great containment of the explosive Florida State return game in both the kick return and punt return. Tribble’s penalty shouldn’t have been called and was a great play. Will Blackmon only had one questionable return out of the endzone, but did not do anything bad or good of note. The costly plays were much more predictable. Ohliger’s missed FG would have made that final drive much more interesting. I don’t get it. I really don’t. I know finding a kicker is hard at any level. But then don’t go for long field goals. Going for it on fourth and getting stuffed is as productive as another miss. It might seem like I am tough on Ohliger. I would give him a break if he occasionally won a game with a big kick. But aside from West Virginia last year, he has been shaky in all other big games.

He wasn’t the only frustration on special teams. The blocked punt ultimately put the game away. Other teams are able to pick up on this weakness and we still cannot stop it. Mix up the blocking. Mix up the personnel. Do something! Virginia Tech must be salivating at the chance to wreak havoc on our punting unit.

I wonder how long we will allow these things to happen on special teams. By my count this is the third straight season where we can’t count on error-free kicking or punting.

Overall Grade: C

This game could have been won. I don’t believe in moral victories. TOB and staff played it too close at the end (and also punted it on fourth and a foot on the 30 down 11 with 6 minutes). The season is not over. But the coaching staff is going to have to play to win instead of keep things close. (The BC staff that let it rip last season at Notre Dame and called the fake kick against North Carolina might have won this game.) This has got to be rough for the players. They deserved a better start and a better ending.

Ugh

Earlier this week at Sporting Fools I said this:

"Our QB is a big question mark too. Earlier in the week, I said I wasn't worried about his performance, but now that he has shot his mouth off in the papers doubt is starting to return. Quinton Porter has got all the tools, but in seasons past displayed Rix-like qualities. Maybe not as careless, but certainly getting over anxious under pressure. Where Rix might have thrown a bad pass. Porter often tried to run for the first down...when we needed 20. Is this season's patience and presence here to stay?"

And then later in the same exchange I said this:

"I am not so much worried about the speed. BC can hold their own and scheme around it. I am much more worried about the inevitable big play. Can this team stay composed if FSU blocks a punt or picks off an early pass? That is what scares me."

They responded to earlier disasters, but then couldn't respond in the second half. BC should've won this game, but poor play from Porter, sloppy special teams, and questionable second half coaching decisions cost the team the game. New conference, same story.

I'll rewatch the game and post my second viewing thoughts and grades Sunday.

This was a tough one.

Factiods

BC is 2-8 against pre-expansion ACC teams.

BC is 6-2 straight up as underdog the last two seasons.

BC has defeated their last three ranked opponents.

BC is 1-2 vs. Florida State.

TOB is 9-6 as a home underdog.

TOB is 2-8 against teams ranked in the Top 10.

Florida State is 12-7 against pre-expansion Big East teams.

Bobby Bowden is 58-49 as an away favorite at FSU.

In the last five seasons, FSU is 14-12 on the road against the spread.

Over the last five seasons, seven of Florida State’s 17 losses have come on the road.

Friday news

FSU-BC generated a lot of press. Most of it was the same angle. Here are the things that I thought were different or worth reading.

Will Blackmon and Leon Washington bonded at the conference meetings this summer.

TOB was part of the staff that handed FSU their first ACC loss. Vega takes him down memory lane and TOB ends up giving most of the credit to other people.

Tim Layden was on campus this week. Gene D. and TOB did their best to cast BC as the David in this matchup.

Corey from Sporting Fools and I took our exchange over to his place.

As I’ve said before, BC’s relationship with the surrounding neighbors is always combative. So it is no surprise that the locals are not happy about Saturday. However, the greater Boston area loves the ACC.

Former SID Reid Oslin's article was revealing in who it quoted -- recent BC hire Chad Swofford! I had no idea John’s kid was on the athletic department staff. I am sure he is qualified (and in full disclosure I am in my father’s industry) but you gotta hand it to Gene D. The guy knows how to network.

Roundtable roundup

Bloggers sent Dan Rather into early retirement. Can we take down Billy Packer next? The blogpoll is college football focused, but the roundtable members didn’t miss the opportunity to vent their Packer dislike. The surly hoops expert was the target of Westerdawg (who provided the Packer shot above), Straight Bangin’ and Section Six.

When it comes to football, Aaron Taylor is relatively new to the national scene, but he has shot up the list of pointless pundits. Brian and The Nittany Blog, BoifromTroy, Action Berg and Xanga listed the guy with the enormous head filled with empty thoughts as their least favorite analyst.

I was surprised that Catholic Packer Fan was the only one to mention Musburger. Don’t worry CPF, as Brent would say, you’re commentary was “pivotal” to this roundtable and your post was clearly the “Post of the Century.”

The print guys did not come out unscathed. Paradigm thinks Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press is a waste of ink. I loathe the Boston Globe’s Mark Blaudschun. Bruinsnation tries to avoid anything written by Bill Plaschke.

Like any good critics, we also wanted to recognize quality work.

EDSBS love Nessler so much they want him to go by a one-name moniker like Cher, Bono or Brazilian soccer stars.

As the worldwide leader in sports, ESPN has the biggest target when it comes to sports media criticism. But the blogpollers give credit where credit is due. AgRyan thinks Herbstreit’s passion and professionalism are the keys to his success. I Blog For Cookies loves the whole Gameday crew.

Syracuse launched the careers of half the sportscasters on the East Coast, but Orange 44 did not let that influence his opinion. He noted the underappreciated work that Bill Curry does every week.

A common theme throughout the responses was love for the band of blogging brothers Brian put together. EDSBS, Sexy Results and BGS were specifically recognized for their unique takes on college football.

Then there is Trev Alberts. The Jan Brady to Herbstreit’s Marcia was the inspiration for this roundtable. He may be gone, but he is not forgotten. Struggling Joe stands up for the former Husker and longs for his return. Stay strong, Joe. Annoying media personalities have nine lives. One day soon, Trev will return to enrage fans and media execs again.

Flagging Fanblogs

Mike Boone from Fanblogs doesn’t think much of our chances. The hype has been overwhelming, but I don’t think he is going out on limb by saying FSU is going to win. After opening as an early 1-point favorite, BC is now getting a point on most books.

Evil A and I were talking about it and agree that BC either wins a close, defensive game or gets embarrassed.

But I couldn’t just let Mike’s points go [I partially quoted Mike for space consideration. Read his story to get the full acount], so here are my counterpoints.

Fact: Boston College's offensive line is not as huge as Bobby Ross thought it was…

Counterpoint: Mike goes on to mention that Miami’s equally huge line had trouble with the ‘Noles. But there are some major differences. First, he mentions Winston, but Miami allowed a lot of the pressure from up the middle. Pat Ross is a potential All American and I think he is well equipped to handle FSU’s defensive tackles. Also, our guys are the same size as Miami’s but are a very mobile and will move and mix schemes more than the Canes usually do. If I have one worry it is about Cherilus holding up. This will be the units biggest test, but I think they’ll fare better than the Miami offensive line.

Fact: Team speed will hurt the Eagles…

Counterpoint: It will. This is nothing new for BC. FSU is fast but how much faster than the Miami and Va Tech teams that BC has faced in the past? If anything BC has narrowed the gap. And his point about Blackmon…I don’t really think Will’s ability is about speed. It is more of that elusive quality that you find in certain players. He cuts well and has good vision. He might not run away from people, but he has the ability to make everyone miss.

Fact: Weatherford is a liability for Florida State…

Counterpoint: This one really speaks to BC’s advantage. I think Mike is hedging a little here.

Fact: It is imperative for Boston College to score soon after the opening kick…

Counterpoint: As any BC fan knows, if we win the toss, we will defer. I agree that points will be precious, but I don’t really agree with Mike’s conclusion that it is impossible to score on FSU in the second half. Miami moved the ball and was one good hold away from scoring late in their game.

Fact: Florida State has been in games like this before…

Counterpoint: FSU clearly has the big game edge. But they are not invincible. Over the last five seasons seven of their 17 losses have come on the road. And while BC is known for their letdowns, TOB has been better about getting his team ready for big games the last two seasons (BC has beaten the last three ranked opponents we’ve faced).

BC is the underdog and should be. Despite the hype and the many reason FSU is favored, BC can win this game.

FSU preview

I haven’t been a mindreader this season, but I’ll continue with this format since it is a little different.

Offense -- what BC will do

BC has come out passing in both games this season, but now I think they will finally try to establish the run early. The reason is twofold. First, it will calm everyone down and establish dominance in an area where we may have an advantage. Second, there is no way we are stretching the field without some play action. Without play fakes our wideouts are not running by FSU’s DBs.

Offense -- what I think BC should do

If BC is going to win this game they will do it with the short and intermediate passes. Miami showed that you can throw the 15-yard crossing routes against the defense. I think the line can hold up long enough to give Porter time for quick passes. The questions are can Miller get open and will any of our other receivers show they can catch a ball in traffic? Also, BC needs to get the ball to Blackmon at least six times on offense. I think FSU will be ready for the endaround, so go back to the screen or some quick slants. If we have trouble with the blitz, I would like to see some screens to LV and Callender.

Defense -- what BC will do

FSU’s offense has more in common with Army than with BYU [EDITED TO CLARIFY: Army's focus was rushing. BYU was nearly exclusive passing. I expect FSU to keep it on the ground.], so I expect to see a lot of the Army gameplan. Not a lot of blitzing, conservative zone coverage and a focus on stopping the run.

Defense -- what I think BC should do

Yes, FSU quarterbacks are inexperienced, but don't come after them. Let them throw into coverage with plenty of time. Don’t blitz, because I think both have enough athleticism to make a big play. BC must stop the run. The defensive line did an okay job against Army. It will really be up to the linebackers to support their efforts and make a difference. I hope they continue to rotate LBs, since some of the second teamers are better tacklers than Henderson.

Special teams -- What BC will do

I really think BC will play it close to the vest. So I don’t expect to see any gadgetry or block attempts. I also think they will attempt a field goal instead of going for it anywhere in the red zone.

Special teams -- what I think BC should do

Florida State might not be the Florida State of old, but they can still beat you with special teams. Hopefully BC will punt it away from Rouse. As much as I worry about Ohliger, I think they should kick FGs and get any points they can in what should be a low scoring game. I would also like to see them use the endaround punt return that they used against WVU last season.

Final Prediction

BC has not played faced FSU in any of these players’ lifetimes, but TOB has called plays against an Andrews’ defense many times. And we also beat a Kevin Steele led Baylor team a few years ago. So they know what it takes and how to build a winning gameplan against this scheme. Can they contain FSU’s fledgling offense for 60 minutes? I think so.
BC wins 20-13.

Wednesday news

The USA Today featured Quinton Porter. The reporter mentioned the same sequence that caught my eye (Porter’s TD to Gonzalez) as an example of his maturation.

ESPN selected the Dustbowl as its base of operations. You can’t see the stadium from there, but it will allow students to pack the set. Cold Pizza will also broadcast from the Dustbowl on Friday. Skip and Woody, I recommend the chicken fingers at The Rat.

Florida State fans are excited about the game.

Stewart Mandel thinks we can win a defensive battle.

Here’s an interesting article on assistant salaries. The writer inserts the typical “how can they make more than professors” comparison. I know many professors and I can tell you: assistant are underpaid. They put in many more hours and have half the job security that professors have. Also, the good professors can make much more with publishing and outside consulting.

The Bears cut Marc Colombo. He never regained his form after his rookie-year injury.

From the where are they now file: former BC QB Eric Boatwright.

Guest Blogger: Sporting Fools

While the blogpoll has not sparked a voting revolution, it did introduce me to a lot of good blogs I would not have known about. Sporting Fools blog about many things, but have a special place in their hearts for Florida State.

In an effort to get a little more insight on the Seminoles, I asked Corey from Sporting Fools to answer a few questions. His answers follow:

1. What is Florida State's Achilles heel and how should BC exploit it?

Well when you've got two redshirt freshman quarterbacks playing in their third game, that's where the weakness lies. Drew Weatherford will start and of the two QBs, he is more prepared for starting. The offense with Weatherford behind center is going to revolve around the running backs Leon Washington and Lorenzo Booker. Miami was able to shut down the run and force Weatherford to pass, which he didn't do very well (to the tune of 7-for-24 for 71 yards, five of the completions were dump screens). Despite putting up huge passing numbers against the Citadel, I seriously doubt the Seminoles will use the same spread offense this week with it being Drew's first road start in an important conference game with the potential for a hostile environment. I expect Drew to struggle early, he will struggle early but if he doesn't turn the ball over he should be okay.

As for exploiting this weakness, I expect BC to blitz on obvious passing downs and load the box on first and second down to force third and long situations. The more Weatherford is pressured, the more rattled he's going to be.

2. Aside from the big names, who is an unheralded difference maker that BC fans should be aware of?

Linebacker Marcello Church is a big key on defense because he's the "buck" lineman whenever the Seminoles go to a 3-4. He's quick off the line and he'll get to the quarterback in those passing situations (two sacks against Miami). You won't hear a lot about the senior, especially considering the All-America quality linebackers already on the team, but he's a major part of the scheme this week.

On offense the difference maker might have to be superstar recruit Fred Rouse. The freshman, in only his third game, will be in charge of returning punts and in this game I feel like the winning play will be on special teams. Rouse has the ability and the flair to make a big play in a big situation.

3. FSU was supportive of the ACC expansion, but what is the general opinion among 'Nole fans of BC?

Most FSU fans have had this game circled on the calendar since the schedule was realized. Many of the fans are pysched about going to Boston, there's a huge alumni/fan group in the city already and I expect many Seminole fans there this weekend. Overall I think FSU has a high opinion of what BC is going to bring to the conference -- exposure to the New England region, strong academic history and strong athletics program with a very underrated fanbase. This an exciting time and I know many Nole fans look forward to the rivalry that will be built.

Check out Sporting Fools throughout the season for more info on FSU and plenty of high-quality live blogging on college football.

'Nole news and other things

I hope Florida State fans realize how lucky they are when it comes to news coverage. During the season, the two Boston papers will usually write one BC story a day (often on the same subject). Down in the Sunshine state, it seems like every paper north of Bradenton has someone on the Seminoles beat.

Here are some of the clips that caught my eye.

FSU’s offensive line is ready for Kiwi. Kiwi has been neutralized so far this season. The rest of BC’s D-line is really going to have to step up Saturday.

This article discusses FSU adapting to their new blocking scheme.

Here is a notebook that leads with Xavier Lee. He has been raw in limited time this year, but he worries me more than Weatherford. I think BC can contain FSU’s passing. It is when the play breaks down that the defense can be exposed by a scrambler like Lee.

TOB is quoted in this article about the size of today’s lineman.

More free recruiting news from the AJC.

The national media is paying attention to BC. We made ESPN’s power rankings and moved up in Stewart Mandel’s poll. The guys at Sportsline expect us to win this weekend.

The Clemson start time was finally announced. It will be a noon game on Jefferson-Pilot.

Blogpoll Roundtable No. 7

I am hosting the blogpoll roundtable this week. We’ve covered almost every aspect of our teams so I thought it was time to turn our attention to the media.

Last week Trev Alberts made one of the all-time bonehead moves by getting fired by ESPN. Not surprisingly, college football fans and bloggers showed the little sympathy for the former first-round bust. Trev’s self-important style and often misinformed opinions built up heaps of animosity among regular viewers of ESPN’s college coverage. Plus Albert’s departure means more TV time for a real journalist like Nick Lachey! So with this in mind, I thought it was time to focus on the talking heads you love and the ones you love to hate.

1. What member of the mainstream sports media (preferably one who covers college sports) makes your skin crawl, blood boil, forces you to change the channel or hit mute? Why?

2. What writer, broadcaster, show, website etc. deserves more recognition? Who is someone we should all be reading, watching or listening to?

Post your answers below in the comments section or link the URL to your responses on your own blog. I’ll post my answers later today and put together a roundup later in the week.

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EDITED TO ADD MY OWN RESPONSES

1. Mark Blaudschun covers college sports for the Boston Globe. Fortunately for BC fans he is not the paper’s BC beat writer. But as the main college guy for one of the nation’s most prestigious sports sections, he gets plenty of space to spread misinformation and his distaste for the hometown Eagles. Taking shots at the locals is nothing new for the Boston media, but Blaudschun shoddy reporting and hack opinions reached a breaking point for me during the ACC move. The move deserved debate and coverage, but Blowhard filled his work with anonymous quotes from his old school Big East buddies that amounted to a series of low blows on BC’s rep, history, athletic department potential, fans, and of course the Catholic Church. He gave merit to most of the ridiculous talking points that the Big East floated while never mentioning that every snubbed member of the conference would gladly have bolted to the ACC (unfortunately for those schools, they didn’t bring much to the table). His implausible opinions didn't pass the sniff test with even the average college fan. Yet this man is still employed and by all reports is unapologetic about his poor reporting. There are a lot of things to be excited about this Saturday’s primetime ACC debut against a national power (with College Gameday on campus). I hope Blaudschun has a good seat for a game he thought would never happen, that BC never deserved and that no one would ever care about.

2. Being the voice of a team can be a delicate balance. Root too much and people call you a homer. If you’re too critical you won’t last long at the school. Georgia Tech’s play-by-play man Wes Durham does it better than most. He’s got a great voice, calls a good game, has a passion for the sport, incorporates his excellent knowledge of history of the game and has the right perspective on the team. I never missed his and Tony Barnhart’s old Southern Football Kickoff Show on 790 The Zone. Wes even handles the thankless coach’s show without pissing off Chan Gailey or disappointing frustrated Tech fans. BC’s radio network churns play-by-play guys about every three season. I hope one of these days they stumble upon a guy like Wes to serve as the voice of Boston College.

Blogpoll ballot week 3

BC moved up to 17 in the AP poll and 16 in the USA Today poll. Below is my ballot for the blogpoll. Not as much movement as last week. I did penalize the Big Ten teams and gave Vandy some recognition.

Games I watched
Army-BC 100% (twice)
Pitt-Ohio 25%
ND-Michigan 25%
South Carolina-UGA 25%
UNC-Georgia Tech 10%
Texas-Ohio State 75%

1. Southern Cal
2. Texas
3. Virginia Tech
4. Louisiana State
5. Tennessee
6. Louisville
7. Georgia
8. Notre Dame
9. Florida State
10. Florida
11. Boston College
12. Purdue
13. Cal
14. Clemson
15. Virginia
16. Georgia Tech
17. Texas Tech
18. Fresno State
19. Alabama
20. UCLA
21. Miami (Florida)
22. Ohio State
23. Michigan
24. Vanderbilt
25. Oklahoma

"Comin' To Your City"

I hate the new Gameday theme (who thought Big & Rich and Cowboy Troy were a good idea?), but I am excited to see that ESPN’s Gameday is coming to BC (I am a sucker for shots of campus and tailgating). I don’t know what they are going to do about fans since Newton laws don’t allow tailgaters on campus nine hours before kickoff (Gameday starts at 10:30 a.m., the game starts at 7:45 p.m.).

Corso and crew’s presence will only heighten the intensity on campus. This is the biggest home game of the TOB era and the first game as member of the ACC.

I am glad to see the team get some pub. Hopefully they will shine in the spotlight.

Second viewing thoughts and grade report: Army game

Upon watching a second time, I agree with TOB’s conclusion that the score was deceptive. The team played well, but not great (if that makes any sense). Here are my thoughts and grade reports.

Offense: B+

Porter continues to get the job done. Each game he makes plays that show his maturity and cuts down on plays that make me yell “ah, Quinton!” The one play that really stood out as progress was his TD pass to Gonzalez. The previous play, the coverage was tight so he tucked the ball and ran. He was caught from behind for a 1-yard gain. This was classic 2003 Porter. So the next play he has time in the pocket, but no one was open. He shuffled his feet and you could see him fight the urge to run for the first down. But he showed patience and maturity, stayed in the pocket, let Gonzalez get free and hit him in stride for the Touchdown. He was also fairly accurate. And for the second straight game, he effectively ran the two minute offense before the half. His game was not without flaws. He floated a long ball to Lester (can’t use altitude as an excuse this week), got caught from behind on the bootleg pass (Peterson’s bread and butter play) and had some exchange problems with Sheridan when Sheridan was subbing in for Ross. Overall, he is improving and putting up good numbers. I am not worried about Porter heading into next week.

I am worried about the ground game. Once again, neither Callender or Whitworth stood out. Whitworth had the better game, but still has trouble if his initial hole is not open. In the second half, his reactions improved. In space he is great. I would like to see them get him the ball on screens or on the swing pass more. Callender clearly has the better ability adapting to where the holes are but is not doing enough to get the starting job back. TOB got in his face when he shied away from contact and missed a first down by a yard. He also took a few jabs at Callender in his radio show last week. Next week one of them will have to step up if we are going to beat Florida State.

Goalline specialist Brian Toal was a nice addition to the package. He scored twice and showed better feel for finding the holes than either of our featured backs.

The receivers looked good, but that is to be expected against the USMA. Gonzalez is proving to have great hands and is very reliable. Blackmon is showing that it might have been a mistake to leave him on defense for three years. He is really raw on his routes and didn’t know what to do when the play broke down, but man, he is great when he has the ball. I liked the play calling to get him the ball on end-arounds. His TD run off the screen was awesome. The Tight Ends were quiet after last week’s big game.

The line was solid and I appreciate the fact that the coaching staff got the backups in for long stretches. The only blight was Kevin Sheridan having problems with the snap when he was in for Ross.

Defense: B

The defense shut Army down for most of the day, but the opening drive was so bad that I can’t give the unit an “A” effort.

First Kiwi. As expected, he is the opponent's focus. Spaz keeps flip flopping where he is lined up. All this did to Army was cause them to shift their Tight End to the weakside. The doubleteaming frustration led to Kiwi losing his cool for the first time. He was whistled for a roughing the passer and an offsides. Both moves contributed to Amry’s one scoring drive. He needs to stay focused and recognize that as a focal point he is still contributing. If he is taking all that attention someone will be able to step up. So far that isn’t his opposite end, Nick Larkin. Larkin has been MIA so far. The DTackles have played well and I was glad to see the young Willis get some tackles. The linebackers continue to play well and Pruitt was great filling in for Brown.

The corners gave Army way too much space on the lines. The Cadets exploited this with a series of quick slants. They can’t give FSU that much cushion next week.

After the first drive the attitude changed and run defense buckled down. But is was disappointing to see the team come out flat. There are no excuses next week.

Special teams: B-

The coverage teams were fine. The punting effective. Army missed one field goal (but that was more of an Army missing thing as opposed to a BC blocking). The cause for concern remains Ohliger. He yanked a PAT and that doesn’t inspire confidence. I think the coaching staff feels the same way. They elected to go for it twice on fourth down in field goal range. You could say they had confidence in the offense. I say, they felt their odds were better throwing than letting Ohliger try a long FG. The kid is going to have to make a kick at some point this season. Instead of protecting him, the coaching staff should figure out now if he has the head to be a DIA kicker.

Overall: B

I liked the play calling. I am glad they got in most of the second team for long stretches. The defense responded. But still not a perfect game. There is a lot of work to do before the Seminoles but 2-0 feels nice.

Initial thoughts

A win is a win. As expected, BC controlled the game. It is hard to find fault with a 44-7 victory, but there were many things that bothered me. I’ll give my second viewing thoughts and grade report Sunday. Regardless of my gripes, being 2-0 going into FSU is a nice feeling.

The Tom Coughlin Legacy

Here’s an article in the Newark Star-Ledger on Tom Coughlin from his wife’s perspective. Coughlin is an interesting character whose influence and legacy is significant to where BC football is today. Aside from being the Head Coach during the second most important win in school history, he was also an assistant during the Flutie years and such a good talent evaluator that his recruits carried TOB in his first few seasons. Coughlin sent his daughter to BC and she is married to former BC star and current New York Giant Chris Snee. Also, Gene D’s son is on Coughlin’s staff.

I missed Couglin’s run by a year but still think I can capture what a big deal he was and why his short time at BC will always cast an unfair shadow on TOB.

Although he had worked at BC, Coughlin became the Head Coach fresh off a Giants Super Bowl win and was cast as a Parcells’ disciple. As ND fans are finding out now with Weis, the curt, buck stops here, we’re going to kick ass attitude combined with a dynamic offense will win over a fan base quickly. When he beat No. 1 Notre Dame in South Bend in his third season, he cemented his status as a BC icon. Yet that was the peak of his reign. He lost to WVU the next week and was head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars a few months later. But his charisma and the promise of what his run held (“if Coughlin had stayed...”) is still fresh in the memories of those who lived through the run. Heck, I was only a BC applicant when he beat Notre Dame and I still wonder what might have been. We will never know. Maybe he would have won a national championship. Maybe his my way or the highway attitude would have burned bridges with the players and the administration. Fans should let go because he was always too big for BC and the college game. He went where he belonged. But we can’t let go. We’re fans.

TC Legend also had the benefit of being followed by the Dan Henning disaster. [TANGENT TIME: This is getting too personal but I literally shat when I found out that Henning was the coach. This was spring 1994 and before the internet. I was in New Jersey so I couldn’t follow the coaching search in any paper. One day I am lounging around watching SportsCenter. I have to go to the bathroom and being your typical jerky senior in high school, I just blast the volume on the TV so I can still hear it from the can. Well I hear Olbermann or Patrick or whoever was doing the morning addition say “Boston College has hired Dan Henning…” and think to my self this is not good. Flush. END OF TANGENT.]

Even though he didn’t follow Coughlin, TOB will always live in Coughlin’s shadow among the diehards. And in my opinion, it is not entirely fair. Coughlin’s accomplishments at the Heights were not all that different from TOB's best moments, but his charisma and the promise of what the future held is too much and lends fuel to TOB’s critics. TOB will probably become the alltime winningest coach at BC in three seasons. To younger fans and non BC fans he and Doug Flutie are BC football. He probably doesn't care that a few hundred people still wonder about Coughlin.

Me, as much as I don't want to admit it, TC's legacy does impact my view of TOB. TOB has let me down numerous times. But I know things could be a lot worse. That is a horrible attitude, but how else should I deal with it? I am open to suggestions.

Just the facts

TOB is 7 and 1 against the service academies. (He has never faced the Air Force Academy.)

TOB is 2 and 6 against the spread against the service academies

He is undefeated against the USMA, but has only covered once against the Black Knights.

Army has not beaten and ranked opponent since 1972.

Now I called this post "Just the facts" but allow me to stroll down memory lane to tell you why I will never overlook Army. Picture it: Fall 1995, BC enters the Army game with a 2-4 record. Fans already hated Henning, but everyone recognizes that our early ’95 schedule was BC’s version of the Bataan Death March (the Eddie George OSU team, a loaded Michigan team, VTech, Pitt, WVU and a Saban-led MSU team). Here comes Army. Easy W, right? We got killed. The final score was 49-7 but that was only because Army ran out of time. They ran over everything else in Chestnut Hill that day. You would think that no one in maroon had every seen the option before. Worst of all, it was one of those bitter cold rainy New England days. I was one of the fools sitting in the stands getting soaked watching the half-hearted effort. By the end of the game, the only ones left were the idiots like me and a few hundred Cadets going crazy and doing 49 push ups on our ice-cold bleachers. The lesson: never underestimate the service academies. These guys have a ton of heart and if you don’t come to play, they will out hustle and hit you all day.

Friday news

Ricky Brown is questionable for the Army game. He broke his hand against BYU and had surgery yesterday. He played with it wrapped against the Cougars, so I imagine if needed he could play. No sense in risking further injury by playing Saturday. Pruitt will get the start instead.

Gene D. pleaded with fans to get to their seats on time in the Globe and the Herald. The extra half-hour of tailgating should help, but I think there is more to the issue than that. Like campuses around the country BC games are big social events. But there is a weird combo that comes into play at the Heights. First the shortened tailgating hours make fans feel they need to milk every second of pregame partying. Then there is the “too cool to care” attitude that many BC students have (and that ambivalence carries beyond graduation “we stink. I am just here to see friends”). They all go to the game, but they want to hang out and act indifferent (as college kids in the Northeast are want to do regarding sports). Then you mix in a team and coach that don’t inspire a frenzied, blood-thirsty, “send in the lions” environment. Add on TOB always defers and you’ve got a fan base that will trickle in. No pleading from Gene is going to change it. The party is too important and that culture is not going to change until the fans feel like they will miss something by not being there at kickoff. There are only a few thousand diehards. The rest of the crowd has and will have the “win or lose, we still booze” attitude.

Ball State gave us all we could handle last season. Now let’s hope they can suit up 11 players by October 1.

News roundup

Here are some stories that caught my interest.

Halfway through this article Blackmon admits that the team took Syracuse for granted last year. How? I should let this go by now, but how can you underestimate an opponent with so much on the line? There is a lot of blame to go around. Hopefully they can make amends this season and erase any memory of last year.

In the AJC’s notebook TOB says"I think it's important that you go out and play the best non-conference opponents you can play." If that is how he feels, can someone explain why we are playing Maine, Buffalo and Kent State next season?

The Tallahassee Democrat led with Quinton Porter on their ACC notebook. The Heights also started their season coverage with a Porter feature.

The Boston Channel published a BC-Army preview.

Here is some more info on the Black Knights.

Finally in a blogpoll note, the San Jose Mercury-News highlighted MGoBlog, EDSBS, Fanblogs and BGS as some of the better college football blogs.

Army preview

Following the last week's format, I'll write what I think BC will do and what I think they should do. (If they keep winning, my Sunday Morning quarterbacking is going to look pretty foolish.)

Offense -- what BC will do

After mixing styles last year, Army is reverting to a traditional 4-3 this season. Their attack should be more conventional than BYU's, so look for BC to come out aggressively on the ground. BC can leverage their size advantage and pound the ball over and over. Although they came out passing last week, I think Bible and TOB will use this game to sharpen the running game. L.V. will easily rack up 100 yards and Callender should get close to 10 carries and say 70 yards too.

This may seem arrogant, but I think the staff will prepare and call this game with Florida State in the back of their minds. By establishing the run, BC can plan to enter the Florida State game with a conservative, ball-control attack.

If BC has a big lead, Matt Ryan will get in for a series or two.

Offense -- what I think BC should do

Presumptuous or not, I think BC should prep and play with Florida State on their mind. Instead of perfecting the timing of the running game or giving Ryan some snaps, I think they should work on the deep passing with Porter. Our receivers should have no problem getting separation, so throw them the ball. Don't worry about interceptions or running up the score. Florida State had trouble with their coverage against Miami, so attack. Even if BC goes conservative against FSU, by airing it out against Army, the ‘Noles will plan for the deep ball. Do something to keep FSU guessing going into next week.

One other reason I want to see deep balls is that it will help Porter's confidence. TOB needled him about finally throwing the deep ball… well after two or three sacks in the first quarter next Saturday and he'll be running for his life and never throw it beyond the first down marker. If he connects on a few long passes against Army, he'll enter the Florida State game with the confidence and rhythm he needs.

Defense -- what BC will do

As I said, this past week's gameplan was inventive and effective. I think BC will be less adventurous against Army, but still expect them to mix looks and drop lineman into coverage. Probably less blitzing, as the Cadets won't be passing nearly as often as BYU.

Defense -- what I think BC should do

Forget about creative pass coverage and unorthodox blitzing, I think BC should focus on its tackling and stopping the run. Carlton Jones cannot even be called a poor man's Lorenzo Booker, but he is a competent, experienced back. The last team to challenge us and ran straight at us was Syracuse. We know how that ended. Let's see BC shut down Jones and once again, get the confidence and fundamentals sharp before next week.

Special Teams -- What BC will do

Why do I even bother predicting this unit? I have no idea what they'll try. Look for an all out punt block or five. Maybe a quick kick? I have no idea at this point.

Special Teams -- What I think BC should do

Play the percentages solidly for one game. If the other team is punting, play for the coverage and the return. If you catch the kickoff deep in the end zone, take a knee. When left alone, these guys can do good things (like Toal's block on Sunday). Just be conservative and fundamental. It is not that hard.

Final Prediction

As much as I love to see the service academies play well, I don't think this will be very close. BC played with a lot of confidence last week and I expect them to build on that this week against the Cadets. Another BC win, 34-14.

Short week news

BC moved up in both polls. We are 19th in the AP poll and 18th in the coaches’ poll. The ACC had a strong showing in both polls. BC also broke into SI.com’s ballot.

Florida State moved up too but Heisman Pundit is not a believer. I still think the ‘Noles’ strengths play to our weaknesses. This interesting match-up and our ACC debut will have a national audience. The night game and ESPN cameras will only heighten the environment on the 17th. Expect especially manic reactions from the crowd. If something good happens early = mania. Mistake early = drunken, dejected silence.

Before we get to FSU, we still have to play Army. Here is a preview with everything you wanted to know about the Black Knights and more.

In alumni news, Derric Rossy’s unexpected boxing career continues and Paul Peterson is looking for work. In an interview last week Paul mentioned trying to catch on with an Arena team. I hope he gets his shot.

Blogpoll ballot week 2

Here is my ballot for the Blogpoll. Unlike the established polls, winning teams could drop for unimpressive performances (Tennessee) and surprise performances can vault a team up (Georgia).

In full disclosure, here are the games I watched this week:

UCF-South Carolina 50%
Oregon-Houston 25%
Bowling Green-Wisconsin 50%
BC-BYU 100% (twice)
Boise State-UGA 50%
Georgia Tech-Auburn 25%
ND-Pitt 33%
WVU-Syracuse 50%
Virginia Tech-NC State 50%
Miami-FSU 100%


1. Southern Cal
2. Texas
3. Virginia Tech
4. Michigan
5. Tennessee
6. Louisville
7. Ohio State
8. Georgia
9. Florida State
10. Louisiana State
11. Florida
12. Iowa
13. Purdue
14. Boston College
15. Virginia
16. Cal
17. Texas Tech
18. Georgia Tech
19. Fresno State
20. Alabama
21. Clemson
22. Notre Dame
23. UCLA
24. Miami (Florida)
25. Oklahoma

Second viewing thoughts and grade report

After viewing the game for a second time, I’ve put my thoughts together on the win. The following is the game report with my opinions on each unit included.

Offense: B-

Bible surprised me and BYU by starting the game with a lot of passing. 12 of the first 18 plays were through the air. The play calling was good overall, great by fan expectations for Bible. As the Evil A. pointed out, BC probably ruined any element of surprise for future opponents by overcalling the Blackmon screen. But I’ll give Bible credit. He created a good mix, kept BYU off balance, and there wasn’t one “what was that?” call.

Porter looked good early. His passing was crisp and his footwork solid in the first half. He floated a few long passes which he blamed on the wind/altitude. (As I said before, I’ll accept the excuse because Beck was having similar problems.) Yet as the game wore on his footwork got a little sloppy and his passes got a little too much air under them. The biggest change -- which gives me hope for rest of the season -- was that he was able to connect on some deep balls, he ran an effective two minute drill before the half and he made some good decisions on tucking and running vs. dumping the ball to a safety valve.

The offensive line looked strong. They opened good holes and the two sacks allowed were not their fault. (The sacks were based on missed assignments by Whitworth and Thompson.) They wore on BYU and were probably the biggest reason for the victory.

The wideouts also looked good. Blackmon stood out. He didn’t do anything amazing on his routes or with his hands, but in open space he showed what as asset he is. If teams start taking away his screen, we should get the ball to him on end-arounds or something in space because he can make people miss. Chris Miller had a solid day and I think will prove to be an upgrade over the departed Kashetta.

The running backs are a tough situation. Watching the first time I felt Callender had the better game. He is clearly more elusive and has a better feel for finding the holes. But I can see why the coaching staff prefers Whitworth. He has more power and has very good speed. The play on the second viewing that stood out came from Whitworth. It was in the fourth quarter while we were killing clock. He had a huge hole and blew through it. Then in the open field he ran away from one DB and avoided another BYU safety. As long as he keeps pounding and Callender keeps fumbling, L.V. will get the majority of carries.

Defense: B+

The defense only allowed three points. Great day but not “A” worthy for a few reasons. First, the good stuff. This was the most creative scheming I’ve seen from BC’s defense in many games. Maybe the staff felt we had enough of a talent advantage to mix things up. Spaziani used some three man fronts, dropped defensive lineman into coverage and blitzed the linebackers and the safeties. They were one step ahead of BYU. They backed off early with a lot of zone and then applied a lot more pressure in the second half. The only sack came off a Beck fumble, but the mix of blitzing forced the BYU offensive line to grab a lot of jerseys. Those holding penalties proved to be drive killers.

I didn’t like what they did with Kiwi. Instead of sending him at Beck all day, they dropped him into coverage throughout. Why get cute at this point? I know teams will key on him, but you can confuse them enough by flipping sides and mixing who else is attacking with him. In coverage he is much less effective and looked lost at times. Keep him close to the line and let him chase QBs. If he gets triple teamed it just frees up someone else. His two deflected passes show that he can impact the game even when he doesn’t get to the quarterback.

On the bright side, I loved what they did with the linebackers. Not only the starters, but it was great to see the second unit get solid playing time and contribute. The DBs did what was asked -- keep the BYU wideouts in front of them and make tackles.

Special teams: C

Two field goals, one 24-yard punt return from Blackmon and blocked kick were the highlights. But there were major blunders. The most questionable call was going for the block with a few minutes left in the first half. You’re up by 7 and you’re going to get the ball back with good field position and a few minutes on the clock. Why risk a penalty with the block. I understand that if you get the block it is back breaking and probably another touchdown. But the more likely outcome -- roughing the kicker (which happened) -- gives the ball back to BYU and jeopardizes BC getting another possession before the half. I was sick when I saw the flag. Just when I want this predictable staff to play the percentages, they do something risky. It was really boneheaded.

Blackmon also made a mistake bringing out a kick return from deep in the end zone.

Overall Grade: B

People were talking about the Cougars’ Texas Tech-like offense before the game and BC held BYU to three points. That was most impressive even if they gave up a lot of yards. Porter’s play gave me hope. The special teams still gives me ulcers, but at least they didn’t cost BC the game. Army is another opportunity to try new things and build confidence before Florida State. A good start overall.

Sunday news

Straight forward recaps from the Globe and Herald today. The only thing of note was that Porter said the ball was sailing on him on the deep throws. Normally I would balk at this excuse, but Beck was having trouble with deep passes too.

Slipped into this notebook is a note about our schedule next season. Cupcake city. Out of conference we play BYU, Maine, Buffalo and Kent State. I understand the need to pad a little now that our conference slate is tougher, but this will not excite the fans or media.

Look for second viewing game report and performance grades tomorrow.

Gut reaction to first game

I was very happy with the effort and the win. One of TOB's best openers. I'll give a full grade report and recap later this weekend. Also it looks like a pretty strong start for most of the ACC.

Things to think about

TOB is 5 and 3 in season openers.

TOB is 2 and 6 against the spread in season openers.

TOB is 2 and 2 on the road in season openers.

TOB is 2 and 2 west of the Mississippi.

TOB is 1 and 0 against Mountain West Opponents.

BYU has won their last five home openers.

BYU has lost their last 10 games against ranked opponents.

BYU is 3 and 6 against ACC opponents.

One day more

Mike Vega doesn’t break news or include much analysis in his work, but the guy can write a good human interest story. Here is his latest on Quinton Porter. I think everyone is rooting for Quinton at this point.

Here is a story on the different replay rules in the ACC and MWC. Shouldn’t the NCAA step in and make sure every conference handles replay the same way?

Globe media writer Bill Griffith focused on college football in his latest entry. His note at the end amazed me -- Comcast does not offer ESPN Gameplan in Boston! Unbelievable. I am going to Northern Virginia this weekend and will be watching at a sports bar because of Comcast’s limited Gameplan options at my parents house. Cable stinks. Thank goodness for DirecTV. We have it at home and it was one of my best purchases ever. If you have cable and can get satellite in your area, I highly recommend it.

The Herald’s new BC beat writer Steve Conroy has been getting his feet wet this week. He wrote a feature on Toal and followed with this notebook.

Atlantic Coast Centaurs

The Globe finally gets into the spirit of things with this cartoon celebrating BC’s move.




Am I the only one creeped out by the man with the eagle head? In fact all the teams with animal mascots have the half man, half beast look. And the Deacon is sneering like Darrell Hammond doing Dick Cheney. Weird pic, but I like the effort.

BYU preview

I thought I would take a different approach to the game previews. I’ll take the three aspects of the game and write what I think BC will do and what I think they should do.

Offense -- what BC will do

BC starts the season on the road, at a high altitude, with a starting QB coming off a redshirt and a loaded offensive line. Is there any doubt what they are going to do? BC is going to run, run and then run some more. Hat on hat, push the ball, with the hope of wearing down the Cougars. My fear is that this is what Notre Dame tried last season, on the road in a season opener. The result? 11 net rushing yards and an Irish loss. BC has been very conservative in openers. I don’t expect them to do anything different this time. If they successfully establish the run, look for a lot of play action and the occasional bootleg. I also think BC will give Porter the green light to run on passing downs if his first two reads are covered.

BYU runs a 3-3-5 but will mix in some 3-4 and even 3-5. They are breaking in new faces on the d-line and their backfield. They also plan on blitzing like crazy. BC’s been pretty good at picking up blitzes. And I think the 3-3 will play to BC’s desire to run.

Offense -- what I think BC should do

Quinton Porter’s best series of football came in his second start in 2003. On the road, they caught Penn State by surprise with a series of play action passes, almost all of which were 15-20 yards darts to tight ends and receivers crossing over the middle. I would love to see them try that again. BYU is going to focus on the run and dare Porter to make plays. So if BC came out early with short passes to Miller and Blackmon, it would loosen things up for the running game. BC doesn’t have to go deep. Just have Lester run deep routes on the weak side over and over. Make BYU honor his speed and keep a defender or two away from the diamond patterns we’ll run with Palmer, Miller and Blackmon on the opposite side of the field.

Regardless of what BC does (Bible’s way or my way), this game will be won on the line. If they pick up the blitz and open holes in the running game, BC will control and score.

Defense -- what BC will do

Our defense is solid and almost as bland as the offense. Look for little blitzing and plenty of zone. I think they'll drop a lot of linebackers in coverage. Fortunately we're deep at the position, so we’ll sub a lot to keep guys fresh.

Defense -- what I think BC should do

If it ain’t broke... I complain about the predictability of the bend but don’t break defensive mentality, but in a game like this, where we don’t know exactly what BYU will do, it is a safe strategy. Plus if they use their old vertical passing game, it will give Kiwi time to get to the quarterback. If they use the Texas Tech style, they’ll score and move the ball, but they will also be surprised by the coverage ability of our linebackers. The only thing I don’t want to see is a lot of nickel. Maybe I am overestimating our linebackers or underestimating the effectiveness of BYU’s new offense, but I think our linebackers can handle the short, underneath stuff.

Special teams -- what BC will do

Special teams at high altitudes are a different ball game. There’s not much BC can do about BYU kicking away from Blackmon. What is in TOB’s hand is how to handle Ohliger. The kid struggled last year. I expect them to keep him comfortable in this game. If we face a fourth and long outside of 40, look for BC to punt or go for it. I think they don’t want to ruin his confidence this early in the season.

Special teams -- what BC should do

I’d take the opposite approach. Sink or swim time. Find out if he is still a liability before we get into the meat of the schedule. Plus the kid showed promise from long distances. The gimmes gave him trouble. And the altitude and extra carry should be a positive. If he makes a 50+ field goal against BYU, maybe he won’t get the yips on the 25 yarders.

Final Prediction

BC will move the ball and score. BYU will move the ball too. The question is will BC wear them down and keep them from setting the pace? I think BC steps up. BC wins 27-23.

Blog Aid

College Football Resources is promoting “Blog Aid.” The disaster is shocking. I don’t have anything profound to say or add. Participating in Blog Aid is the least I can do. If you are looking for a worthy charity, try the Salvation Army. They’ll take almost anything (money, clothes, food) and they have great track record of low overhead and making sure donations reach the people who need them. We dropped off some clothes last week and will be dropping off more this week.

Thoughts on Wednesday’s news

Here is a feature on the early results of the BC-Fenway Sports Group partnership. It is very encouraging. They have expanded the reach of our radio network and brought in some new sponsors. However, two things concern me. First, it looks like BC priced out some of its older, long-time sponsors. This happens, but I worry about becoming too dependent on the Red Sox. If our sponsors are Sox sponsors first and BC sponsors second, we are vulnerable. I don’t think it will happen in the next few years, but in this relationship the Red Sox could ask for a bigger piece of the pie or scrap the Fenway Sports Group altogether. Then BC is left to mend fences with our old sponsors and rebuild sports marketing.

The second thing that concerns me is that there is still no announcement on the television broadcast of the Ball State game. The Sox own NESN, so there is no reason they cannot force this on the air. There is no Red Sox conflict (the Sox are on Fox that day). My guess is that they are waiting to see how our season starts. If BC is 4-0, they’ll put us on. If the team struggles, no TV. The guys at FSG are smart and realize that whatever they put on against Red Sox-Yankees in October will get killed in the ratings, so why bother with an expensive live BC broadcast. BC shouldn’t take that. With the money FSG can get from other outlets (Gameplan, possibly some other regional sports nets) for the game rights, there is no reason for NESN not to step up. In my mind a break-even broadcast shows good faith and builds the BC brand (which should be a FSG concern).

These are the risks of handing over a big part of your operation to a company that has more power. You are often on their terms. The partnership was a good move for BC, but I just hope the athletic department never forgets that FSG cares about the Red Sox first.

The other little news item was SI.com’s experts roundtable on the college football season. B.J Schecter lists BC as his surprise team. Thanks for the encouragement, but at this point I don’t consider BC a surprise team. Maybe I’ve just read too many “look for the Eagles to soar in the ACC” articles this summer.

Learning curve

Past results are not a guarantee of future success, but sometimes it is all you have to go on. In thinking about Quinton Porter and his ability to succeed this season, I tried to think of any recent QB whose experience mirrored Porter’s. So I looked for someone who played parts of four years with at least one as a starter, preferably had a mid-career redshirt, and struggled prior to putting it all together his senior year. Only one stood out -- Carson Palmer. Great news, right? Porter for Heisman! Not quite.

Yes they have my original qualifications in common, but then the major differences start. Palmer was playing for one of college’s greatest teachers (Chow), his redshirt was about injury…not getting outplayed and he had much more experience than Porter prior to his senior year.

Now that I got the disclaimers out of the way, look at Palmer’s Junior Year and his Senior Year.

Carson Palmer

Year	Comp %	Yards	TDs/INTs
2001	58%	2,751	13/12
2002	63%	3,942	33/10

Porter’s last season as a starter

Year	Comp %	Yards	TDs/INTs
2003	56%	1764	14/6

The differences are many, including USC’s much more talented and prolific offense, but it is encouraging to see that it can come together in a quarterback’s final season.

In an effort for balance, I also wanted to mention a situation where it didn’t come together -- Chris Rix. Now grouping QP with this nutjob is not really fair, but I wanted to show both sides. Rix’s situation is not as similar to Porter as Palmer, but he was an experienced starter heading into his senior year. He finished his final season in Tallahassee with stops on the bench and an unimpressive stat line.

Chris Rix Senior Year

Year	Comp %	Yards	TDs/INTs
2004	51%	865	3/7

My guess is Porter’s senior year will be somewhere between these two extremes. As I have said over and over, he doesn’t need to be amazing, just keep the defenses honest and avoid mistakes.

Things to read

Here are some articles of interest.

BYU thinks they enter the game with the element of surprise. Call me a contrarian, but installing a new offense can be as confusing for the offense as it is for the defense. And not to burst BYU’s bubble, but BC will most likely come out with the same scheme (pressure from the front four, linebackers dropping into coverage and a lot of zone) whether the Cougars run their new offense or their old one.

Here’s a long-overdue feature on Brian Toal. If he improves this year, his potential is scary.

The AJC posted a recruiting update from Rivals. Nothing new, but they will continue to provide Rivals content for free throughout the season.

Basketball blogger Yoni Cohen continues his work for Fox with this ACC season preview. Like me, Yoni is not too worried about our anonymous recruiting class.

Monday news clippings

If there is an overriding theme to this season in the ACC, it is “how is team X’s quarterback going to play?” It seems that ever team is either breaking in someone new, handing an experienced guy a new offense or waiting for a starter with a past to get his act together -- either on (Ball or Porter) or off the field (Vick). This article runs through the challenges and questions facing the ACC signal callers.

I am ready for the season to start just so I don’t have to read another ACC is now a football conference story. As this article shows, money was a big factor in the conference shift. The Kiwi story is also growing old. He has been the subject of the same angle at least 20 times this offseason. I’d imagine he is sick of it at this point too.

Here’s a quick ACC overview from the Charlotte Observer. It doesn’t compare to the AJC’s coverage. But I am obviously biased.

As far as actual game prep in concerned, BC is not overlooking BYU. The Cougars are a tough opener. But Mr. Routine TOB is not taking his young team out early to adjust. I agree with not going out early. I just don’t want to hear it as an excuse if BC loses.

Welcome new readers

For anyone discovering this blog for the first time, thanks for stopping by. Check in throughout the season for my thoughts and comments on BC football, basketball and news. Once play begins, I'll inlcude some number crunching posts and different looks at the team.

If you're a fan and just reading the big sports sites, you're missing out on some insightful and entertaining writing on college sports. Here are a few of my blog recommedations:

Every Day Should Be Saturday. These guys have been called the court jesters of college football. Yes they are very funny, but they also slip in the occasional analysis.

Michigan blogger Brian started the blogger poll. He also covers everything Michigan (including college hockey).

Any Georgia fan who is not a regular at Westerdawg's blog is missing out.

I'd like to think that State Fans Nations' style is similar to mine, only for NC State.

As a BC fan, it pains me to admit what a good job the Notre Dame guys at Blue-Gray Sky do covering the Irish.

There are just too many good blogs to list here. Go to College Football Resources and Fanblogs for more examples. Their lists are extensive and the first place I look when I am tracking down bloggers from other schools.

Once again, thanks for reading and be sure to come back.

Saturdays in the South

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution published its annual College Preview this weekend. They did their normal bang up job, with in-depth coverage of the ACC and SEC. The paper also included a collection of features on the sights, sounds, passion, and history of the sport. I was fortunate enough to be included in one of the pieces on fans. The write-up follows:

BC just a blog away

You're 28 and separated from your team by a whole culture. The cure?

You blog.

Several times a week, year round, Bill Maloney writes his thoughts on Boston College football on his Web site "Eagle in Atlanta."

"Capturing the highs and lows of being a BC fan living 1,000 miles from Chestnut Hill," is its motto.

"My passion was stoked by being far away, and being in Atlanta where college football is king," said Maloney, who fell for the team at age 8 when he saw Doug Flutie's famous pass. "It's a way to take the passion in the South and mix it with the northeastern sense of doom we have with our team."

His musings at http://atleagle.blogspot.com draw fans curious about the Eagles as they debut in the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Maloney introduces them to TOB (bland head coach Tom O'Brien), Kiwi (star defensive player Mathias Kiwanuka) and Spaz (defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani).

He critiques the team's "robotic stiffs." He praises those who exemplify the school motto, "Ever to Excel."

"It's an outlet, just like calling a sports talk station or sending in a Vent," said Maloney, who worked on the team's radio broadcasts before he graduated in 1998. "No one will publish 2,000 words on BC's kicking game, but I can."

You can read the rest of the article here. I'd like to thank the writer, Michelle Hiskey, for including me.

BC's real newsmakers showed up throughout the coverage.

Here's an article on ACC playmakers that leads with Kiwi.

Tony Barnhart listed TOB as one of the better coaches in the ACC. Barnhart also included BC in his preseason Top 25.

ACC fans can look forward to trips to Boston. And this list proclaims that Gene D. is the best ACC AD to work for.

Saturday news roundup

A few links of note today.

Here is the Patriot-Ledger's season preview. The Patriot-Ledger has not given BC much press over the years. This summer they've written a few BC-ACC stories and any additional coverage is welcome.

Jason Lilly got some coverage from his home-town paper. Despite flashes of potential, Lilly has been lost in the shuffle at BC. He's got the size, but just didn't get the snaps. This year is his chance to break out, however, I don't think we will pass very much this season.

Here's Matt Hayes ranking of college head coaches. He lists TOB as a "rising star." Hayes has been really high on TOB in the past, even mentioning him as a potential successor to Paterno. TOB is a good fit for BC and I predict he'll end his career at the Heights. He's not getting any younger and his runner up finishes for the Washington job and Georgia Tech job a few years ago shows that he has a hard time wowing boosters.

Here another list -- this time for college qbs. The Porter/Ryan combo checks in at No. 33.

Friday links

Sportsline's Dennis Dodd wrote a nice feature on Kiwi.

Here is the transcript from the Will Blackmon chat.