Second viewing thoughts and grade report: BYU

Luck will run out. This team is winning, but has to start playing better. For a 3-0 team I don’t feel confident about what lies ahead. Fortunately it is really down year in the ACC. If this team starts playing to its potential, the upside of this season is scary.

Offense: B

Matt Ryan’s numbers were big again and I like how he runs the offense, but this was his worst game of the season. He had two picks and at least three other near picks. With the bad leg it seems to take him a good three series to adjust and figure out his throws. Is he not throwing enough on the bad leg during the week? His fundamentals are slipping a little too. All that said, I have complete confidence in him and love the way he stands in the pocket. Love the way he goes through his progressions. The Robinson bomb was a classic example of his reads -- the first option was two the left. Gonzo was doubled. Then the TE on the left -- covered with a safety and linebacker. Ryan turned and threw it perfectly to BRob. He instinctively knew that Robinson would be in single coverage. Great play and may have saved the game (by giving us a confidence boost).

The offense line was not as strong. Early they had problems. Beekman has a rough day (for him). I expect perfection from him, so when he gets beat or does not get to a spot it is noticeable. Cherilus is having a great year. Marten looked better. I still have no idea who is playing and why. Poles looked good early but then gets pulled. Hall looked good in his place yet is yanked later. Sheridan was okay. But we still used Beekman at Center for a series (where Beek struggled). Make a choice and stick with it. Here was the most confusing series. First OT, the line is Marten, Poles, Sheridan, Beekman and Cherilus. Three straight run plays to Poles’ side. Five yards total.

Second OT, the line is Marten, Hall, Sheridan, Beekman and Cherilus. Ryan rolls on great protection and hits Gonzo for the TD. If you can’t trust Poles in OT or are punishing him for mixed blocking in the first OT, why keep yo yoing with Hall? This unit is confounding. Fortunately they’ve improved as the game wears on in each game. Now if they could just play one complete game I would be happy.

The receivers were good again. Loved seeing Robinson get some balls his way. The speed is exiting. Now we just need Gunnell to hold onto the ball. Gonzo is clutch but it doesn’t look like he is ever going to be a run after the catch type. Another strong game for Challenger.

The running backs both looked good. Finally given some protection they reacted well and showed some good explosiveness. LV’s run on 3rd and 2 before the half was a thing of beauty. Too bad he coughed up a ball later. AC looked back to his old form. Brooks remains MIA.

The Tight Ends played well, but I would like to see us get back to throwing to them over the middle.

The play calling was okay. I think we need to establish the run early until Ryan gets his sea legs each game. He adjusts as the game goes on, but we give him tough touch throws early. Why? Loved the deep ball attempts. Loved the running in the second half. The first OT was cowardly. Three straight runs after the day Ohliger had? Stupid. Then in the second OT when we need a score, we go downfield. I don’t get it.

Overall this offense is carrying the team. Bible has done a good job so far. However the running back situation and the line are still huge question marks and we are a quarter of the way into the season. What a weird year.

Defense: C

I am worried about the defense for this reason: we tried everything and nothing worked well. Four men rushes. Slow. Three men with a zone blitzer. Rarely worked. Dog blitzes. Picked up. Soft cover two. BYU picked us apart. Tight man. Saved by Tribble. It was a rough day.

The defensive line is the start of the problem. First the good. Nick Larkin is having a strong year. He hustles, applies good pressure and is a solid tackler. Giles is smart and hustles. He’s a little slow so far, but he is encouraging. Raji. Ugh. I thought this guy would be all ACC. Right now he is taking plays off and looks like half the player he was last year. Willis has been good this season, but struggled yesterday. Brady Smith was overmatched. Deska looked slow. The bright spots of the reserves were Albright and Willette. Both played smart and made some nice plays.

The linebackers were a mixed bag. Francois and Akins had unbelievable games. Good tackles. Great hustle. Dunbar is not playing to last year’s level. Pruitt had his first invisible game of the seaosn. Toal is a shell of himself and Speilman caught him avoiding contact. He still has great speed and instinct, but I think the shoulder is going to limit his ability to tackle. McLaughlin played okay but needs to get better in pass coverage. Herzlich looked pretty good for a true freshman.

The secondary. Despite giving up thousands of yards, this might have been their best day. Tribble played great. Silva saved the day and was doing a better job in coverage. Morris looked slow but hung in there. Anderson was really slow on the safety blitz, but he tries hard and is a solid tackler. The biggest problem is that they get no help from up front and by design our pass defense gives the opponent cushion. Against a team like BYU they will pick us apart all day.

Special teams: C-

Jesus. First the good. Ayers had a nice game. Our punt and kick coverage has improved.

Now the bad. Why are we playing this peakaboo nonsense with Smith and Tribble and then not letting Smith return the ball? Tribble’s fumblitis on punts scared me. (Survival Ross deserves a game ball for saving his ass.) Is it time to give Smith a chance to return punts?

The worst was Ohliger. Missing short field goals is one thing, but PATs!?! The more I learn the worse I feel. It is one thing to see a sports shrink, but getting weird about your freaking gum. Spit it out for Christ sakes! Pumping up the crowd and then missing looked clownish. This guy should have been done with us two years ago. Why is he still kicking? Let him handle kickoffs and nothing else.

Overall: C+

Winning ugly is better than losing ugly. But this is not a good football team right now. They have some really good players but the team is not putting it all together. And now that we are a quarter into the season it is safe to say the Defensive Line is going to be an ongoing problem. Unless Raji flips a switch and starts playing well again, Spaz is going to have to pull out every trick in the bag.

Now onto a very bad NC State team. Does anyone know what to expect from us?

What a strange season…

Quick postgame thoughts on AOL

Here are my five takeways. My grade report will be on atleagle.com Sunday.

"I can't do this every Saturday!"

The above quote is from my Father In-law. My own poor dad had to step outside after the first OT. He didn't even see Silva's pick. I feel really guilty. These people are now sharing my suffering.

As for the game: a win is better than losing, but these types of wins are not good indicators for what's ahead. Yes, toughing it out shows the team has heart, but these close games are not going to break our way all season. The team needs to stop making huge mistakes. And the defense needs to bear down.

Everyone catch your breath and calm down. It won't get any easier next week. AOL update, second viewing thoughts and grade reports to follow later tonight or Sunday.

AOL on western teams coming to Boston

The stats are strongly in our favor. Read more here.

Should I take offense to this?

I know people in Sports Information, players and coaches read this blog. So when bceagles.com publishes a piece and says: '“Every team has its share of Web site whiners, and BC is no exception. "The fellowship of the miserable," as one coach likes to call them, will forever point to a loss here or there, playing the woulda', shoulda', coulda' game. That's their loss. The reasonable majority of Boston College fans point with pride to a program that doesn't bend the rules, that graduates its players, and that exhibits class. They have rejoiced in the big wins, and there have been many. The green jersey game at Notre Dame. The bowl game win over Georgia. The past two seasons against Clemson. The road upsets at Virginia Tech and West Virginia. The Tony Gonzalez catch at Notre Dame. Heck, all five of the wins over Notre Dame.”' I have to ask “are they talking about me?” I have vented, but I think I am pretty even handed. Maybe I am being too sensitive and the anonymous author of this bceagles.com piece is talking about the posters at Eagle Insider or the guys behind firetob.com. No matter who they are talking about, I think their defense of TOB is misguided.

Use bceagles.com to rehash his accomplishments. The piece was at its best when talking about the TOB people rarely see -- the family man, the humble guy. Don’t use the official school athletic site to criticize fans. Don’t act as if legitimate criticism of a public figure is whining. Who do these people at bceagles.com think the whiners are? I'll tell you. The majority are alumni. The majority are real diehard fans. Fans who support the team. Fans who buy tickets. Fans who tune in and make BC a desirable TV draw. If someone can recount the pain they felt after the Syracuse loss, they are not a whiner. They are emotionally involved with the team, the program and the school. Those whiners are the type of people who spend money in various forms so a guy like TOB can make a great living coaching football. Do the people at bceagles.com not realize this? Do they realize that a similar track record at a Big Ten school or an SEC school might have TOB on the hot seat?

TOB has accomplished a great deal in 10 years. But there is always more to do. Isn’t our school motto “Ever to Excel”?

The athletic department has a small problem -- the boredom of its fanbase. Ticket sales are down and the bowl situation gets worse every year. Instead of debating and rebutting the unhappiness, they should listen and respect opinions. TOB is well respected, but not beyond reproach. Instead of using the school site to shield him and tweak his critics, the school should listen and try to get these passionate fans back in the fold.

Does winningest = the best?

Last year I worked on a post calling TOB the best football coach in the history of Boston College. I never posted. After the UNC loss, I didn’t believe it. Coming less than a year after the Syracuse debacle, the UNC game reminded me of TOB’s limitations and was another missed opportunity at greatness.

Last week, TOB tied Joe Yukica to become the all-time winningest coach in school history. This season he will pass Yukica to become the school’s winningest coach. Does that make him the greatest? Not by itself. Unlike his predecessors, TOB’s time is not complete. How he finishes his tenure at BC will ultimately serve as his legacy. The big hole on his resume is big wins and championships. Here is how he measures up in the key categories of a college greatness.

Off the field accomplishments
BC established a good foundation for graduating its players long before TOB arrived. However, he does deserve credit for continuing the push. Here are some of the other things he’s done at BC. TOB’s personality will always keep him from becoming a beloved, cult figure at BC, like some legends are to their respective schools. But he deserves credit for what he’s done and the men he has produced.

Wins
This category is of longevity, consistency, and the time he coached. He’s padded it with plenty of Rutgers and Temple games, but Yukica’s resume includes plenty of games against Holy Cross. TOB also benefits from the expanded schedules of the modern era and the endless list of bowls. He’s won the most, because he’s had more games to coach. This is an accomplishment, but more of consistency, not of greatness.

Winning Percentage
Winning percentage tells a different story from wins. TOB has coached more games, therefore is bound to win more than Yukica (or Couglin or Bicknell…).
TOB’s current winning percentage is .618.
Yukica’s is .648
Coughlin’s is .614
Leahy’s is .909

If he keeps winning there is a good chance TOB will pass Yukica here too. As of now, Yukica was more productive with his time than TOB.

One other note about winning percentage: BC historically won .580 of its games. So every time Sports Information or the media trot out all these historical accomplishments (most bowl wins, most "X" wins season) remember that historically BC has been a solid program. TOB is performing above the historical mark, but not by a huge margin. If Yukica and Bicknell coached today, they would have had plenty of San Francisco Bowl titles too.

Big wins, big moments and championships
This is the area where TOB comes up short. One win over Miami, Virginia Tech and Florida State. He just got his first home win over a ranked team last week. His only title is a four-way piece of the worst Big East in history. He has yet to play in a New Year’s Bowl. He whiffed on his best chance to get to a BCS Bowl. His saving grace is his Notre Dame record. He never coached a Heisman winner like Bicknell and doesn’t have that program defining moment like Flutie’s Hail Mary or Gordon’s kick. This is the hole on his resume

What does it all mean?
TOB is a very good coach, but not a great one. There is still time. If he wins one ACC title before he is done he will go down as the best football coach the school has ever had. But if we get five more years of 8 wins and a meaningless bowl, people will always question his accomplishments.

I am not the only one weighing in. The Globe, the Heights and firetob.com have their opinions too.

Ohliger on AOL

Check it out here. Good news: our conference is filled with Ohliger-like kickers. Bad news: I still don't trust him in the clutch.

BC-BYU preview

After nail biters in the first two weeks, BC fans need a more comfortable win. Will it happen this week? Here is the preview.

Theme that won’t be discussed on television. BC and (to a lesser extent) the ACC need BC to win this game and then see BYU have a great season. BC needs a good Cougar team on its resume, because as the team moves up the polls, media and opposing fans will start to notice how light BC’s schedule is. Pointing to the BYU win won’t mute the critics but it will help. The ACC cares because there is a very good chance BC could win the conference. This looks to be a down year for the Conference to begin with. If the conference champion’s best non-ACC win is over a MWC team, it better be a Top 25 MWC team.

Three simple keys
1. Prevent the big play. On Saturday, BC allowed seven plays for more than 20 yards including an 82 yarder from Spiller. Against CMU BC allowed a QB scramble for 42 yards and a completion for 60. This has got to stop. BC has the athletes to play with these teams. Allowing them to run free and break poor tackling will cost BC a game at some point.

2. Get Andre Callender back in the mix. I feared that after the Clemson fumble, he would never see the field again. Fortunately TOB put him in later in the game. Andre clearly has issues holding onto the ball, but he deserves a chance to get over it. He is talented and has the ability to break a big play. Get him the ball.

3. Great play from the linebackers. BYU has added a ground attack to a team that threw for more than 300 yards against us last season. The defensive effort is going to rely on the Dunbar and company. Pruitt’s coverage work has looked very good, and Francois has looked solid against the run. Dunbar has made some great plays and also a few questionables. Saturday will need a complete game from all of them -- especially with Toal questionable.

Gambling notes.
-- TOB is 20-14-1 as a home favorite
-- BC is 5-3 against the spread against current MWC teams
-- Mendenhall is 1-1 as an away underdog
-- BYU is 5-1 against the spread in their last six games on artificial turf
The current line is BC -7

What would be a pleasant surprise? A BC romp. This is a much improved BYU team. If we come out and win by 28, I think it will say a lot about this BC team’s potential.

What would be a letdown? A loss. Last week’s game provided such a high, that following it with an L to a non-BCS team at home would be devistating.

What would be a shocker? Getting blown out by BYU. Let’s face it, no one knows how good the ACC is this year. NC State losing to Akron…FSU getting into a dog fight with Troy…Duke losing to Richmond. If BC gets beat up at home, Big East fans and the pundits will be out in force.

Bottom line
This game should not be a problem. BC has the edge in nearly every position. The early season mental lapses should be out of the way. The team is playing with a lot of confidence. I just don’t see how we could lose. I don’t even think it will be as close as our first two games.
Final Score: BC 35, BYU 21.

Clemson cash and AOL link

Here is an interesting article on Clemson fans spending money in Boston (thanks Meaghan). BC really needs to do something like the $2 stunt. No one wears the angry chicken garb, so we need one way to present a united front when we travel. Marking the money doesn't seem like a bad idea. (However, I used credit cards whenever I can. But I do stand out on road trips in my maroon pants.)

AOL link on Paul Peterson's return.

Heaven help us

The Pope loves BC's colors but hates the italics numbers

BC’s game against BYU is one of the rare matchups in college football -- a game between two religiously affiliated schools.

There are only five remaining universities with religious affliations and DIA Football teams (Baylor, Boston College, BYU, Notre Dame and SMU).

We have a 7-9 record against Notre Dame. We have four more games scheduled against the other Catholic school. Unfortunately there are no discussions to continue the series beyond 2010.

BC has a 3-0 record against the Baptist Baylor Bears. We owe them a return game. Other than that, I’ve heard nothing about continuing the series.

BC has a 0-1 record against SMU. There are no current plans to create a series.

BC is 1-1 against TCU. Once again, no discussion of creating a series.

BC is 1-1 in the series heading into its game this weekend with BYU.

Religion is one of those topics you are not suppose to talk about. College football can bridge those uncomfortable gaps. A Southern, born-again might not trust the Pope, but he can relate to wanting to see the backup quarterback get his shot.

BC’s current out of conference slate is proving very unappealing to our fans. Perhaps adding a little twist will be good for a little buzz. Regardless, these other affiliated schools share many of the same principals BC touts when building its program (winning the right way).

So my advice to Gene D -- stop searching the MAC for games and start searching the Bible Belt.

One blogger, two blogs

AOL recently launched a series of new NFL and college football blogs and hired me to be their BC blogger.

You can check it out here (http://boston-college-football.aolsportsblog.com/) and it will also be linked off of the BC resources on the right.

What does this mean for atleagle.com? Nothing. I will continue blogging here too. Without getting too much into the details of AOL policies, you can imagine that some of the stuff I might write, post or publish is too parochial, too inside and too potentially libelous for the good folks at AOL.

My suggestion to regular readers -- keep coming here first. I will always post when I have updated AOL. I cannot post the same reminders there about this blog.

It should be an exciting process. AOL has done some cool things and hired some really great bloggers. Ultimately the big winners are fans of schools that don’t get regular coverage from the national media. Now for the first time, a major sports site is creating content for the teams that have been overlooked. Enjoy and keep reading.

Avoiding the OT hangover

The Clemson game provided a huge boost of confidence. Yet a going through the physical and emotional ringer like that can also lead to a letdown the following game. With the win Saturday, TOB is now 3-3 in OT games. Here is how his teams did following his five previous OT games.

Year	OT Game	Following game
1997	L to Miami	L to Notre Dame
1999	W over Baylor	W over Navy
2002	L to Pitt	W over Notre Dame
2004	L to Pitt	W over Notre Dame
2005	W over Clemson	W over Ball State

TOB followed the first Miami loss by getting crushed the next week in South Bend.

The Navy team BC faced following the Baylor win was not good and the game was much closer than it should have been.

The two losses to Pitt were both crushing. Yet the team did rally both times to defeat two good Notre Dame teams the following week.

Last season, the team followed the Clemson loss with a sound victory over a undermanned Ball State team.

So what does this short history tell us? Not much. The quality of opponents varied so much that there isn’t much to conclude. But to TOB's credit a 4-1 record post OT is encouraging.

This year might be the toughest test. The Clemson game has the team thinking big things. There is a chance the team could over look an improving BYU. If this is going to be a special season there can't be any letdowns.

Blogpoll Week 2

I didn't get to see as much football as I normally do this weekend, but here are my rankings. I really gave BC a boost and kept most of the rest as is. My polls don't start to shake out until teams start losing.

Games I saw
Clemson-BC 100%
OSU-Texas 50%
UGA-USC 25%
Akron-NCSU 50%

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Notre Dame	--
2	Auburn	--
3	Ohio State	--
4	Southern Cal	--
5	Florida	--
6	Louisiana State	2
7	Virginia Tech	3
8	West Virginia	1
9	Georgia	2
10	Florida State	2
11	Michigan	2
12	Iowa	5
13	Louisville	1
14	Tennessee	1
15	Texas	9
16	Oregon	--
17	Boston College	3
18	TCU	--
19	Oklahoma	2
20	Nebraska	3
21	Miami (Florida)	5
22	Alabama	2
23	UCLA	2
24	Rutgers	2
25	Arizona State	1

Dropped Out: Clemson (#17), Texas Tech (#19), Utah (#22).

Viewing thoughts and grade reports

I am on the road, so I won’t be able to rewatch this game again until later in the week. So here are my thoughts and grades based on the live viewing.

Offense: B+

Matt Ryan didn’t have his best game. Clearly his left leg impacted his throwing. He floated a few passes and missed some deep opportunities. Despite his limitations, I thought he moved really well…especially in the pocket. The biggest intangible is his confidence. I know I never felt out of it with him. If I feel that way, I am sure his teammates did as well. I think the rah, rah firey leader stuff is overrated. Yelling at guys is fine if you make plays. However, I think confidence is very underrated. Ryan believes in himself and his team and it shows.

Rough day for Andre Callender. He ran well until the fumble. At this point I am starting to lose sympathy for him. He lost a near touchdown against Maryland last season. Regardless if the coaches tell him to stretch for the final yard, not protecting the ball is on him. Whitworth played well. He finally seems to be adjusting to plays as opposed to running where the play was supposed to be.

The wide receivers were fantastic. They found the soft spots in the zones. They fought hard for first downs. They stretched the field. Solid game from everyone. Gonzo and Challenger should get most of the credit. Both are so sure handed I expect them to catch everything. Neither will ever break loose, but they don’t screw up. I loved seeing us try to go deep with Gunnell and Robinson.

Tight ends -- a more quiet effort than I would’ve expected. Glad to see Loyte get in on the action.

The offensive line was an issue in the first half. Sheridan’s struggles were obvious. Poles struggled early too. So then we send in the subs and move Beekman to Center and things start clicking. What do we do in the second half? Go back to the starting lineup. Fortunately it worked. Sheridan looked much better as the game wore on. The pass blocking was excellent all night. The run blocking got better each quarter and BC really dominated the last drive in overtime (and Poles opened the final hole for LV).

Bible had me screaming at the TV early, but he eventually settled in and called a good game. The drive to tie the game in regulation was nearly all pass. Finally someone on the offensive staff realized that our guys could exploit their zones and space in the middle. It was really a nice drive. The first OT drive was too conservative, but the winning drive had a great mix of run pass.

Defense: B-

The guys played hard, but were often reckless and dumb.

The Defensive line was still uneven. Nick Larkin played probably his best game at the Heights. Good pressure on Proctor and really good working down the line on run plays. Giles looked solid again. Willis continues to impress and collapses the line well for a skinny guy. Brace…showed me nothing. Someone his size should cause some sort of problems for the opponent. He doesn’t. He can get pushed around and was a non-factor. Raji – I do think he made a difference in the second half. He opened up lanes and clogged things up on some of the third and shorts. His face mask penalty was stupid.

The linebackers. Pruitt played well again. He is a good tackler and really good getting off blocks. His coverage technique is strong too. Francois looked good too. Toal started strong before going out with the injury. Dundar is frustrating. He made more mental mistakes again (including the late hit) and is still having problems in pass coverage. But he saved the game and deserves credit for that. Akins played well and is a great open field tackler. McLaughlin didn’t do much, but I am glad he is getting playing time.

The secondary was an issue. Tribble played really well and is becoming Jazzmen Williams-like run tackler. Anam was terrible. The first TD was on him. He is not a good coverage guy. I say Morris should start getting those snaps. Anderson look better. At least he didn’t let anyone behind him. Silva walks a fine line. He is clearly a head hunter. That helps us, but he is starting to get reckless. The late hit was stupid. And he is letting his coverage responsibilities suffer while he goes around looking to knock someone out.

Spaz has beaten Rob Spence three times already, so he is doing something right. The pressure on the QB was improved. I thought Spaz got too conservative on the third and longs. And the tackling on the Spiller play made me wonder how this keeps happening every year.

Special Teams: A-

Smith was unbelievable. If teams keep kicking to him, he might lead the country in return yards. He doesn’t have Blackmon’s vision, but he is clearly faster and able to make slight adjustments to avoid contact.

Tribble made good decisions on his returns.

Dunbar saved the day and saved Ohliger. Our kicker is now a lost cause.

Overall: B+

A win over a ranked team and a division foe. Considering everything that went wrong, this was a great end result. I am tired of the stupid penalties – three personal fouls. Where is all this supposed discipline?

As I said earlier, BC can beat every team on its schedule. But to do so will take much more consistent efforts and fewer mistakes.

Mr. Smith goes to town

A hard-fought, gutsy, sometimes dumb, and important win. Huge day for Jeff Smith. Ryan played pretty well. Really, a team effort.

I'll have my grades and expanded thoughts later.

Getting this win was huge. BC can beat every team remaining on its schedule. But if they keep winning this way, I won't make it to the end of the season.

Want to understand why I think we will win?

The odds are against BC. I am pretty frustrated with the CMU performance. Clemson is hot. Yet I think BC will win. Why? I don't have any good stat. Nothing jumps out. I grasped at straws in my preview.

My instinct is not logical. It's emotional. I think we can beat Clemson and have a fighting chance in every game of this season for one reason: this clip!

It doesn't make sense. One hit in one game doesn't make a quarterback. But I am not rational. I am a fan. And seeing a kid bounce back from a hit like this and lead his team to victory plays to my susceptible emotions. Gives me strength. It gives me faith.

Matt Ryan is not perfect. But he is tough. He has heart and he is fearless. He may not even see the field this weekend. If he doesn't it will be a big mistake. I believe he can do it again...even on one good leg.

Conference openers

When I read a little tidbit about Tommy Bowden being 6-1 in conference openers at Clemson, I decided to look up TOB’s record. Not nearly as impressive. He enters Saturday’s game (his second ACC opener) with a 4-5 record in his first games of conference play. Looking back, TOB supporters would be quick to mention the number of times he had to face Miami as the start of his Big East slate. The detractors could just as easily mention the years he got to start against UConn, Temple and Rutgers. What does it all mean anyway? Well it is just another piece in the puzzle.

Numbers can be skewed and taken out of context. The start of a season or a bowl game is a sign of what a coach can do when given time to prepare. Yet as we know, the first game and bowl game are often against inferior opponents.

The start of conference play is probably a better measurement of a team and its coach. They are facing a foe with some familiarity with BC. The game means something with regards to standings and bowls. And there is no avoiding these opponents.

Clemson might not be as tough as last year’s Florida State team or some of the top Miami teams of old, but they are certainly one of TOB’s tougher conference openers. While I can’t label it a true must win, it is pretty crucial to this season.

A few links

Everyone is playing coy about Ryan’s status. No inside info here, but my gut tells me he is starting.

Flutie gets the Wheaties box. You’d have thought that would’ve happened a long time ago.

BC unveiled its new master plan for campus. My question: where are people going to park and tailgate for football games? Seriously. Putting everyone in garages will negatively impact the experience and what BC can charge for those spots.

BC-Clemson preview

I'll stand by what I said last week -- this game will make or break BC's season. If they win, I think it will give the team enough confidence to potentially reach a 10 win season. A loss probably means 7 or 8 wins and another Boise-like Bowl. Now on to the preview.

Theme that won’t be discussed on television. The national media love to roast Tommy Bowden. If he stumbles against BC and Florida State this year, you can bet that pundits will start putting him on the hot seat. Yet, if you talk to most Clemson fans and bloggers, they say Tommy is secure and well liked. Contrast that with TOB. He would never be placed on any supposed hot seat list. Yet many BC fans don’t particulary like him and are starting to get vocal about it.

Three simple keys:
1. Throwing to the Tight Ends on the short and intermediate routes over the middle. This worked like a charm against CMU. I would think that Clemson would prepare for it. However, the Tigers face one key problem -- their linebackers are decimated. Their new guys are going to be learning on the fly. I like our matchup advantage.

2. Defensive line pressure. This will be tough missing Raji for a half. Although some of the guys played above expectations last week, the unit, as a whole, did not. This week they need to apply more pressure and throw their hands up on passing downs. Like CMU, Clemson will be throwing on quick drops. It is up to our D-line to be dissruptive as possible.

3. Don’t recyle last season’s gameplan. Last year TOB decided to wear on Clemson. The offense ran over 90 plays. The second unit offensive line came in for a TD scoring drive. It was one of TOB’s best effort. Unfortunately it is outdated now. Our line depth is not what it was. Clemson’s front is much better. The heat in Boston won’t be the same as it was in Death Valley. TOB needs some new wrinkles. Yet I have a fear that we are going to trot out the same plan and not anticipate Clemson’s adjustments. In this game, I think BC needs to pass more and give whoever is playing QB some time to throw downfield.

Gambling notes.
-- TOB is 9-7 as a home underdog.
-- Tommy Bowden is 5-9-1 as an away favorite.
-- Clemson has not played a regular season game north of College Park, MD since 1983 (their last trip to Boston. BC won 31-16.)
The current line is Boston College +2.5

What would be a pleasant surprise? With questions at QB and coming off a dud opener, I would be pleasantly surprised with a comfortable BC win.

What would be a letdown? Clemson blowing BC out. If it is another hard fought, close game like last year that just happens to go the other way, I think the fans would be somewhat accepting. If we get crushed it could kill fan and player morale.

What would be a shocker? This is supposed to be Clemson’s year. BC looked lousy agaisnt CMU and has QB issues. If we come out and win by three touchdowns, even TOB’s most vocal critics will shut up (for a week or two).

Bottom line
Believe it our not, I like our chances this week. I think getting Clemson early and at home is a good thing. I think Proctor and the Clemson injuries will be a bigger factor than BC’s issues (QBs and Raji’s suspension). I think Ryan will be okay and play well. And I hope that last week’s game was a wake-up call to the staff and players.
Final Score: BC 27, Clemson 17.

Quick links

Here is the coverage map for this weekend.

Matt Ryan was named the Co-Offensive player of the week.

Finally, TOB will be a quest on a Atlanta-based college football show. You can listen online at 790thezone.com. The show begins at 1 PM ET.