Wednesday, August 29, 2018

Season Prediction Part III: what will happen

Addazio has said we have one of the best Olines in the country. He also made similar statements about our RBs and TEs. That alone should mean a Top 25 season. Yet I have my doubts. I don't know if I trust him to navigate and push the right buttons during the season. I know we exploded during the second half of last year and we rallied in 2016. But why does it come to that every year? Can he avoid it this year? This is how I see it playing out.

(This will serve as my actual predictions for the year.)

UMass. Win. Whipple has improved things but they are still terrible. I don't think this will be close.

Holy Cross. Win. Addazio might complain about the schedule, but he was gifted two cupcakes to start the season.

at Wake Forest. Win. I don't think this will be pretty, but I still think BC has enough of a talent advantage to win this game during a short week.

at Purdue. Loss. I see this as a shootout. Even if Dillon goes off -- which I think he will against them -- I still think Purdue will answer. It is a road game against a rising team. I just see something not going our way.

Temple. Win. Another game BC should win without a problem.

at NC State. Win. Another tough road game, but I like how our D matches up against their O. I see this as relatively low scoring and BC running out the clock late.

Louisville. Loss. I think this will feel a lot like the Purdue game, where we lose a game where both teams score in the 30s.

Miami. Loss. As I've mentioned in the best and worst case, this game will be hyped to the heavens. I also see it as another close loss. Dillon can only do so much.

at Virginia Tech. Loss. The worst game of the season. The only game where BC is not competitive.

Clemson. Loss. At this point Clemson is playing with a lot of confidence and BC is dinged up.

at Florida State. Win. The late season Addazio "stop the bleeding" game. I don't think FSU will be very good this year and I think we can pound them down.

Syracuse. Win. I expect Syracuse to be bad this year and I think it remains a good matchup for us.

This would leave BC as 7-5 (4-4) in the ACC. No major bowls for us, so we play in the Military Bowl against Navy (an unofficial home game for them). It will be an ugly struggle like our last bowl against the Midshipmen, but BC wins.

Addazio finishes with his first eight win season at BC, but it feels like a letdown.

39 comments:

dietmrfizz said...

Agree with a lot of this but I don't see us losing to Louisville at home.

Geezer eagle said...

Very realistic prediction model and one I'm in agreement with. Still, an underwhelming season and enough of a let-down to get dazoshit canned.

BCAlum2000 said...

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2793098-boston-colleges-aj-dillon-is-a-sophomore-tailback-whose-skills-demand-attention

The Bleacher Report profile. Great kid and compelling story. Yet another example of why BC football players are different ... reference to Greek philosopher to discuss injustice of the NCAA ...

Geezer eagle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
bceagle93 said...

Re: Dillon -- met him at spring game. Seemed genuinely awestruck at the attention he was getting (and the good natured ribbing he was getting from his teammates about it). Good head on his shoulders, poised, polite, and took time to engage with everyone. Really hope good things come to him as he seems to be an excellent representative of the University in addition to being a talented football player.

That all said.....as I mentioned on best case scenario post, this is Daz's year to put up or shut up. If his ceiling truly is 7 regular season wins (and 4 in the ACC) with UMass and HC on the schedule, it is time for him to get his ESPN blazer and move to Bristol or go back to coordinate for his Daddy in Columbus. I hope our AD feels the same, because more beer and wine stations ain't going to fill the seats.

Let's hope he proves us all wrong.

NYCEagle said...

I think ATL has been unneccessarily pessimistic about this team all offseason and I really don’t know why. Va Tech lost a ton of talent. Only 4 starters returing on defense. I will be SHOCKED if they blow us out. I actually think they are one of the most overrated teams in the country. I would also be SHOCKED if Louisville beat us at home. You flip those 2 games and we’re 9-3 going into a bowl game

BCEagles2014 said...

Given the gauntlet BC faces mid-season and Addazio's unfortunate penchant to let close games slip away, I think 8 wins sounds about right for this team. Even if they do only get 8 wins, I still think they'll be ranked at some point this season and get some national recognition which will be huge for recruiting. Daz and co can truly sell the future of BC football with a team on the rise and a Heisman candidate in Dillon.

Unknown said...

Flip the Louisville & Purdue games and you're at 9 wins. Hell win the Red bandana game you have 10. Dillon is a different cat on and off the field. The Sr leadership is different. Allen-Sweeney-Denis etc have worked to hard for another mediocre 7 win season. They will be the difference. Future is Bright. Lets enjoy it.

Thomas said...

This season will go as far as the QB play will take us. We can't run Dillon every play, so will AB step up and make the throws needed to extend drives? Can he lead a late, 4th quarter comeback against one of the premier teams in the conference? Can he be just average in the games we don't need any more than average to win?

The answers to those questions will determine where along the worst case to best case scenario spectrum BC ends up.

mod34b said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Big Jack Krack said...

This year I will bet on the team to win 8 games or more - so that includes betting on Daz to get us there.

But it is truly one game at at time, and we should not look ahead at all.

As an example, when I play in a club golf tournament, if I worry about holes on the back nine while I'm playing the early holes, I'll come up short for sure. I have confidence that if I play to my ability, I can play all holes well, as they come!

As Lucas Denis said - if we want people to take notice, we have to win games - (one at a time). Simple as that.

So we have to earn our way there, and anything I say won't have much of an impact. :-)

So I say GO BC - beat UMass.

BCEagles2014 said...

Mod, to be fair Dillon was not really the featured back in the games you mentioned. It’s difficult to gauge if that was his true potential in those games or if he would have had more confidence had he been named RB1 then. Perhaps, you’re right but I’m willing to give Dillon the benefit of the doubt.

Knucklehead said...

A therapist would have a field day with the 4:41 comment. All over the map nonsense. Totally fucked.

downtown_resident said...

I see us going 8-4. Daz keeps doing just enough to avoid a firing and my sense is this would give him at least another year. There's enough talent for an even better season, but Daz will be outcoached by someone like Brohm or Petrino, or both, and we'll drop a couple games in frustrating fashion. After finishing 8-4 and outside the top 25, we then take a closs lose in our bowl game. We'll remember 2018 as a good, but not great season and one that maybe should have been a little better. Daz gets to stick around another year-- please, at least no extensions after an 8-4 year-- but pressure mounts as people start to believe that we've reached the ceiling for the team under his leadership.

Geezer eagle said...

Downtown, you just nailed rht problem

Geezer eagle said...

The

mod34b said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
BCBCBC said...

Mod...did you watch the BC vs. FSU game last year? Probably not...sure you were at a Klan rally.

JBQ said...

The theories are over. The reality is here. Let's see what the roller coaster will bring.

mod34b said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Knucklehead said...

The 7:30 comment is completely screwed up. Totally nonsensical written by a Rutgers grad, trash school.

Knucklehead said...

The 7:36 comment smells. !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Eagleytics said...

This blog has the strangest comment section.

Tim said...

At BC, Addazio is 1-13 against ranked teams and 14-26 in ACC games. If history is any indication, this should be another disappointing season.

ObserverCollege said...

Speaking seriously, BC goes 5-7 to 6-7 (bowl loss to Navy in the Military Bowl). This team is 10-3 to 11-2 if Coughlin coaches it. 7-6 to 8-5 with O'Brien. 3-9 if it's Spaz.

Addazio is functionally more competent than Spaz, and can run a program that keeps the kids reasonably well-engaged. However, he handcuffs the team strategically and (especially) tactically.

His motivational antics work decently in offseason prep and in maintaining energy during practices. Those same antics, however, generate a lack of confidence during the game. As Addazio panics at bad calls and setbacks, he undermines the stability that the players need to feel to perform well.

Thing is, you don't need the "Dude" stuff to motivate (see Stevens, Brad). BC's not going anywhere beyond Shreveport without a change at the top.

TGS said...

Shithead Khead has BC beating Clemson and playing in the ACC championship game.
Would be funny if not so sad. What a pathetic loser.

John said...

I am optimistic about our chances this year and that's the way I am.

But I agree that if we don't show obvious progress this year, it's on Addazio.


And I will be disappointed because I have been proud of everything I have seen and heard about this team during spring practice and throughout this month.

I remember having the same feeling before the Eagles traveled to College Station TX for their first game when Doug Flutie and Brian Brennan and company blew the doors off Texas A+M.

Go BC - keep the pedal to the metal for 4 quarters. Score early and often, knock the Minutemen down and don't let them get up. Steamroll them and take away their confidence. Respect them - yes, but screw them. They are not BC.

We can do this - and we will!

Napolean Bonaparte said...

As BJK said - "it is truly one game at at time, and we should not look ahead at all". I like where the program is positioned. Without diminishing some of his issues - I like how Addazio has been running the program, the quality of the kids and the lack of any off the field nonsense. I just want to be entertained and have a highly competitive ACC program overall. He knows that he needs to achieve more in the W-L column and there isn't an infinite amount of patience for the kind of money he gets paid. Hope he succeeds and everyone plays to their potential.

STL_eagle said...

I am a bit more optimistic. I think BC will have two true losses to Clemson and Miami and two more potential losses depending on how the players play and Daz coaches but I think they will split those two games and go 9-3. I am not a big fan of Daz as an in-game coach but without Daz it is unlikely that BC has the current roster since he seems to have a good touch with recruiting and player motivation.

NYCEagle said...

A lot of pessimism in this forum. This is the most talented BC team in a decade. Where is the enthusiasm? It is hard to coach in close games. That is true even for the best in game coaches. Everyone makes mistakes. Let’s hope Addazio will soon learn from his. Or, let’s beat people so bad those decisions won’t even matter

NYCEagle said...

This is the first time in a very long time where on paper BC should steam roll some of the middle tier ACC opponents

BCAlum2000 said...

I am not at all sold on Miami. Last year they beat up on a bunch of scrubs en route to a 7-0 record - including a 4 point win @FSU, a 1 point win against GT, and a 5 point win at UNC. They then had a couple quality wins vs. VT and ND at home. The home blow-out of ND being the best performance. After beating up UVA, then proceeded to lose their final three. Two of those losses were ok as they came vs. Clemson (they got killed at home) and against Wisconsin in a bowl. The loss to Pitt was bad.

Richt has them going in the right direction, but dont mistake them for the early 2000's Miami.

Knucklehead said...

TGS, Proud "papa" of lowlife Providence College student. Keep taking notes, bitch.

Knucklehead said...

TGS, Go back and read your comments from the BC Clemson game two years ago. You are a mental defective, at best.

Knucklehead said...

Wake and Purdue playing on TV today. Should be interesting.

bceagle93 said...

NYC: I think the pessimism or, more accurately, skepticism comes from the fact that this IS the most talented team we have had in a long time. We WANT to feel like we did when the team was ranked #2 in the nation. Great talent, energy and fearless coaching on both sides of the ball made that a fun year to be a BC fan.

The problem is our head coach has shown that he is a clown. Most die hards are skeptical about his ability to coach these players to the potential we all know that are capable and deserve to reach -- particularly in the face of any adversity. THAT is "Ever to Excel."

Don't get me wrong -- we are all rooting for these players to win every time they hit the field. They should absolutely be able to achieve the best case scenario ATL laid out. But they need a solid, competent game manager in addition to a rah-rah salesman in the locker room. If Daz cannot show that he is that this year, then the clown show got to go.

Edward Griffith said...

Tom Coughlin would have had us annually in top 25 and every 3 or 4 years top 15.
Tom O'Brien would win 10 with this team Coughlin 11 or 12 .

Shabby1011 said...

Coughlin had Glenn Foley (who was better college QB then Marty Ice)

TOB had Hasselbacks, StPierre, Mutryn, Porter and Matty Ice

Daz biggest issue is he hasn’t recruited a stud QB, seems like he is starting to recruit better with incoming freshman this year and kid signed from Michigan.

Football more then any sport and by far relies on one position. Brown has some potential but not sold on his accuracy and his mobility is going to be limited this year. If Brown is good we win 9-10, if he isn’t we win 6-7, if just average we should win 8 easy.

Brady matters more then Belichick

Unknown said...

You have to wonder about a grown man like knucklehead that uses the word bitch so much.