Monday, January 29, 2007
Guest Photographer: John K.
I wanted to go to Duke but when the schedule came out, I knew I would be hosting the most important birthday party of all time. However, some real Super Fans did make the trip. Thanks to John K. and his boys Dunz and KDS for sharing some of their shots of Cameron and Krzyzewskiville.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Duke thoughts
Tim Brando mentioned it repeatedly, but I really think the game was lost in the last minute of the first half…just like the Clemson game. Against Clemson, the team lost its focus. At Cameron it was more of Dudley getting in foul trouble and having to lay back. Not a pretty game, but winning in Durham is hard under any circumstance. I hate to lose, but this loss did not change my outlook on the season. I still think this team can scrape together enough ACC wins to get into the NCAAs. A few more thoughts…
Likes
-- Tyrelle Blair’s play. I had an up close view of his performance against Clemson. It wasn’t pretty. I didn’t think I would see this sort of improvement all season, let alone in one week against Duke. His individual and help defense was much better. He contributed on offense and actually showed some effort. I don’t know if this is an aberration or a sign of things to come, but the kid deserve credit for stepping up on our biggest stage.
-- Shamari Spears. He took too many shots too far from the basket, but he is also making leaps and bounds in his play. His defense is getting much better as well.
Dislikes
-- Dudley not getting more shots. I know he gets a lot of his points in and around the basket. I know he is playing on a bad foot. But we absolutely need to get him more touches. Even when the other team collapses on him, he generates points.
-- The final minute of the first half. As I mentioned above, these mental lapses are killers for a shallow team. They cannot let it happen against the top teams.
-- Marshall’s production. I am not going to kill him…especially after the last game. He worked hard on the boards. But I’ll repeat my Marshall mantra: when he is not feeling it from outside he needs to drive and cut to the basket.
We’ll need perfect games to beat good teams. This was not one of them.
Likes
-- Tyrelle Blair’s play. I had an up close view of his performance against Clemson. It wasn’t pretty. I didn’t think I would see this sort of improvement all season, let alone in one week against Duke. His individual and help defense was much better. He contributed on offense and actually showed some effort. I don’t know if this is an aberration or a sign of things to come, but the kid deserve credit for stepping up on our biggest stage.
-- Shamari Spears. He took too many shots too far from the basket, but he is also making leaps and bounds in his play. His defense is getting much better as well.
Dislikes
-- Dudley not getting more shots. I know he gets a lot of his points in and around the basket. I know he is playing on a bad foot. But we absolutely need to get him more touches. Even when the other team collapses on him, he generates points.
-- The final minute of the first half. As I mentioned above, these mental lapses are killers for a shallow team. They cannot let it happen against the top teams.
-- Marshall’s production. I am not going to kill him…especially after the last game. He worked hard on the boards. But I’ll repeat my Marshall mantra: when he is not feeling it from outside he needs to drive and cut to the basket.
We’ll need perfect games to beat good teams. This was not one of them.
Jags link
Here is an article from the BC Chronicle on the Jags hire. While I always want BC to hire the best person, regardless of religion, I am glad Jags is a practing Catholic. Catholicism is more ingrained into the Athletic Department than most people realize. I don't know, but I imagine there would be some awkwardness for a non Catholic. Who you pray to and how you pray are not as important what happens on the field, but religion is one of the unique aspects of the BC job. I think Jags will respect and thrive on that.
Friday, January 26, 2007
10 Years of TOB Part IV: the 2006 Season
Last summer I wrote a filler piece on 10 years of TOB (Parts 1, 2 and 3). At the time he had been on campus for 10 years, but had not yet coached his 10th season at BC. This is an addendum to the series capturing his final, fateful season at the Heights.
Off the Field
(I would make this No. 2 on the old list.)
Knowing when to leave. TOB’s departure wasn’t perfect. Griping through back channels about money, stealing our recruits, moving within the conference were all disappointing aspects of the end. But he left at the right time and left the program in better shape than the one he inherited ten years ago. While we are lacking quality depth, our starting lineup is strong and experienced next season. I know he wanted the perfect job. NC State is not it and not the right fit, but he’ll make it work and his next five years in Raleigh will be more comfortable than they would have been at the Heights. Things would have boiled over eventually and neither party would have come out looking very good. TOB leaving when he did relieved both of a messy divorce. And because he moved on, both parties got what they wanted -- a new start.
Ten Best Wins
(I would have made the Clemson win his 4th best and the Virginia Tech win his 10th.)
BC 22, Virginia Tech 3. Oct. 12, 2006. A Thursday night game that saw one team pass at will, saw the defense kill the other team’s QB and saw the night capped off by great special teams. For ten years that had been Virginia Tech’s formula in beating us. This season, TOB finally turned the table. Everything was working. The game was so one sided that Virginia Tech players were bickering with one another on the sidelines and Kirk Herbstreit took shots at the Hokies. Steve Aponovicious took the game from romp to national news, as the former Superfan became celebrity kicker. The 2006 season was a disappointment for a variety of reasons, but this game was one of the high points.
BC 34, Clemson 33. Sept. 9, 2006. Unbelievably this was TOB’s first home win over a ranked team. That dubious milestone is not the reason it made the Top 10. The game was easily the most overwhelming, thrilling, confounding emotional roller coaster of the ten seasons. BC kept falling behind, only to even up the game. Jeff Smith burst on the scene with a huge 96-yard return. Clemson fought like hell and CJ Spiller’s run was one of the best I’ve even seen against BC. The defense gave up huge yards, yet made adjustments and tough plays. OT was a fitting end. But to win on a blocked extra point…I still can’t believe it. Losing games like this crushes your soul as a fan. Winning games like this provides an exhilarating high. The long term significance of this game proved to be minimal, but the excitement alone merits a spot in the Top 10.
Ten Worst Losses
(I almost put all three of the 2006 losses on the list. In the end I excluded Wake. Sure it was a tough game, but Wake deserves credit for their great season and that loss was not nearly as shameful of a performance as TOB’s work in the Miami game or the NC State game. I would put Miami at No. 4 and NC State at No. 5. Both were more painful than the 2005 loss to UNC. One other note, Jags and Spaz were both key figures in a few of these 10 losses. Fair or not, I still put the blame on TOB. His coordinators changed yet these sorts of things kept happening.)
BC 15, NC State 17. Sept. 23, 2006. TOB never won more than six games in a row. This game is a microcosm of the problem. BC road a six game win streak coming into Raleigh. The ‘Pack were starting an inexperienced QB. Amato was staving off a fan mutiny. No way a good team loses this game, right? BC did. The problems began with Special Teams. Ohliger was unreliable and missing extra points (for the third straight season). This left BC to go for two-point conversions and not attempt field goals (this would come into play later). Problem No. 2 -- head scratching play calling. BC’s WRs were having trouble with NCSU’s physical secondary. Yet we never really adjusted and O line U also couldn’t control the game on the ground when it mattered. The final problem -- horrendous defense late. With NC State needing a touchdown to win, BC stayed in the 4-3. Shocking. No prevent and yet no pressure on the young QB. Amato would prove to be the latest lame duck to beat TOB when something big was on the line.
BC 14, Miami 17. Nov. 23, 2006. This is the “we’re up, aren’t we?" game. Outsiders often wondered why so many BC fans disliked TOB. That quote and this game captured the problem. Any football fan could see that a reeling and distracted Miami team was recovering and getting back into the football game. Yet TOB felt either confident enough or jerky enough to get snide with an ESPN reporter. He’s been asked the “halftime adjustments” question hundreds of times. Why get sarcastic then? BC had the national stage and a chance to play our way into the ACC Championship game. Instead the inept offense handed another victory to a coach on his way out the door.
Off the Field
(I would make this No. 2 on the old list.)
Knowing when to leave. TOB’s departure wasn’t perfect. Griping through back channels about money, stealing our recruits, moving within the conference were all disappointing aspects of the end. But he left at the right time and left the program in better shape than the one he inherited ten years ago. While we are lacking quality depth, our starting lineup is strong and experienced next season. I know he wanted the perfect job. NC State is not it and not the right fit, but he’ll make it work and his next five years in Raleigh will be more comfortable than they would have been at the Heights. Things would have boiled over eventually and neither party would have come out looking very good. TOB leaving when he did relieved both of a messy divorce. And because he moved on, both parties got what they wanted -- a new start.
Ten Best Wins
(I would have made the Clemson win his 4th best and the Virginia Tech win his 10th.)
BC 22, Virginia Tech 3. Oct. 12, 2006. A Thursday night game that saw one team pass at will, saw the defense kill the other team’s QB and saw the night capped off by great special teams. For ten years that had been Virginia Tech’s formula in beating us. This season, TOB finally turned the table. Everything was working. The game was so one sided that Virginia Tech players were bickering with one another on the sidelines and Kirk Herbstreit took shots at the Hokies. Steve Aponovicious took the game from romp to national news, as the former Superfan became celebrity kicker. The 2006 season was a disappointment for a variety of reasons, but this game was one of the high points.
BC 34, Clemson 33. Sept. 9, 2006. Unbelievably this was TOB’s first home win over a ranked team. That dubious milestone is not the reason it made the Top 10. The game was easily the most overwhelming, thrilling, confounding emotional roller coaster of the ten seasons. BC kept falling behind, only to even up the game. Jeff Smith burst on the scene with a huge 96-yard return. Clemson fought like hell and CJ Spiller’s run was one of the best I’ve even seen against BC. The defense gave up huge yards, yet made adjustments and tough plays. OT was a fitting end. But to win on a blocked extra point…I still can’t believe it. Losing games like this crushes your soul as a fan. Winning games like this provides an exhilarating high. The long term significance of this game proved to be minimal, but the excitement alone merits a spot in the Top 10.
Ten Worst Losses
(I almost put all three of the 2006 losses on the list. In the end I excluded Wake. Sure it was a tough game, but Wake deserves credit for their great season and that loss was not nearly as shameful of a performance as TOB’s work in the Miami game or the NC State game. I would put Miami at No. 4 and NC State at No. 5. Both were more painful than the 2005 loss to UNC. One other note, Jags and Spaz were both key figures in a few of these 10 losses. Fair or not, I still put the blame on TOB. His coordinators changed yet these sorts of things kept happening.)
BC 15, NC State 17. Sept. 23, 2006. TOB never won more than six games in a row. This game is a microcosm of the problem. BC road a six game win streak coming into Raleigh. The ‘Pack were starting an inexperienced QB. Amato was staving off a fan mutiny. No way a good team loses this game, right? BC did. The problems began with Special Teams. Ohliger was unreliable and missing extra points (for the third straight season). This left BC to go for two-point conversions and not attempt field goals (this would come into play later). Problem No. 2 -- head scratching play calling. BC’s WRs were having trouble with NCSU’s physical secondary. Yet we never really adjusted and O line U also couldn’t control the game on the ground when it mattered. The final problem -- horrendous defense late. With NC State needing a touchdown to win, BC stayed in the 4-3. Shocking. No prevent and yet no pressure on the young QB. Amato would prove to be the latest lame duck to beat TOB when something big was on the line.
BC 14, Miami 17. Nov. 23, 2006. This is the “we’re up, aren’t we?" game. Outsiders often wondered why so many BC fans disliked TOB. That quote and this game captured the problem. Any football fan could see that a reeling and distracted Miami team was recovering and getting back into the football game. Yet TOB felt either confident enough or jerky enough to get snide with an ESPN reporter. He’s been asked the “halftime adjustments” question hundreds of times. Why get sarcastic then? BC had the national stage and a chance to play our way into the ACC Championship game. Instead the inept offense handed another victory to a coach on his way out the door.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Schedule sanity
BC released its 2007 Football schedule. While it looks incredibly tough and not the way I would like to see the season play out, I don’t think it is as bad as it might appear.
Here are semi-rational counters to the gut “Oh my God!” reactions.
1. “Oh my God! We start the season with three ACC games!” I wouldn’t choose to start the season and Jags' career with three conferences games but this is not as bad as it appears. Wake will be tough but probably not as good as they were this year. I expect NC State to get off to a rough start (for a variety of reasons). We have a veteran team and should be favored in both games. Remember that our defense won’t be making wholesale changes, so the usual transition to a new staff is somewhat lessened. I also think Jags and Logan are smart enough to emphasize Ryan’s strengths instead of forcing all sorts of changes on him. So assuming we start 2-0, the team should head into Atlanta with plenty of momentum. Tech is tough at home, but they graduated a lot of talent and will have a new offensive coordinator. I think they will be favored, but BC can certainly steal the game.
Here are semi-rational counters to the gut “Oh my God!” reactions.
1. “Oh my God! We start the season with three ACC games!” I wouldn’t choose to start the season and Jags' career with three conferences games but this is not as bad as it appears. Wake will be tough but probably not as good as they were this year. I expect NC State to get off to a rough start (for a variety of reasons). We have a veteran team and should be favored in both games. Remember that our defense won’t be making wholesale changes, so the usual transition to a new staff is somewhat lessened. I also think Jags and Logan are smart enough to emphasize Ryan’s strengths instead of forcing all sorts of changes on him. So assuming we start 2-0, the team should head into Atlanta with plenty of momentum. Tech is tough at home, but they graduated a lot of talent and will have a new offensive coordinator. I think they will be favored, but BC can certainly steal the game.
2. “Oh my God! Why are we playing four straight non-conference games during the middle of the schedule?” Not how I would line it up, but like the first fret, this has a logical explanation. Parents weekend is always a cupcake, so we should have expected UMass there. Notre Dame also dictates when we play them. Army makes a nice break after the ACC heavy start. So I guess Gene could have slipped another ACC game during the Bowling Green slot, but would that be all that much better? Plus, Bowling Green probably wanted to get their heavyweights out of the way. I really think the four straight non conference games is unavoidable. I also think we can win all four. Notre Dame will be in rebuilding mode and we’ll have huge talent advantages against everyone else.
3. “Oh my God! We close with Virginia Tech on a Thursday, Florida State, At Maryland, At Clemson, and Miami!” That is life in the ACC. There’s no UConn, Temple, and old Rutgers-like conference foes to pad the schedule. All of these teams were in bowls last season. I think they will all be good next year, but not unbeatable. At Blacksburg on a Thursday night will be extremely tough. I like our chances against FSU at home (and think the ‘Noles will continue to struggle in 2007). I think we will be favored at Maryland. Clemson will be tough, but I’d rather play them in November when the heat is no longer a factor. I also like our chances against Miami and I am still scratching my head at the Randy Shannon hire.
This is a tough, tough schedule. But if you calm down and take a step back, there is no reason to think our talented team cannot excel next year. The D should be very good. The offense will be learning on the fly, but I do have faith in them. If TOB played this schedule, we would have heard plenty of whining. I hope Jags looks at it and says “We can beat every team on our schedule!”
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
My rumor is less rumory than yours
Boston blog Barstool sports is reporting that Gene was behind the Williams and McClain boots. I've heard the opposite. My info is all second hand but has come from a few different reliable sources. Without getting into too much of the details, the semester did not start well for our two former big men, Al talked to them and they responded by getting in more trouble after the Tuesday night game. So the next day they were sent packing. All Al’s call. I don’t think Al is leaving this season or next. His relationship with Gene is nothing like Gene’s relationship with TOB. I bet Al retires at BC within the next three or four years.
King me!
The 'King of the Court' came up huge. This win will prove to be very important. He wasn't the only one either...we got production from Blair and Oates. Dudley, as expected, had some trouble with Thorton, but still made many clutch shots (I am a little worried that he is hurting and having to coast for streches of the second half). Rice played much better. Sure he was still a little reckless, but looked great driving to the hoop and was much better after struggling early. Here are a few other thoughts...
Likes:
-- Marshall driving to the hoop. Sure, the game winner was a jumper, but how good did he look along the baseline? I also think his offseason diet is paying dividends in the transition game.
-- Getting easy baskets after the other team's break. We've always cherry picked with Al, but have made it an artform this year. It is nice to punish other teams for running on us.
-- Blair's D. He will never be Williams, but his D was much better Tuesday. Instead of using his arms, he bodied up and also moved his feet well. Let's hope he keeps getting better.
-- More straight zone. I don't think we will scrap the amoeba, but a straight zone will be needed as this team tires.
Dislikes: (these are recurring dislikes)
-- Foul shoting. Enough said.
-- Turnovers. They corrected things, but it still got them in a hole.
-- Perimeter D. This is just a fact of like under Al.
The team had to play very well to beat Florida State. Near perfection is very hard to maintain every game, but if this team just gets four more conference wins, I think they will make the NCAAs.
Game pictures
Loyal reader Meaghan H. took advantage of her great seats to play guest photographer for the night. Enjoy her shots below.
Likes:
-- Marshall driving to the hoop. Sure, the game winner was a jumper, but how good did he look along the baseline? I also think his offseason diet is paying dividends in the transition game.
-- Getting easy baskets after the other team's break. We've always cherry picked with Al, but have made it an artform this year. It is nice to punish other teams for running on us.
-- Blair's D. He will never be Williams, but his D was much better Tuesday. Instead of using his arms, he bodied up and also moved his feet well. Let's hope he keeps getting better.
-- More straight zone. I don't think we will scrap the amoeba, but a straight zone will be needed as this team tires.
Dislikes: (these are recurring dislikes)
-- Foul shoting. Enough said.
-- Turnovers. They corrected things, but it still got them in a hole.
-- Perimeter D. This is just a fact of like under Al.
The team had to play very well to beat Florida State. Near perfection is very hard to maintain every game, but if this team just gets four more conference wins, I think they will make the NCAAs.
Game pictures
Loyal reader Meaghan H. took advantage of her great seats to play guest photographer for the night. Enjoy her shots below.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
"Doug, I'd like you to meet someone..."
Special thanks go out to loyal reader Meaghan H. for capturing and sharing the first meeting between Jags and Doug Flutie.
BC's next chance to prove itself: FSU
BC is at the top of the conference, yet there is a feeling of just hanging on. Tuesday's game against Florida State is just another important test. The 'Noles come in with a similar record, but they have better wins and much better losses (UNC, narrow loss to Clemson, close game with GaTech, etc). BC needs to win in order to get to 10 ACC victories. I don't think BC has an answer for Al Thorton...and it scares me. BC needs to slow the pace, get some positive minutes out of Oates/Blair and hope for an off night from FSU's guards. One of my favorite bloggers, Kenpom thinks we will struggle down the stretch. Interestingly enough, he thought we would struggle even before we lost Williams. I think we will be okay, but we should give Kenpom some weight. Of the national guys he was ahead of the curve in seeing Williams potential, and also saw the flaws in some of his game before Williams got the boot. As much as I hope Dudley will carry the team, Saturday proved that Rice and Marshall need to play well too. Let's hope they do.
Monday, January 22, 2007
"At Quarterback...", and a link
Although Football is the ultimate team sport, Quarterback remains the center of attention and a key for success. BC is fortunate to have Matt Ryan coming back another year and a solid backup in Chris Crane ready to fill in at any minute. Crane will be the likely starter once Ryan leaves. But that didn’t stop the previous coaching staff from trying to land a highly-touted signal caller in this class. Despite some flirting, no QB of note committed. Jags and Company took over and started talking to all sorts of QBs. Big names, no names, northeast guys, southern kids. The first to commit was Jersey prospect Chris Johnson. Johnson previously verballed to Buffalo. He has great upside, but will be a project. So that leaves three QBs in the pipeline each with some questions.
Billy Flutie
The Good: Well liked by the old staff. Supposedly a quick learner who ran the scout team well. Would be a very popular pick with the locals.
The Bad: Did he look 6’2 on the sidelines? Played against mid-level competition in Massachusetts. Recruited as an athlete. Still some questions about his arm and ability to take a pounding.
Ross Applegate
The Good: Pro build. Played against great competition in high school. Strong arm. (Is from the ATL…ha.)
The Bad: Not as mobile as Flutie or Johnson. Some questions about his release.
Chris Johnson
The Good: Played against top competition in New Jersey. Best combo of size and speed of the three.
The Bad: Reportedly regressed over his career. Questions about his arm and mechanics.
None of these guys were highly touted out of high school. None are a sure thing and I bet that Jags will go after another QB in the next class. But here is the good news for all three (and for BC fans): they are all going to get a fair shot at being the starting Quarterback. Under the old regime the wrong guy played all the time for many reasons unrelated to football. That won’t be the case any more. And if any of these guys can outplay Chris Crane, more power to them.
I am excited at the prospect of Steve Logan coaching these kids up. If he can turn one of these guys into a star, BC will benefit on the field and in recruiting circles for a long time.
We are not the only ones who picked up on TOB's ceiling
Westerdawg produced a little thing on tenured coaches and the BCS. TOB would have topped the futility list if he hadn't bolted.
Billy Flutie
The Good: Well liked by the old staff. Supposedly a quick learner who ran the scout team well. Would be a very popular pick with the locals.
The Bad: Did he look 6’2 on the sidelines? Played against mid-level competition in Massachusetts. Recruited as an athlete. Still some questions about his arm and ability to take a pounding.
Ross Applegate
The Good: Pro build. Played against great competition in high school. Strong arm. (Is from the ATL…ha.)
The Bad: Not as mobile as Flutie or Johnson. Some questions about his release.
Chris Johnson
The Good: Played against top competition in New Jersey. Best combo of size and speed of the three.
The Bad: Reportedly regressed over his career. Questions about his arm and mechanics.
None of these guys were highly touted out of high school. None are a sure thing and I bet that Jags will go after another QB in the next class. But here is the good news for all three (and for BC fans): they are all going to get a fair shot at being the starting Quarterback. Under the old regime the wrong guy played all the time for many reasons unrelated to football. That won’t be the case any more. And if any of these guys can outplay Chris Crane, more power to them.
I am excited at the prospect of Steve Logan coaching these kids up. If he can turn one of these guys into a star, BC will benefit on the field and in recruiting circles for a long time.
We are not the only ones who picked up on TOB's ceiling
Westerdawg produced a little thing on tenured coaches and the BCS. TOB would have topped the futility list if he hadn't bolted.
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Clemson thoughts
I made the trip to Clemson today. I got these two shots, but couldn't get many more quality ones before the battery died. I either had a ref or cheerleader in my face the whole time. I promise better pics for the Georgia Tech game. The Clemson folks were great, as always. It was a good trip except for one thing...the actual game.
First let me say this, even with Williams we lose this game. Clemson is the type of team that has always giving Al's team's trouble. They hit a bunch of 3s and they are physical and quick for 40 minutes.
In the post game Al said the team played well for 18 minutes and then it all started falling apart. Marshall hit a three to get the score to 33-36. In the next five points were Clemson's. At halftime I believed that the team had a chance. We know how that went. Clemson overpowered BC in the second half. When Rice only made two of his four fouls after the technical and foul, the game was over.
Rice played hard but reckless. He didn't get the offense set up enough, didn't get the ball to Dudley in the post and had too many non-press related turnovers. Marshall was off. Blair struggled. Haynes continues to be an issue. There were eight non-press turnovers in the second half in total. The only solid performers were Dudley and Spears.
In the post game Dudley rightfully said, "you're not going to win every game in this league." It's true, especially when the other team hits open 3s and we turn the ball over 20 times.
Where do we go from here?
-- Rice is going to have to play better. He needs to play within himself and get the offense set.
-- Dudley needs more touches in the post. He did not get to the line nearly enough today.
-- Blair and Oates need to contribute something. Anything really. Both just take up space. No rebounding. No defense. No offense. They cannot replicate Williams, but Oates can play better than he has played lately.
-- Marshall driving. He got cute today with his outside shots. Not where we need him.
I still have faith. The team came off as testy up close. Now is not the time to start pointing fingers. Better play and better team work is the only way BC will get into the NCAAs.
Friday, January 19, 2007
New faces
Most of the week, BC fans focused on guys kicked off the basketball team departing student athletes. I'd like to shift the focus back to guys who are coming to the Heights and Jags is providing the much needed good news.
Local product Corey Eason probably would have signed under TOB too, but Jags still deserves some credit for holding off late interest from Ohio State and Miami.
John Elliott is another guy who always liked BC but was the prototype guy we have lost out on the past few seasons. Rutgers and UVA came after him hard. However, the new staff closed the deal.
The biggest surprise was the commitment of New Hampshire product Mark Spinney. Mark was headed to Syracuse until the new staff came in.
All of this is really icing on the cake. When any staff changes a recruiting class is usually the area that suffers the most. Despite all the initial worries, Jags and Company seem to be doing a great job in keeping the TOB recruits they want and finding guys that fit their plan. TOB and company were notorious for letting recruiting peter out once the season began. That cost us some great recruits like Brian Cushing. The new blood certainly presents a vitality and enthusiasm that will work well with High School kids. I think we’ll see it really pay dividends over the next two seasons. But you never know…with the way things are going Jags might get a few more surprises in this class.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Dudley “to do” list
Nothing is out of the question now. We could tank the rest of the way or we could make the Final Four. The Final Four is less likely, but as George Mason proved, you just have to get hot for four games. Plus we will have the best player on the court in majority of our games from here on out. In basketball that means a lot. Our success or failure will really ride on Dudley. Here is what he needs to do.
Offense: He needs to post up on nearly every possession. Jared has been much more of a wing player this year. It made sense with Oates and Williams on the floor at the same time. He can and still will get some time at the perimeter, but to be most effective, he is going to need to be near the lane. From there he can either get easy baskets on the low blocks or get the flex working from the high post. I expect BC to slow the pace down. Jared also needs to stay close so he can grab as many rebounds as possible.
Defense: I don’t think Al will change schemes midseason. Our zone (amoeba, matchup, whatever you want to call it) will probably stay in place. What I expect, is that Dudley will probably switch off more and stay closer to the basket. This is twofold, so he can fill Williams' role as the traffic director and so he is in a better rebound position. Dudley is a great perimeter defender and good at disrupting passing lanes, so this will hurt. But we will need defensive rebounds.
Team morale: I never got the sense that this was a tight crew. I specifically remember Dudley saying he didn’t talk to his teammates much during last offseason. Basketball players have also flocked to live in singles in 66 for years. I don’t think they need to be brought together, but they probably do need a shot of confidence. We all know Skinner is not going to provide any “win one for the Gipper" speeches. That leaves Dudley to let these guys know they still have something to play for.
I still think we make the tournament. If we do anything more (like win the ACC or make a deep run in the NCAAs) it will be on the shoulders of Jared Dudley.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Fool me once...
Sean Williams and Akida McClain are gone. No sympathy for them from me. The guys I feel sorry for are Jared Dudley and Sean Marshall. This was shaping up to be a good season. It still can be (I’ll explain in a minute). First let me address what it means to McClain, Williams and unfortunately, Al Skinner.
McClain is done with big time basketball. He was a limited tweener to begin with. Now with this baggage and no eligibility to transfer, he will have to find something else to do. The kid just blew a world class education, tons of potential good will and a chance to play a game at a high level for another season. But he is clearly too stupid or doesn’t care. Three strikes and you are out.
Sean Williams is a little different case. I’ve written about him and his travails before. What surprised me was the reaction I got from his family. They sent me emails saying that they shared my frustrations and were doing everything they can to get through to Sean. Sean could have left BC after his first arrest, yet his family made him keep his commitment to BC. And he shined. His play last March was outstanding. He was really putting it together this year. Now he goes and does something stupid…again. This may seem cold, but BC is no longer the place for Sean. It sucks too, because he has the dangerous combination of undeveloped talent and no maturity. He needs to be in college. Sean will play basketball again. He’s probably still a first-round draft pick. But he has a lot to learn. He doesn’t have enough talent to get by in the NBA. He will need focus and dedication to ever get off an NBA bench. My hope for his family is that this is the final kick in the ass wake up call he needs. But I have a funny feeling he’ll get drafted, sign a good but not great contract, ride the bench for a season or two and be gone from the NBA in three seasons. To get by at the highest level you need to be either extremely skilled, or very skilled, hard working and focused. Sean is very skilled, but clearly lacks the other keys to NBA success.
This is really bad news for Al Skinner. This sort of thing has happened too much during his tenure. Al’s philosophy is pretty simple. He is not a baby sitter. He is not a rah-rah guy. He is not a salesmen. He has an eye for talent and a good scheme. He and his talented staff identify kids on the periphery, offer them a chance to compete at the highest level and let them be. In many cases this formula is perfect. Troy Bell, Craig Smith and Jared Dudley are the three best examples. But this philosophy is not just about stars. Role players like Jonathan Beerbohm, Uka Agbia and Louis Hinnant are perfect examples of guys who took their chance and ran with it. However, the ugly flip side are guys like Andrew Bryant, Ryan Sidney, Jermaine Watson, and now McClain and Williams. They all blew it and no one kept them in line. Al should now adjust his philosophy. If he is not going to babysit then he needs to focus on character and maturity during the recruiting process. Al is well liked and successful but if he doesn’t adjust, things will become increasingly uncomfortable for him at the Heights.
Now early today, I predicted BC’s finish. I think a 5-6 finish would be quite an accomplishment now. But the team can still finish strong. McClain is no real loss. We played without him for long stretches the past two season. Williams is a bigger loss, but as well as he’s played he is not irreplaceable.
Here are Williams' Per Minute Averages for his key stats:
Points = .38, Rebounds =.22, Steals =.04, Blocks = .16
Now we won’t be able to duplicate his blocks. But Dudley and Rice should pick up his steals. Dudley and Oates will also have to get some of his rebounds, but the guy who should really benefit is Shamari Spears. Here are his key per minute averages:
Points = .36, Rebounds =.27
So, if Spears gets more minutes and maintains his productivity, he should fill in well for Williams. But that is a lot to ask for a Freshman.
I have no idea how this team will react. Let’s hope it brings them together and they play great basketball for the next eight weeks. It could go either way, but Dudley and Marshall deserve a good ending.
McClain is done with big time basketball. He was a limited tweener to begin with. Now with this baggage and no eligibility to transfer, he will have to find something else to do. The kid just blew a world class education, tons of potential good will and a chance to play a game at a high level for another season. But he is clearly too stupid or doesn’t care. Three strikes and you are out.
Sean Williams is a little different case. I’ve written about him and his travails before. What surprised me was the reaction I got from his family. They sent me emails saying that they shared my frustrations and were doing everything they can to get through to Sean. Sean could have left BC after his first arrest, yet his family made him keep his commitment to BC. And he shined. His play last March was outstanding. He was really putting it together this year. Now he goes and does something stupid…again. This may seem cold, but BC is no longer the place for Sean. It sucks too, because he has the dangerous combination of undeveloped talent and no maturity. He needs to be in college. Sean will play basketball again. He’s probably still a first-round draft pick. But he has a lot to learn. He doesn’t have enough talent to get by in the NBA. He will need focus and dedication to ever get off an NBA bench. My hope for his family is that this is the final kick in the ass wake up call he needs. But I have a funny feeling he’ll get drafted, sign a good but not great contract, ride the bench for a season or two and be gone from the NBA in three seasons. To get by at the highest level you need to be either extremely skilled, or very skilled, hard working and focused. Sean is very skilled, but clearly lacks the other keys to NBA success.
This is really bad news for Al Skinner. This sort of thing has happened too much during his tenure. Al’s philosophy is pretty simple. He is not a baby sitter. He is not a rah-rah guy. He is not a salesmen. He has an eye for talent and a good scheme. He and his talented staff identify kids on the periphery, offer them a chance to compete at the highest level and let them be. In many cases this formula is perfect. Troy Bell, Craig Smith and Jared Dudley are the three best examples. But this philosophy is not just about stars. Role players like Jonathan Beerbohm, Uka Agbia and Louis Hinnant are perfect examples of guys who took their chance and ran with it. However, the ugly flip side are guys like Andrew Bryant, Ryan Sidney, Jermaine Watson, and now McClain and Williams. They all blew it and no one kept them in line. Al should now adjust his philosophy. If he is not going to babysit then he needs to focus on character and maturity during the recruiting process. Al is well liked and successful but if he doesn’t adjust, things will become increasingly uncomfortable for him at the Heights.
Now early today, I predicted BC’s finish. I think a 5-6 finish would be quite an accomplishment now. But the team can still finish strong. McClain is no real loss. We played without him for long stretches the past two season. Williams is a bigger loss, but as well as he’s played he is not irreplaceable.
Here are Williams' Per Minute Averages for his key stats:
Points = .38, Rebounds =.22, Steals =.04, Blocks = .16
Now we won’t be able to duplicate his blocks. But Dudley and Rice should pick up his steals. Dudley and Oates will also have to get some of his rebounds, but the guy who should really benefit is Shamari Spears. Here are his key per minute averages:
Points = .36, Rebounds =.27
So, if Spears gets more minutes and maintains his productivity, he should fill in well for Williams. But that is a lot to ask for a Freshman.
I have no idea how this team will react. Let’s hope it brings them together and they play great basketball for the next eight weeks. It could go either way, but Dudley and Marshall deserve a good ending.
5-0 in ACC play; where do we go from here?
With last night’s definitive win over Miami BC remains atop the ACC with a perfect 5-0 conference record. The once fledgling tournament hopes look much better. But the good start inadvertently raises the bar. If BC had started 3-2 in conference and finished 10-6 they would look like a strong, middle of the pack team that closed relatively well. Now with the 5-0 start, a 10-6 finish will look like the 2004 squad that peaked too soon and was bounced by Bruce Pearl’s UW Milwaukee team. In my opinion BC needs to reach 10 ACC wins to make the tourney and 13 ACC wins to be a 5 or better seed. It will be tough as the road ahead is brutal but it can be done.
Remaining ACC games and my predictions
-- At Clemson. W. Clemson got off to the best start in the country and we’ve had trouble at Littlejohn, but I think we are playing them at the right time.
-- Florida State. W. They gave us trouble last year, but I still like our chances at home.
-- Duke. L. Yes, I know it is a down year for the Dukies but Cameron is still one of the toughest places to play.
-- Virginia Tech. W. When the ACC determined that we would play Miami and VT twice every year, I thought it was a huge boost. Who knew how good the Hokies would get? We need to at least split this series. I say we take the home opener.
-- At Miami. W. They played us tough there last year, but I still like our chances in this one.
-- At Florida State. L. The ‘Noles are struggling but still have talent (Thorton) and can still pull off an upset (Florida).
-- Duke. W. After last year’s games against Duke, I think we can, will and need to win this game.
-- North Carolina. L. College Gameday is supposed to be there for this. I would love to see a win, but I think UNC’s transition game and pressure on Rice is going to be a problem.
-- Virginia Tech. L. As I said, I predict a season split with the Hokies.
-- Clemson. W. Last home game of Dudley and Marshall’s career. I bet they go out on top.
-- Georgia Tech. L. Tech gave us real problems last year. They have plenty of talent, but are still learning how to play together. By the end of the season I think they will be a very tough matchup for us.
So my prediction has us finishing 6-5 in ACC play. Not stellar. It will guarantee an NCAA bid. Our seed would really be determined by how we played in the ACC Tournament.
Remaining ACC games and my predictions
-- At Clemson. W. Clemson got off to the best start in the country and we’ve had trouble at Littlejohn, but I think we are playing them at the right time.
-- Florida State. W. They gave us trouble last year, but I still like our chances at home.
-- Duke. L. Yes, I know it is a down year for the Dukies but Cameron is still one of the toughest places to play.
-- Virginia Tech. W. When the ACC determined that we would play Miami and VT twice every year, I thought it was a huge boost. Who knew how good the Hokies would get? We need to at least split this series. I say we take the home opener.
-- At Miami. W. They played us tough there last year, but I still like our chances in this one.
-- At Florida State. L. The ‘Noles are struggling but still have talent (Thorton) and can still pull off an upset (Florida).
-- Duke. W. After last year’s games against Duke, I think we can, will and need to win this game.
-- North Carolina. L. College Gameday is supposed to be there for this. I would love to see a win, but I think UNC’s transition game and pressure on Rice is going to be a problem.
-- Virginia Tech. L. As I said, I predict a season split with the Hokies.
-- Clemson. W. Last home game of Dudley and Marshall’s career. I bet they go out on top.
-- Georgia Tech. L. Tech gave us real problems last year. They have plenty of talent, but are still learning how to play together. By the end of the season I think they will be a very tough matchup for us.
So my prediction has us finishing 6-5 in ACC play. Not stellar. It will guarantee an NCAA bid. Our seed would really be determined by how we played in the ACC Tournament.
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
FSU to Foxboro? and other links
Rumors abound that BC and Florida State will play in the primetime Labor Day slot on ESPN. That is great news. The curveball in the speculation is that the game will be held in Foxboro. Nothing is official, but here are my thoughts:
Pros:
-- Huge national spotlight. Great publicity for Matt Ryan and a nice introduction for Jags
Cons:
-- Not on campus. This is unfortunate. Having Gameday on Campus vs. a Foxboro set is a world of differnce. For better or worse it becomes about the game and not a showcase for the school. Getting the students to the game is also a major inconvenience.
But even with the drawbacks BC should do everything it can to make this happen. I just hope that something is done for the students so they can get to the game.
Clemson is also hoping to land FSU for the Labor Day slot.
Here are a few other links…
A preview of our game against Miami.
An update on former commit Arthur Ray.
Dual threat QB Chris Johnson is considering BC.
Hoops signee signee Rakim Sanders shined in the Hoophall Classic.
Monday, January 15, 2007
Football 2006 In Review: Offensive MVPs
This was a fitting final year under Dana Bible. We lit a few teams up, had an all ACC passer, yet in our three losses we really had trouble scoring. Many good contributors, but in my opinion the three guys below really stood out.
1. Matt Ryan. Where to begin? He was healthy for about one half of football, yet was the best quarterback in the conference and one of the best in the league. His decision making and toughness gave the offense a direction and dynamic quality that has been lacking under Bible. Despite the costly INT against Wake, I really think that game embodied many of Ryan’s special qualities. He kept drive after drive alive with his clutch throws. Despite being gimpy, he moved well in the pocket and scrambled for TD. His numbers were fantastic by TOB standards and should only get better next season. And he did without a game breaker at WR or RB. After the Clemson game, I said Matt Ryan was going to have to carry the team…fortunately he did. Now let’s hope he caps off his career with a huge year next season.
1. Matt Ryan. Where to begin? He was healthy for about one half of football, yet was the best quarterback in the conference and one of the best in the league. His decision making and toughness gave the offense a direction and dynamic quality that has been lacking under Bible. Despite the costly INT against Wake, I really think that game embodied many of Ryan’s special qualities. He kept drive after drive alive with his clutch throws. Despite being gimpy, he moved well in the pocket and scrambled for TD. His numbers were fantastic by TOB standards and should only get better next season. And he did without a game breaker at WR or RB. After the Clemson game, I said Matt Ryan was going to have to carry the team…fortunately he did. Now let’s hope he caps off his career with a huge year next season.
2. Josh Beekman. While I felt he had a better season last year, Beekman was still outstanding this year. His play wasn’t as consistent, but we asked him to do so much more. Beekman took snaps at two positions every game and filled in at Center for full games twice. He made this challenging transition seamless. He is probably the most agile linemen of the TOB era. I would have loved to see him work with Jags one season, but unfortunately he has used up all his eligibility. I wish Josh nothing but the best at the next level.
3. Gosder Cherilus. Cherilus was great this year. He dominated his opponents and played his position at the highest level. He was nearly perfect and I would have but him ahead of Matt Ryan on this list but for one thing…his penalties. It is such a shame. He really was excellent, but the stupid false starts and the occasional holding calls killed his grading. If he comes back and if he fixes his focus, Gosder could be the best lineman in the country.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Thoughts on the UVA win
The first ten minutes were awful, but the rest of the way things went pretty well. The 4-0 conference start puts the team in a good place, but the stretch will be very tough. I think they need to finish 7-6 (6-6 in the ACC) to make the tourney. Here are my likes and dislikes.
Likes:
-- Getting the ball to Dudley. He is still not getting enough shots, but the offense moves best when he has the ball. Plus he was able to lead the adjustments against UVA's varied defenses.
-- The pressure. We are never going to be a Bruce Pearl/Nolan Richardson style team, but our soft press is proving very effective. Another benefit of Williams: he can lay back and protect the basket in this scheme, but you also see him dart out and break up long passes.
-- Spears on the boards. He is still limited, but Spears worked hard on the defensive boards when we needed it.
-- Al not panicking. This can be frustrating at times. When we got down early, I was upset. Yet Mr. Cool remained calm and the team slowing worked back and adjusted.
Dislikes:
-- Coming out flat. You can only get away with it so often...especially against good teams.
-- Letting UVA claw back late. Like the Wake game, the team let the Cavs back in when they should have put them away. It is sort of on Rice. His transition D is still shaky and sometimes he doesn't get the play moving when we have the lead. Yet, he equally deserves credit for making late foul shots.
-- Oates' 3 attempts. He is out there for rebounds, fouls and minutes. The occasional 3 is nice, but now he is forcing it. He needs to take a dribble or two and either take a shorter shot or get it to the cutter.
Likes:
-- Getting the ball to Dudley. He is still not getting enough shots, but the offense moves best when he has the ball. Plus he was able to lead the adjustments against UVA's varied defenses.
-- The pressure. We are never going to be a Bruce Pearl/Nolan Richardson style team, but our soft press is proving very effective. Another benefit of Williams: he can lay back and protect the basket in this scheme, but you also see him dart out and break up long passes.
-- Spears on the boards. He is still limited, but Spears worked hard on the defensive boards when we needed it.
-- Al not panicking. This can be frustrating at times. When we got down early, I was upset. Yet Mr. Cool remained calm and the team slowing worked back and adjusted.
Dislikes:
-- Coming out flat. You can only get away with it so often...especially against good teams.
-- Letting UVA claw back late. Like the Wake game, the team let the Cavs back in when they should have put them away. It is sort of on Rice. His transition D is still shaky and sometimes he doesn't get the play moving when we have the lead. Yet, he equally deserves credit for making late foul shots.
-- Oates' 3 attempts. He is out there for rebounds, fouls and minutes. The occasional 3 is nice, but now he is forcing it. He needs to take a dribble or two and either take a shorter shot or get it to the cutter.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Football 2006 In Review: Defensive MVPs
Many of our Defensive players had great games. At times Raji, Toal, Pruitt, Silva and Glasper, all had great moments, but either injury or effort kept them off my list. I feel the guys below had the best season and fortunately they are all coming back next year.
1. Dejuan Tribble. This wasn’t even close. Tribble by far had the best season on the defensive side of the ball. He is our best corner in coverage. He is a game changer with his INT returns. And what is often overlooked, is that he has become a very good tackler. In his area, he will shed a blocker and make a tough tackle. Like any corner he was beat occasionally, but I think he is our best CB since Michael Reed. Tribble is a game changer and I hope he continues his improvement next season.
2. Jolonn Dunbar. As I’ve said before, Dunbar played well the first half of the season, but took it to another level in the second half. His games against Maryland and Navy were outstanding. Unfortunately he missed the Miami game…I think he would have made a difference. Always strong against the run, Dunbar has improved his coverage skills. Toal is the bigger name, but Dunbar is clearly our best linebacker.
3. Kevin Akins. For a limited role player, I questioned whether I should put Akins in my Top 3. He got runover against Navy. He is only on the field for 30% of the plays, yet his impact was so important that he deserves it. Our front four had issues getting to the QB. We needed to do something. Akins was the answer. His nose for the QB, speed and toughness created all sorts of issues for opposing offenses. As the season progressed, teams adapted and Akins’s highlights diminished, but looking at the season on whole, Akins was one of our most important players.
1. Dejuan Tribble. This wasn’t even close. Tribble by far had the best season on the defensive side of the ball. He is our best corner in coverage. He is a game changer with his INT returns. And what is often overlooked, is that he has become a very good tackler. In his area, he will shed a blocker and make a tough tackle. Like any corner he was beat occasionally, but I think he is our best CB since Michael Reed. Tribble is a game changer and I hope he continues his improvement next season.
2. Jolonn Dunbar. As I’ve said before, Dunbar played well the first half of the season, but took it to another level in the second half. His games against Maryland and Navy were outstanding. Unfortunately he missed the Miami game…I think he would have made a difference. Always strong against the run, Dunbar has improved his coverage skills. Toal is the bigger name, but Dunbar is clearly our best linebacker.
3. Kevin Akins. For a limited role player, I questioned whether I should put Akins in my Top 3. He got runover against Navy. He is only on the field for 30% of the plays, yet his impact was so important that he deserves it. Our front four had issues getting to the QB. We needed to do something. Akins was the answer. His nose for the QB, speed and toughness created all sorts of issues for opposing offenses. As the season progressed, teams adapted and Akins’s highlights diminished, but looking at the season on whole, Akins was one of our most important players.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Half Full or Half Empty?
Everyone is worried about this year’s recruiting class. It was not going to be all that great to begin with, so I am giving Jags a huge pass on it (plus there is still time to find a kid or two). But what I want to address is the perception that TOB left the cupboard full. I say “sort of.” Without question the 2007 team is very talented. They also face a brutal schedule.
What concerns me is the 2008 season. TOB’s 2004 class lacked depth and his 2005 class was his worst. Fortunately 2006 proved to be good. But 2004, 2005 and this year’s transition class will probably hurt Jags 2008 season and could drag down 2009. Take a look at the Depth Chart and how much time each kid will have. I didn not include current commits since we don't know who will actually sign.
2008 Depth Chart
QB – Crane (final year of eligibility), Applegate/Flutie (three years of eligibility)
TB – Brooks (final year of eligibility) or Smith (two years of eligibility)
FB – Walls (one year of eligibility), McLaughlin? (two years of eligibility)
Tackle – Lapham (three years of eligibility), then who?
Tackle – Sheil (two years of eligibility), then who?
Guard – Tennant (two years of eligibility), then who?
Guard – Ramsey (one year of eligibility) or Huggins (one year of eligibility)
Center – Murphy (one year of eligibility), then who?
WR – Brandon Robinson (one year of eligibility), Jarvis (two years of eligibility)
WR – Megwa (two years of eligibility), Gunnell (two years of eligibility)
TE – Purvis (one year of eligibility), McMichael (three years of eligibility)
So as you can see we are solid at WR, TE, and QB. But very thin in the backfield and Oline U looks awfully thin. Fortunately we have a good Oline coach.
DE – Ramella (two years of eligibility), Giles (two years of eligibility)
DE – Albright (two years of eligibility), Smith (two years of eligibility)
DT – Claiborne (three years of eligibility), Tougas (one year of eligibility)
DT – Willette (one year of eligibility), Scafe (three years of eligibility)
LB – Herzlich (two years of eligibility),
LB – Francois (one year of eligibility), Bagan (three years of eligibility)
LB – McCluskey (three years of eligibility
CB – Fox (three years of eligibility), Smith (two years of eligibility)
CB – Goodwin (three years of eligibility)
S – Rollins (two years of eligibility, Bowman (two years of eligibility)
S – Davis (two years of eligibility)
We are talented at DE. Talented but thin at LB and DB.
So as you can see, TOB really failed us regarding depth and out right failed for us at Offensive Line. The group listed above can compete in the ACC, but will need help. They won’t get too much from the 2007 class, which means Jags and Company will really need to bring in a great class next year. I think they will do it, but if they struggle don’t buy the TOB left the cupboard full criticism.
What concerns me is the 2008 season. TOB’s 2004 class lacked depth and his 2005 class was his worst. Fortunately 2006 proved to be good. But 2004, 2005 and this year’s transition class will probably hurt Jags 2008 season and could drag down 2009. Take a look at the Depth Chart and how much time each kid will have. I didn not include current commits since we don't know who will actually sign.
2008 Depth Chart
QB – Crane (final year of eligibility), Applegate/Flutie (three years of eligibility)
TB – Brooks (final year of eligibility) or Smith (two years of eligibility)
FB – Walls (one year of eligibility), McLaughlin? (two years of eligibility)
Tackle – Lapham (three years of eligibility), then who?
Tackle – Sheil (two years of eligibility), then who?
Guard – Tennant (two years of eligibility), then who?
Guard – Ramsey (one year of eligibility) or Huggins (one year of eligibility)
Center – Murphy (one year of eligibility), then who?
WR – Brandon Robinson (one year of eligibility), Jarvis (two years of eligibility)
WR – Megwa (two years of eligibility), Gunnell (two years of eligibility)
TE – Purvis (one year of eligibility), McMichael (three years of eligibility)
So as you can see we are solid at WR, TE, and QB. But very thin in the backfield and Oline U looks awfully thin. Fortunately we have a good Oline coach.
DE – Ramella (two years of eligibility), Giles (two years of eligibility)
DE – Albright (two years of eligibility), Smith (two years of eligibility)
DT – Claiborne (three years of eligibility), Tougas (one year of eligibility)
DT – Willette (one year of eligibility), Scafe (three years of eligibility)
LB – Herzlich (two years of eligibility),
LB – Francois (one year of eligibility), Bagan (three years of eligibility)
LB – McCluskey (three years of eligibility
CB – Fox (three years of eligibility), Smith (two years of eligibility)
CB – Goodwin (three years of eligibility)
S – Rollins (two years of eligibility, Bowman (two years of eligibility)
S – Davis (two years of eligibility)
We are talented at DE. Talented but thin at LB and DB.
So as you can see, TOB really failed us regarding depth and out right failed for us at Offensive Line. The group listed above can compete in the ACC, but will need help. They won’t get too much from the 2007 class, which means Jags and Company will really need to bring in a great class next year. I think they will do it, but if they struggle don’t buy the TOB left the cupboard full criticism.
Thursday, January 11, 2007
"All is well"
I am not worried. With the pic and quote above I am just trying to add a little levity to the general fan mood. Seeing recruits defect, hearing that Jags hasn’t talked to all of the TOB commits, Willis Jr. transferring, Cherilus considering the Draft and the full staff still not in place has people wondering. I am not worried. Really. Transitions are almost always messy, but Jags and Company deserve a chance…and certainly more than a week.
I think they will:
-- Hold on to most of the TOB recruits and pick up a few quality names
-- fill out the staff with good names
-- convince most of the current players to come back
But even if they don’t, I am not worried. Jags, Siravo, McGovern, and Commissiong are all known as hard working, great recruiters. Why would we expect that to change now? Do we think they are all going to get fat and lazy? No way. It might not make sense now, but I have faith that it will.
As for guys leaving…Willis had other issues. Cherilus was considering leaving long before Jags came on the scene. I hope he stays, but we’ll be okay regardless.
At the end of the day, none of this will really matter. What happens on the field matters most. Perception is not always reality. The perception about TOB was that he was some sort of miracle worker at BC. Not exactly true. There was the perception that he was a strict disciplinarian. How many false starts and personal fouls made that claim hollow?
Give Jags time. Logan and Spaz alone should make us feel good about the direction of the program. We are headed towards good times.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Final Blogpoll Ballot
Here is my final ballot. Thanks to Brian for putting this together for another year. This year only confirmed what I felt a year ago -- that the poll system is beyond flawed. It is unfair. I watch a ton of college football and there are numerous teams that I haven't seen play once. I know it is the same for the real voters. And yet their votes decide who is champion.
| Rank | Team | Delta |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida |  1 |
| 2 | LSU | 6 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 1 |
| 4 | Ohio State |  3 |
| 5 | Boise State | 15 |
| 6 | Louisville | 1 |
| 7 | Southern Cal | 10 |
| 8 | Michigan | 5 |
| 9 | West Virginia | 12 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 5 |
| 11 | Rutgers | 7 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 4 |
| 13 | Boston College | 6 |
| 14 | Wake Forest | 4 |
| 15 | Texas | 1 |
| 16 | Brigham Young | 5 |
| 17 | Auburn | 2 |
| 18 | Notre Dame | 6 |
| 19 | California | 13 |
| 20 | Oregon State | 5 |
| 21 | TCU | 3 |
| 22 | Hawaii | -- |
| 23 | Georgia | 3 |
| 24 | Texas Tech | 2 |
| 25 | Virginia Tech | 12 |
Dropped Out: Texas A&M (#23).
Wake thoughts
I’ve been very busy lately and didn’t even get to sit down until 9 PM. Perfect, right? Just in time for the game. Well the first half went well and proved very relaxing. Even the first 10 minutes of the second half enabled me to skim through my growing stack of unread magazines. At this point I should know better. By the final two minutes I had a growing pit in my stomach. I try to be analytical. I try to be rational. But when things get bad, I get superstitious and I was sure that opening the magazine was the source of BC’s problem. Fortunately they pulled it out. Now, a few hours later, I can calmly look back on BC’s latest conference win.
Likes:
-- Sean Marshall running the court and taking shots close to the rim. Sure he hit a three, but he is at his best when he is close to the basket.
-- Dudley rebounding. This is clearly what we missed the most while he was out.
-- Getting the ball to Rice when the other team has to start fouling. I’ll get to my Rice concerns in a minute, but he is clutch from the line.
-- BC’s pressure. It worked wonders. We created many easy baskets and built the big lead. However, when we went away from it, Wake climbed back into the game.
Dislikes:
-- Haynes handling the ball under pressure. That was a disaster. We just gave every team on our schedule a blue print to beat us -- get Rice in trouble and on the bench. Al and company need to coach Haynes up quick or find someone else who can back up the point.
-- Dudley’s health. I am not a doctor, but his drop off in the second half (including the 5 TOs) sure seemed foot-related. His gate even seems a little off too. I think his foot is going to be an issue the rest of the way.
-- Rice for a 10 minute stretch in the second half. He fell apart. He hit some clutch shots, but he still needs to be a little more careful with the ball.
-- Williams rebounding. Not one of his better nights. The blocks are expected, but we need some boards from him too.
-- Spears getting in trouble. “Violating team rules”? The guys are on the road and out of classes. What did this kid do? I know they are young but there has to be a certain level of common sense from the guys. Let’s hope this is a one time thing.
Likes:
-- Sean Marshall running the court and taking shots close to the rim. Sure he hit a three, but he is at his best when he is close to the basket.
-- Dudley rebounding. This is clearly what we missed the most while he was out.
-- Getting the ball to Rice when the other team has to start fouling. I’ll get to my Rice concerns in a minute, but he is clutch from the line.
-- BC’s pressure. It worked wonders. We created many easy baskets and built the big lead. However, when we went away from it, Wake climbed back into the game.
Dislikes:
-- Haynes handling the ball under pressure. That was a disaster. We just gave every team on our schedule a blue print to beat us -- get Rice in trouble and on the bench. Al and company need to coach Haynes up quick or find someone else who can back up the point.
-- Dudley’s health. I am not a doctor, but his drop off in the second half (including the 5 TOs) sure seemed foot-related. His gate even seems a little off too. I think his foot is going to be an issue the rest of the way.
-- Rice for a 10 minute stretch in the second half. He fell apart. He hit some clutch shots, but he still needs to be a little more careful with the ball.
-- Williams rebounding. Not one of his better nights. The blocks are expected, but we need some boards from him too.
-- Spears getting in trouble. “Violating team rules”? The guys are on the road and out of classes. What did this kid do? I know they are young but there has to be a certain level of common sense from the guys. Let’s hope this is a one time thing.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
Football 2006 In Review: Biggest Disappointments
Here is part 2 of the year in review stuff. This gets a little harsh, but probably needs to be said. So here are my biggest disappointments.
1. Ryan Ohliger. He’s a bad kicker. But that is not what makes him a the biggest disappointment. In fact, once I put aside my frustration with the doofus kicks, I felt bad for him. TOB kept sending him out there despite the fact that he has been a headcase for three years. No…what makes him a disappointment was his conduct off the field. I’ll feel bad for you when they stick a camera in your face before a kick and start asking about your gum. I won’t feel bad when you get in a stupid bar fight. I won’t feel bad when you violate the school’s academic code (allegedly) after getting your second chance. Throw in his popping off to the media and his strutting after the rare made kick and I think Ohliger becomes one of the least likable BC players in a long time. He is a disappointment in his play and behavior.
2. Ryan Poles. BC is known as O-Line U, yet we had a 13-game starter who looked lost throughout the season. Poles clearly has the tools and size to be an NFL Guard yet on run blocking he was slow and on pass protection he let plenty of blitzers blow right by him. His best moments were when fellow big men came right at him. But a BC lineman has to be more than that. Poles did not deserve to start the whole season.
3. B.J. Raji. This may seem overly harsh for a guy who made second team all ACC and had a very nice Bowl Game, but I am disappointed in Raji. I thought he would be much more dominant and consistent than he was. He actually had five fewer tackles this season (down to 23). I expected him to improve on last season’s strong showing, not to slightly regress. The Raji of the Virginia Tech game or the Navy game should have been the one we saw all year. Instead we only caught glimpses. I know his reputation and size helped free things up for guys like Brady Smith, Albright, and Giles but he can and should be more than that. If Raji brings it every game, he should be first team all ACC. Hopefully next season will be the end of his occasional disappearing act.
1. Ryan Ohliger. He’s a bad kicker. But that is not what makes him a the biggest disappointment. In fact, once I put aside my frustration with the doofus kicks, I felt bad for him. TOB kept sending him out there despite the fact that he has been a headcase for three years. No…what makes him a disappointment was his conduct off the field. I’ll feel bad for you when they stick a camera in your face before a kick and start asking about your gum. I won’t feel bad when you get in a stupid bar fight. I won’t feel bad when you violate the school’s academic code (allegedly) after getting your second chance. Throw in his popping off to the media and his strutting after the rare made kick and I think Ohliger becomes one of the least likable BC players in a long time. He is a disappointment in his play and behavior.
2. Ryan Poles. BC is known as O-Line U, yet we had a 13-game starter who looked lost throughout the season. Poles clearly has the tools and size to be an NFL Guard yet on run blocking he was slow and on pass protection he let plenty of blitzers blow right by him. His best moments were when fellow big men came right at him. But a BC lineman has to be more than that. Poles did not deserve to start the whole season.
3. B.J. Raji. This may seem overly harsh for a guy who made second team all ACC and had a very nice Bowl Game, but I am disappointed in Raji. I thought he would be much more dominant and consistent than he was. He actually had five fewer tackles this season (down to 23). I expected him to improve on last season’s strong showing, not to slightly regress. The Raji of the Virginia Tech game or the Navy game should have been the one we saw all year. Instead we only caught glimpses. I know his reputation and size helped free things up for guys like Brady Smith, Albright, and Giles but he can and should be more than that. If Raji brings it every game, he should be first team all ACC. Hopefully next season will be the end of his occasional disappearing act.
Hoops links
Here is a great ESPN article by Kenpom on shot blockers. He raises interesting questions about Williams value to our D. I lean towards his theory that we would be far worse without Sean. It is important to note that Williams is improving his defensive rebounding.
Here is an article on Craig Smith's adjustment to the NBA.
Monday, January 08, 2007
AOL Link and Simms update
Here is my AOL take on what Jags still needs to do with his open staff spot.
Simms is not going to Louisville. Let's hope that Jags and Logan take the drive down to North Jersey soon to talk with Phil and Matt.
Sunday, January 07, 2007
With Petrino in the ATL, is Simms in play?
Matt Simms seemed perfect for BC. He’s a Bosco kid supposedly looking for a pro-style offense, but not wanting to head to a football factory. His father thought very highly of BC and Chris Simms strongly considered transferring to the Heights during some of his darker moments in Texas. But for whatever reason the youngest Simms never clicked with the TOB staff and committed to Louisville.
Could you blame him? Bobby Petrino offered one of the most QB-friendly systems in the country and some of his ex-Bosco teammates were lukewarm on the TOB BC staff.
Well all that’s changed. Petrino is heading south to coach the Falcons. What does it mean for Matt? More importantly, what does it mean for BC? Well Jags’ first priority is hanging on to TOB’s commits. But once he has those kids locked up, it won’t hurt to try to pick up someone who turned down the old staff. Simms seems like a perfect candidate.
We don’t need a QB in this class, but getting a big name like Simms will make a big difference for Jags on the recruiting trail this year and next year. And Petrino leaving could be just the first domino that helps Jags bring back quality players to Boston.
NC State thoughts
Nice win. NC State is not nearly as good as they were last season, but it is still an ACC road win. Also glad to see Dudley back. Here are my thoughts on the game:
-- Dudley moved well considering his foot. Based on how he described the problem in the Globe, I am concerned that he will miss more time. The biggest difference he made was playing the key when NC State went to zone. Over the past few years, Jared's been the baseline runner against zones with Craig in the key. We tried plugging Spears into Smith's role against zones, but he doesn't have Craig's hands (yet). On Saturday, Dudley went to the middle and we were able to attack and score. A nice adjustment by the staff.
-- One of Sean Marshall's best games. He needs to be closer to the boards, since he is a very good rebounder for a 2 guard. But it should be noted that even on a "hot" day, he went 9 for 22.
-- Rice improving as a PG. Another solid day and he can handle pressure now.
-- Spears' turnovers remain costly. He needs to do a better job of anticipating passes and holding onto the ball.
Now let's continue the solid play against Wake.
-- Dudley moved well considering his foot. Based on how he described the problem in the Globe, I am concerned that he will miss more time. The biggest difference he made was playing the key when NC State went to zone. Over the past few years, Jared's been the baseline runner against zones with Craig in the key. We tried plugging Spears into Smith's role against zones, but he doesn't have Craig's hands (yet). On Saturday, Dudley went to the middle and we were able to attack and score. A nice adjustment by the staff.
-- One of Sean Marshall's best games. He needs to be closer to the boards, since he is a very good rebounder for a 2 guard. But it should be noted that even on a "hot" day, he went 9 for 22.
-- Rice improving as a PG. Another solid day and he can handle pressure now.
-- Spears' turnovers remain costly. He needs to do a better job of anticipating passes and holding onto the ball.
Now let's continue the solid play against Wake.
Friday, January 05, 2007
Football 2006 In Review: Top Surprises
Following up on a feature I did last season, I will look back on the season in four parts. Let's begin with the positive: pleasant surprises.
1. The punt team. Our special teams under Petercuskie were consistently bad, but this year saw a marked improvement in our punting. Ayers had a very good year -- never clunked anything costly and provided some real boomers when we needed them. He could be all ACC next year. True Freshman Long Snapper Jake Geiser really earned his scholarship and provided good snaps all season. But the biggest surprise of all were the guys on the punt team, especially the gunners. Sele, Ross, Anam, and Smith were all excellent. It was a great use of our speed. How many times did it seem like they were breathing on the return man right when the punt landed? Plus they made good tackles.
2. Herzlich and Albright. These two get grouped together, because they look similar on the field, play with the same passion and are supposedly buddies off the field. We’ve had a few true freshman phenoms before, but I cannot think of recent examples of two guys who came in so relatively under the radar that ended up playing with such maturity.
3. Larry Anam. I have been a huge Anam critic over the years. I felt he was a poor tackler and never really knew what to do on the field. Granted some of that should have been pointed at the coaching. This season he really surprised me. He improved his tackling, layed some huge hits and became a serviceable corner. He also saved two games: Florida State with his game ending INT and Navy. If Larry hadn’t been there to run down those middies, we would have been in a huge hole.
1. The punt team. Our special teams under Petercuskie were consistently bad, but this year saw a marked improvement in our punting. Ayers had a very good year -- never clunked anything costly and provided some real boomers when we needed them. He could be all ACC next year. True Freshman Long Snapper Jake Geiser really earned his scholarship and provided good snaps all season. But the biggest surprise of all were the guys on the punt team, especially the gunners. Sele, Ross, Anam, and Smith were all excellent. It was a great use of our speed. How many times did it seem like they were breathing on the return man right when the punt landed? Plus they made good tackles.
2. Herzlich and Albright. These two get grouped together, because they look similar on the field, play with the same passion and are supposedly buddies off the field. We’ve had a few true freshman phenoms before, but I cannot think of recent examples of two guys who came in so relatively under the radar that ended up playing with such maturity.
3. Larry Anam. I have been a huge Anam critic over the years. I felt he was a poor tackler and never really knew what to do on the field. Granted some of that should have been pointed at the coaching. This season he really surprised me. He improved his tackling, layed some huge hits and became a serviceable corner. He also saved two games: Florida State with his game ending INT and Navy. If Larry hadn’t been there to run down those middies, we would have been in a huge hole.
Staff news and other links
BC introduced part of Jags' first staff. There are still some open spots, but certainly enough to lock down the TOB recruits. Expect the final staff spots to be filled in a week or two. I'll have more thoughts on the staff once it all comes together.
Jags' former colleague Brett Maxie has been contacted.
Message board poster HJS found these podcasts of Logan's show.
BC continues to be a strong TV draw. We were the only non-primetime show in the Top 10 and outdrew most of the bowls during bowl week.
A little nugget for the Notre Dame hating BC fans
I usually try to avoid egging on the ND haters among the BC set, but LD did such a good job with this post that I thought it deserved our attention.
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Why isn't Dudley getting the ball more?
In his BC preview, NC State blogger, Section Six asked that very question. I've been too busy to crunch the early numbers, so I was shocked to learn that Dudley is third in shots taken. Why is he getting fewer shots than Marshall? Unbelievable. Good catch by Section Six. Hopefully the staff will make an adjustment or Jared will just try and take control of games.
A few links
Here is a Q&A with BC recruit Daniel Williams.
An update on Jags' staff. I'll give my take on everyone once it becomes official.
An article hammering the ACC.
Scoring under Logan
Points per game are not the ultimate measure of an offense for a variety of factors (defensive impact, special teams, style of play, etc.) but they are an indicator. So I thought I would take a look at what Logan teams produced at ECU. This is pretty cursory as far as what he can and will do, but it makes for a nice introduction into the stuff I hope to examine before we kick off next fall.
Logan offenses
*His first year as Head Coach. In '90 and '91 he was the Pirates OC
**Logan's first year without Jags on his staff
As you can see, he had some really dynamic aggresive teams. Other times...not so much. What I've read and heard is that Logan is a pass-first riverboat gambler type of play caller. Another piece of info someone shared is that he is great at adjustments and produced many second half comebacks. I've also been told, but haven't looked deep enough yet, that he will sit on a lead in a TOB like fashion. We'll see. But I am more confident in him running the offense than I ever was under Bible.
One more thing for comparison...Bible and TOB averaged more than 30 twice in ten years.
Logan offenses
| Year | Total Points | Points per game | W-L |
| 1990 | 254 | 23.1 | 5-6 |
| 1991 | 409 | 34.1 | 11-1 |
| 1992* | 289 | 26.3 | 5-6 |
| 1993 | 175 | 15.9 | 2-9 |
| 1994 | 303 | 25.3 | 7-5 |
| 1995 | 274 | 22.8 | 9-3 |
| 1996 | 316 | 28.7 | 8-3 |
| 1997** | 214 | 19.5 | 5-6 |
| 1998 | 274 | 24.9 | 6-5 |
| 1999 | 333 | 27.8 | 9-3 |
| 2000 | 370 | 30.8 | 8-4 |
| 2001 | 421 | 35.1 | 6-6 |
| 2002 | 335 | 27.9.1 | 4-8 |
*His first year as Head Coach. In '90 and '91 he was the Pirates OC
**Logan's first year without Jags on his staff
As you can see, he had some really dynamic aggresive teams. Other times...not so much. What I've read and heard is that Logan is a pass-first riverboat gambler type of play caller. Another piece of info someone shared is that he is great at adjustments and produced many second half comebacks. I've also been told, but haven't looked deep enough yet, that he will sit on a lead in a TOB like fashion. We'll see. But I am more confident in him running the offense than I ever was under Bible.
One more thing for comparison...Bible and TOB averaged more than 30 twice in ten years.
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Basketball wins; Jags back in Boston
The basketball team beat Yale. This was the best effort of the games Dudley has missed. He'll be back Saturday for the now critical game against NC State. I think we need to go 10-6 in ACC play to overcome our uneven non-conference performance.
Jags is now in Boston, but check out the pic of him cleaning out his office on packers.com. He looks good in maroon.
Here are more photos from the Bowl game. Ty Hall's dad might be the most photographed BC parent of all time.
Here is the AP article on Logan coming to BC. Many have wondered why he sat out of the game for so long and why he is coming back now. Well I think it speaks well of Jags that one of his mentors is willing to work for him, but the article also mentions that Logan's contract with ECU just expired Jan. 1.
How to write an Eagle Action story
As any regular reader knows, I don't like Eagle Action. Their ethics have been questionable for years. I don’t subscribe, so I am not a regular reader of their pay articles. However, someone pointed out some blatant plagiarism in their latest piece. Because things might get changed, I asked a reader to grab a PDF of the article in question before it could be fixed.
Look at this highlighted passage.
click to enlarge
Now read this article from Caulton Tudor of the News & Observer. Aside from the taking out a phrase referencing Butch Davis, it is a word for word rip off of the other writer. The funny thing is that they reference Tudor’s interview two paragraphs later. Why bother mentioning Tudor since the stealing at that point is so blatant? But I kept reading and some other things bothered me. I just knew there was no way the EA staff did this much research on Logan this quickly. These guys are lazy. So I googled some of the phrases and stats they used in the second half of the article.
click to enlarge
Well, it seems like these guys are big fans of Caulton Tudor because, sure enough, they swiped phrases from him two other times in the piece.
Google the phrase “Harley got 42 carries for 351 yards in a 50-29 win.” The first link is from the News & Observer.
Google the seemingly random order of names EA used: “Junior Smith, Leonard Henry and Scott Harley."
I’ll give you one guess on who the first link is? That’s right, Caulton Tudor.
I know writing quickly as news breaks is tough. But it is also just as easy to point out the work of others. If you are going to plagiarize don't charge people for the content. At the end of the day my point is stop giving money to the crooks and frauds at Eagle Action.
Look at this highlighted passage.
click to enlargeNow read this article from Caulton Tudor of the News & Observer. Aside from the taking out a phrase referencing Butch Davis, it is a word for word rip off of the other writer. The funny thing is that they reference Tudor’s interview two paragraphs later. Why bother mentioning Tudor since the stealing at that point is so blatant? But I kept reading and some other things bothered me. I just knew there was no way the EA staff did this much research on Logan this quickly. These guys are lazy. So I googled some of the phrases and stats they used in the second half of the article.
click to enlargeWell, it seems like these guys are big fans of Caulton Tudor because, sure enough, they swiped phrases from him two other times in the piece.
Google the phrase “Harley got 42 carries for 351 yards in a 50-29 win.” The first link is from the News & Observer.
Google the seemingly random order of names EA used: “Junior Smith, Leonard Henry and Scott Harley."
I’ll give you one guess on who the first link is? That’s right, Caulton Tudor.
I know writing quickly as news breaks is tough. But it is also just as easy to point out the work of others. If you are going to plagiarize don't charge people for the content. At the end of the day my point is stop giving money to the crooks and frauds at Eagle Action.
Logan on Logan's offense
Eagle Insider poster TWballgame found this great link by Steve Logan on his offense.
Now, nothing Logan writes is revolutionary. It is the type of offensive philosophy that goes back to Don Coryell and I know that many of these same principles were part of the TOB/Bible scheme. But here are some things that are very refreshing:
1. “throw first, then run”
2. Use of words like “attack” and “aggressive”
3. His third and long package calls for deep routes with cuts and comebacks. He even mentions the tradeoff of losing the underneath routes. I think one of the most frustrating things about Bible was the short crossing route on third and long. It is such a low percentage play and put the burden on the WR to run for the first down.
4. His points on coaching QBs at the end. I am glad he realizes that you have to treat a veteran different from a rookie. How many times did Paul Peterson have to plead to open the offense? How come Matt Ryan was not allowed to audible at the line this year? He also clarifies the critical mistakes a QB can make: sacks and not throwing the ball away. Quinton Porter, despite five years with Bible, never let that sink in.
I will post more on Logan’s actual results at ECU in the coming days and weeks, but this is a nice introduction to what we will see on the field.
Now, nothing Logan writes is revolutionary. It is the type of offensive philosophy that goes back to Don Coryell and I know that many of these same principles were part of the TOB/Bible scheme. But here are some things that are very refreshing:
1. “throw first, then run”
2. Use of words like “attack” and “aggressive”
3. His third and long package calls for deep routes with cuts and comebacks. He even mentions the tradeoff of losing the underneath routes. I think one of the most frustrating things about Bible was the short crossing route on third and long. It is such a low percentage play and put the burden on the WR to run for the first down.
4. His points on coaching QBs at the end. I am glad he realizes that you have to treat a veteran different from a rookie. How many times did Paul Peterson have to plead to open the offense? How come Matt Ryan was not allowed to audible at the line this year? He also clarifies the critical mistakes a QB can make: sacks and not throwing the ball away. Quinton Porter, despite five years with Bible, never let that sink in.
I will post more on Logan’s actual results at ECU in the coming days and weeks, but this is a nice introduction to what we will see on the field.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
Logan's in!
Wow. Steve Logan officially joined Jags’ staff as offensive coordinator. This has been rumored for weeks, but being a BC fan I was worried that it wouldn't work out. I'll have more on Logan in the next few weeks, but this is a huge hire. He gives Jags instant credibility, provides a strong, bold and proven offensive philosophy, and best of all a sounding board for a first-time head coach. For all those who said Jags was a Gene puppet, this is definitive proof of the contrary. Anyone who knows Logan, knows that he is his own man. Jags could fill the remaining staff with a bunch of rookies at this point and it wouldn’t matter. With Logan, Spaz and McGovern around, this will be a very good staff. We are in good hands.
Wake and Mason thoughts and few links
Wake Forest and Boise State
Everyone is talking about Boise State and what their win means for college football. It is a great story and all, but it means nothing to BC. BSU developed a nice niche for themselves and have a great program. But for a variety of reasons, BC could never duplicate their success. As a BCS team we are insiders to the process so we will never be considered gate crashers. Also we will not give up our identity to win, so don’t expect to see us go the Boise St. route with unconventional schemes and Junior College transfers. (I do think we can go undefeated one day and capture the nation’s attention again. But that discussion is for another time and place.)
While Boise State is something we can never be, Wake Forest is something we should aspire to be. The ACC Champion Deacons face Louisville in the Orange Bowl tonight. For all the doubters about BC’s potential, one need look no further than Winston-Salem. Wake won the conference and is playing in a BCS Bowl despite a small fanbase and student body, in a non-college football market, with a poor college football history, using real student athletes, with limited facilities, and in an underdeveloped recruiting territory. While Wake doesn’t do this every year, they did it right this year. I hope they win tonight to prove a point -- there is no reason why BC cannot win a BCS game.
Glen Mason: the Midwest TOB
Has anyone else noticed the heat Minnesota is taking for firing Glen Mason? They dared show an established coach the door because they felt they could do better and had grown tired of their plateau and emotionless football. Sound familiar? BC is very lucky NC State came in when they did. The TOB thing was going to blow one day soon, and we would have taken a huge PR hit from it. Gene is not perfect but he handled this process well and with minimal damage.
Links
Here is a link on what Green Bay is doing to replace Jags. Notice his rep for keeping guys inline.
Everyone is talking about Boise State and what their win means for college football. It is a great story and all, but it means nothing to BC. BSU developed a nice niche for themselves and have a great program. But for a variety of reasons, BC could never duplicate their success. As a BCS team we are insiders to the process so we will never be considered gate crashers. Also we will not give up our identity to win, so don’t expect to see us go the Boise St. route with unconventional schemes and Junior College transfers. (I do think we can go undefeated one day and capture the nation’s attention again. But that discussion is for another time and place.)
While Boise State is something we can never be, Wake Forest is something we should aspire to be. The ACC Champion Deacons face Louisville in the Orange Bowl tonight. For all the doubters about BC’s potential, one need look no further than Winston-Salem. Wake won the conference and is playing in a BCS Bowl despite a small fanbase and student body, in a non-college football market, with a poor college football history, using real student athletes, with limited facilities, and in an underdeveloped recruiting territory. While Wake doesn’t do this every year, they did it right this year. I hope they win tonight to prove a point -- there is no reason why BC cannot win a BCS game.
Glen Mason: the Midwest TOB
Has anyone else noticed the heat Minnesota is taking for firing Glen Mason? They dared show an established coach the door because they felt they could do better and had grown tired of their plateau and emotionless football. Sound familiar? BC is very lucky NC State came in when they did. The TOB thing was going to blow one day soon, and we would have taken a huge PR hit from it. Gene is not perfect but he handled this process well and with minimal damage.
Links
Here is a link on what Green Bay is doing to replace Jags. Notice his rep for keeping guys inline.
Here is an article on Sean Williams.
Navy blogger Adam took some good pics of the bowl. If you have some of your own shots that you would like to share, please email them to me and I will post ASAP.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Grade Report and Second Viewing Thoughts: Navy
While it wasn’t pretty it was still a win. I’ll be honest, if not for a miracle fumble, we would have lost this game and all the grades I am about give would probably be at least two half-grades lower. Winning just makes everything seem better. Plus it was the last game of the year, so I am feeling generous. The coaches deserve credit for keeping the team focused and winning, but as far as strategy they really mailed it in for this game. Spaz is probably hanging around, so let’s hope things improve the next time we face a misdirection offense.
Offense: B-
Offense: B-
I would say that was Matt Ryan’s weakest performance of the year. He was pressing most of the game -- running when he should have waited, passing when he had running lanes, etc. His long bomb to Gunnel was off. Both INTs were bad decisions. I know on replay that it looked that the Umpire shielded the Navy LB, but Matt really should have seen him crossing over and sitting in his zone. But the kid is a gamer and still got us into scoring position when it counted. I can overlook an off day when we win and he carried this team all year.
LV went down early but looked really bad when he was in. In the first series alone, he dropped a catchable ball, made a bad cut/read on second down and then whiffed on a blitzing DB on third down. Callender ran hard but wasn’t explosive. However, I was encouraged with his reads and cuts. If we do implement the Jags/Gibbs strict zone blocking, I think AC will adapt well. Palmer had one of his better games of the season and served as a nice outlet for Ryan.
I am really glad we are getting a new line coach. I would say Horton’s work has been most disappointing this year and Saturday was just another example. We played rotating Centers again, yet Sheridan was in when it mattered (even though he had been blown over by much smaller Navy defenders at two different times). Poles still looks slow adjusting when no one comes right at him. How can he still be hesitant on his areas of responsibility in pass protection? Fortunately in the second half the unit locked in. Good game from Marten. Good game from Beekman. Great game from Cherilus. Cherilus had a great year. The only thing holding him back was stupid penalties.
The Receivers and Tight Ends had good but unspectacular games. Purvis TD was a nice catch. Challenger’s catch and run before the half was a great hustle play, but he was lucky he left time on the clock. Gonzo had a nice season, but it was a killer to drop the 2-point conversion.
The play calling was bad. Real bad. I have defended Dana Bible more than most, but this game was a real problem. Navy gave us a lot of different looks, but we did nothing to force them out of their zones or stretch the field. Also, our stubbornness with running wasted time in a game where possessions were very important. The two crimes against BC fans were the two minute drills before the half and at the end of the game. First look at the drive before the half. He calls a running play early. No problem with that. However, I do have a problem with not calling a time out when the play falls short of the first down. It cost us 14 seconds and led to a FG instead of a TD. The closing drive was equally bad. The pass to the flat was okay because at least it is near the sideline. The pass to Thompson was good for a first down so that is okay, but I have real problems with two runs from the 20. Please take at least one shot at the end zone. Especially with a walk-on with limited range taking the kicks. It seemed like Dana was indifferent to us winning this game. Terrible way to go out.
Defense: B
The Defensive line played well. They gut burned by the belly to the FB twice, but overall did a good job clogging the middle. Albright’s late sack on third down was huge. Giles had some big plays. Larkin was key to forcing the late fumble and Brace and Raji played well.
Dunbar had a great game. His fellow LBs did not. Pruitt did not get the feel for the option until late in the game. Toal was under the weather. Francois barely involved. Herzy missed a key open-field tackle. Because they rarely passed, Akins had to play inside and got pushed around. Fortunately Dunbar cleaned up a lot of mistakes.
The corners played well. By design Navy took them away from the action for much of the game. When he was near the action, Tribble had some huge hits and a key deflection. Anam playing the opposite side of the field really saved two TDs. Twice a Navy carrier broke free only to be chased down by Larry. Huge plays. Why was Anam saving our ass? Because the Safeties had a rough day. Both passing TDs were on them and should have been stopped. Their tackling was so so.
Spaz called an okay game. Nothing new, just played them straight up. We struggled the first half, but recovered in the second half. Not as bad as Bible's prep, but not his best day.
Special Teams: B
Missing the PAT was bad, but Aponavicius more than made up for it. While his kickoffs were not bombs, they were improved.
The punting continued to be solid, as were the gunners.
Tribble had a good day on the returns.
The kick returns were good, but I was furious that they weren’t ready for the onside. We’re lucky Navy did not recover.
Overall: B-
This was a maddening game that BC was lucky to win. But a win is a win and the guys deserve credit for rallying. Now that the streak is BC’s and not TOB’s, I want to see it go on, so this win was crucial. The next game I grade will be Jags' first and I look forward to every minute of it.
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