Will any old candidates get a second look?

Because Bates' tenure was relatively so short, some of the candidates from our last AD search could still be in play. Let's look back at some of the more prominent names from last time around.

Boo Corrigan

The first name leaked by the media on Monday was Army AD Boo Corrigan. It makes sense. Nothing in the last four years has done anything to diminish Corrigan as a potential replacement for Bates. Army has improved their football program and Corrigan has led numerous fundraising campaigns. Four years ago some worried that Corrigan would just use BC as a stepping stone. Would anyone mind that now? Using BC as a stepping stone would require that he does well. I never heard why Corrigan wasn't picked last time. There were even reports he was getting the job. Maybe he really did have his eyes set on a bigger opportunity. Since no one has hired him away, maybe this time around he will realize that BC is his best chance at a Power 5. 

Sean Frazier

Last time around Frazier was a Senior Associate AD at Wisconsin. Now he is the AD at Northern Illinois. That progression helps his candidacy this time around. Frazier publicly acknowledged his interest last time around and did the public face saving tweet of removing his name so that he could stay at Wisconsin. Would he be willing to go down the path again with BC? However frustrating it might be, the chance to lead a Power 5 school doesn't come along every day. 

Mike Cragg

Cragg is still the No. 2 guy at Duke. His name was floated the last time around but I never heard if he ever got any real interest from BC. He was Coach K's mouthpiece for a decade, so I am sure if he wanted his name out there again, he could go to friends in the media. Since it hasn't floated this time around, maybe he is happy at Duke and wants to finish his career there.

Real news and more rumors

Before I get to more AD speculation, this is some real news. BC will wear the following uniform October 27 vs Maryland. It is part of BC and Under Armour's efforts to support the Wounded Warrior project. Going back to what I wrote last week, if BC feels the need to depart from our normal uniform, I would like to see something like this: one off, with a purpose.  The players seem to like the idea too.

BC will play Georgia Tech at 3 pm on regional sports networks. 

Finally BC will have a press conference at 1:30 on Tuesday. No subject was given but you have to assume it is to introduce the new AD. Speculation is rampant that it is Boo Corrigan or Quentin Williams. At this point I won't say much about either until I know things are official.

The latest on Boo Corrigan and AD search

I know some of you purposely avoid the message board chatter, but I thought the Boo Corrigan news and gossip merited its own post. Over the weekend, a very reliable and consistently accurate BC message board poster "BC West" posted on Eagle Action and Eagle Outsider that BC is in final negotiations with Boo Corrigan. He said that if the sides cannot come to agreement that BC will then move on to Xavier AD Mike Bobinski. BC will announce the new hire within a matter of days.

Corrigan was one of BC's first targets and came with a strong endorsement from John Swofford. However, he did initially rebuff BC. He felt that it was too soon into his Army tenure and he wasn't looking to make a move. Army offered more money, so he waffled. But BC kept the dialogue going and Corrigan became more interested.

If this comes together and Corrigan is the new AD, I will consider the process a success. BC made a major change right before the start of the school year and landed a solid replacement for Gene in less than six weeks. As for Corrigan as the new leader, I will post a full assessment when things are official.

No defense

Where are the last remaining Spaz apologists now? Do Blauds or HD or Avidon want to defend that turd of a game or this train wreck of a season? I am glad Gene D. is gone. The only thing that could make this loss worse is his insulting defense of Spaz. And when the national media start writing Spaz's obituary please don't insult us by blaming this on anyone but him. This is Year 4. This is his team. His vaunted defense. His recruits. His staff.

Spaz is pathetic. His approach to the game, how he manages his roster and how he practices football is failing this program. He never should have been given the job and watching BC football atrophy is no longer painful. I am over the pain. Now it is just a waste of time and emotion.

I hope Boo Corrigan is the new AD because he just got a front row seat for his first issue.

I'll have my grades and second viewing thoughts up late Sunday night. I can give you a sneak peek of the overall: F

AD search nearing an end

Everyone is sort of throwing darts about BC's AD search (myself included), because the only people that truly know anything are Leo Sullivan and Father Leahy. Neither are talking to media about the process. That leaves us to piece things together by who they are talking to: the candidates themselves, select faculty and Athletic Department staff and BOT and Advisory Board members.

Sean Frazier publicly withdrawing his name was the first tell that things are getting close. At that point BC had narrowed its list and Frazier wasn't on it. I think his tweet was a way to save face publicly. I was told that BC had a list of three and felt fine telling the other candidates they were no longer in the running. But who were the remaining three? The names that kept popping up were Boo Corrigan, Mike Bobinski, and Brad Bates. BC felt confident (and so do most outside observers) that all three would accept the offer and there was no risk in letting other candidates know the process was over.

As for all the talk of weeks or advisers getting to meet the finalists, I think some of that has happened. And I also think BC does want to give the new AD time to evaluate football. But if it happens early next week or takes longer, BC doesn't feel like they have to meet anyone's timetable but our own.

As for the rumored finalists...I think Corrigan and Bobinski would be fine. Not thrilled with the idea of Bates. But I will explain when the smoke finally clears.

Addressing the Corrigan rumors

Sunday night Steve Lively sent out an email to the BC Football Alumni profiling Army AD Boo Corrigan and reporting a rumor he heard regarding Corrigan as a candidate for the BC job. I was copied, as was Brian. In the past few days that email has transferred to message boards saying Corrigan is our next AD. I think this is all premature. Corrigan may end up as the hire, but I don't believe BC has made a decision yet.

Leo Sullivan is still traveling and still seeking input and feedback from friends of the program and university. At this point I don't believe we have a set group of finalists. Father Leahy has also been very busy with the start of school. I don't believe he and Sullivan have gone from still screening candidates less than a week ago to making a final decision.

Lively was a vocal critic of Gene and is likely hearing a lot of gossip (just like many of us). I do think Gene's treatment of him and some of the football alumni did impact the forced resignation. However, I don't think Father Leahy nor Sullivan are going to tip their hand to him in return during this process.

Corrigan would be a solid, conservative replacement. If his candidacy does progress, I will dig deeper into his Pros and Cons. Until then, I think we just have to be patient.