I tweeted about this earlier in the week, but I still can't believe that Steve Addazio talked up his defense to the media this week and no one really challenged him on the Virginia Tech game. Also he keeps mentioning the team's youth, but as has been pointed out by many (including BCI this week), the team is not young by College Football standards. If he were saying this at an SEC school or a Big Ten power, the media would be combative to his face and the talk radio shows would be killing him.
I am not advocating over the top confrontational media. But tough questions should be asked. Julian Benbow is doing a good job and is much more critical of Addazio's game management than Vega ever was. But he's only one guy. Find me another Power 5 program where the media is so absent and accommodating?
I am sure quality of life is low on the priority list for most big time coaches. They want money and power and the best opportunity to win. But being the coach at BC can be relatively rewarding financially and on the field, without the pressure or scrutiny. Do you think Urban Meyer can go anywhere in public in Columbus and not get bothered? Addazio could walk through Cleveland Circle right now and be left alone. No one is putting moving signs in his front lawn if BC loses a game.
The lack of intensity might manifest itself in smaller crowds or less fundraising, but as he struggles through a rebuilding process, he should be thankful that the pressure he's feeling is not coming from the media or casual fans.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Friday picks
Last week was better but still did nothing for my season record. This week I went heavy on the home teams.
(Picks in bold.)
Stanford+3 at Washington
Texas+3 at Oklahoma State
UCF+3.5 at East Carolina
Virginia+4 at Duke
Ohio-3 at Miami of Ohio
Minnesota+3 at Penn State
Tulane-3 at UMass
Oklahoma-3.5 at TCU
Louisville-3 at Clemson
Oregon-2 at Washington State
Last week I was 5-5. For the season I am 14-24-2.
(Picks in bold.)
Stanford+3 at Washington
Texas+3 at Oklahoma State
UCF+3.5 at East Carolina
Virginia+4 at Duke
Ohio-3 at Miami of Ohio
Minnesota+3 at Penn State
Tulane-3 at UMass
Oklahoma-3.5 at TCU
Louisville-3 at Clemson
Oregon-2 at Washington State
Last week I was 5-5. For the season I am 14-24-2.
Thursday, September 29, 2016
BC-Buffalo preview
Based on his media conference call Monday, Addazio is very confident right now. I don't know if he is trying to send a message to the fans and media or his own team, or if he really believes it. Either way, that confidence should carry over to the game this week. The matchup is not as lopsided as Wagner, but there is little reason to think BC cannot win this game handily.
What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Buffalo has a few Canadians on their roster. That makes sense given their location. BC used to have a consistent Canadian presence on our roster. Not now. That seems like a wasted opportunity. Get on that Addazio! They play more than Hockey up there!
Three Simple Keys
1. Try uptempo and passing first. This is BC's last tune up before playing Clemson. Towles and the passing game has been inconsistent at best. Use this game to try new things and win the game in the air. If Clemson loads the box next week, BC needs to have faith in the passing game.
2. No defensive breakdowns. I still cannot believe we let Wagner score an offensive touchdown. Like the UMass score, it came out of a broken play. Hopefully the defense tightens things up this week.
3. A big game from the Linebackers. They were quiet last week. Let's hope they are active and productive this week.
Gambling Notes
-- Addazio has not won two games in a row since last September
-- Leipold is 0-1 against Power 5 teams
-- BC leads the series 6-2
The current line is BC-17.5
Factoid
BC has played Buffalo eight times. All the games have been at Alumni.
Scoreboard Watching
Louisville-Clemson will probably determine which team wins the Division and hence the whole conference.
I hope to see...
A highly motivated team. They obviously threw in the towel at Virginia Tech and came out flat against Wagner. That doesn't happen to good teams or teams that believe in their coach and themselves.
BC is in trouble if...
They can't get anything going on Offense. They cannot put themselves in a close game.
Overall
I just don't see BC losing this game. Despite my desire for passing, I think they come out running and never stop. Maybe Buffalo gets cheap score, but this game won't be a problem.
Final Score: BC 35, Buffalo 6
What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Buffalo has a few Canadians on their roster. That makes sense given their location. BC used to have a consistent Canadian presence on our roster. Not now. That seems like a wasted opportunity. Get on that Addazio! They play more than Hockey up there!
Three Simple Keys
1. Try uptempo and passing first. This is BC's last tune up before playing Clemson. Towles and the passing game has been inconsistent at best. Use this game to try new things and win the game in the air. If Clemson loads the box next week, BC needs to have faith in the passing game.
2. No defensive breakdowns. I still cannot believe we let Wagner score an offensive touchdown. Like the UMass score, it came out of a broken play. Hopefully the defense tightens things up this week.
3. A big game from the Linebackers. They were quiet last week. Let's hope they are active and productive this week.
Gambling Notes
-- Addazio has not won two games in a row since last September
-- Leipold is 0-1 against Power 5 teams
-- BC leads the series 6-2
The current line is BC-17.5
Factoid
BC has played Buffalo eight times. All the games have been at Alumni.
Scoreboard Watching
Louisville-Clemson will probably determine which team wins the Division and hence the whole conference.
I hope to see...
A highly motivated team. They obviously threw in the towel at Virginia Tech and came out flat against Wagner. That doesn't happen to good teams or teams that believe in their coach and themselves.
BC is in trouble if...
They can't get anything going on Offense. They cannot put themselves in a close game.
Overall
I just don't see BC losing this game. Despite my desire for passing, I think they come out running and never stop. Maybe Buffalo gets cheap score, but this game won't be a problem.
Final Score: BC 35, Buffalo 6
Wednesday, September 28, 2016
I am still not worried about Addazio's recruiting
Michigan has come poaching for two of BC's defensive verbals. One is DE Kwity Paye and the other is DB Brandon Sebastian. Both sound very excited about the Wolverines and both had a prior relationship with former BC and current Michigan Defensive Coordinator Don Brown. It would be unfortunate to lose either, but it is all part of the game. It is no different than Addazio poaching former Temple or Florida guys for BC or Brown bringing over UConn transfers when he came to BC. I am sure Addazio will work hard to keep the guys in the fold and poach other school's verbals to backfill. Recruiting is not really about one or two players. It is a volume business and Addazio has shown good instincts in that regard. If you aim for a big class every year, your hit rate doesn't have to be as high. With or without Paye and Sebastian, I think Addazio will bring in another large group of freshmen and 5th year seniors.
At this point recruiting is not going to be what undoes Addazio. Talent isn't BC's issue (as evidenced by all the close games). How we use the talent and how we develop the talent is. In fact, recruiting might be Addazio's only way to save himself. If he wants to win consistently, he's going to need to up his recruiting so that BC's talent is superior enough to overcome his ultra conservative game management.
It is good that other programs are coming after our kids. It is validation of BC's staff assesments and makes our group work a little harder on the recruiting trail. I am sure they can negatively recruit against Michigan just like Michigan is doing to us ("how long will Harbaugh be there?" or "you know Harbaugh has a history of pulling offers right near Signing Day?"). Our talent will be fine. Now if Addazio can just find the right guys for the Xs & Os.
At this point recruiting is not going to be what undoes Addazio. Talent isn't BC's issue (as evidenced by all the close games). How we use the talent and how we develop the talent is. In fact, recruiting might be Addazio's only way to save himself. If he wants to win consistently, he's going to need to up his recruiting so that BC's talent is superior enough to overcome his ultra conservative game management.
It is good that other programs are coming after our kids. It is validation of BC's staff assesments and makes our group work a little harder on the recruiting trail. I am sure they can negatively recruit against Michigan just like Michigan is doing to us ("how long will Harbaugh be there?" or "you know Harbaugh has a history of pulling offers right near Signing Day?"). Our talent will be fine. Now if Addazio can just find the right guys for the Xs & Os.
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
More college football dominoes: strange Big XII expansion news
Long story short, the Big XII Expansion is a big mess. Oklahoma doesn't want it and that may be enough to kill the whole effort. That's great news for the ACC and BC.
No promotion of UConn and UMass
Our nearest football neighbors, UConn and UMass, are both hoping to improve their football standings. If there is no Big XII expansion, UConn remains a mid-major in football in the American Athletic Conference. UMass wants to join the AAC, but if a UConn or Cincinnati doesn't join the Big XII, there is less likely to be a backfill slot for the Minutemen in the AAC. It is petty of me to want to keep those schools in their respective places, but I do think it helps BC. We already battle elite schools for the best prospects in New England. We don't need added local competition from the two state universities. Remaining the only Power 5 program in the area is one of our slight advantages.
The ACC is okay
As long as the Big XII continues flip flopping and infighting, the ACC looks better. We are less likely to get poached and remain a good landing spot for Texas (due to their shared deal with ESPN). That position means we will get more slots in the playoff and have more bargaining power in the playoff discussion. If the Power 5 ever becomes the Power 4, the ACC is in a good position.
BC has a host of challenges and needs to decide many things related to athletics, but for now it is nice to know that conferences issues are not one of our challenges.
No promotion of UConn and UMass
Our nearest football neighbors, UConn and UMass, are both hoping to improve their football standings. If there is no Big XII expansion, UConn remains a mid-major in football in the American Athletic Conference. UMass wants to join the AAC, but if a UConn or Cincinnati doesn't join the Big XII, there is less likely to be a backfill slot for the Minutemen in the AAC. It is petty of me to want to keep those schools in their respective places, but I do think it helps BC. We already battle elite schools for the best prospects in New England. We don't need added local competition from the two state universities. Remaining the only Power 5 program in the area is one of our slight advantages.
The ACC is okay
As long as the Big XII continues flip flopping and infighting, the ACC looks better. We are less likely to get poached and remain a good landing spot for Texas (due to their shared deal with ESPN). That position means we will get more slots in the playoff and have more bargaining power in the playoff discussion. If the Power 5 ever becomes the Power 4, the ACC is in a good position.
BC has a host of challenges and needs to decide many things related to athletics, but for now it is nice to know that conferences issues are not one of our challenges.
Monday, September 26, 2016
What the Coaching Carousel means for BC
The College Football Coaching Carousel got off to an early start with a National Championship coach biting the dust just four games into the season. But LSU is just the first domino. USC could make a change. Maybe even Notre Dame. I don't think nor -- at this point -- want a change at BC, but what happens elsewhere will impact our team. It will also serve as a reminder of how precious these jobs are and how fluid power is within the ACC.
Coaching Changes among our opponents
Right now it feels like the best BC can finish in its own division is 4th place. FSU, Clemson and Louisville have the talent and coaching that we cannot match. But none of that is permanent. Both Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino are prime targets for LSU. Fisher could also pursue NFL opportunities if he wanted to go to the next level. Two years from now, it is highly unlikely that both will still be coaching in the Atlantic Division. Despite their geographic and institutional advantages, neither program is guaranteed to make a good hire or keep winning at their current pace. (Remember the last time Louisville replaced Petrino?) Dabo Swinney seems well entrenched at Clemson, but don't think that he wouldn't go home to Alabama at his first opportunity. Saban is 64. He's not going to keep this pace forever.
All of that instability is good for BC. Our last great run coincided with a downturn at FSU and an extended mediocre period from Clemson. It can and will happen again. We just have to make sure we have our own house in order.
Even the bottom of our division could turn over. Wake appears to be a surprise team. If they keep it up, Dave Clawson will be up for openings. When he leaves, Wake can go back to being Wake.
Always a buyer's market
Just because BC hasn't hired a great coach in a while doesn't mean that we are not constantly one great hire away. All schools are. These jobs are few and the candidate pool is many. Even with all our challenges, there will be dozens of guys wanting their shot or a second chance at BC. Think of how many coaches who have spurned our interest who would die for the job now (Al Golden?). Dan Henning, Tom O'Brien, Jeff Jagodzinski, Frank Spaziani and Steve Addazio have all taken BC to bowl games. None of those guys are Hall of Fame coaches. There are plenty of college coaches with healthy egos and strong work ethics who will think "if those guys could do it, so can I."
I don't want a change now, because I don't trust BC's current process for finding a new coach, but I don't think we will be a permanent bottom dweller in College Football. No program should be. A head coach just needs to find each program's inherent advantages and build on them.
Finding the right coach is hard. Look how long Michigan struggled until landing Harbaugh. Or Alabama until Saban. Look at Nebraska's slow slide from dominance since Osborne retired.
BC can and will be great again. Probably not under Addazio, but the coaching carousel serves as a great reminder that we will be making changes sooner rather than later.
Coaching Changes among our opponents
Right now it feels like the best BC can finish in its own division is 4th place. FSU, Clemson and Louisville have the talent and coaching that we cannot match. But none of that is permanent. Both Jimbo Fisher and Bobby Petrino are prime targets for LSU. Fisher could also pursue NFL opportunities if he wanted to go to the next level. Two years from now, it is highly unlikely that both will still be coaching in the Atlantic Division. Despite their geographic and institutional advantages, neither program is guaranteed to make a good hire or keep winning at their current pace. (Remember the last time Louisville replaced Petrino?) Dabo Swinney seems well entrenched at Clemson, but don't think that he wouldn't go home to Alabama at his first opportunity. Saban is 64. He's not going to keep this pace forever.
All of that instability is good for BC. Our last great run coincided with a downturn at FSU and an extended mediocre period from Clemson. It can and will happen again. We just have to make sure we have our own house in order.
Even the bottom of our division could turn over. Wake appears to be a surprise team. If they keep it up, Dave Clawson will be up for openings. When he leaves, Wake can go back to being Wake.
Always a buyer's market
Just because BC hasn't hired a great coach in a while doesn't mean that we are not constantly one great hire away. All schools are. These jobs are few and the candidate pool is many. Even with all our challenges, there will be dozens of guys wanting their shot or a second chance at BC. Think of how many coaches who have spurned our interest who would die for the job now (Al Golden?). Dan Henning, Tom O'Brien, Jeff Jagodzinski, Frank Spaziani and Steve Addazio have all taken BC to bowl games. None of those guys are Hall of Fame coaches. There are plenty of college coaches with healthy egos and strong work ethics who will think "if those guys could do it, so can I."
I don't want a change now, because I don't trust BC's current process for finding a new coach, but I don't think we will be a permanent bottom dweller in College Football. No program should be. A head coach just needs to find each program's inherent advantages and build on them.
Finding the right coach is hard. Look how long Michigan struggled until landing Harbaugh. Or Alabama until Saban. Look at Nebraska's slow slide from dominance since Osborne retired.
BC can and will be great again. Probably not under Addazio, but the coaching carousel serves as a great reminder that we will be making changes sooner rather than later.
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Second viewing thoughts and grades: Wagner
I've always handed out grades in these recaps, but now I am trying something different: Pass/Fail. This game sort of felt like one of those pass/fail classes from back in the day. All BC had to do was avoid a major screwup. They did, so they get a Pass. I will still nitpick a bit, but how can you judge the OLine in a game like this? How can you judge the play calling when running base stuff dominated? There was little to learn from any of this. I am just glad no one got hurt.
Offense: PASS
I don't think Towles played all that well (considering the circumstances) and was very surprised by how critical the broadcast crew was of his performance. It was true that he missed wide open guys and many of his passes were not crisp. But even with those problems, I see why he is starting. His deep throws are effortless and he's pretty athletic for a big guy. If we can figure out what works, he can help us win games. Wade looked really good. He made quick, accurate throws. Even though it was only garbage time, I feel better about him as a backup.
Other than Wade, Davon Jones benefited the most from this game. Is there any reason to think he can't do that against a real opponent? Maybe he should be getting more touches. Hilliman had a lot of stats, but I thought he was just okay.
Walker made some tough catches. Smith's TD was nice. We should be stretching the field with him more often.
The OL...there isn't much I can say. No glaring errors or consistent problems. They opened holes and gave Towles time.
As Addazio promised, things were simpler. That was primarily because of the opponent, but maybe it benefited the OLine and the QB.
Defense: PASS
Landry had a big game and was just too fast for any of the guys in front of him. Kavalec was also pretty active early. The DTs weren't as disruptive.
The only problem I had with the Linebackers were on Wagner's only TD. All got sucked in and not one waited for the cutback. Plus no one ran him down. That was disappointing. The rest of the time they weren't really in the action. We didn't blitz with any and they were more patient the few times Wagner ran.
The DBs were fine. They played off and tackled well. Nothing stupid nor anything that you can really complain about.
I give Reid another Pass. Once again the one score was off of a broken play. I don't know how you address that, but I am sure they will. We didn't do anything exotic or bring all that much pressure.
Special Teams: PASS
Rouse looked really good. As in, he might be the best punt returner we've had in a decade. He's looked reliable and he's been aggressive. If this continues, he might be a real weapon.
Knoll's punts were fine.
Other than their one long run, the kick coverage was fine.
Overall: PASS
The one awkward thing that stood out to me was the announcing crew sharing a comment that Addazio wanted to play "fast." What does fast mean to Addazio? We rarely play up tempo. He loves to huddle. The clock has been an issue. I don't know. I would love to see BC play faster, but I don't know if Addazio defines it the same way I do.
BC came out a bit flat. I don't know if it was the opponent or lack of crowd, but it wasn't good. Addazio should have had them fired up. In the end it didn't matter. The team rallied and won. We will see if he can build on this.
Offense: PASS
I don't think Towles played all that well (considering the circumstances) and was very surprised by how critical the broadcast crew was of his performance. It was true that he missed wide open guys and many of his passes were not crisp. But even with those problems, I see why he is starting. His deep throws are effortless and he's pretty athletic for a big guy. If we can figure out what works, he can help us win games. Wade looked really good. He made quick, accurate throws. Even though it was only garbage time, I feel better about him as a backup.
Other than Wade, Davon Jones benefited the most from this game. Is there any reason to think he can't do that against a real opponent? Maybe he should be getting more touches. Hilliman had a lot of stats, but I thought he was just okay.
Walker made some tough catches. Smith's TD was nice. We should be stretching the field with him more often.
The OL...there isn't much I can say. No glaring errors or consistent problems. They opened holes and gave Towles time.
As Addazio promised, things were simpler. That was primarily because of the opponent, but maybe it benefited the OLine and the QB.
Defense: PASS
Landry had a big game and was just too fast for any of the guys in front of him. Kavalec was also pretty active early. The DTs weren't as disruptive.
The only problem I had with the Linebackers were on Wagner's only TD. All got sucked in and not one waited for the cutback. Plus no one ran him down. That was disappointing. The rest of the time they weren't really in the action. We didn't blitz with any and they were more patient the few times Wagner ran.
The DBs were fine. They played off and tackled well. Nothing stupid nor anything that you can really complain about.
I give Reid another Pass. Once again the one score was off of a broken play. I don't know how you address that, but I am sure they will. We didn't do anything exotic or bring all that much pressure.
Special Teams: PASS
Rouse looked really good. As in, he might be the best punt returner we've had in a decade. He's looked reliable and he's been aggressive. If this continues, he might be a real weapon.
Knoll's punts were fine.
Other than their one long run, the kick coverage was fine.
Overall: PASS
The one awkward thing that stood out to me was the announcing crew sharing a comment that Addazio wanted to play "fast." What does fast mean to Addazio? We rarely play up tempo. He loves to huddle. The clock has been an issue. I don't know. I would love to see BC play faster, but I don't know if Addazio defines it the same way I do.
BC came out a bit flat. I don't know if it was the opponent or lack of crowd, but it wasn't good. Addazio should have had them fired up. In the end it didn't matter. The team rallied and won. We will see if he can build on this.
Saturday, September 24, 2016
That was that
It certainly wasn't the most crisp or quality game, but it was a win. Who knows what to make of any of it? The only silver lining was the extended time for the backups.
I will have grades and second viewing thoughts up late Sunday.
I will have grades and second viewing thoughts up late Sunday.
In-game comments post: Wagner
This game shouldn't be interesting. Yet I know that just by thinking (and writing) that way invites all sorts of jinxes. I want to see a dominant performance that starts to erase the problems of last week. We can do this!
Leave your thoughts and comments below.
You can also follow me on Twitter.
Leave your thoughts and comments below.
You can also follow me on Twitter.
Friday, September 23, 2016
End of the Week Rant: I don't care what happens with the National Anthem at Alumni Saturday
I am surprised. I thought the National Anthem protest would be just another short trend in our short attention span culture. However, it seems like each week brings new athletes into the mix. Most of the focus has been on professional athletes, but more college athletes are getting involved. Saturday will be BC's first home football game. Something may happen. Something may not. I don't really care either way.
If a player wants to protest, I am okay with that. If no one does, I don't care (or take it as sign of character of our team). If Addazio weighs in, I wish him the best. But his college coaching peir group hasn't been the most eloquent or intelligent on the subject.
I don't even care what BC fans do during the Anthem. Given how many fans regularly miss the opening kickoff, the Anthem is the least of our worries.
My indifference is not about not caring about our country, my pride in being an American, or my understanding on racial equality. It is more my position on a lot of things that get people fired up on either side. We get so caught up in the hot button issue of the day and showing our solidarity with one side or the other, that we miss the big underlying issues and do little to solve any of them. Solving these issues takes time and answering hard questions. Ranting about the hot button issue of the day is easy. I use ranting about sports as my distraction from the real life. On real issues, I struggle to find a way that I can make a difference beyond kneeling or ranting or tweeting or liking something on Facebook. Regardless of what happens at Alumni, how people react to the Anthem is not really a problem...or at least, not my problem.
If a player wants to protest, I am okay with that. If no one does, I don't care (or take it as sign of character of our team). If Addazio weighs in, I wish him the best. But his college coaching peir group hasn't been the most eloquent or intelligent on the subject.
I don't even care what BC fans do during the Anthem. Given how many fans regularly miss the opening kickoff, the Anthem is the least of our worries.
My indifference is not about not caring about our country, my pride in being an American, or my understanding on racial equality. It is more my position on a lot of things that get people fired up on either side. We get so caught up in the hot button issue of the day and showing our solidarity with one side or the other, that we miss the big underlying issues and do little to solve any of them. Solving these issues takes time and answering hard questions. Ranting about the hot button issue of the day is easy. I use ranting about sports as my distraction from the real life. On real issues, I struggle to find a way that I can make a difference beyond kneeling or ranting or tweeting or liking something on Facebook. Regardless of what happens at Alumni, how people react to the Anthem is not really a problem...or at least, not my problem.
Friday picks
My picks have been terrible so far this season. If I want to finish above .500, I've got to start getting some right. Maybe this is the week.
(Picks in bold.)
USC+2.5 at Utah
Florida State-5.5 at South Florida
Wisconsin+4.5 at Michigan State
Central Michigan-3 at Virginia
Syracuse+3 at UConn
LSU-3.5 at Auburn
Louisiana Tech+4.5 at Middle Tennessee State
Stanford-3 at UCLA
Arkansas+6 at Texas A&M
Air Force-4.5 at Utah State
Last week I was 2-7-1. For the season I am 9-19-2.
(Picks in bold.)
USC+2.5 at Utah
Florida State-5.5 at South Florida
Wisconsin+4.5 at Michigan State
Central Michigan-3 at Virginia
Syracuse+3 at UConn
LSU-3.5 at Auburn
Louisiana Tech+4.5 at Middle Tennessee State
Stanford-3 at UCLA
Arkansas+6 at Texas A&M
Air Force-4.5 at Utah State
Last week I was 2-7-1. For the season I am 9-19-2.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
BC-Wagner preview
This might be the worst type of game to follow up on last week's disaster. This is such a mismatch, that there is little to nothing we or the staff can learn. I don't even think the guaranteed "W" will boost the team's confidence. They know this is a purchased win. Even if we dominate and Virginia Tech will be on everyone's mind until we beat an ACC team.
What's on my mind (not totally related to this game)
Win their win last week, North Dakota State has now won six straight road games vs FBS teams. Five of the six have been Power 5 teams. I hate the annual FCS game, but thankfully our administrators know how to schedule true cupcakes. I harp on our overly soft scheduling, but I promise that I would bash the administration even more if they couldn't even schedule a guaranteed win without screwing it up.
Three Simple Keys
1. Get some confidence back in the passing game. Things looked good against UMass. There were even some bright spots at the beginning of the Virginia Tech game. Then Towles started rushing things and chucking it out of bounds. Use this game to get back to what worked.
2. Play the backups. We saw some of the backups get in during the final minutes in Blacksburg. This week needs even more. I want to see everyone who is not redshirting. You never know who will step up.
3. Bring the pressure on D. Like the Offense, I want this game to be a tune up. While I don't want BC to give away all their upcoming wrinkles, I do want them to reestablish an aggressive mindset.
Gambling Notes
-- BC has never lost to an FCS team since they started rescheduling these games in the 2000s
-- Wagner is 0-4 all time vs FBS teams
-- Addazio is 2-1 in home openers
The major sports books are not putting a line on this game.
Factoid
This is only the second New York City school BC has faced in Football. Fordham is the other. I was surprised to find that even back in the day we never played Columbia or St. John's.
Scoreboard Watching
Syracuse plays UConn this weekend. Both are future opponents and most of us considered future wins. Playing each other gives us an indicator of which team we should fear more.
I hope to see...
No one get seriously hurt. The last thing we need in this game is to lose a key player.
BC is in trouble if...
BC can't be in trouble in this game. If we some how screw this up, Bates gets fired Saturday night and Addazio should be fired Sunday morning.
Overall
I expect this to be like last year's Howard game. BC will just overwhelm them with size and speed. It won't be close and it won't tell us anything.
Final Score: BC 49, Howard 7
Win their win last week, North Dakota State has now won six straight road games vs FBS teams. Five of the six have been Power 5 teams. I hate the annual FCS game, but thankfully our administrators know how to schedule true cupcakes. I harp on our overly soft scheduling, but I promise that I would bash the administration even more if they couldn't even schedule a guaranteed win without screwing it up.
Three Simple Keys
1. Get some confidence back in the passing game. Things looked good against UMass. There were even some bright spots at the beginning of the Virginia Tech game. Then Towles started rushing things and chucking it out of bounds. Use this game to get back to what worked.
2. Play the backups. We saw some of the backups get in during the final minutes in Blacksburg. This week needs even more. I want to see everyone who is not redshirting. You never know who will step up.
3. Bring the pressure on D. Like the Offense, I want this game to be a tune up. While I don't want BC to give away all their upcoming wrinkles, I do want them to reestablish an aggressive mindset.
Gambling Notes
-- BC has never lost to an FCS team since they started rescheduling these games in the 2000s
-- Wagner is 0-4 all time vs FBS teams
-- Addazio is 2-1 in home openers
The major sports books are not putting a line on this game.
Factoid
This is only the second New York City school BC has faced in Football. Fordham is the other. I was surprised to find that even back in the day we never played Columbia or St. John's.
Scoreboard Watching
Syracuse plays UConn this weekend. Both are future opponents and most of us considered future wins. Playing each other gives us an indicator of which team we should fear more.
I hope to see...
No one get seriously hurt. The last thing we need in this game is to lose a key player.
BC is in trouble if...
BC can't be in trouble in this game. If we some how screw this up, Bates gets fired Saturday night and Addazio should be fired Sunday morning.
Overall
I expect this to be like last year's Howard game. BC will just overwhelm them with size and speed. It won't be close and it won't tell us anything.
Final Score: BC 49, Howard 7
Wednesday, September 21, 2016
How safe is Addazio?
After last week, it didn't take long for some BC fans to build FireDaz.com. At this point I am not onboard with a coaching change and think that Addazio is relatively safe. Unless we go winless in the ACC again, I don't see Brad Bates making a change.
Some frustrated BC fans will claim that the money owed to Addazio makes him too expensive to fire. That's not the issue. BC has to view the contract as a sunk cost and every miserable season that he is kept on would lead to lost Football revenue, harder fundraising and fewer applications. It becomes too expensive to keep losing, despite what he might still be owed.
But money won't be the primary factor. I think it is more about Bates' power or lack there of. Because it was his first and most high-profile move, Bates is tied to Addazio. And he hasn't accomplished enough at BC to be viewed as anything other than the guy who hired Addazio and Christian. Bates benefits by giving Addazio more time. If, and only if, Addazio turns things around, will Bates earn back the trust with fans and BC leadership. If Addazio continues to struggle, no one around BC will want Bates searching for another coach.
If Addazio can't win more this year, I think it will be Bates who is fired (or not renewed, however you want to view it). It would then be up to Bates replacement to evaluate Addazio after five years and set the new direction for BC Football.
So get used to Addazio. I think he's going to be around another year or longer.
Tuesday, September 20, 2016
What was that?
Last week I highlighted good offensive playcalling and play design. This week is the opposite. This was only one play, but I feel it captures many of the problems of the day and is an example of what Addazio explained away as things getting too complicated.
In my opinion, the best college offenses keep things as simple as possible. Variations, counters and new wrinkles are built on the foundation of what works. Because of the relative inexperience of all college players, the limitation on practice reps, and the challenge of trying new things, being a different offense week to week is nearly impossible. That was my frustration last year. We kept trying all sorts of things and none of it worked. It is all more frustrating because of what Day (and Addazio) did in Daz's first two years at BC was so brilliant. But that is another post for another time.
Here is the play. BC just got the ball back and it is early in the 2nd Quarter. This is first down. It is an empty backfield. Once they realize the backfield is empty, VT crowds the line and shows blitz.
Now this is just one play in a terrible game. Who cares? Well BC was already down at this point but there was plenty of time to play. Instead of trying something that worked earlier in the season or early in the game, BC comes out with an empty backfield. This is my first issue. Second there was the Pop Warner sloppy cut blocks. This is not something BC has done much this year or in recent years. That leads me to believe they don't spend a ton of time practicing it. So either two things happened for this play to make the gameplan. They either didn't practice enough so that the OL could cut blockin their sleep OR they did practice it a lot and the linemen still couldn't pull it off (therefore wasting valuable practice time). Neither answer is good. I hope they didn't practice it much and were just rolling the dice. If they did practice it well enough to make the gameplan and that is how the guys blocked, then we have bigger issues.
While Towles is a 5th year, he is still new to this Offense and facing Bud Foster. Why not keep things simple for him. Tell him to take off if the play breaks down or the cuts don't work.
Addazio mentioned getting back to basics. That's good, because we need to find what works. Save the cut blocking, five wide stuff once we can block, pass and run.
Monday, September 19, 2016
Addazio sounds like Jimbo Fisher
"I'm mad. I'm pissed off at myself. I'm pissed off at my coaches. But ranting and raving won't do anything."
-- Jimbo Fisher
With a day of reflection after his team got thrashed, Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher pointed most of the blame back at himself and his staff. Steve Addazio did the same thing. Even if neither believes it, taking the blame is the smart decision.
When a guy misses a kick or the D allows a key conversion in a close game, you can point to that one moment. When you lose by 49, there are no such moments. Losing like that speaks to huge issues. And since there are so many issues, the Head Coach has to take the blame. He approved the gameplan. He picked and empowered the staff and he recruited most of the players.
Addazio also spoke to the failure of the scheme. He thinks they made things too complex and slowed the players down. They weren't reacting. They were overthinking. I don't know if this was the main issue, but it is consistent with the formations on Offense. On D, we were less aggressive.
We won't know much about Addazio's fixes until after Wagner and Buffalo. Hopefully he won't have to explain away another disaster.
-- Jimbo Fisher
With a day of reflection after his team got thrashed, Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher pointed most of the blame back at himself and his staff. Steve Addazio did the same thing. Even if neither believes it, taking the blame is the smart decision.
When a guy misses a kick or the D allows a key conversion in a close game, you can point to that one moment. When you lose by 49, there are no such moments. Losing like that speaks to huge issues. And since there are so many issues, the Head Coach has to take the blame. He approved the gameplan. He picked and empowered the staff and he recruited most of the players.
Addazio also spoke to the failure of the scheme. He thinks they made things too complex and slowed the players down. They weren't reacting. They were overthinking. I don't know if this was the main issue, but it is consistent with the formations on Offense. On D, we were less aggressive.
We won't know much about Addazio's fixes until after Wagner and Buffalo. Hopefully he won't have to explain away another disaster.
Sunday, September 18, 2016
Second viewing thoughts and grades: Virginia Tech
During the game it felt like the Offense was the big problem and everything else fell apart later. That wasn't the case. The D was making mistakes from the start and had no answer for VT's new offense. There was no pressure and they made us do things we don't do well (zone). I don't feel good about the team right now. Mostly because of the coaching, but also because of how the players reacted during the game.
Offense: F
Towles looked terrible. His passing was rough and his decision making worse. He gave up on plays way too early. Why is he so quick to throw it out of bounds? If the guys are not open, tuck it and run! We actually moved the ball a bit when he was outside the pocket. Wade got his first real ACC action of the year. He wasn't allowed to do much and what he did, didn't impress. He's not a great runner.
VT was waiting on the run, but Hilliman has got to make at least one guy miss. Or run over a guy or two. When he doesn't break something, his touches become worthless. Rouse and Willis weren't given much to do within the Offense.
The OLine wasn't the problem, but they weren't good. Too many penalties and too many mistakes. The guys who struggled were Schmal, Lowery and Montiero.
The WRs had a rough day. Walker's fumble was huge and in replay you saw that it wasn't some big hit. There was a glancing blow and the ball got loose. Smith didn't make enough plays. Sweeney dropped a near TD. As a group their blocking wasn't great either.
Things looked okay early. Loeffler spread things about and got Towles on the move. But as BC fell behind, we seemed to abandon that idea and go through an awkward mix of big and spread. None of it worked. When things are falling apart like that, I pray that the OC can put some simple series of plays in to calm the team and move the ball just a bit. Clearly Loeffler doesn't think like me. We had nothing that we could execute under pressure.
Defense: F
The problems on defense started up front. Virginia Tech ran to the edges and negated much of our strength inside. But as a group these guys did not control the line. Where was Gutapfel? He usually gets good penetration. Landry lost contain a few times on scoring drives. Kavalec was very active but also got pushed around on the line. Ray made a play, but also missed some tackles.
This was the worst game of Milano's time at BC. He missed too many tackles, looked less aggressive and struggled covering their slot guys and RBs in the passing game. Strachan and Schwab were not great either. None of the guys made plays or disrupted like they did the first two weeks. Because of the score Bletzer got more playing time and looked ok.
McClary got called for Pass Interference twice, but I thought he played better than most of the DBs. He made the play on balls, he just got too handsy with their WRs. Johnson and Harris missed some tackles. Moore and Yiadom -- who were both great last year -- struggled in coverage.
Beyond the missed tackles, we had some scheme issues. BC rarely blitzed and couldn't get pressure with the front four. We played a lot of zone and they picked it apart. They also really made our LBs look bad in coverage. Maybe the UMass and Georgia Tech gave the staff a false sense of what the team can do. We need to start blitzing more soon. It is what this program was built to do.
Special Teams: C
I felt bad for Max Richardson being called for a block in the back on Willis' return. It was a borderline call and would have changed the mood of the game.
The punts were decent and the coverage was okay considering how many times BC kicked it away!
Overall: F
Good programs and good coaches are occasionally on the wrong end of an ass kicking. Look at Florida State this weekend. When I went back through BC's history, Notre Dame pounding Coughlin nears the top of the list of worst defeats. It is forgivable. But how you handle it in the game and after is what really matters.
I thought Addazio should have done more during the game. Why not try to score on fourth down? Why not go with Wade earlier? Why not air it out? Find a spark. Find a new answer. Don't just mail in the game. That sort of attitude teaches the team nothing and provides no helpful data to the coaches.
I don't think this team is as bad as the score. But I think the Addazio version of BC Football is on life support. If he is truly going to build a winner here, he needs to salvage this season and avoid further embarrassment. He's let games slip away, but at least BC fought in those games. If BC can't even keep things close, then we've entered lame duck mode.
Offense: F
Towles looked terrible. His passing was rough and his decision making worse. He gave up on plays way too early. Why is he so quick to throw it out of bounds? If the guys are not open, tuck it and run! We actually moved the ball a bit when he was outside the pocket. Wade got his first real ACC action of the year. He wasn't allowed to do much and what he did, didn't impress. He's not a great runner.
VT was waiting on the run, but Hilliman has got to make at least one guy miss. Or run over a guy or two. When he doesn't break something, his touches become worthless. Rouse and Willis weren't given much to do within the Offense.
The OLine wasn't the problem, but they weren't good. Too many penalties and too many mistakes. The guys who struggled were Schmal, Lowery and Montiero.
The WRs had a rough day. Walker's fumble was huge and in replay you saw that it wasn't some big hit. There was a glancing blow and the ball got loose. Smith didn't make enough plays. Sweeney dropped a near TD. As a group their blocking wasn't great either.
Things looked okay early. Loeffler spread things about and got Towles on the move. But as BC fell behind, we seemed to abandon that idea and go through an awkward mix of big and spread. None of it worked. When things are falling apart like that, I pray that the OC can put some simple series of plays in to calm the team and move the ball just a bit. Clearly Loeffler doesn't think like me. We had nothing that we could execute under pressure.
Defense: F
The problems on defense started up front. Virginia Tech ran to the edges and negated much of our strength inside. But as a group these guys did not control the line. Where was Gutapfel? He usually gets good penetration. Landry lost contain a few times on scoring drives. Kavalec was very active but also got pushed around on the line. Ray made a play, but also missed some tackles.
This was the worst game of Milano's time at BC. He missed too many tackles, looked less aggressive and struggled covering their slot guys and RBs in the passing game. Strachan and Schwab were not great either. None of the guys made plays or disrupted like they did the first two weeks. Because of the score Bletzer got more playing time and looked ok.
McClary got called for Pass Interference twice, but I thought he played better than most of the DBs. He made the play on balls, he just got too handsy with their WRs. Johnson and Harris missed some tackles. Moore and Yiadom -- who were both great last year -- struggled in coverage.
Beyond the missed tackles, we had some scheme issues. BC rarely blitzed and couldn't get pressure with the front four. We played a lot of zone and they picked it apart. They also really made our LBs look bad in coverage. Maybe the UMass and Georgia Tech gave the staff a false sense of what the team can do. We need to start blitzing more soon. It is what this program was built to do.
Special Teams: C
I felt bad for Max Richardson being called for a block in the back on Willis' return. It was a borderline call and would have changed the mood of the game.
The punts were decent and the coverage was okay considering how many times BC kicked it away!
Overall: F
Good programs and good coaches are occasionally on the wrong end of an ass kicking. Look at Florida State this weekend. When I went back through BC's history, Notre Dame pounding Coughlin nears the top of the list of worst defeats. It is forgivable. But how you handle it in the game and after is what really matters.
I thought Addazio should have done more during the game. Why not try to score on fourth down? Why not go with Wade earlier? Why not air it out? Find a spark. Find a new answer. Don't just mail in the game. That sort of attitude teaches the team nothing and provides no helpful data to the coaches.
I don't think this team is as bad as the score. But I think the Addazio version of BC Football is on life support. If he is truly going to build a winner here, he needs to salvage this season and avoid further embarrassment. He's let games slip away, but at least BC fought in those games. If BC can't even keep things close, then we've entered lame duck mode.
Second viewing thoughts and grades: Virginia Tech
During the game it felt like the Offense was the big problem and everything else fell apart later. That wasn't the case. The D was making mistakes from the start and had no answer for VT's new offense. There was no pressure and they made us do things we don't do well (zone). I don't feel good about the team right now. Mostly because of the coaching, but also because of how the players reacted during the game.
Offense: F
Towles looked terrible. His passing was rough and his decision making worse. He gave up on plays way too early. Why is he so quick to throw it out of bounds? If the guys are not open, tuck it and run! We actually moved the ball a bit when he was outside the pocket. Wade got his first real ACC action of the year. He wasn't allowed to do much and what he did, didn't impress. He's not a great runner.
VT was waiting on the run, but Hilliman has got to make at least one guy miss. Or run over a guy or two. When he doesn't break something, his touches become worthless. Rouse and Willis weren't given much to do within the Offense.
The OLine wasn't the problem, but they weren't good. Too many penalties and too many mistakes. The guys who struggled were Schmal, Lowery and Montiero.
The WRs had a rough day. Walker's fumble was huge and in replay you saw that it wasn't some big hit. There was a glancing blow and the ball got loose. Smith didn't make enough plays. Sweeney dropped a near TD. As a group their blocking wasn't great either.
Things looked okay early. Loeffler spread things about and got Towles on the move. But as BC fell behind, we seemed to abandon that idea and go through an awkward mix of big and spread. None of it worked. When things are falling apart like that, I pray that the OC can put some simple series of plays in to calm the team and move the ball just a bit. Clearly Loeffler doesn't think like me. We had nothing that we could execute under pressure.
Defense: F
The problems on defense started up front. Virginia Tech ran to the edges and negated much of our strength inside. But as a group these guys did not control the line. Where was Gutapfel? He usually gets good penetration. Landry lost contain a few times on scoring drives. Kavalec was very active but also got pushed around on the line. Ray made a play, but also missed some tackles.
This was the worst game of Milano's time at BC. He missed too many tackles, looked less aggressive and struggled covering their slot guys and RBs in the passing game. Strachan and Schwab were not great either. None of the guys made plays or disrupted like they did the first two weeks. Because of the score Bletzer got more playing time and looked ok.
McClary got called for Pass Interference twice, but I thought he played better than most of the DBs. He made the play on balls, he just got too handsy with their WRs. Johnson and Harris missed some tackles. Moore and Yiadom -- who were both great last year -- struggled in coverage.
Beyond the missed tackles, we had some scheme issues. BC rarely blitzed and couldn't get pressure with the front four. We played a lot of zone and they picked it apart. They also really made our LBs look bad in coverage. Maybe the UMass and Georgia Tech gave the staff a false sense of what the team can do. We need to start blitzing more soon. IT is what this program was built to do.
Special Teams: C
I felt bad for Max Richardson being called for a block in the back on Willis' return. It was a borderline call and would have changed the mood of the game.
The punts were decent and the coverage was okay considering how many times BC kicked it away!
Overall: F
Good programs and good coaches are occasionally on the wrong end of an ass kicking. Look at Florida State this weekend. When I went back through BC's history, Notre Dame pounding Coughlin nears the top of the list of worst defeats. It is forgivable. But how you handle it in the game and after is what really matters.
I thought Addazio should have done more during the game. Why not try to score on fourth down? Why not go with Wade earlier? Why not air it out? Find a spark. Find a new answer. Don't just mail in the game. That sort of attitude teaches the team nothing and provides no helpful data to the coaches.
I don't think this team is as bad as the score. But I think the Addazio version of BC Football is on life support. If he is truly going to build a winner here, he needs to salvage this season and avoid further embarrassment. He's let games slip away, but at least BC fought in those games. If BC can't even keep things close, then we've entered lame duck mode.
Offense: F
Towles looked terrible. His passing was rough and his decision making worse. He gave up on plays way too early. Why is he so quick to throw it out of bounds? If the guys are not open, tuck it and run! We actually moved the ball a bit when he was outside the pocket. Wade got his first real ACC action of the year. He wasn't allowed to do much and what he did, didn't impress. He's not a great runner.
VT was waiting on the run, but Hilliman has got to make at least one guy miss. Or run over a guy or two. When he doesn't break something, his touches become worthless. Rouse and Willis weren't given much to do within the Offense.
The OLine wasn't the problem, but they weren't good. Too many penalties and too many mistakes. The guys who struggled were Schmal, Lowery and Montiero.
The WRs had a rough day. Walker's fumble was huge and in replay you saw that it wasn't some big hit. There was a glancing blow and the ball got loose. Smith didn't make enough plays. Sweeney dropped a near TD. As a group their blocking wasn't great either.
Things looked okay early. Loeffler spread things about and got Towles on the move. But as BC fell behind, we seemed to abandon that idea and go through an awkward mix of big and spread. None of it worked. When things are falling apart like that, I pray that the OC can put some simple series of plays in to calm the team and move the ball just a bit. Clearly Loeffler doesn't think like me. We had nothing that we could execute under pressure.
Defense: F
The problems on defense started up front. Virginia Tech ran to the edges and negated much of our strength inside. But as a group these guys did not control the line. Where was Gutapfel? He usually gets good penetration. Landry lost contain a few times on scoring drives. Kavalec was very active but also got pushed around on the line. Ray made a play, but also missed some tackles.
This was the worst game of Milano's time at BC. He missed too many tackles, looked less aggressive and struggled covering their slot guys and RBs in the passing game. Strachan and Schwab were not great either. None of the guys made plays or disrupted like they did the first two weeks. Because of the score Bletzer got more playing time and looked ok.
McClary got called for Pass Interference twice, but I thought he played better than most of the DBs. He made the play on balls, he just got too handsy with their WRs. Johnson and Harris missed some tackles. Moore and Yiadom -- who were both great last year -- struggled in coverage.
Beyond the missed tackles, we had some scheme issues. BC rarely blitzed and couldn't get pressure with the front four. We played a lot of zone and they picked it apart. They also really made our LBs look bad in coverage. Maybe the UMass and Georgia Tech gave the staff a false sense of what the team can do. We need to start blitzing more soon. IT is what this program was built to do.
Special Teams: C
I felt bad for Max Richardson being called for a block in the back on Willis' return. It was a borderline call and would have changed the mood of the game.
The punts were decent and the coverage was okay considering how many times BC kicked it away!
Overall: F
Good programs and good coaches are occasionally on the wrong end of an ass kicking. Look at Florida State this weekend. When I went back through BC's history, Notre Dame pounding Coughlin nears the top of the list of worst defeats. It is forgivable. But how you handle it in the game and after is what really matters.
I thought Addazio should have done more during the game. Why not try to score on fourth down? Why not go with Wade earlier? Why not air it out? Find a spark. Find a new answer. Don't just mail in the game. That sort of attitude teaches the team nothing and provides no helpful data to the coaches.
I don't think this team is as bad as the score. But I think the Addazio version of BC Football is on life support. If he is truly going to build a winner here, he needs to salvage this season and avoid further embarrassment. He's let games slip away, but at least BC fought in those games. If BC can't even keep things close, then we've entered lame duck mode.
Saturday, September 17, 2016
Embarassed
BC joined a football conference in 1991. Saturday was the most lopsided loss in that time. Worse than Spaz (51-7 to FSU). Worse than TOB's worst (52-6 to Miami). Worse than Henning (a couple of 42 point losses). Coughlin had a bad day, but not this bad (47 point loss to ND). This was bad.
Don't let casual fans or Addazio blame this on talent. BC has holes and youth, but not a 49 point difference in talent. This team has execution and preparation issues. How else to explain the inability to score? Good OCs find things that work and build on them. Bad OCs force things based on what they want to do, not what their team is capable of.
Now Addazio has to earn his paycheck. This team looked checked out. He needs to rebuild their confidence and regroup. Wagner won't be a problem, but the rest of the schedule will be.
I am not going to start a fire Addazio movement yet. He's a problem, but I don't want Brad Bates involved in replacing him. With a gun to my head, I would keep Addazio another season and change ADs.
Don't let casual fans or Addazio blame this on talent. BC has holes and youth, but not a 49 point difference in talent. This team has execution and preparation issues. How else to explain the inability to score? Good OCs find things that work and build on them. Bad OCs force things based on what they want to do, not what their team is capable of.
Now Addazio has to earn his paycheck. This team looked checked out. He needs to rebuild their confidence and regroup. Wagner won't be a problem, but the rest of the schedule will be.
I am not going to start a fire Addazio movement yet. He's a problem, but I don't want Brad Bates involved in replacing him. With a gun to my head, I would keep Addazio another season and change ADs.
In-game comments post: Virginia Tech
Another return to Lane Stadium. Do we play to our potential or is it another struggle? We'll find out shortly.
Leave your thoughts and comments below.
You can also follow me on Twitter.
Leave your thoughts and comments below.
You can also follow me on Twitter.
Friday, September 16, 2016
End of the Week Rant: the ACC Divisions are stupid
The ACC Divisions are stupid! Not a new theory, but I am reminded of that by the Colorado-Michigan game (of all things). In the run up to this weekend's game in Ann Arbor, I've seen Kordell Stewart's Hail Mary a dozen times. And each time the announcers say something along the lines of "one of the most memorable play of all time in College Football." Not spoken, but implied, is that Flutie's pass is right there too. Although we've all seen the play a million times, the BC-Miami game doesn't get that sort of annual stroll down memory lane because WE HARDLY EVER PLAY MIAMI! Why don't we play Miami? Because the conference is huge and they are in the other division!
The ACC's expansion necessitated divisions so that the conference could hold an Championship Game. At the time, they did their best to divide the teams to meet as many needs as possible and balance the power. Balancing teams based on their strengths in 2004 was dumb and shortsighted. Powers ebb and flow. Then you throw in the new teams and the Maryland departure and you have an even more random collection of teams that have no real connection.
As I've said and written before, the two divisions should revert back to some sort of shared history. The former Big East teams (Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia Tech) plus one sacrificial lamb should make up one division. The other would be filled by the more traditional ACC teams. That makes sense historically, geographically, and probably recruiting wise too. And best of all, BC would play Miami every year! ("...caught by Boston College! It's a touchdown!")
It won't happen. The politics are too messy. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't.
The ACC's expansion necessitated divisions so that the conference could hold an Championship Game. At the time, they did their best to divide the teams to meet as many needs as possible and balance the power. Balancing teams based on their strengths in 2004 was dumb and shortsighted. Powers ebb and flow. Then you throw in the new teams and the Maryland departure and you have an even more random collection of teams that have no real connection.
As I've said and written before, the two divisions should revert back to some sort of shared history. The former Big East teams (Boston College, Louisville, Miami, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia Tech) plus one sacrificial lamb should make up one division. The other would be filled by the more traditional ACC teams. That makes sense historically, geographically, and probably recruiting wise too. And best of all, BC would play Miami every year! ("...caught by Boston College! It's a touchdown!")
It won't happen. The politics are too messy. But that doesn't mean it shouldn't.
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