Monday, August 07, 2017

Add USA Today to the list of doubters

As I keep hearing good things from practice, my optimism for the season grows. Yet the National experts -- who don't see the world through maroon & gold glasses -- keep pouring cold water on my hope. USA Today released their predictions for FBS teams and have BC going 5-7 (2-6 in the ACC).

Considering the 2-6 ACC record follows the same path as last year, their 5-7 conclusion is not a stretch. If the D regresses and the Offense doesn't improve, it could get worse. But I just don't think it will.

I will have my official predictions closer to the season, but all the talk of young talent has me looking forward to the year.

24 comments:

Goberry said...

Legit question. Does anyone know what Phil Steele predicted in his bible?
My best friend from BC lives in Illinois and is taking his kids to the opener. Oh please let us win that.

modest34b said...

5-7?

WWW --- so we got 3 "easy" wins (2 macs + yukon).
LLLL ---- we got 4 repeat 2016 blow outs awaiting (top 25 preseason teams): Clem, FSU, VT and LV:
LL--- we got2 teams USA says is on cusp of top 25: ND and NCSU. count those 2 as loses
W -- We got Wake at home, early. our Offense wont be clicking but good shot at a W
WL --- We got UVA and Syr away. Carrier dome ain't BC's kind of place. We split these two

so that gives us 5-7, but could be 4-8 or 6-6 with an unexpected bounce here and there against equally craptastic opponents

but we fans have become pathetic.. i am actually hoping against the odds for freakin' 6 and 6 and a garbage bowl....

NYCEagle said...

Haven't we beaten NC State 3 out of the last 4 years? I'm honestly perplexed where the enamoration from the national media comes from

bceagle91 said...

Section D, 6-6 and another garbage bowl ensures another year of Daz. In the longer run, wouldn't 5-7 and a new coach be better?

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Hard to say - but I think he's done at less than 7. Its 50/50 at 6. He survives only because of the contract expense. I heard he built a shrine to Brad Bates in his backyard with candles, flowers, icons and a grotto.

JBQ said...

It does look like we have "young talent". However, that means lack of experience. Usually, you gain experience through "tough times". "Napoleon's" comment about the shrine is "sad but true". I presume that the icon is one of BB. There might also be one for Father L. Since this would commemorate this year and three years of extension at 2.6 mill per, this could be a very eye appealing grotto.

TGS said...

ATL thinks BC would and should be favored over the Pats.
Daz suck up.

Unknown said...

You have to ask yourself how long would the FAUX IRISH( ND) would put up with the
garbage sadly a lot of BC buys into? After all Father's nephew is forever telling us
"O WHAT CAN YOU DO? Where was FATHER and his nephew when Bates was enriching SPAZDAZIO for CRAP!!!!!

GREAT CANDIDATES:
PETER CARMICAEL JR Offensive Co-ordinator New Orleans Saints a BC guy
Ryan Day offensive co-ordinator BC 2014 Second offense in ACC
Al Golden
Jack Bicknell's Son a BC Guy.

JBQ said...

Further information on the offensive line coach at Notre Dame. That would be Notre Dame High School in Chattanooga. On 6.06.16, info came out about Jags. What is interesting is that the high school has a top notch quarterback in Cameron Wynn. He is a rising junior who has already been offered and committed to Tennessee. He would really be a good recruit for BC. ----If the stars were aligned, Jags would come back and bring the quarterback with him. Hopefully once we reach September 15 and Notre Dame, we will know the fate of the program. Once that happens, all bets are off.

Unknown said...

They'll either go 7-5 or 8-4 next year, this is the most experienced team Addazio has had and the ACC as a whole is in more of a rebuilding year since many ACC stars have graduated. Last year BC should've beat Georgia Tech and definitely should've beat Syracuse; that would've been an 8-4 finish last year.

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Hope you are right Chris but we've been through a lot of would of, could of and should of years here. But if the OL can be consistently good - good things would, could and should begin to happen for this program.

EL MIZ said...

8 regular season wins seems like the absolute best case scenario. would mean winning the 5 "should-be" wins (@ Northern Illinois, Wake, Central Michigan, UConn, @ Syracuse) and then all three of the "could-be" wins (@ UVA, Nc State, ND). VA Tech and FSU are at home so slight slight chance (we played the national champion Noles close at home the year Jameis completed a hail mary at half time); almost no chance to win in Death Valley or @ Louisville (unless Lamar gets hurt).

that would mean Daz doesn't shoot himself in the foot all season with his in-game tantrums/meltdowns, which he seems prone to do about once per half.

that said, i love what i'm hearing about this team in camp - think Dillon and Levy are going to be legitimate difference makers and the Defense will again be strong. if we can get average to above-average QB and OL play we should be solid. i feel better about the OL than i do about QB - the OL at least has the reps (Baker, Lindstrom have been 3 year starters at this point, and whoever winds up at the other 3 positions will have experience).

i think we win 5 of the game "winnable" games and Daz costs us one, and we win one of the "could be" wins and the bowl game and call the season a "success".

is Suntrup still on campus? any idea if he could QB for us?

Knucklehead said...

Wade is horrible. 5 wins is correct with him playing the full season.

JBQ said...

@El Miz: I know about Suntrup who is from St. Louis Chaminade. He graduated in May 2016 with one year of eligibility remaining. I never heard of him using it over the Fall of 2016.

NYCEagle said...

I think if our OLine can control the line of scrimmage, this team can be dangerous (even for the top teams in the conference). We're legit 4 deep at running back. This team has the makings of a grit and grind type attack. Run it right at them with consistency, make them load the box, and then exploit their overcommitment with play action to our solid group of tight ends and receivers. While we don't have any game breakers on the outside, we have plenty of guys who can win man to man matchups when left on an island and the defenses focus is on the run game. Judging by practice reports our O is more than holding its own against our D (which by almost every expert is still considered elite in the ACC). This bodes well for us

Big Ern said...

Joe Moorhead

Big Ern said...

What about the last four years leads you to believe that we will control the line of scrimmage this year? I am not seeing it.

JBQ said...

And "Big Ern" has it right.

NYCEagle said...

We have ACC sized lineman with legitimate game experience for the first time in 3 years. If they're moving Landry and Allen off the ball in practice every day what makes you think they can't do it to the rest of the dlines in the ACC (many of which are less talented than ours)

modest34b said...

NYC I grant you that our OL has ACC weight. but anyone can eat a lot of donuts and get to 300lbs

but what has been lacking is ACC quickness and ACC power. did you really watch the OL last year.?

The OL is the biggest reason BC offense was terrible.

they should be improved this year, but will they get to ACC levels? hard to teach athleticism.

NYCEagle said...

Baker and Lindstrom will play at all-ACC type levels. Both those guys are 3 year starters who were forced on the field at 260 lbs. A real baptism by fire considering the talent and size at dline in the ACC. Now let's see what they can do as fully grown men who have some battles underneath their belts

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Section D - don't knock donuts - they are the perfect food when complimented by a daily dose of bacon. But they should be withheld and used to reward good play. One pancake block - you get two donuts - that sort of thing. They should put little donut symbols on the OL helmets for each big play.

modest34b said...

NYC, Lindstrom is the guy who sucked against FSU and let the massive FSU DE smash Wade and hurt Wade. Terrible play by Lindstrom. Lindstrom is hyped by Daz, but I've not seen Castanzo/Patchan/Clearly level play our of him.

Patchan is an example of a one-man OL. that guy opened so many holes for Andre. He pulled with speed and knocked DEs silly... guy was awesome. I've seen nothing like that from Lindstrom.

But things change rapidly for OL guys. Maybe this is the year he is very good. Maybe new WVA guy will be all that too. There is some room for hope.

As for Baker, let's be honest. He's not very good.

Napolean, I like it: donut stickers for OL helmet.

Unknown said...

In reading the practice/scrimmage notes, our OL is opening holes and the RB's are exploiting it. Big plays. Both QB's are hitting on TD's in scrimmage and practice. This sounds NOTHING like the last 6 years (where D dominated). We've had a decent line and good RB's, but no offense with Daz could keep the D honest. This year it sounds like we are going to try.

OL should never play as Freshman, RS Freshman or even Soph. They are not big/strong/fast enough and don't have technique. Castanzo got crushed when he played as a freshman - and he did a year of prep school. The OL was decimated by Spaz. His last two years, we had one - one OL recruit. You need two lines and a practice squad and account for people injured or washing out. 4-5 a year with a min of 3 a year should be recruited. We should have had 8-9 recruits. We had 1 in those 2 years. That is a disaster.

Our main risk is that the D line can rush, but can't stop the run, and that is why the offense is rocking. I don't doubt we will be better at pass rush and worse at rush defense, but I don't think we full on suck. I actually think the pace and talent will let us be a real middle of the road ACC offense this year.