That hurt

When it became clear that Williams wasn't going to get the stats for the Heisman, his offensive teammates rallied and played a heck of a game. Unfortunately the defensive effort wasn't as good. It has been a great regular season. I guess that's why losing sucks. The fight the guys showed was proof that the team culture has changed. I hope Andre is ok.

I will have second viewing thoughts and grades up late Sunday

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

Game Watches: Syracuse

This could be an important day for BC and Andre Williams. Don't you want to watch it fellow BC fans? Local Game Watches are listed below. If your chapter's Watch is not list, put it in the comments section.

Boston Game Watch
Joshua Tree
1316 Commonwealth Avenue
Allston

Chicago Game Watch
Nic and Dino's Tripoli Tap
1147 W Armitage (Armitage Brown/Purple Line L)
Chicago

Dallas Game Watch
Christie's Sports Bar
2811 McKinney Ave Suite 22
Dallas, Texas

Houston Game Watch
J. Blacks Feel Good Kitchen & Lounge
110 S. Heights Blvd.
Houston

Jersey Shore Game Watch
Molly Maguire’s
132 E. River Road
Rumson, N.J.

Las Vegas Game Watch
Firkin on Paradise
4503 Paradise Road
Las Vegas

New York Game Watch
Joshua Tree
513 3rd Avenue (between 34th and 35th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Philadelphia Game Watch
Fox and Hound - Center City
1501 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, Penn.

Phoenix Game Watch
Gallagher’s Sports Grill
7575 N. 16th Street
Phoenix, Ariz.

San Diego Game Watch
The Beer Co.
602 Broadway
San Diego, Calif.

San Francisco Game Watch
Shanghai Kelly’s
2064 Polk St (between Pacific Ave & Broadway St)
San Francisco, Calif.

Washington, D.C. Game Watch
Irish Whiskey Public House
1207 19th Street Northwest
Washington, D.C.

Support the BC Hockey Toy Drive Friday Night

The BC Hockey team is hosting its annual Toy Drive this Friday. You can bring the toys to the Holy Cross game. If you cannot make it, the team will also be collecting toys before the UNH game December 6. All toys should be new and unwrapped. The Drive benefits patients at Boston Children's Hospital.

BC-Syracuse preview

We are riding an incredible wave of emotion and positive press. Yet it can all come crashing down with a loss. BC is also in an unusual position of needing to win and needing Andre to get his stats. I hate being dependent on winning a certain way or style points, but in this case it is worth it. Syracuse might be good agaist the run, but I still feel really confident about the game and Williams' Heisman campaign.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
When dealing with the media, you can only set up so many storylines. If a Sports Information Department throws too much at them, a school risks it all being dismissed or unused. The school's efforts have obviously -- and rightfully -- been behind Williams. I hope that the broadcast team also shares Frank Chamberlin's story. The highlight of his career was in the Carrier Dome and he deserves at least a mention this weekend.

Three Simple Keys
1. Getting an early lead. How many times can BC spark a comeback on the ground in the 4th quarter? If we want to win and get Andre his numbers, we need to get up early and establish tempo.
2. Convert on third down. I don't mind running on third down, but to do so we need to be in third and short situations. Either way, BC needs to convert more and keep Syracuse off the field.
3. Don't forget about Willis. Other teams may view him as change of pace, but he is still a very good weapon. Get him touches. Pass to him. It will help Andre indirectly.

Gambling Notes
-- Syracuse is 2-2 in ACC home games
-- BC is 2-3 on the road
-- Syracuse leads the all time series 18-28
The current line is BC-2.5

Factoid
BC has not won two straight at Syracuse since 1969-1971.

Scoreboard Watching
If someone wants to vote for Winston, it doesn't really matter what Andre does. However, McCarron voters might look for a new candidate if Alabama loses. We really need a Auburn win. It wouldn't hurt to see Arizona lose, Texas A&M lose and Ohio State lose.

I hope to see...
The Special Teams not make any mistakes. We've been lucky that the recent spike in Special Teams goofs have not cost us. We need the unit to be clean on Saturday.

BC is in trouble if...
If we can't get offense through the air. Williams is the focus, but he can only do so much. We still need some semblence of a passing game. It helps open things up for the run game and is critical in the redzone.

Bottom Line
We've had good seasons end on a low point with Syracuse before. It is not going to happen this year! Syracuse will load up to stop Williams. It will feel like a slugfest for a half. In the second half BC and Andre breakaway. We win again and Andre earns an invite to New York.
Final Score: BC 27, Syracuse 14

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.

BC needs OT to beat Sacred Heart

I only watched part of the game.  The rest I followed via my phone. Two weeks ago I might have thrown the phone out the window.  Now I just shrug as they let Sacred Heart control most of the action. It was only in the last ten minutes that they tied it. Finally in OT they made some shots, played D, and won.

I don't know what is wrong. People who saw them at MSG said they have not checked out. There is still optimism about Clifford. Yet they keep playing lifeless, directionless basketball. It won't matter if Clifford comes back if they lose to the few cupcakes on the schedule! This team played with a purpose in OT. Where was that defense earlier?

Since this is a time for thanks, I'm thankful they got the win. Now I just hope they don't sleepwalk through the Purdue game next week.

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.

In-game comments post: Maryland

We've got six wins, but why stop now? With a strong finish, BC could blow the doors off of most preseason expectations. Maryland will obviously focus on Williams. Can he run them over? Can our D stop Brown? It should be fun. Leave your thoughts and comments below.

You can also follow me on Twitter.

That's more like it

BC beat Washington exactly how we were supposed to win all our games: 3s, offensive efficiency and descent D. The Huskies are not good but that was BC's best game of this young season. Now the team has to keep it up.

The biggest difference was Rahon. He nailed his 3s and was much more controlled defensively. Magarity also looked better. Of course there were other rotation questions: why didn't Heckmann get more time or Owens?

The team now has to go on a mini run to get back on track. There next game is Tuesday.

Tweets of the Week

Edsall calls BC RB Andre Williams an "All-American and Heisman candidate."

— ESPN ACC (@ESPN_ACC) November 20, 2013

@edsbs Crazy thought: UF may have been better off hiring Addazio as HC. Maybe should now. So long as he's not calling plays, he's been great

— Smart Football (@smartfootball) November 9, 2013

Huge win for Bill Coen and @GoNUmbasketball. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Congrats!

— Richard Kelley (@kelleyri) November 21, 2013

All Steve Donahue haters are going to go bezerk that a recruit that they didn't want is now decommitting.

— Mike Gib (@HoyaEagle) November 20, 2013

Someone call @UnderArmour for a check: The Univ of Maryland loses appeal of $52 million ACC exit penalty. http://t.co/yoNehX42LY

— Warren K. Zola (@WarrenKZola) November 19, 2013

Wish Boston media members talked Luke Kuechly in college as much as they are now. This just in: he was really good back then, too #wearebc

— Mike DiMauro (@BCgenius) November 19, 2013

Mike Jarvis, head coach of #FAU and a Cambridge native on @BCHoopNews: “I don’t care who they play, [Conte Forum] should be full.” #BCHoops

— Gethin Coolbaugh (@GethinCoolbaugh) November 18, 2013

"There's been a culture change. I can't say enough about guys like Coach Addazio, Coach Gallup, Coach Day, Brown…" - Rettig

— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) November 16, 2013

Game Watches and D.C. Club information

The Boston College Club of Washington, D.C. chartered a bus and is hosting a tailgate. If you are in the area for the game, check out their site for more details on how you can join their activities. For those around the country, be sure to enjoy the game with your fellow BC fans.


Boston Game Watch
Joshua Tree
1316 Commonwealth Avenue
Allston

Chicago Game Watch
Nic and Dino's Tripoli Tap
1147 W Armitage (Armitage Brown/Purple Line L)
Chicago

Dallas Game Watch
Christie's Sports Bar
2811 McKinney Ave Suite 22
Dallas, Texas

Houston Game Watch
J. Blacks Feel Good Kitchen & Lounge
110 S. Heights Blvd.
Houston

Las Vegas Game Watch
Firkin on Paradise
4503 Paradise Road
Las Vegas

Los Angeles Game Watch
SmithHouse Tap and Grill
10351 Santa Monica Blvd.
Century City

New York Game Watch
Joshua Tree
513 3rd Avenue (between 34th and 35th Street)
New York, N.Y.

Philadelphia Game Watch
Fox and Hound - Center City
1501 Spruce Street
Philadelphia, Penn.

Phoenix Game Watch
Gallagher’s Sports Grill
7575 N. 16th Street
Phoenix, Ariz.

San Diego Game Watch
The Beer Co.
602 Broadway
San Diego, Calif.

San Francisco Game Watch
Shanghai Kelly’s
2064 Polk St (between Pacific Ave & Broadway St)
San Francisco, Calif.

Close game with UConn doesn't hide the problems

BC kept it close with UConn and had a chance to win it late, but couldn't get a 3-pointer off. The close loss doesn't have me feeling any better about the team.

Donahue juggled his minutes and lineups all night and it seemed kind of desperate. I think he is trying to find anything or anyone that sticks. But regardless of who was out there the same issues reoccurred. Poor 3-point shooting, a sluggish start from Hanlan, turnovers, terrible defense, and long stretches of stagnant offense.

The offensive malaise is what surprises me the most. These guys have all played a ton together, yet at times it feels like they don't know where to go with the ball. How is it that the late-arriving Swedish freshman seems to be the only one looking for back door cuts? People hated the Flex, but the beauty of it was that once a guy had been in the system a while, he knew when to look for passes. This should be old hat for all of them now. But then how can you expect things to feel that way when a mainstay like Rahon is now riding the bench? Caudill and Rubin were afterthoughts last year. Now both are getting time. I don't even know where their learning curve should be. It is all so frustrating.

Suddenly Friday's consolation game is a must win. If BC hopes to breathe any life into the season, they have to get over .500 in non-conference games. But this team lacks urgency so I don't know what to expect.

BC-Maryland preview

Both teams are coming off emotional wins. Both are now bowl eligible and yet both still have a lot to prove. I don't mind BC playing with a chip on our shoulder. Hopefully it helps. This could also be the next step in the Williams Heisman campaign. But for that to happen, BC needs to win.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
This is our last ACC game against Maryland and I don't care. If the conference weren't stable or if I feared for BC's future, I might be envious. But now I am not losing sleep over the Terps playing in the Big Ten. I would have preferred them to their replacement Louisville, but it is not the same as losing Florida State, Clemson, or even Duke or North Carolina. I might feel differently in ten years if the NCAA blows up, but for now, I don't envy their program. 

Three Simple Keys
1. Force Brown into mistakes. Although he's not as big as Logan Thomas, C.J. Brown reminds me of the VT QB. Both can makes plays (one with his arm, one with legs) that change a game. And both can be careless. If Brown fumbles or throws INTs, we got this.
2. No fumbles from Williams. The only hint that Williams might be getting tired were the three fumbles last week. We got luck on all three. This week, he has to be careful.
3. Win at the line of scrimmage. This is another obvious comment, but that is where the game will turn. Maryland has some talent in their front seven. If our guys cannot create holes, Williams will be contained.

Gambling Notes
-- BC leads the ACC series 2-6
-- Addazio is 1-3 on the road while coaching BC
-- BC is 4-1 in College Park
The game is currently even money.

Factoid
As I've written before, the coaching world is very small. This week's example: current BC staffers Don Brown and Kevin Lempa both coached at Maryland. While Terps Head Coach Randy Edsall was on Coughlin's BC staff and Maryland LB coach Keith Dudzinski was on Don Brown's staff at UMass.

Scoreboard Watching
Suddenly what happens with Florida State and Idaho impacts BC on multiple fronts. For the ACC to get to teams in the BCS, Florida State has to maintain its No. 2 ranking. How Winston reacts to his off the field issues also impacts the Heisman race.  Williams remains a long shot, but if public and media opinion turn on Winston, Williams could benefit.

I hope to see...
A few more Tight End passes. Despite Parsons dropping a few last week, I don't think we've targeted our Tight Ends enough. They are getting open on the play actions and I think there are plays to be had when we use jumbo packages.

BC is in trouble if...
They somehow stop Williams.Maryland is not strong against the run, so I don't think it will be an issue. But that is the way to beat us now. All are eggs are in that basket. Even with 11 in the box, I don't think we would open up the passing game.

Bottom Line
After last week I feel like BC is on a roll. I also feel like the coaches and players know their strengths. I could see us getting down early in this game yet sticking with the run. Not out of stubbornness, but out of belief that eventually Maryland will wear down and Williams will break a big play. This will be a close game for three quarters and BC will take the lead in the end.
Final Score: BC 28, Maryland 20

Farrell decommits and other links

At times it would be nice to if coaches could talk about recruits. If Donahue could talk, maybe he could fully explain what is going on with Matt Farrell. He's the below radar basketball recruit who surprised everyone when he announced he had committed to BC. Even when word got out, there were pretty well sourced rumors that Farrell never had a binding offer from BC. What I heard consistently was that it was a preferred walk-on invitation. I don't know if Farrell spun it to the local media or if they never understood. Regardless, he is no longer committed to BC. Farrell says he'll still give BC a chance. I don't really care. Right now Donahue only has one scholarship for this class. He needs to use it on someone who can make a difference right away. Not a project.

The Maxwell Club named Addazio as a finalist for their Coach of the Year award.

The Basketball team will play in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off next Fall.

The Hartford Courant revisited the UConn-BC basketball rivalry in time for our Thursday game. I love how Jim Calhoun has altered his story on the BC departure. Where is all his bluster about it being a dumb and traitorous?

Maryland -- like every other team we play -- is focused on Andre Williams.

Do you remember Dorien Bryant? If you followed BC recruiting and message boards in the early aughts, you probably recall his recruiting roller coaster. He committed to BC and then had to go to prep school to become eligible. He then recommitted the following recruiting cycle only to spurn BC at the last minute. At the time many felt letting him getaway was a sign that TOB was losing interest in recruiting. Bryant is back in the news now for coming out of the closet. Bryant had relationships while at Purdue but was still uncomfortable coming out while still playing. I wonder if things would have been different at BC.