Friday, January 13, 2012

Staff is finalized

It has been floating around the BC message boards for a few days, but BC confirmed that this will be Spaz's staff for 2012.

Doug Martin -- Offensive Coordinator and QBs coach
Jim Bollman -- Offensive Line (running game coordinator)
Ben Sirmans -- Running Backs coach
Ryan Day -- Wide Receivers coach
Sean Devine -- Tight Ends coach
Dave Brock -- Special Teams coach
Bill McGovern -- Defensive Coordinator and LBs coach
Mike Siravo -- Defensive Backs and Recruiting Coordinator
Jeff Comissiong -- Defensive Line Coach


Ben Johnson -- who served as the interim Tight Ends coach this fall -- will be moving on. Per NCAA rules, he cannot move back to his Graduate Assistant spot.


On paper, I think this is the best staff of Spaz's four seasons. We will see if the results on the field change. The best moving of the pieces might be what Gene and Spaz did with Brock and Devine. Both are valuable recruiters, yet had questionable results as OC and OL coaches. Now we keep them on staff, yet have a tactical and teaching upgrade at those key positions.


What's interesting is that despite all the rumored grumbling, that most of the guys stayed. BC certainly has its drawbacks, but the grass is not always greener.

22 comments:

Knucklehead said...

This all makes sense.

The problem is that by investing in a new OC and new OL Coach Gene is essentially saying that Spaz will be the heach coach for the next 2-3 years.

If the team goes 4-8, 5-7, or 6-6 is Spaz going to be let go? Probably not. If he is them Martin or Bollman will be promoted. Which is not good.
Not real sure if McGovern is head coaching material

FakeShalomTfree said...

If Devine and Brock are such strong recruiters, than where are the recruits?

This class is weak as it stands, and it looks like we may lose 1-2 key committments. Also, the top 3 recruits in the state are going to Penn State and Maryland!

Hopefully we could finish strong, but this is looking like a lower tier ACC class

Knucklehead said...

Losing the local recruits is a big deal.

Think about the players that have come out of Massachusetts over the years that BC has kept

Gosder Cerilus
Mark Columbo
LV Whitworth
Darnell Campbell
Ron Stone
Paul Zukauskas
Pete Kendall
Hasselbeck's
Chris Fox
Derek Knight
Mike McLaughlin

Knucklehead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Big Jack Krack said...

"What's interesting is that despite all the rumored grumbling, that most of the guys stayed."

Do we know who left?

Big Jack Krack said...

Duh - I didn't read the previous post about Max Holloway before I asked the question.

Knucklehead said...

Big,
The quote on your post is in reference to the coaches grumbling, I believe.

mod34b said...

Knucker -- Don't forget Ron Brace and Robert Francois - both MA prospects.

EL MIZ said...

bollman was the ohio state offensive coordinator for like a decade. isn't this a big hire for us? i'd imagine he turns the line around right away, and also knows ohio well enough to help recruiting there. i would say that the decline of the offensive line has been the biggest cause of the putrid offensive output. no holes to run through and absolutely no time for rettig to assess downfield.

also, any news on montel? i assume the longer we don't hear anything means that he's coming back to school for another year.

Big Jack Krack said...

Love to hear about Montel - and we have plenty of depth support and experience - even if they are still a little young.

Speaking about staffs - Dabo fired his defensive coordinator Kevin Steele yesterday, following that Orange Bowl debacle.

Steele was offered a big raise last year, which I believe he declined. He still has a $1.2M buyout clause. This will necessitate Dabo's 4th coordinator hire (OC and DC)- it's becoming a revolving door for Swinney.

Professing the need for everyone from players to coaches and fans to be "All In" with the program might not play well over time when people start noticing the HC isn't necessarily all in with his coaches - including the coordinators he hires.

Dabo might be next.

You can bet Spurrier will use this against Clemson in the recruiting battle.

Steele was a top national recruiter during his last 10 years, but he's a long way from his previous job at Alabama. I bet he wishes he and his wife never ran into Dabo and his wife 3 years ago at that mall in Alabama.

Question - is Swinney a worse coach than Spaziani? When you look at the talent at each school, I'd have to say YES.

Big Jack Krack said...

I'm going to change the subject a little bit - just doodling.

Here comes Tebow (wonder how he'll perform in the cold?)

Well, we might see some references to "The Drive" from 25 years ago - Tebow's boss John Elway crushed the hearts of the Cleveland Browns. The game was played on a cold, dreary, foggy afternoon.

Little remembered fact - With 5:43 left in regulation, 5'9", 178-pound Browns receiver Brian Brennan (from Boston College) hauled in a perfectly under-thrown lob from side-slinging Bernie Kosar. Brennan came back for the under-thrown pass, Broncos defensive back Dennis Smith slipped trying to defend and Brennan scampered untouched into the end zone, making the score 20-13 after the ensuing extra point.

I thought BB (who I loved) had forever put BC on the map with that one - only to be snuffed out by the great John Elway.

I was also afraid that Ken Bell from Boston College had put us on the map for the wrong reason.

Mark Moseley kicked off to Broncos kick returner Ken Bell. Fortunately for the Browns, Bell botched the return, Browns defenders swarmed him and the Broncos were pinned at the 2-yard line.

Elway brought them all 98 yards when a field goal was not going to be enough.

I hope the Pats crush Denver in the cold!

BC can recruit 5'9", 178 pound receivers all they want, if they are like Brian Brennan. He had the hands, and could get open when we absolutely needed a catch.

Knucklehead said...

Mod34,
Yeah there are a bunch of others:
Jamal Burke
Mark Hartsell
DOUG FLUTIE
Steve Trapillo
B. St. Pierre
Mike Ruth?
Steve Deossie
Fred Smerlas

Francois was from Texas from what I remember.

The administration wants Boston College to be national(so do I) but the school is really what it is on account of the its New England/New York alumni base

Big Jack Krack said...

I'm pretty sure Ruth was from PA.

Big Jack Krack said...

Knuckle and Mod - here's another one:

All pro tight end Mark Chmura - doing well with second chances. Even though he was ultimately found innocent, he owned up to his mistakes and appears to be pretty successful in the Green Bay area.

The Western Mass (South Deerfield) product was inducted into the Green Bay HOF last year.

Francois moved to MA from Texas after high school - he played at Governor Dummer for a prep year.

EL MIZ said...

how was BC fared in the last 10 years with classes from massachusetts? i'm not good at finding recruiting data, but it looks like this year the top 4 kids all went out of state (penn state, maryland, UVA).

the more pertinent # would be if this is a huge drop off compared to the last 10 yrs under obrien and jags.

Ry said...

I understand the concern about not getting MA talent...but we're not talking about a recruiting hotbed here either. I want our staff to get the best talent possible and I don't care where it comes from.

eagleboston said...

There were a lot of Negative Nellys on this blog that stated BC would not win an ACC game. They are looking like complete idiots now. I'm telling you, this Donahue is a very good coach. He has a very, very young team that is starting to believe and they are improving with each minute of experience. I realize Clemson and Va Tech are not that good, but we're 2-1! Congratulations Eagles! Keep proving them wrong!

EagleManhattan said...

Is there really any question why most of the staff stayed, even with the shake-ups and demotions?

Nobody wants them. This isn't a loyalty issue; it's because the nonsense we've been hearing over the last X number of years about our great staff is total BS.

West-Coaster said...

Baby Eagles win 2nd ACC game in a row!? Can we start the season over now?

JBQ said...

"Ever to Excell" not "Ever to Mediocrity". WPL needs to be reminded respectfully. His red hair indicates Irish passion. Maybe, just maybe, he can be "shaken out of his tree" with enough people shakin' it. Never say never! Flutie threw the ball 65 yards and no matter the number of replays and trepidation, Phelan still hasn't dropped the ball. The kick from Gordon still hasn't gone wide right. The BC boat has leaks but it still hasn't sunk. Pass the buckets and get rid of Capt. Bligh.

Benjamin said...

JBQ, there should be a class dedicated to interpreting your posts.

Scoop said...

Can this coaching staff coach speed because it sure doesn't recruit much of it. If the CBS article is any indication, it isn't recruiting much of anything.