Monday, November 20, 2017

Second viewing thoughts and grades: UConn

As the game played out, I was frustrated that Addazio kept going with Wade. In hindsight it wasn't as bad, but still no less frustrating.

Offense: B-

As I've mentioned Wade started off horribly and then moved into just mediocre. I know the drops hurt his stats, but he was also off on some throws and looking to check down when there were bigger plays downfield. Perry played but didn't get to do anything.

Dillon carried the team again. He's getting better and better at waiting on his blocks and avoiding tackles in traffic. His power is amazing. Carrying three UConn guys into the endzone was fun to watch. Hilliman had his best game of the season. He was decisive and blocked well.

The drops were terrible for many of the WRs and TEs. Smith had a bad one that probably would have been a first down. White dropped more than one. Sweeney too. Garrison had a really nice grab for his TD. They did block well as a group. UConn was ready for Thadd Smith on the sweeps.

The OLine dominated. Aside from the rushing, Wade was rarely in danger. The times that UConn flushed him out of the pocket were often because he held it too long.

UConn has the worst pass D in the country and we couldn't exploit them through the air? That was on Loeffler (and Addazio). Even with the drops, there wasn't enough passing. Why not sharpen that area up? Fortunately the ground game was some dominant.

Defense: B

The DLine didn't seem that aggressive but I assume they were being conservative and doing their best to contain. Allen was active. Ray made some nice tackles. Merritt did a good job collapsing the interior. Smith was fine.

Lamont played well and once he got settled in seemed to adjust to UConn's offense. Schwab was fine. Bletzer was okay.

Cheevers played well. His first pick helped change momentum. Torres had a great run back on his as did Denis. Harris was fine. Yiadom was fine.

The gameplan was very conservative. I don't think BC's issues and the significant yards they gave up were schematic and on Reid. Instead it was more of an effort issue. In the beginning guys were quick to buy on the play action and not disciplined in their coverage. And there was bad tackling. UConn also added yards and points when we eased up and put the second teamers into the game.

Special Teams: D

I know the field was a mess and the weather was bad, but I don't know if you can keep going with Lichtenberg. Some of those misses were bad. Would you trust him if the game is on the line?

Walker's kick returns were good.

Das Boot's kickoffs were not as far again. Maybe it is the weather.

Knoll punted well, though he did have a shank.

The kick and punt coverage were good.

Overall: B

I hated how flat this team was to start the game. Addazio is supposed to be a motivator, yet this team had low energy, looked sloppy early on offense and allowed too many big plays. I know things improved, but this UConn team was terrible. A good team would have built a big lead against us and been much harder to put away. A game at Fenway shouldn't need hype. A killer instinct to put away a poor UConn team should be part of the program.

My other issue with Addazio is how he managed Lichtenberg. His confidence must be shot. Why keep sending him out there?

The good news for Addazio was that even with all the issues to start the game, he didn't lose his cool (like the last time at Fenway). We had an overwhelming depth and talent advantage and won. He got the team bowl eligible again and has a chance to keep improving. Now get rid of the Carrier Dome jinx.

27 comments:

Geezer eagle said...

I've been a BC fan close to Fifty years . In that time, we've rarely had good field goal kickers. Why? Inexcusable.
Also, Dazoshit's inability to recruit quality receivers who can catch the ball, inexcusable. Oh how I want this man gone.

Danny Boy said...

Towards the end of the game, I thought I saw Lichtenberg on at least one kick off. That may explain some of the lack of depth on the kicks. I don't know why Daz put him out there. The kid probably wanted to hide in a hole. Does the team not have a sports psychologist? PATs should be automatic. If they aren't, its time to find someone else. I'm sure Schulze-Geisthovel could handle that role?

I think opposing defenses are onto Thadd Smith. And why wouldn't they be, if he's on the field, he's running the sweep. Maybe its time to use him as a decoy or even involve him in the passing game, surely his speed is enough to get some separation on a fly route.

Putting Perry in only to hand the ball off was frustrating. I don't care if its garbage time. I don't care if you're trying to protect a lead. Let the kid get some actual experience, or hell, at the very least get to say he completed a pass at Fenway Park. I know this is a little thing, and a different coach would be given the benefit of the doubt. But, but this point, Daz has compiled quite the list of bizarre management decisions.

John said...

Danny - I feel the same way and have since early in the season about our use of T. Smith.why do we tip off many of our plays so easily? Duh!

Beat Syracuse.

Napolean Bonaparte said...

Georgia - we've had some pretty decent kickers over the years but not in a long while. Brian Lowe was a very good kicker and is the best one I can remember - http://bceagles.com/hof.aspx?hof=244. And if memory serves me - I thought Nate Freese and Aponovich (spelling) eventually became pretty reliable on the PAT and shorter stuff. Daz needs to cultivate more kickers out of the men's soccer program - particularly among seniors interested in a free year of graduate school at BC. The German kid they had this year on kickoffs has been terrific.

Knucklehead said...

Wonder if they practice receiving the ball. If they do we have a major fucking problem. Time to call Brighton optical.

Kickers suck every where. Not just BC. Missing 3 extra points though is like reading a TGS post, it is a cry for help. I think the kicking game was corrupt between TGS's boy Lichtenstein and the punting. Thought UConn was going to beat the spread late.

BCAlum2000 said...

Nate Freeze was an amazing kicker, especially his last season where if I recall correctly, he didnt miss a kick (PAT or FG) all season.

Geezer eagle said...

In recent memory, I remember losing to Duke and Penn State due to missed extra points. How does this nonsense keep happening?

always sunny in cleveland said...

Fred Steinfort from the 70s is the best BC kicker in my lifetime. But a then kid named Gordon hit the biggest BC field goal I have ever seen.

Geezer eagle said...

I remember Steinfort. Didn't he have a long and distinguished career with the Oakland Raiders?

Knucklehead said...

There are 15 or so wr's on the roster. What a waste or scholarship time/money.

Geezer eagle said...

Agreed. How can these "athletes" keep dropping passes game after game. Is it a coaching problem, a talent problem, or both?

Danny Boy said...

It was rainy saturday and catching a wet ball certainly isn't easy. Not to mention Wade is a lefty and the balls are rotating backwards. It sounds silly, but it matters.

Ryan Oligher was our first head-case kicker. He was replaced with the range-limited, but accurate Aponavicius. Nate Freese was our best kicker in a while. Yes, he missed the game winner against Duke, but Spaz called a play to the left hashmark leaving him a ridiculous angle through the uprights when he could have centered the ball. He came back the next two years and made 90% and 100% of his FGs.

Spaz has had a series of kickers who develop the shanks. These were all decent high-school kickers who somehow forget how to kick once they get to college. Kickers are fragile, delicate beings who need to be coddled. Do you think Daz coddles? His kickers should definitely be given access to a sports psychologist who could give them some techniques to re-focus their abilities.

Knucklehead said...

Their kicker/s were good. Goober hit a 51 yarder.

JBQ said...

I have been watching the holder very closely. Jeff Smith (number 6) appears to be doing a fantastic job of "rotating the laces". The mascot with floppy shoes could make one of three if the spot is on which it appears to be. How do you miss three in a row? The snap the previous game on a field goal was atrocious. Things were really going good for special teams. What the heck happened? Major college teams do not miss three straight extra points. Junior high schools do not even miss three in a row. Once again, this is a major embarrassment.

@MrNASAgang said...

I always wonder, how many of those who comment actually played at BC or at any college/pro level?

mod34b said...

Mr N. Probably very few. Do think that is important? I don’t. How many BC grads played in NFL? 1/1000 of 1% of graduates ? As for football players from BC, I think You are the only one who comments

Knucklehead said...

Very few like every other board about the 500 college and pro teams football teams on America. You don't have free ride if people who never played college football didn't take an interest and give their perspective. Keep that in mind.

I actually had to remind a self proclaimed parent of a player that in Fenway Park on Saturday. Ironically.

Geezer eagle said...

So only jocks are allowed to make comments on these blogs now? What gall ? Like Knuck said, you work for us, my friend. get over yourself.

bceagle91 said...

Steinfort played for 5 teams in 6 seasons (he missed the '82 season). He finished up in '83, playing for the Pats and Bills. He was in Denver the longest - 3 seasons. 5th round pick of the Raiders.

@MrNASAgang said...

1st, I would like to say I've never received a check from anyone in this comment section. So, no i do not work for you or anyone in this thread, my friend.

Mod- No, it's not a problem at all. But those who have played or studied the game in depth, i believe see the game in a different light. So, when i read certain comments i always wonder... how many have actually played, that's all.

I don't believe the only way to be an analyst or a critic is to have played the game but it does allow you to see the game thru a different lense.

And for the record.. Ive kept up with blog since 2010 and i read it everyday. Hell I'll go to the search engine and look myself up lol. So i enjoy the comments and blog itself.

Knucklehead said...

Passive aggressiveness from a former athlete always makes me wonder was the scholarship worth it, that's all.

mod34b said...

Mr N. appreciate your comments. i think you are right about depth of knowledge and a different perspective.

It would be great if you could share some of that, particularly what you think of Daz's abilities as a coach and how the get the program back on track.


but former athlete or not, we can all tell that knucklehead is an absolute jack ass.

@MrNASAgang said...

Mod- i will def start to weighing in more.

As for Daz, i may sound crazy but when he said "it's going to beautiful" i seen what he was talking about. Sometimes his Xs and Os can be off but their not that off.

I can go back to every game we took an L this season and show you where the players where in position to make plays and they didnt..

Go back to GT a yr ago knocked down one pass and you win.. the coaches can't do that...

Daz scheme is for JR x SR. It's a very mature system. Same as Logan/Jags when they came in..Difference was we were full of Jrs x Srs. This is a grind it out physical offense. That usually don't do well with a bunch of 1st x 2nd yr players.


And Knucklehead, take my scholarship away and we problably don't see our first ACC championship game. We balled but Cullen Harper completes the past on 3rd down. They kick a FG, then OT.. We prolly would have lost that game against Clemson. But the scholarship that was given to me.. allowed me to make that sack x push them out of FG range.

mod34b said...

MR N..... good post .... very interesting

Knucklehead said...

I agree with the GT point. Still take shit here for saying it was the players that lost the game and not the coach that day(I paid for myself to see the game in person).

Personally, I cut the grass and trimmed the hedges there for three summers and printed off terms papers and dissertations working in the printing lab at night during the week. Without that the grass wouldn't have been cut, the hedges would have grown too tall and the papers would not have been printed out. Or they would have found someone else to do it. Same as you making the sack.

I always loved that Boston College never gave preferential housing to athletes and love even more that we were the one vote against paying college athletes. I don't know the genuine motives behind the two things but it shows nobody gets put on a pedestal. It was one of the lessons I got from the place that I will never forget.

Mod, freaking lacky.

@MrNASAgang said...

Knucklehead,

Your name suites you well... we know for sure someone else would been hired to cut the grass but we don't know that without me on that play the sack would have been made.... we just dont know that.

And your mindset is part of the problem with BC athletics. Very non progressive

Knucklehead said...

The comment makes no sense. Completely illogical. How many concussions did you get? The problem with BC athletics is people like you. Stick to your sport and don't think too much. It is unbecoming of people like you.