Williams finishes 4th in Heisman

Andre Williams finished fourth in the 2013 Heisman voting. As expected Florida State Quarterback Jameis Winston won in a landslide. Williams deserves our thanks for an incredible and memorable season and for representing BC so well in this process.

Building on the Heisman hype

When he came out of the Syracuse game with his shoulder injury, most of us realized that Andre would not win the Heisman. However, it was still very important to get him to ceremony in New York. Getting Andre to New York wasn't just a chance to recognize his great performance, it was also an unmatched opportunity for Addazio to sell the program. Just watch his interview this interview with CBS Sports. It starts with Andre but gets into the first year, BC's offense, the bowl and playing Florida State. Even their hosts say this is all an infomercial for BC.

Williams invited to Heisman ceremony in NYC

Andre Williams is a Heisman Finalist. Who would have ever thought of that before the season? Williams remains a long shot to win the award over FSU Quarterback Jameis Winston, but this is truly a case of being honored by the nomination. Williams is one of two running backs at the ceremony and the only one to break 2,000 yards. The Finalists are SEC heavy and QB heavy, so maybe there is an outside chance that a split vote favors Andre.

The presentation will be on ESPN this Saturday night. Addazio and Williams will both be there. It will be just one more opportunity to promote and represent BC to a national audience. I know it will be the first time I've watched the show in years.

Congratulations obviously go to Williams and his Offensive Line. Credit should also go the the Fullbacks, Tight Ends and WRs who also blocked for him. And to Rettig too for taking a back seat this season. The Football Staff deserve thanks for putting together an effective offense around Wiliams and Sports Information deserve credit for putting together a late season Heisman campaign.

I am prepared for Winston to win, but I will dream that Andre pulls the upset right up to when they open the envelope.

Tweets of the Week

I believe Charlie Pierce makes this point, but do NOT fuck with the Jesuits. They are smarter than you. They're God's Marines. OORAH, mother

— Jeb Lund (@Mobute) December 6, 2013

IMPORTANT: @RonBurgundy calling the Doug Flutie Hail Mary pass - http://t.co/1PFbGITaQ8 (@bcinterruption @bcatleagle #WeAreBC #Anchorman

— Red Fabbri (@redfabbri) December 5, 2013

A BC football player is talking about "the human conscience" on sportscenter. My life is complete #Andre44Heisman

— ATR (@AroundTheRes) December 5, 2013

Just saw the BC-Purdue score. Is BC the most disappointing team in the country? I lean toward UNLV but still....

— Seth Davis (@SethDavisHoops) December 5, 2013

Andre at ESPN

As part of his Heisman campaign, Andre Williams spent most of Thursday on various ESPN platforms. He took part in shows, SportsCenter, podcasts and radio. These sort of things are not as easy as they look, but Williams handled himself very well. Given his humble nature, I don't know if Williams will ever be a media star, but he's clearly got a good head on his shoulders. We are very lucky to have him representing BC.

In-game comments post: Syracuse

This season has gone by fast. That tends to happen when things are going well. But Heismans and better bowls won't happen if we don't beat Syracuse. Let's hope the guys are ready! Leave your thoughts and comments below.

You can also follow me on twitter.

Tweets of the Week

VIDEO: Boston College's Andre Williams runs like he's got a Super Mario Invincibility Star. http://t.co/U57gT07YuT

— Deadspin (@Deadspin) November 27, 2013

Thought a lot about @kelleyri writing the Andre Williams story. He's the consummate BC student, the type Dick would love to promote.

— Pete Thamel (@SIPeteThamel) November 26, 2013

Things I never expected to see coming into this season: Chris Fowler saying why BC RB Andre Williams should be invited to NY for the Heisman

— Richard Slate (@RichSlate) November 24, 2013

Steve Addazio: "I read the Heisman mission statement. All the things in the mission statement ft Andre like a glove." #Andre44Heisman

— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) November 26, 2013

Heisman Factors Part III: winning an election

This is the third in a series of posts on Andre Williams and the 2013 Heisman. This deals with how the voting patterns work and what Andre needs to happen. Obviously this is all contingent on BC beating Syracuse and Andre having a big day.

There are three sources of Heisman votes. One vote comes from the fans (which doesn't really matter). The 58 past winners also get a vote. This group is also a small block, but I think might help Andre (which I will explain in a minute). The Trophy's winner really comes down to the College Football media. And like our Electoral College, the Heisman vote is not a true popularity contest. If Williams does well enough on the most ballots, he can win.

Among the writers, there are six regions comprised of 145 voters each. The regions are not entirely representative. For example, even though there is more media in the North East and more college football writers in the South, each of those regions still only gets 145 votes. While Far West and Midwest are disproprotionally represented given their media and college football coverage. The Heisman also has a Mid Atlantic region, which includes Andre's home state of Pennsylvania and heart of ACC Country.

The other aspect of the Heisman ballot is that the voters are not asked to pick just one winner. Ballots allow for a 1st, 2nd and 3rd choice. This is especially important in year like this where there is no consensus and one leading candidate might be left off of numerous ballots.

To get a feel for how the three place balloting distributes votes, look at ESPN's Experts' Ballot. In their last straw poll Williams is second without receiving a first place vote.

Assuming BC beats Syracuse and Andre has a big day, this is what needs to happen for Williams to win:

1. He needs to sweep the North East and Mid Atlantic.
This is his home region and the area where he is most well known. As much as I think Williams can win without getting the majority of 1st place votes across the country, he still needs a strong showing from some block.
2. A lot of voters need to leave Winston entirely off the ballot.
This is where the past winners might impact things. I feel that they along with some writers will not want to reward Winston on the chance that he could still be arrested. If Winston gets many first place votes but is left off just as many ballots, he won't win.
3. Andre needs to be the clear 2nd Choice in all the other regions.
In the South some SEC homers will vote for McCarron while other ACC-inclined might vote for Winston. BC fans should not care how the votes are split, just as long as Andre gets all the second place votes.
4. The national voices need to end the season supporting Andre.
There are many voters who are just paying attention now. That is why the Williams hype is well timed. If people like ESPN and the Heisman Pundit are leading the cheering section by next week, a lot of the other votes will fall in line with the consensus.

Heisman Factors Part II: the arguments against Andre

This is the second in a series of posts on Andre Williams and the 2013 Heisman. This deals with the arguments other fans and media will make against his candidacy. I don't share these views and think there are counterarguments to each point, but this is what you're going to hear and read over the next two weeks. Obviously this is all contingent on BC beating Syracuse and Andre having a big day.

1. He's on an 8-4 team.
This is a very hollow argument but it is going to be used by Alabama fans. There is no mandate that the Heisman must come from a Top 5 team. It just happens that in the current football climate, the tops teams are most discussed and hence their players are better known. Recent examples of players who weren't on great teams include Tim Tebow (Florida was 9-4 in his Heisman year) and Robert Griffin III (Baylor was 10-3 in his Heisman year). I also hope voters consider BC's losses are to Florida State, Clemson, USC, and UNC. Those four teams are a combined 36-9. There is no WTF among them. If BC beats Syracuse and wins our bowl we will be 9-4 and ranked. Assuming we beat Syracuse, our record should not be an issue.

2. BC hasn't played anyone.
Three weeks ago Jameis Winston was the presumptive favorite having played an ACC schedule. No one brought up a weak conference or Florida State "not playing anyone." So how can this now be an issue for BC and Andre Williams? This is an example of BC not being among the traditional powers, therefore our teams and players have to jump through extra hoops to receive any credit among the wider college football establishment. We saw the same thing when BC made its run in 2007.

3. Williams piled up his stats against weak opponents.
Williams has been pretty consistent. You can't get to 2,000 yards on just a few games. He only has two games under 100 yards and the only one under 50 yards was USC. To outsiders it might seem like he didn't show up for big games. However, anyone who actually watched the games knows that Williams was facing nine and at times 10 men in the box. Both Clemson and USC went all out to stop our run and did have success. Considering BC is still facing those sorts of defensive fronts, Williams recent games are that much more impressive. Everyone knows he's getting the ball and yet BC keeps running it until Williams breaks off a big run.

4. He's only piled up stats because BC keeps giving him the ball.
Williams has a ton of carries. He's 51% of our offense. The critics argument is that any back would get these sorts of stats in Addazio's offense. It is the same logic voters used against Mike Leach's QBs as Heisman contenders despite record breaking stats. I might buy this if Day/Addazio had a history of running backs reaching 2,000 yards. Plus Williams yards per carry and explosive plays show that he's more than just three yards and a cloud of dust. Williams is getting the ball this much not in an effort to pile up stats. He's getting it because it is BC's best chance to win. He kept us in the NM State game and was the key to sparking the Maryland comeback. The stats all came within the course of BC winning.

Heisman Factors Part I: other candidates

This is the first in a series of posts on Andre Williams and the 2013 Heisman. The first one deals with other potential winners. Obviously this is all contingent on BC beating Syracuse and Andre having a big day.

 

 

1. A.J. McCarron.
At this point McCarron is the favorite.  His stats are pedestrian and he's not even close to the best player on his team, but he is the biggest name left without a blemish. He is also the quarterback on the No. 1 team in the country. That's usually enough to win in most years. For Williams to pass him we need Alabama to lose. Watching them get crushed in the Iron Bowl against Auburn would be nice but losing the SEC Championship would probably derail McCarron too. WAR EAGLE BC fans!

 

 

2. Jameis Winston.
We would not even be talking about Andre Williams as a candidate if not for Winston's legal problems. I don't even care to speculate on his guilt or innocence and don't even know if any of this is fair.  But I am willing to speculate that the Heisman voters will not vote for Winston because of his issues.  Do you think they want their potential winner arrested prior to the ceremony or right after? This is college football.  The only sport where perception matters and the media is cowardly. I think there is enough uncertainty that Winston won't win this year.

 

 

3. Another, newer Darkhorse.
The biggest threat to Williams might be another guy like Williams.  It could be Jordan Lynch or Clint Chelf or anyone else who might have a really big game this weekend. The other opening for the Darkhorse might be Championship Weekend. BC will be home and Williams will be sitting. A huge game from a borderline candidate could make people forget about Williams.

Second viewing thoughts and grades: Maryland

Maryland blew this game. That much was obvious watching it back. I am not trying to discount what the guys did. It was a hard-fought win and plenty of guys stepped up, but Maryland really coughed it up and messed up the clock. But you know who cares? Not us. A few Terps may be crying in their beers, but BC fans will remember this as a wild finish that went our way.

Offense: B-

Rettig's number stunk, but it was a streaky game. Some of his passes were way off early, but later he looked good. When some of his passes sail so far out of bounds, I have to think he's being told to throw it away. Watching the INT, I think he threw that one away too and just didn't see the Safety out there waiting. There was no other explination. At this point, this isn't the season I expected for Rettig, but he's doing enough to help BC win.

Let me get the nitpicking out of the way. Williams isn't always going to adjust when an unexpected hole opens up. He's also not going to make a gang of tacklers miss (and Maryland seemed to wait back for him, so they could contain). But he will pound you. And pound you like no other BC back I can remember. That's what makes these fourth quarter outburst so impressive. I really do think he's worn them down at that point. He's not explosively fast, but he's running harder than the most of the people chasing him. It's awesome to watch. This has been one of the most impressive stretches I can remember for any BC athlete in any BC sport. A lot has to happen for him to win the Heisman (which I will get into this week) but we all owe Williams a "thank you" for being the anchor of this team. Of the other RBs, Willis didn't do much with his limited touches. I would like to see us pass to him more. Sinkovec opened up some good holes.

The Offensive Line is at their best when they are moving. Harris Williams played well. So did Ian White. Gallik screwed up a snap that led to a Maryland TD. He also had some issues with guys darting his gaps on run plays. Vardaro was solid.

I was glad to see Crimmins make some plays. They weren't game breakers, but they were the most he's shown so far this year. Amidon dropped a catchable ball early but made up for it with the huge TD catch. Naples dropped one before getting the big catch later. All the Tight Ends blocked well.

I thought the game was well designed and well called. As much as we stick with the run even when it is unproductive, it does help establish the explosive plays in the second half. I don't know if we are wearing them out or lulling them to sleep but it works. Many of the second half passes were really well designed and well timed. I also loved giving it to Williams even though we were behind and running out of time. He's our best player. A good OC realizes that you've got to get him the ball.

Defense: B

I know the DLine is very thin, but I don't know why they are not making more plays. They weren't bad...just not doing anything to change the game. Wujciak played well and has been coming on of late. He wasn't penetrating but was run stuffing. Edebali was fine. Mihalik had a nice snack and seemed to disrupt some passes. Rudolph didn't fill up the stat sheet but was good in spots.

Daniels was really good again. He's got good speed for big LB. Keyes made some nice plays and looked good rushing off the edge. KPL was active early and then was off the field for stretches. Don't know if he was 100%. Divitto led the team in tackles, but still had some issues missing tackles and in coverage.

It was a shame that Bryce Jones fumbled the punt and got called for pass interference right after, because otherwise he had a strong game. Asprilla dropped a potential INT, but otherwise played well. Sylvia was good. They kept throwing at ALJ. Not sure if that was because they saw something or just because of whom he was covering. He played off and allowed plenty of catches, but didn't make any big mistakes.

Statistically this was one of the better defensive games that BC has played. I didn't love how off we played on some of the WRs, but it worked for the most part. We also did a good job of waiting and containing Brown.

Special Teams: C+

The biggest Special Teams play of the game was obviously the block. Based on the stunt, it looks like BC had it scouted well and had a block on. Or maybe they just lucked out (the snap was low). Either way, it was critical.

Freese nailing the game winner was equally huge.

Everything else on Special Teams was terrible. The fumbled punt. Our punt and kick coverage. Even Willis was contained.

As bad as the returned PAT was, I don't think that was a case of the players not knowing the rules. More likely they didn't even realize it had been caught and returned until it was too late.

Overall: B

We are still dealing with a very small sample size, but I am starting to think Addazio is a good game manager. Part of that is playing the percentages and part of it is playing hunches. Could he be getting lucky? Maybe. But it is working. To me the biggest example of him managing the game well is sticking with Williams in the 4th quarter. Down 11, we kept grinding it out. A coach on cruise control might start passing. But in the case of BC, that actually doesn't make sense. Our running attack is much more efficient and explosive. Then on the second TD, we threw it off of play action. It all worked. I even liked the one attempt with Willis before letting the clock rundown. I know I will nitpick in the future, but for now, I like what Addazio is doing.

The other important head coaching takeaway was not panicking. Players feed off of the emotion of the coach. These guys are clearly buying in, because they didn't fold. That is also a change from recent past.

As I keep writing: BC surpassed most expectations for the season. Credit to Addazio. Now let's keep going.

My kind of lullaby

Let the players sing you to sleep, so you can dream about Andre Williams winning the Heisman.

(Thanks to Bob for the video.)

Crazy ending to a crazy game

We are the only team in the country whose two-minute drill purposely involves running in a jumbo package between the tackles. And it actually worked. A little luck was on BC's side as lots of things went wrong and the team nearly gave the game away on a few different occasions. But when down the team put the ball in the hands of its best weapon. Huge, gut-check win. This season has been a lot of fun. Let's keep it going.

As for "Williams for Heisman"... this thing is real. With the whole defense keying on him and the team needing him, he ran for another 263 yards and two TDs. Get him to New York.

I will have second viewing thoughts and grades up late Sunday.

They hype begins

Winning the final two regular season games should be BC's priority. But it wouldn't hurt the program to help load up Williams' stats. Coming off two monster games, the media is starting to pay attention.

Adelson notes that Williams is responsible for 49% of BC's offense.

Athlon points out that with a bowl game, Barry Sanders' single season rushing record is within reach.

If Williams puts up another 500 yards in the last two games, I think he will get invited to New York for the Heisman ceremony.

Don't forget about Dre: Andre Williams belongs among the Heisman Finalists

Of late the Heisman has had two sorts of winners. The first is the MVP of one of the top rated teams. This year that would be Winston or McCarron. Or it goes to a once in a lifetime QB talent who captures the media's imagination late in the season (think "Johnny Football" or RGIII). Running backs from unranked teams haven't come close to the award in years. Might I suggest a change this year because Andre Williams deserves to be invited to New York and depending on how the season plays out, may deserve the Trophy.

Saturday's NC State game was just the latest in Williams' record-shattering season. He ran for 339 yards and that was just a week after running for 295 yards. This is insane. And it is not like he's just breaking off big runs without getting touched or part of some high-powered offense. He is the offense. Each week the opposing defense keys their whole scheme around him and Williams just runs people over. BC has repeatedly faced nine and at times ten guys in the box. It doesn't matter. Williams will grind it out for a few plays and then you know a big one is coming.

The BC offensive line also deserves credit for Williams' performance, but they can only do so much. Williams is the one breaking tackles and running over and away from defenders on the second and third level.

Heisman voters are a fickle bunch. You never know who is going to gain the consensus late. But Williams has earned his spot and if his season continues like this, he is going to run over anyone who doubts him.