BC-UMass preview

I have a weird feeling about this year. As you saw in my predictions, I am skeptical about BC putting it all together. However, when I think about Dillon and the OL, I think we are just going to crush some teams this year. And that is really fun to watch! So let's get this started. BC Football is back and I can't wait.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game) 
Addazio spent a good portion of his radio show this week talking about how tough the opener is regardless of your opponent. He feels the key is to come away with the W. I understand where he is coming from, but also think it is very limiting. Every year there are opportunities to schedule big games on the opening weekend. When he thinks he has a good team (like this year) Addazio should be more aggressive and schedule an opener that gets people excited and makes a statement in Week 1.

Three Simple Keys
1. Pressure on Ford early. UMass is going to try to establish the pass early. BC needs to disrupt that and get Ford out of the pocket.
2. Run, run and then run some more. UMass had one of the worst run defenses in the country last year. BC needs to hammer them there and not look back.
3. Be careful with the ball. I only see this game being interesting if BC turns the ball over a lot.

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio is 4-1 in openers at BC
-- BC is 21-5-1 all time against UMass
-- Addazio is 16-16 at Alumni
The current line is BC-18

Factoid
Sadly this game is not on local TV. It is frustrating that ESPN, the ACC and BC can't fix that.

Scoreboard Watching
Wake Forest plays an improving Tulane team at Tulane Thursday night. The Deacons will be our first critical game. The Tulane matchup is a chance to see the impact of Wake's early suspensions. I am hoping Wake struggles and comes into our game a mess.

I hope to see...
Matt McDonald play for an extended time during mop up duty. The backup QB always gets to be the most popular guy around. I bought into his hype this summer, so now I want to see the kid play in a real game.

BC is in trouble if...
Dillon gets hurt. He is the most important player on the team and the most critical player for the season. He can't get hurt in this game. We could still beat UMass without him, but it would make a winning season less likely.

Overall
There may be some rust early. UMass may make a play or two. But I don't see this as close or interesting. I think we physically overmatch them and win with ease.
Final Score: BC 35, UMass 13

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.

Season Prediction Part II: best case scenario

This is the most talented BC team in a decade. We have elite players on both sides of the ball. Our bruising running game and enormous OLine provide a matchup problem for every team we face. It should be our year. It could be our year. If everything goes right and Addazio doesn't get in the way, this could be special. If it is special, this is how I see it play out.

(My official predictions are coming Wednesday.)

UMass. Win. Total romp. Not even interesting. The backups play most of the second half.

Holy Cross. Win. The only thing interesting about this game is the renewal of the old rivalry. The game is terrible as BC cruises.

at Wake Forest. Win. Suspensions mean we catch them at the right time. BC starts 3-0 and is finally ranked.

at Purdue. Win. A potential trap avoided. BC grinds it out and Dillon has a big day to spark Heisman talk.

Temple. Win. BC keeps moving up in the polls. The passing game is also clicking and BC is scoring in bunches.

at NC State. Win. The D leads the way with lots of sacks and turnovers. BC starts 6-0 and is now in the Top 10.

Louisville. Win. A close game, but like last year, Dillon breaks a few big ones to get the win.

Miami. Win. Miami comes in ranked too. The game is a huge deal (Friday night, ESPN, Red Bandanna). BC runs over the shellshocked 'Canes. Campus is crazy. Playoff talk starting.

at Virginia Tech. Loss. The bubble bursts as it has so many times in Blacksburg. A few mistakes on the road and BC can't recover.

Clemson. Loss. Another wild game at Alumni that ends with a narrow loss. BC is barely in the Top 25.

at Florida State. Win. BC rights the ship and uses the ground game to control and ultimately win.

Syracuse. Win. The Orange are checked out. BC cruises.

BC finished 10-2 (6-2 in the ACC). Not good enough to get into the ACC Championship game and not good enough to get an at-large in the major bowls.

I think BC gets an invite back to Orlando for the Camping World Bowl vs Oklahoma State. I think we win that matchup and finish 11-2 and in the Top 15. Addazio silences all his critics...including this one.

Season Prediction Part I: worst case scenario

Here we go again. My little preseason exercise in "what if?" There are lots of reasons to be optimistic this year, but we know things can fall apart quickly. So here is how the season might play out if nothing goes our way. Tuesday will be the what the perfect season would look like and Wednesday will be my actual predictions for the year.

UMass. Win. Brown looks rusty, but BC still runs all day on UMass.

Holy Cross. Win. Another sloppy game, but BC has enough talent to cruise.

at Wake Forest. Loss. A short week leads to major confusion. Brown still struggles and Wake loads up to stop Dillon.

at Purdue. Loss. BC can't keep up in a shootout. Suddenly the preseason hype starts turning to hot seat talk.

Temple. Win. Another game that is much closer than it should be. The Offense continues to look one dimensional, but the BC D carries the team.

at NC State. Loss. BC doesn't give up the big play and hangs for a while, but NCSU chips away on offense, controls the clock and the game.

Louisville. Loss. A game BC should win but doesn't. There are some mistakes and now a winless ACC schedule starts to seem possible.

Miami. Loss. It is a national TV and red bandanna game. BC is hyped and it is close. But mistakes hurt BC again and the passing game remains one of the worst in college football.

at Virginia Tech. Loss. Another high scoring offense pulls away from BC.

Clemson. Loss. BC plays well, but can't hold back Clemson.

at Florida State. Loss. Another ugly game. The narrative continues that BC is "playing better" but just unlucky.

Syracuse.  Win. Senior Day and a positive way to end a bad season.

This would leave BC at 4-8 and home for the bowl season. In my opinion it would also be time to make a head coaching change.

Game Week: let's catch up with Dillon

Here is Tom Leyden talking to Dillon about the year, the "H" word and goals for the season.

UMass wins its opener and talk shifts to BC

UMass crushed Duquense in their first game of the season and yet after the game, the first team Mark Whipple really talked about was BC.

"BC is a different beast next week, not to take anything away from Duquesne. They have bigger guys who are faster. AJ Dillon will have their attention, and their two safeties. (Connor) Strachan is back. We’ll put the tape on Monday morning,” said UMass head coach Mark Whipple.

Despite his struggles reviving UMass, Whipple is a smart guy and a pretty good X and Os coach. I am not fearful but I do think he will have them ready for BC. I also think he will have a wrinkle or two to keep BC on our toes.

The best thing about the UMass win was that it is a reminder that College Football is back.

A gambler who believes in BC

This is random, but I came across this interview with ESPN's Ian Fitzsimmons. In it he talks about gambling on the upcoming College Football season and early bets. It can be your typical radio appearance until he gets to BC [BC talk starts at 6:50]. He loves BC and thinks we can win eight or nine. Get on the bandwagon now folks.

Disagreeing with Herald's Players to Watch list

The Herald put up a pretty innocuous five Players to Watch article and it got me thinking. Their list might be the best five but they are all the established, veteran guys. We know what to expect from that group. What I find more interesting are the players who might emerge or breakout. With that here are my three players to watch. These guys will really determine the season.

1. Anthony Brown. His health and ability to pass are the most important unknowns heading into the season.
2. Ray Smith. We are young and thin at DT. Smith needs to play well and play a lot.
3. Colton Lichtenberg. It always comes down to the kicker with Daz. If this is the year we finally break seven wins, it will be critical that Colton kick well from the start.

Best of luck to Ryan Day

Ohio State suspended Urban Meyer for three games for his actions related to Zach Smith's issues. That means interim Head Coach Ryan Day will get his first experience as a head coach this year. Congrats to him.

Day has a long history with BC -- and this blog. While I am sure Day would have preferred his first shot at something like this under different circumstance, this is still a great opportunity. If he team performs well, Day will be a top candidate for any openings this offseason. The accelerated time table does hurt his chances of ever coming back to BC as a head coach. But if anything the coaching carousel is unpredictable and Day might still end up at BC.

Final scrimmage complete

Addazio wrapped up his final scrimmage and the team will now start prepping for UMass. In the video below, he doesn't seem that excited, but the reports on the scrimmage were positive. Brown looked good and Dillon shined in limited action. Both backup QBs played well and the penalties were less of an issue. To an outsider, that all seems like good news. Maybe Addazio is just trying to contain expectations. Or maybe he also knows scrimmages don't matter -- UMass does.

BC gets votes but remains unranked

It is not where you start but how you finish. At least that is what I am telling myself as BC starts the season outside the Top 25 in the AP. After some high profile people went on a limb for BC this summer, I thought we might start the season ranked. 

In total BC received 18 votes, good for 34th. If the season starts well, it shouldn't take long to move into the official Top 25.

BC's schedule is demanding, we face four ranked teams. Let's hope by the end of the season, we have at least four quality wins and are ranked too.

Strachan talks

The injured player that we are all focusing on is Anthony Brown, but on there is an equally important piece returning on the Defense. Connor Strachan went down early in his senior year and recieve a medical redshirt. He's seemingly healthy and back now for one final season. 

The upside of his injury was the rapid development of the younger players on the depth chart. Now, if everyone stays healthy, we should have our deepest and most talented LB group since the 2007-2009 days.

Addazio not thrilled with 2nd scrimmage

BC provided some notes on Saturday's scrimmage without providing much info. Brown took his first live snaps and Dillon sat out. That's the only concrete news.

Steve Addazio provided more of the real reaction out of the scrimmage. He didn't like it. You can see below, but it seems like neither side was crisp and there was plenty of confusion...and lethargy. When prompted to discuss the QBs, he said none were that great. We know from the write ups, that the D controlled, but Addazio doesn't really give them credit either.

It is nothing to get worked up about. It is only an intra squad scrimmage. This is about working out the kinks so that the opener is crisp.

First BC win of the school year is in Women's Soccer

Classes are still a few weeks away, but the sports season has started. The Women's Soccer team started the year off right with a win over Quinnipiac. Olivia Vaughn scored two of BC's four goals. Their season continues Sunday against Northeastern.

BC not making a big deal about Brown practicing

We've seem to hit the doldrums of summer training camp. Things are no longer new and there isn't much concrete reporting or updates. If you read between the lines, the biggest news to me is that BC is not making a bigger deal of Anthony Brown's play. The returning starter is clearly taking snaps with the first team but they don't mention any of his throws. That leaves me to overthink this whole thing. Are they not mentioning his throws or completions because he is not making any or because it is so routine it doesn't merit a mention?

Friday will bring more vague practice reporting. However, Saturday's scrimmage will be a big deal. If BC is still not mentioning Brown's play by then, it will be time for us to truly overthink this and worry.

Watch Dillon run over people for fun

Someone at the ACC office must really like AJ Dillon, because they keep making highlight reel videos for him. Imagine if he is even better this year? The ACC will start producing 10-hour mini-series of those highlights. Enjoy.

Still no love from Jerry Palm

Hype, hype, hype. That's all we've heard and read about BC this summer. Dillon a darkhorse candidate! BC a Top 25 team! Even getting votes from coaches! But there are still a few skeptics. Like CBS's Jerry Palm. He puts together extensive Bowl Projections and still sees BC staying home. Palm has been off the bandwagon all summer, but I thought seeing other projections coupled with the positive perception might get him to include BC for his latest projections. (I also understand changing the projections during the summer before any game is sort of pointless.)

BC will go bowling this year. The schedule has enough wins built in to make getting to bowl doable. If Palm is right and BC has a losing record this year, I think we will have more than a bowl game to worry about.

Viral tweet shows what's right and still wrong

Did you see this Monday?

4/5-star recruits over the past 5 years…
Texas - 60
Boston Coll - 4

Record over the past 5 years…
Texas - 31-32
BC - 31-33

NFL Draft picks past 5 years:
Texas - 11
BC - 14

— Hidden Agenda Generator (@DavidHaleESPN) August 13, 2018

It got a decent amount of attention and led to many people complimenting Addazio on his talent identification and development. He does deserve credit and it has been one of the things he's delivered on. But the tweet is a backhanded compliment since it also points out that despite the influx of talent, BC's record under Addazio is still under .500. He's building a pipeline that develops talent at a better rate than Texas -- at a private school in Boston -- yet is not winning at a high rate. If Addazio doesn't break through his ceiling soon, most of this will be for naught. Talent is primary and should win out in most cases. If you have talent and are not winning then you have to question how your coaches are managing the talent when it counts.

Zach Allen press going beyond Boston

Another day, another story on Zach Allen. While not at Dillon levels yet, Allen is getting attention beyond the local BC and ACC Channels. This one deals with his background in Connecticut and his intense work ethic. It will be interesting to see how Zach's play on the field changes this year, since he will be the focal point. Last year without Landry he made big strides, but was still on the field with plenty of veteran talent. This year the talent remains but it is a bit untested. Leaving Allen to fill the void and serve as a role model for his teammates.

Time for the McDonald bandwagon?

BC held its first scrimmage of the preseason. They didn't provide specific individual stats, but based on the write up and interviews, it seems to have gone well. Addazio voiced plenty of frustration about penalties, but other than that, seemed to like the effort.

He also responded to a question about backup QB Matt McDonald and said he was one of the most accurate quarterbacks he's ever been around. This follows other write ups about McDonald's surprising and efficient play. So I ask, is it time to start the McDonald bandwagon? I like Brown and I am encouraged that he's doing better, but all this team really needs is a guy who can make good throws. With everyone trying to stop the run, receiving matchups and short throws will be open. Maybe McDonald is the guy to hit those throws and lead an offensive explosion. Even if Brown is healthy, I hope we see McDonald is some mop up duty and he turns these practice moments into real wins.

NJ Linebacker commits

BC ended the week with some good news -- New Jersey Linebacker Shitta Sillah verbaled to Addazio. He's a three star with the services and considered a Top 20 player in New Jersey. His Power 5 offers included Michigan State, Purdue, Duke, Syracuse, Rutgers and Nebraska. He's tall but not filled out yet, so maybe he could move to some sort of DE role. Welcome aboard, Shitta.

Basketball hosting elite guard

New York shooting guard Joe Girard has a pretty impressive list schools. He is set to visit Syracuse, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and Duke. But before he gets to most, he used one of his official visits to come to BC. The 2019 recruit has been on Christian's radar for a while, so it is nice that they've moved him from potential to a true campus visitor.

Brown gets media attention, which means he's ok

Anthony Brown is the starter for Steve Addazio. As much as Daz hedges and downplays the opening battle and Brown's recovery, this is not like last year. Brown will start the first game at QB.

I haven't watched practice nor do I have access to Addazio. I just know that two features on the QB in the same day (New Jersey paper | the Herald) means that is he probably ok and will the top of the depth charge until he does something to lose the job.

Thoughts on Media Day

BC posted a quick behind the scenes video, but there are full video below (with my thoughts).

By way of his promotion Campanile now gets direct media time. Nothing too revealing but he does talk about Hamp Cheevers progression and his expectations of his jump in play.

I always enjoy Jim Reid's media sessions because he's so passionate. Sometimes with older coaches you wonder how they connect with young players, but with Reid you can see how players would like him.

Loeffler got more time and most of it was spent on Brown's development. Loeffler comes off as knowledgeable and presentable but isn't as dynamic in front of the camera as the other Coordinators.

Addazio spoke for a long time. He seems pretty excited about his players and his team. He is saying the right things. The small -- but important thing to me -- was that Addazio had a shirt with the throwback logo! BC needs to make a logo switch!

What to expect out of BC's Media Day

Tuesday is BC's annual Media Day. Since the team is only a week into practices, there is usually nothing revelatory about who is doing what or who is shining and rising up the depth chart. It will be interesting to see how the local media approaches Addazio. I imagine there will be a few topics:

1. Expectations. BC is getting national attention and votes in the Coaches Poll. This is the most preseason hype to any Addazio team. Will he use the Media Day to raise expectations or lower them?

2. Follow up on Smith. There will be a few new media members there. Will any even broach the Smith-Addazio history or just let Saturday night's statement stand?

I also am interested to see how much of a push they give Dillon. This could be a huge statistical season for the second year RB. He puts up the type of highlights that the College Football media love. He's an under the radar Heisman candidate now. Does BC give him a big push Tuesday to let the local media know that Dillon is going to be a national name?

Watch Anthony Brown talk about being back

Because he's been sidelined with a knee injury, we haven't heard much from Anthony Brown. Friday he spoke to the media for an extended time. He didn't reveal much, but his presence and demeanor do show a level of confidence. I hope he is this calm and confident because the knee feels good and he's ready for a big year.

Addazio, Jarmond release statements to Globe about Smith

Addazio and Jarmond finally did the smart thing and released individual statements on Zach Smith. (It seems like the Globe was the only outlet that got the statements.) A written release was probably safer and better than making comments in front of the cameras. They say the right things without getting into the specifics of what each knew and when they knew it. It will be interesting if this is the last the two talk about it and if the national media guys start to dig into the issue and Smith's history.

The BC Bookstore inadvertently takes the BCU meme to the next level

This is real. As pointed out by Heights and Lows, the Boston College Bookstore is selling a shirt that actually has "Boston College University" on it. As much fun as I have with the BCU talk on Twitter, this is a big screwup by an official partner of BC.

If I were to sell knockoff BC gear, the school wouldn't take long to send me a cease and desist. If I wanted to be an official partner, I would pay a fortune in licensing fees. How can a group that works so directly with BC make such a screw up?

Mistakes happen. But what concerns me is that it got this far done the line. It really says that no one is paying attention to our licensing, apparel or the Bookstore. When Jarmond changes and updates our logo, I hope he has a few people who pay close attention to how it is used and that all uses help promote and celebrate Boston College.

Addazio disappoints in response to Smith question

As expected Addazio was asked about his prior relationship with his former staffer Zach Smith. This is what he said:

Steve Addazio on whether he knew about Zach Smith’s 2009 arrest for battery when he hired the WR coach at Temple in 2011: “As University policy, I don’t comment on other institutions, okay?”

— Riley Overend (@Riley_0_) August 3, 2018

Sadly, this answer is predictable. It is also a missed opportunity. With a well-crafted, thoughtful response, Addazio could have stated something and closed his portion of this saga. Instead he obfuscated a non-answer. If he is lucky this goes away. But if this brings down Urban Meyer, look for the media to come back to Addazio and demand an answer. If he is not prepared for that, he could keep making this worse, like his buddy Meyer is doing.

The fact is that Addazio can talk about other institutions. He does it all the time. He can also talk about friends and colleagues in legal or professional trouble. He has done it before. Maybe BC advised him to avoid the topic since it was not a BC issue. But it is a Steve Addazio issue.

What I would have suggested is something formal and reviewed by BC's legal department that addresses his relationship with Smith. It sounds as if Courtney Smith advocated that Zach be given a second chance after 2009. That would probably provide Addazio with enough professional cover to explain the hire. It would also enable him to show respect for domestic violence, Courtney and explain what he has learned.

This all might blow over and be a non-story. But if it really does take down Urban Meyer and Ohio State AD Gene Smith, Addazio better be ready for the media to hound him. And he better have a better statement prepared.

One last preview

And now the Football begins...

Two BC people probably need to address the Zach Smith situation

If you haven't been following the Zach Smith story, here is the short version. Ohio State fired Zach Smith after his history of domestic violence incidents became public. Urban Meyer publicly claimed he was not aware of a 2015 issue. That claim is now being challenged and Ohio State has put Meyer on leave. Former BC Assistant Ryan Day is the Interim Head Coach. While this is a Ohio State issue, because of the old boys network running college sports, this story does touch BC in two obvious ways.

First, Zach Smith worked for Addazio at Temple during the 2011 season. This was after Smith's 2009 arrest in Florida for beating his then pregnant wife. It would be nearly impossible in a town like Gainesville and with the type of organization that Meyer's runs, that this arrest was not known among all the football staff. I don't know what sort of relationship Addazio had with Smith then. I don't know what the Temple policy was on domestic violence nor background checks. I don't know what either Mr. or Mrs. Smith told Addazio about the abuse. The only thing we do know is that Addazio hired him after an arrest. My suggestion is that Addazio prepare a factual statement about the hire, his sympathy for the victim, how he has learned from it and how that experience has shaped his and BC's policy now.

Martin Jarmond never hired Zach Smith, but he was a key leader in the department that oversaw football at Ohio State. Jarmond may be technically off the hook since he never would have been in direct position either as an AD or Head Coach to fire any of Meyer's staffers. But having seen firsthand how sweeping something under the rug hurts the victim and all those who are impacted by the coverup, should lead to Jarmond establishing a clear policy on domestic abuse issues and prior criminal arrests. He should also prepare a factual statement on the issue and how it will influence BC's actions going forward.

I would like to think BC does thorough background checks on all employees. I know of past athletic staffers with DUIs who still got hired, but I have never heard of any issues related to violence that were pushed through. I suggest a strict policy -- managed by HR -- be established. Ignoring these sorts of things are never worth it and don't help the victims. We rarely take a leadership position in College Sports. Why not be the first to take a stand on something like this?

Based on current information, I don't think anything Addazio or Jarmond did related to Smith would put their BC positions in jeopardy. However, that doesn't mean they shouldn't clarify their roles and explain how that will never happen at BC.

ACC Coaches finally have something nice to say about BC

Every year the best part of Athlon's College Football preview is the anonymous quote from a rival coach. The types of comments fall into three categories:

1. The rare gushing. Usually saved for Alabama. This has a coach saying "they do everything right...blah blah blah." It is complimentary but a bit detached as if the great team is unattainable and not really a fair comparison.

2. The backhanded compliment. "They do a lot with a little. Well coached, but the talent isn't there, etc" These are usually the type of comments people make about BC. It is harmless but clearly condescending.

3. Something really catty. This is when a coach makes an outright criticism of a team, usually in a demeaning or dismissive way. "I don't know what they are doing..." BC would get this on occasion.

This summer's Athlon profile of BC is unique. Take a look.

-- "Our coaches were laughing when watching game tape of (AJ) Dillon. Not laughing at him, laughing at how ridiculously good he is."-- An opposing ACC assistant coach

What a surprise. It is deserved praise for Dillon and refreshingly candid. It also doesn't dismiss him or BC. Respect, I guess. It feels nice.

Another solid pick up for Addazio

The recruiting momentum continued as BC added a Florida OLine prospect to their current recruiting class. Maurice Smith's verbal means another 3 star with plenty of suitors. His Power 5 offers included Mississippi State and Indiana. He's from Miami Central, so he's playing against elite competition. (Miami had yet to offer.)

Smith's height may be keeping some of Florida's bigger programs away, but I trust Brian White on Florida guys. (White is listed as one of his recruiters, along with new OL coach Phil Trautwein.)

Addazio tends to slow down recruiting once practices start, so I expect a small spike this week and then things to cool off as the staff shifts their focus back to getting the players ready.

A reminder about last year

As I keep reading others write about this year's BC team, I see everything from "break out" and  "sleeper"  to potential five win letdowns. The sites that share their prediction models seem to put BC's win total right around six again. But this tweet reminded me how even the best experts couldn't get a good feel on BC last year. Doing so well against the spread (8-1-1) is almost a backhanded compliment. The sports books don't care about Addazio or BC, they just want to be right and close to the line. Yet they couldn't get a good feel for BC -- before or after the offensive explosion.

Assuming BC stays healthy this year, I think we will be a little more predictable for the oddsmakers. Personally I would gladly trade doing well against the spread for actual Ws instead.

BC makes offer to Mass product

Recruiting had been quite for a few weeks...at least on social media. We know that some of the assistants are on the road, but there are still kids visiting. And seeing the new Field House probably didn't dull Mass DE Greg Crippen's excitement when BC offered him. He already holds offers from Michigan and Purdue. It would be nice to lockdown a local kid who is generating that type of interest.

So excited and thankful to have received an offer to play football from Boston College today! @BCFootball Thank you so much! @BCCoachAddazio @CoachTrautFB @BCCoachJReid @JoeSuIlivan @cfavino22 pic.twitter.com/G4lOJy1Mqy

— Greg CRIPPEN (@gregcrippen) July 26, 2018

Everyone is talking about the Field House

It was a big day for BC's newest facility. They announced the name and gave the media a tour. What we've been calling the indoor practice facility is now officially the Fish Field House in honor of former BOT Chair John Fish.

We've known and followed the Field House for a long time, but the official unveiling is a nice gesture. Anything that gets people talking about BC Football in a positive light helps. Jarmond and Addazio referenced that this will also be used for other sports (so that this is about more than football). It does represent a commitment to winning and finally catches BC up with most of the P5 teams.

What I find disheartening is some BC fans criticizing the facility. While you can question the value or long-term importance of major college sports, you can't argue with what BC did here. They funded this without major debt and without leaning on current student revenues to offset the cost. If we are going to ask BC students to compete in major sports, we need to give them the resources to compete. Based purely on wanting the best for our current BC students, it is no different than investing in state of the art classrooms or dorms or whatever.

There will always be something new that BC needs. At this point the campus is always under construction and college sports are in an arms race. A Conte renovation and an upgrade to the basketball facilities are probably next. But for now it is nice to enjoy our shiny new building.

Dillon named Preseason ACC POY

A day after I said the ACC Media doesn't respect BC, they went out and voted AJ Dillon the Preseason Player of the Year. Seeing Dillon honored as well as three other Eagles on the All Conference Preseason team, makes the 4th place finish all that more surprising. I guess they don't trust Addazio to put this talent together in a way to challenge the top of the division.

It is a great honor for Dillon and will raise his profile that much more. He was going to be the focal point of the offense. Now he will be the focal point of the media coverage too. If his game is developing and the other guys step up, BC's offense should be explosive.

ACC Media not as excited as some national pundits

Phil Steele thinks BC is a Top 25 team. The football media that watches all the ACC are not as optimistic. They voted BC 4th in the Atlantic Division. While none of this matters right now, I actually trust Steele over the collective wisdom of the ACC folks.

While they have access to Addazio and have to keep tabs on BC, most of the ACC media members are not paying attention to BC. They are in other markets and for many, BC is just a weird fit. We've had some nice moments, but for most there is no reason to expect more than 7-6, which sounds 4th place-ish. Steele, on the other hand, has formulas and stats that he leans on. So if his stats say BC is experienced in XYZ or did this or that well or has an easier schedule than perceived, he can run with it. Steele's metrics are not perfect and he often points out when they went wrong. But being different and occasionally picking a surprise team is how he built his name.

Truthfully, if I had been at the Media Days and voted, I would probably have selected BC 2nd in the division. I don't trust Addazio nor do I think this team is great, but I think it is a down year for the division and all the teams have flaws and question marks.

Lessons from Last Chance U Season 3

I just finished up the latest season of Netflix's Last Chance U and highly recommend any football fans watches. The primary focus has moved to Independence Community College in Kansas, but there is still a lot to learn about college football as it applies to BC. (There is also an epilogue on the main personalities from Season 1 and Season 2.) Here are some of my takeaways. SPOILERS AHEAD.

We don't know everything about some "elite" recruits 

One of the featured players is former Florida State QB Malik Henry. If someone like Henry ever signed with BC, the fanbase would flip out and assume that Henry would be on his way to winning four Heismans at BC and a few National Championships. Yet watching this guy play, you wonder how anyone -- including Florida State -- thought he would be so good. I think with someone like Henry, the hype starts early, perpetuates itself and no one ever stops to ask if the kid is really a great player. He's pretty thin and smallish, so you wonder if he could ever take a pounding. Based on the game action, neither his arm nor his legs seems special. Finally he is a royal pain in the ass who assumes he is great and smarter than everyone. As he hopped around high schools (four in total), how did no one realize he was a fraud? How did Jimbo Fisher not realize he would be a challenge? I think Addazio leans on "character" a bit much when he talks about BC. But I do think BC's emphasis on a player coming to camp, and being around the staff a lot, has value. You can start to find out what these kids are really like and who is just hype and ego.

Talent > coaching

Like the previous seasons, you start to see how great talent can cover up a lot of mistakes and make coaches look good. Independence's Coach Jason Brown admits as much throughout the doc. It is chaos on the sidelines and the practices appear very disorganized. Brown is futzing around with all sorts of administrative stuff (like pizza and uniforms) and yet they are still winning. They even overcome all sorts of infighting among the coaches, the players, and the coaches vs players. I want smart, organized, and stable coaches. But shows like this remind me that most champions are winning with talent more than they are winning with great coaching.

Still no BC presence

Last year's background clip of a BC game remains as close was we've gotten to the Netflix series. None of the players are in the BC mix. An assistant from New Mexico State (who works with Spaz and Doug Martin) shows up to recruit, but that's about it. That is probably for the best. Although they've moved from Mississippi to Kansas, the typical JUCO player remains such a bad fit for BC, that I have no problem with Addazio avoiding that route.

See the press conferences

There is still not a lot coming out of the ACC Media Days. (Maybe Saturday?) Here is video of Addazio, Sweeney and Allen talking to the press.

Addazio doesn't say much in press conference

At this point I don't expect Steve Addazio to create some sort of controversy or get the College Football world's attention like Larry Fedora did. However, I wouldn't mind a little insight into the team or some specifics for the fans. If the opening press conference was any indication, we are not getting much out o the ACC Media Days. The biggest news -- which we already knew -- was that Brown was back and will be cleared by the time practices start in August.

Otherwise it was generic talk about team chemistry. There was an answer to a weird question about teams adjusting to the weather. He reiterated his desire to play good D and run the ball. Addazio also talked a little about his history with Paul Pasqualoni. But that was it. Very little about what's going on in football. Nothing on the uptick in recruiting. He didn't even get a chance to talk up facilities.

On Friday most of the one on one interview content will seep out. Hopefully he said something in those sessions that give us an idea of what to expect, how this year will be different and how he is dealing with the expectations.

ACC Network focus of Day 1 of ACC Media Days

During his state of the conference press conference John Swofford spent much of his time on the ACC Network. The few big takeaways were that the conference is going to put ACC Matchups on the Network right away in 2019. The opening weekend ACC game is rumored to be BC-Virginia Tech. I don't know if we should be honored or worried about being first.

Swofford also shared how far behind financially the ACC revenues are compared to the SEC and Big Ten. The Network should shrink that gap a bit.

Carriage is the final and most important issue. Who cares about the ACC Network if no one can see it. Swofford claims ESPN is going to leverage its other assets to force the cable and satellite providers' hands. ESPN seems pretty protective and fearful of cord cutting, so I don't know how much hardball they will play. I am hoping that if the major carriers don't open up the season with the network, that fans will have other access points.

Thoughts on Connelly's BC preview

SB Nation's Bill Connelly posted his annual, thorough and statistically based BC preview. It is well worth the read and he is pretty optimistic about BC's future. However, he doesn't see BC breaking through its seven-win ceiling this year. I agree with most of what Connelly writes with the exception of these few things.

His optimism about the Offense
I don't think the midseason explosion we saw in the offense last year was an aberration, but I also don't think it will be the new norm. If you look at what Addazio and Loeffler have accomplished together and apart, they are rarely producing elite, efficient offenses. There are a few spikes, but more often than not (including last year) they are in the lower third of college offenses. I think we be better with Dillon and an healthy line. I do expect more from Brown. Yet I don't think we will ever be a Top 30 offense. Talent can change things, but Addazio (and Loeffler's) track record says that the way they prepare, teach and manage has a clear ceiling.

His worries about depth
Connelly mentions a few times that if BC "stays healthy..." with an emphasis on the D. I am not worried about our depth. To his credit Addazio has upgraded the talent level and seemingly every replacement the past two years has been nearly as good as the guy who was starting. Avoiding injuries is important but I can't see any player changing the course of the season. We lost Landry for most of last year and still played well on that side of the ball.

His view of the schedule
He worries that BC could start out hot and play well but would still suffer due to the difficulty of the final stretch of the schedule. I don't share his fear. Only Clemson has established a consistency that makes their game a longshot. All the other teams have been beaten recently (Louisville, FSU) or have some significant new challenges (new coach, new coordinator, new QB). They are plenty of winnable games in the second portion of the schedule.

We are getting closer

Lots of sites and blogs have countdowns to the season. Today's from IMG was pretty good.

#CountdownToKickoff: 4️⃣7️⃣

“TOUCHDOWN BOSTON COLLEGE!HE DID IT! HE DID IT! FLUTIE DID IT!”@DougFlutie’s iconic Hail Mary TD pass in 1984 lifted @BCFootball over Miami 4️⃣7️⃣-45 👊💥

🔊 Credit - Kelley Communications #WeAreBC🦅 #HailFlutie pic.twitter.com/DVjjMZJgIj

— IMG Audio (@IMGAudio) July 16, 2018

Sean Marshall back trying to win for Frates

If you have followed Sean Marshall's summer ball experiences the past two years, you know he puts teams together to honor his friend Pete Frates and raise money for ALS. He's back again this summer to honor Frates, more ALS patients and to win it all. The update is above. Good luck to his team!

A few construction updates

This week BC released an update on all their construction projects -- sports and non-sports. The important dates for Football remain July 27 and August 3. On the 27, the school will file its Certificate of Occupancy. On August 3, official Football practices begin inside.

Dillon keeps talking up his teammates

AJ Dillon is clearly a fun guy to watch. Based on all the quotes he's been giving the past twelve months, I think he is probably a fun guy to play with. Dillon is often talking up his team in the media, encouraging them on Social Media and giving shoutouts to teammates and recruits on Twitter. When done well, that sort of leadership builds camaraderie and confidence. Look what he had to say to ESPN about his expectations for the season.

"I'm most excited to open up some eyes around the nation. I feel like we've got a lot of great pieces on this team, offensively and defensively, and I feel like we're going to shock a lot of people this year, so I'm excited for that. We've got a bunch of great senior leadership, and we've got guys who are really invested and working hard. The focus is indescribable. Everyone is dialed in right now, everyone is trying to get the most of each other. Walking around you have this positive vibe about this team and what we're going to bring to the table and you know everybody's working really hard. I've never been a part of anything like this before."

Let's hope Dillon's beliefs are shared by everyone on the team.

Report: FSU thinking of adding Lacrosse

A college lacrosse blog used a Freedom of Information request to look into rumors of Florida State starting a DI college lacrosse program. While most of the official channels within the university focused on a Women's Team, there has been talk by their administration the past few years about including Lax in their master plan. Aside from the growing popularity of the sport, their rival's (University of Florida) expansion into lacrosse seems to be driving some of the interest at FSU.

What does this have to do with BC? While we can't do FOA requests to a private school, I imagine the topic has been discussed in official channels lately. We know all of BC's recent Athletic Directors have gotten the question from the Alumni base. Jarmond has repeated the same old narratives about the challenges of bringing back the Men's team. If other ACC team's expand, it will only make those excuses more hollow.

Who is going to breakout this season?

If this year is going to be special a few players are going to have to make the leap. The ACC Network predicts that White, Robinson and Lamont will have big, critical seasons for BC. See the video below. 

Bowman getting media push

It didn't take long for the media to turn their attention from the new Clipper Jerome Robinson, to returning BC Eagle Ky Bowman. The Herald is just the latest to feature him, but he's been in the Globe and in a bunch of College Hoops previews. Most have glowing quotes from Christian. Bowman deserves the attention, but this sort of push doesn't come without BC's help. 

I like that they are pushing him. Perhaps it was part of a promise that if he returned, he would be one of the most well known -- and respected players -- in the ACC. I hope it also is a signal of a big season and that Christian and BC think this team can exceed expectations.

BC not the only college battling ridiculous locals

Lasell College -- a small liberal arts school in Newton -- wants to put up four light towers on their small athletic fields. The lights are within Newton's current zoning laws. But in an all to familiar story, they have been battling neighbors for two years in court about the lights.

I understand that people can fight for protection of their neighborhood and property. But it certainly feels like everyone in the town of Newton calls their lawyer at the mention of any local college wanting to cut a blade of grass. The list of hoops that BC has jumped through over the years is endless. I feel for Lasell as four light towers doesn't seem like much of an intrusion. And like many of the residents who complain about BC, I ask "did they not see the college when they bought their homes?"

In writing this up, I looked at satellite images of Newton North and Newton South high schools to see if their fields had light towers. Based on the images it appears they don't, so at least the locals aren't using a double standard for the colleges. But that still doesn't make any of this reasonable.

Lasell seems to be winning small victories in court. I hope it continues. It would only mean good things for BC.

BC announces ACC Media Days selections

Zach Allen and Tommy Sweeney will represent BC at the ACC Media Days in July in Charlotte. There are no mandates for who goes, but traditionally a school selects a senior from each side of the ball. They also tend to pick guys who represent the school well and can handle themselves in interviews. It is also an expectations setter because they also expect these guys to have big seasons.

Allen is getting a lot of attention. On the Offensive side of the ball, Dillon has been getting most of the focus. However, if other teams sell out to stop the run, Sweeney can have a big year. Best of luck to both guys.

Phil Steele high on Will Harris

Phil Steele's All America team is a bit different from the others. While Allen (Second Team) and Dillon (Third Team) were predictable, I didn't expect Will Harris to get first team honors. To Steele's credit, he watches a lot of tape and obviously thinks highly of Harris. Steele also talks to multiple coaches on a staff, so someone is talking up Will Harris to him. I hope it is a good sign.

Happy Fourth of July

God bless America...and Boston College.

Another BC preview

I am always interested when unbiased college football folks do deep dives on BC. While they might not know as much, they also aren't as emotionally involved so there may be less pessimism (or optimism) in the preview. This video is long, but it does go game-by-game...and has the predictable 7-5 victory total. It does call for an upset of Miami and a huge season for Dillon too. 

Denis makes Sporting News 1st All America list

BC's most recognized DB picked up another honor as the Sporting News named him to its preseason All America list. The preseason lists are very important because there is momentum and awareness to these awards. The voters don't watch every game. So for positions like DBs, where they are only paying attention to the biggest names, the remainder of the ballot is often filled with guys who were on the preseason list (assuming they had a statistically strong season).

Denis' big stats are at risk given the turnover in the secondary. He will be getting tougher assignments and probably won't have as many INT opportunities. However, with all the hype, if he has a good season, he will be swimming in national accolades.

Media taking notice of BC's class

This article breaksdown the latest recruits and BC's ranking among other programs. 

This Rivals' article focusing on many teams but highlights BC in the middle. It also points out our success in the Midwest. Traditionally the Midwest has been a key point for BC, but usually in certain pockets (like Cincy). With this class, we seem to be covering the region as a whole.

Here is Garwo talking about coming to BC and how the current running backs were influential in his decision.

Herren Jr talks BC

A new look at over and under achieving coaches

When I wasn't tweeting out banal political tweets the other day, I retweeted this article from Football Study Hall on over and underachieving college football coaches. You can read the full article, but the gist is that over a period of time, some coaches continue to outperform the stats related to winning and losing. From Bill Connelly:

You can potentially distill coaching into two things: building a team that produces great stats and figuring out how to maneuver in tight games when neither team has a statistical advantage. The former matters above all (Nick Saban and Steve Kragthorpe, after all, are nearly even on this list ... and on no other list in existence), but if nothing else, this list might help us to understand which teams/coaches are good or bad at the latter.

I am interpreting Connelly's maneuvering quote as "game management." His list goes starts at 2005 and captures coaches with four or more years as a head coach. Of note:

-- TOB: Diff/Wins per year = 0.66; Percentile among coaches = 93.8%
-- Spaz: Diff/Wins per year = -0.01; Percentile among coaches = 52.8%
-- Addazio: Diff/Wins per year = -0.41; Percentile among coaches = 20.6%

A few notes of clarification. Since they started tracking in 2005, most of TOB's data is from NC State. (I can't speak to how he managed games there.) It also includes Addazio's time at Temple. It also doesn't factor in the huge issue of talent and recruiting. By this simple measurement Spaz is a better coach than Addazio, however, Spaz's mismanagement of multiple aspects of the program left him winning fewer games each year. I also don't think TOB is some sort of Bill Walsh genius who was never appreciated. I think he was ultra conservative and rarely beat himself, but also never took risks when he had to (at least at BC).

Does this mean Addazio can't improve or can't win big? No. Talent overwhelms at a certain point (see Nick Saban). But I do think it validates us when we are scratching our heads at some of Addazio's decisions. I also worry about Addazio's sounding boards in-game. Who will replace Pasqualoni as the voice in his ear about adjustments and decisions? (It should be noted that Pasqualoni's numbers are close to Addazio's.) I just hope the coach is doing something to adapt, so this factor starts breaking BC's way.

More CFN preview stuff

College Football News released more of their preview features. They consider BC the 5th best team in the Atlantic Division and the 9th best team in the ACC.

There is plenty of good news, like they pick Dillon to be the Offensive Player of the Year. Also, Sweeney, Lindstrom, Allen, Walker and Dennis made first team All ACC.

And here are the opponent previews, I have yet to highlight:
-- Clemson
-- Virginia Tech

Big day for Addazio recruiting

Addazio had a good day on the recruiting front. First came a commitment from long-rumored RB Patrick Garwo. The Pennsylvania product had offers from multiple Power 5 schools. Rivals gives him 4 stars. 247 gives him 3 stars. He's not Andre Williams/AJ Dillon big, but he's also not a little third down type back. Hopefully he can be featured and use his explosiveness.

Later in the day, news broke that Ohio LB Tommy Eichenberg verbaled to BC. He continues the long BC-St. Ignatius connection and picked BC over offers from Duke, Iowa, Michigan State and Purdue. His older brother is an Offensive Lineman at Notre Dame. Rivals gives him 4 stars. 247 gives him 3 stars. He's big already at 6'3 225 so I wouldn't be surprised if he develops into a DE/LB hybrid.

This is sort of news is all upside for BC. We are recruiting the same type of player who has always succeeded here (Catholic school products from Ohio and PA with respectable offers, but not going head-to-head with the biggest names). Yet both carry high ratings with the recruiting service. If this continues, BC will end up with a prototype group of BC guys who just happen to be rated very high. It is shaping up to the be most respected BC recruiting class in a decade.

First look at BC ticket commercial

BC posted their tickets commercial. It is fine and general enough. It's interesting that they mention Dillon (via Meter's play-by-play) but don't call out anyone else. They are not selling Addazio as a focal point nor the schedule. In the long run, it is probably best to sell the game day experience and build up a base of people who are there for a BC game and not one player or coach.

CORRECTED: Basketball finds elite guard

[EDITED: Heath is a 2019 recruit. My mistake. He won't be part of this team. Still a solid get.]

For a long time it looked like BC would use its open scholarship on a transfer. Instead they found one of the remaining, uncommitted elite recruits in Jay Heath. He committed Tuesday. Heath is from the D.C area, so given our recruiting staff, it was a natural fit and find. Spinelli has been listed as his primary recruiter. He also had offers from Georgetown and Kansas State.

I am always a bit skeptical with summer recruits for basketball. Other than Jared Dudley, I can't remember a late flier working out. This feels a bit different. Without Robinson, this roster became attractive to a certain type of player. Heath believes he can plug in with our returning and new talent and excel. Let's hope he is right. Welcome aboard.

Herren Jr already at BC

We knew that Chris Herren Jr was interested in BC, but his decision to enroll now as a preferred walk-on came together relatively quickly. Aside from not getting a scholarship, there is little downside for Herren. Maybe he thinks he can get some of Robinson's shots and minutes. And if he breaks into the regular rotation, I am sure he will get a scholarship.

The issue with Herren Jr was never really about basketball. His family and his father's legacy at BC is complicated...to say the least. His uncle Mike had a short, troubled career at BC. Chris Sr allegedly committed to BC in part to fulfill his brother's potential. We know how that ended. I hope Chris Jr is coming to BC without any burden.

These things are always complicated (look at the expectations of the second generation of Fluties). I hope Chris Jr has a great career and establishes himself as more than a walk-on and more than just his father's kid.

Another Florida verbal

Saturday, Florida athlete Romain Mungin committed to BC. He's a 3 star without a designated position. With his size 5'9, 148 lbs, you have to assume BC is considering him for a WR or DB slot. He has offers from Rutgers, Indiana and a bunch of mid-majors. He also plays at Florida power Plant High School, so despite his size, the staff probably has a good feel for how he will compete at the next level.

How many offers does BC need to fill a class?

If you follow social media, you see how often BC offers football scholarships to players. But no one has counted those until now. As of June 22, the Rivals' database has BC offering up 257 scholarships to members of the Class of 2019. For perspective that is 16th most of the Power 5. From those 257 offers, BC will lock in a class in the low 20s.

The 257 number will also grow. If you follow Addazio's recruiting, things tend to come in waves. It looks like they makes offers, see who accepts and move on from those who don't show real interest. Once a player locks in, the staff makes another wave of offers to fill other slots as needed.

There are some schools that are much more selective. But I have no problem with Addazio's approach. As long as he is improving the talent and getting good players, who cares that he has to send out dozens for every one real prospect?

Robinson becomes first BC lottery pick

With the 13th pick in the NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Clippers selected Jerome Robinson. Surprisingly this is the first time a BC player has been selected that high in the Lottery era. Congrats to Jerome. Clearly the decision to leave early was correct and paid off for him. He will get a significant guaranteed contract.

Robinson also carried himself well in the post Draft interviews and represented BC well. Jim Christian was in Brooklyn for the Draft and received a hug as Robinson worked his way towards the stage. Hopefully the staff is already leveraging Robinson's success and development as a recruiting tool.

I wish Robinson had been selected by a better team with a more clear path ahead. I don't know if Doc Rivers is the right guy to develop Robinson at the next level. One thing to like about the Clippers is that supposedly Clippers' Adviser Jerry West loves Robinson. That sort of endorsement should lead to organizational support for his development.

Good luck to Jerome. I don't care about the Clippers, but will be rooting for him.

Robinson will be in the Green Room

The best sign of Jerome Robinson's future might be that he was invited in the the NBA Draft Green Room. Multiple news outlets have confirmed he accepted the invite and will be in attendance. The list is basically sure things. The NBA is not looking to embarrass anyone. If they have him backstage, he will get drafted in the first round. The only question going into the Draft now is where and how high.

All Americans and other links

Athlon put five players on the preseason All America teams. Dillon had the highest honors with second team status. But it is a good showing and speaks to BC's depth. 

Isaac Yiadom is adjusting well in Denver.

Here is Jerome Robinson talking evaluating himself as he gets ready for the next level.

The latest Basketball transfer news

Goodman and others are reporting that grad transfer Ehab Amin (Texas A&M Corpus Christi) is visiting BC this week. He is another wing player and also looking at Oregon.

I don't know anything about Amin (other than his stats). It looks like Christian is out trying to find the best talent he can with the last spots, as opposed to finding a certain type of player (point, wing, big, etc). I was hoping for some size but maybe we can replicate some of what left with another wing. Amin seems to be a solid defensive player.

I don't know who is feeding the media, but many of the targets are becoming public, so we will probably have news soon.

No one looks at Addazio the same way

I don't think Addazio is a great coach. I also don't think he is a bad one. He's mediocre. 7-6 seems to be his perfect record. But I can be myopic about BC stuff. I am too deep into it. Too emotional. Maybe I don't know...or appreciate what we have. I try to step back and I do think I am being fair, because if you read enough preview stuff, people think Addazio is an overachiever or an underachiever.

Athlon ranked him as the worst coach in the ACC. They hedge a bit and say he would be higher in other conferences and might have a strong year. But 14th is 14th.

Phil Steele on the other hand likes Addazio, thinks we will be a surprise team and a potential Top 20 team.

I do think it is good that many are saying "this is the year." It might mean we finally see if Addazio is anything more than a 7-6 coach.

More Robinson videos

Here is another Draft-related video from the ACC Network.

Good buzz on Robinson

According to Adam Himmelsback, Jerome Robinson is a hot name heading into the NBA Draft. Once considered a second rounder, some teams supposedly want him as early as the teens. That's obviously good for Jerome as the higher he is taken the more guaranteed money he will get. The key for long-term success though is getting on the right team. Robinson's offensive game is pretty versatile. As long as his D is solid, he should get plenty of playing time next year.

An OLine fact you will hear a lot in the coming weeks

Did you know BC enters the season with the second most combined starts of returning Offensive Lineman? (Wisconsin is first.) I mention this because I am reading it in preview after preview. It is also encouraging for a team that is going to focus on its ground game.

Considering Addazio's reputation as an OLine guru, one of the most disappointing aspects of the disastrous 2015 season was the Oline play. I was surprised and frustrated that Addazio didn't have his thin and young crew playing better. They improved in 2016 but were still not great. The start of 2017 was more of the same, but then -- about four games in -- they really started to click. Dillon gets a lot of the credit for the spark last year, but it really started up front.

Now -- with that much more experience -- and more weapons on offense and a punishing runner behind them, this should be one of the best OLines in the country.

New NCAA rules and how it impacts BC

The NCAA announced two major new rules Wednesday. Both will uniquely impact BC.

The rule that is getting the most attention is the open transfer rule. This prevents coaches from "blocking" a transfer to a rival or future opponent. This one only partially benefits BC. The ACC is still allowed to have its own rules and has not lifted the intra-conference restrictions. Meaning BC kids can't easily transfer to other ACC schools and BC cannot easily pick up an ACC transfer.

The second new rule allows for a player to take the field during his/her redshirt season. In football, this partial playing could be as many as four games. For a program that wants to develop players, this is a great thing for BC. Now a guy can redshirt but still get critical on the field development.

Flutie talks up Dillion

I know he does the Notre Dame games on NBC. I know he has to be impartial. But clearly Doug Flutie loves BC and still follows the team closely. Look at his reaction to an AJ Dillon question. It's general, unadulterated gushing. Let's hope things fall into place like Doug says.

1984 @HeismanTrophy Winner @DougFlutie is in his 14th year as an @EasternBank "Partner for Good," He shared his thoughts on the Heisman chances of @BCFootball's @ajdillon7 - "He's a stud." pic.twitter.com/Z1V0au9xGz

— Tom Leyden (@TomLeyden) June 13, 2018

ACC rules make Bey signing unlikely

Short summary on basketball player Saddiq Bey. Top rated basketball recruit signs with NC State. NC State also picks up an elite transfer so they push out Bey and release him from his Letter of Intent. Bey looks at new schools including BC and Wake. The ACC says if he goes to either of those schools he will have to sit out two seasons.This is not an NCAA rule. It is an ACC rule. Bey has wisely moved his focus onto non-ACC schools like Villanova.

There was a small window where it seemed like Bey might join BC, but now I can't see it happening. Why would he make such sacrifices?

BC still has an open scholarship. Look for more targets to emerge soon.

Valecce throwing and other links

Here is video of future Eagle Matt Valecce throwing.

Timing • Anticipation • Accuracy 🎯@mvalech4 #BostonCollege#MADQB #QBVILLAGE pic.twitter.com/8aVfRelSjy

— Madei Williams 🔌 (@Mad_Qb) June 11, 2018

Jerome Robinson is working out for the Atlanta Hawks. (Another Eagle in Atlanta.)
Here is BC's article on the various former Eagles who have gone on to win the Stanley Cup.

More opponent previews

Here is a new batch of opponent previews from College Football News.

-- Florida State
-- Miami
-- Syracuse

Video of BC's new commit Izaiah Henderson

Want to get excited more excited about BC's recruiting class? Watch this clip of new verbal Izaiah Henderson. I know...it is edited...blah, blah, blah...look at the competition...yada, yada. Who cares? He moves well and looks like he could get bigger. It is June. I am a sucker for football highlights. Especially from a future Eagle.

Addazio continues recruiting hot streak

Right now 247 ranks BC the 4th best recruiting class in the ACC. This due in large part to another successful week in the crazy world of college football recruiting. The big gets this week were NJ Dline prospect Izaiah Henderson and NJ Oline prospect Blerim Rustemi. While BC's ranking among the ACC schools might fall once other classes pick up more kids, Addazio's early edge and the surprising depth and quality of this class is a great sign. Nearly all the current verbals have Power 5 offers other than BC. Nearly all are guys who camped. Many are from territories we consider important (like New Jersey).

The best part of this class looking good, is that they are buying in when there could be doubts. Addazio has yet to break through his 7-6 ceiling. He's had staff changes (that other schools use against him). Yet for good players to continue to commit, it is clear that there is momentum. I know the Practice Facility is part of that, but as important are the current players. Fans often ignore how much current players influence recruiting. Recruits buy in if they think the current players believe and buy in. That was an obvious challenge to some previous BC coaches. Their rosters didn't buy in and it spooked plenty of good prospects. Addazio may not be beloved. He has plenty of issues, but clearly the current roster thinks good things are happening.

It will be interesting to see how this recruiting class progresses. Addazio likes to lock it down before the season. If BC keeps momentum going, this already good class could become the best in more than a decade.

BC staff pushing practice facility via social media

For the longest time, the Football staff said they needed an indoor practice facility to compete. There was plenty of hoopla when the announcement came and more during the ground breaking. Addazio said it immediately helped recruiting.

Now as the project nears completion, the staff continues to talk it up on Social Media. Look at this video below from Coach Brian White of Coach Frank Leonard talking about it. I expect more to follow as all the summer recruits and campers will probably be getting hard hat tours.

#BCEagles #NewIndoorFacility #stateoftheArt. #BestintheCountry Will be done soon! pic.twitter.com/v4NG1nU9kq

— Coach Brian White (@coachBwhiteBC) June 5, 2018

Hawkins officially gone

The long speculated is finally official -- Deontae Hawkins will not return to BC for a sixth year of college basketball. He signed with an agent this week, making him ineligible. Both sides pursued a sixth year as soon as it became clear he would not return from injury, but it was not to be. As we've learned from football, the system is not friendly to the sixth year and a player really needs to show a truly unique medical issue.

Hawkins' short BC career will remain a great what if. I think he might have been the difference between an NIT and an NCAA selection, but he was still not enough to make BC elite.

BC has been actively looking to use their last open scholarship on an impact player. Let's hope whoever gets it has better luck than Hawkins. Good luck to Deontae on his professional career.

A look at win totals predictions

We know that Vegas is not real excited about BC's upcoming season. The over/under on wins is 5.5 at most sports books. Vegas Insider has all the ACC team's listed, so you can see how BC compares.

Boston College -- 5.5
Clemson -- 11
Duke -- 6.5
Florida State -- 7.5
Georgia Tech -- 5.5
Louisville -- 7
Miami -- 10
North Carolina -- 5
North Carolina State -- 7
Pitt -- 5.5
Syracuse -- 6
Virginia -- 5
Virginia Tech -- 8.5
Wake Forest -- 6

Basically this predicts a last place finish in the division and a losing record. I guess I am more optimistic than they are. Some might think the schedule is tough, but I see it as a typical BC schedule (so manageable). Let's hope they are wrong.

Big weekend for recruiting offers

While most think of this weekend as Reunion time at BC, Addazio and his crew were using it for recruiting. They held a camp and plenty of kids walked away with offers. Including:

This New Jersey lineman.

Blessed to Receive a Offer from Boston College! #DecideToFly🦅 pic.twitter.com/UJecSUhwmn

— Jermaine 🐗‼️ (@jdonaldsson) June 3, 2018

This NJ DLine prospect got an offer too.

Extremely blessed to receive an offer from Boston College!! #WeAreBC 🦅 pic.twitter.com/Y7GgkZHxCC

— Blerim Rustemi (@brustemi58) June 3, 2018

Another went to this Georgia DB.

Blessed to Receive an Offer from Boston College🙏🏾 @elitefootballac @CFravel247 pic.twitter.com/NadChFqSV7

— Jamal Hill 🐍 (@rocket3power) June 1, 2018

ICYMI, Apuzzo wins Tewaaraton

While it doesn't take away the pain of losing the National Championship game, BC should be very proud of Sam Apuzzo's accomplishments. Last week, the Junior won the Tewaaraton Award. It is one of the most prestigious awards in College Lacrosse. She is the first BC player to win the honor.

Some times and scheduling stuff

A short little collection of important times and dates for Football and Basketball...

We now know the start time for the Purdue Football game this fall. It will be noon on one of the ESPN family of networks. It seems like we play less often at noon than we used to. This game is going to be a must win.

BC Basketball will play Minnesota as part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The game will be at Conte. BC also added a road game at Texas A&M to the schedule.