BC-Virginia Tech preview

The beauty of sports is that come Saturday none of the periphery really matters. It doesn't matter what I think of Addazio or what you do. It doesn't matter what limitations BC has or doesn't have. It doesn't matter if Father Leahy cares about sports. What matters are the guys that take the field. The new season is a blank slate and each game is truly an independent event. That unknown...that newness...that's what gives me hope. I can predict a blah season, but starting Saturday there is the chance for greatness.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game) 
I was at one of my kids games the other day and a couple of Georgia Tech fans were exchanging horror stories about access or lack thereof to the ACC Network. So whatever problems you are having, know that it is not exclusively a BC-fan gripe. While the model is questionable and the carriage battles really just hurt the fans (since the ACC is guaranteed its money), I do think in the long run this benefits the typical BC fan. If you want a reliable high quality provider of lots of BC content, you will get that in the ACC Network. Whatever extra charge you pay will probably still be a comparable spend to what you might pay for sports or entertainment elsewhere.

Three Simple Keys
1. Keep it simple with Dillon. I know we have a new OC. I know we have a team ready to stop Dillon. But don't do anything stupid. Just give him touches, open up holes and let him be.
2. Let Brown run a bit. I don't know if fear of injury of coaching kept Brown from taking off more, but I hope this year if he doesn't like his passing options and has room, he takes off. Like so many things, I will open up things on offense.
3. Get pressure from surprise areas. The further we move away from Don Brown, the less we use his blitz philosophies. I don't think we have enough pure talent upfront for them to win battles on their own, so it would be nice to copy some of Brown's ideas of bringing pressure from anywhere.

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio is 5-1 in openers at BC
-- Addazio is 3-3 vs Virginia Tech
-- Addazio is 2-4 in his first ACC game of the season
The current line is BC+4

Factoid
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 9-18

Scoreboard Watching
Boise State takes on Florida State. This interests me on two fronts. One, last season ended in such an abrupt and strange way, I still have no idea how good Boise State is or was. Two, I don't know if Florida State is on the road to recovery or will remain a mess.

I hope to see...
A smooth offensive game. Bajakian has a lot riding on his shoulders. Forget dynamic, we haven't been an efficient, productive offense since Ryan Day left. If we can just get in the top half of CFB production and efficiency, I would consider Bajakian a great coach.

BC is in trouble if...
Brown's passes are getting batted around. Beyond the loss of down, it would show a lack of development and coaching.

Bottom line
This game is very winnable. I know this doesn't line up with my season predictions, but these game previews always have me looking for reason for a win. I think BC can control the clock and tempo. Make a few plays and start the season the right way.
Final Score: BC 21, VT 13