Good start

A great first half turned into a nerve wracking second half, but in the end, BC held on for an important win. Like a lot of season openers, there were good moments yet plenty of room for improvement.

As for prospects for the season...BC clearly has playmakers beyond Dillon. The question is can those play makers dominate for moments or can they play a full game.

I will have grades and viewing thoughts later this weekend.

Game Day: Virginia Tech

No comments this year.

What you need to know

Weather: Perfect. In the 70s with no chance of rain.

TV: The ACC Network. If you don't have it...bother your provider here.

Radio: XM 201

BC-Virginia Tech preview

The beauty of sports is that come Saturday none of the periphery really matters. It doesn't matter what I think of Addazio or what you do. It doesn't matter what limitations BC has or doesn't have. It doesn't matter if Father Leahy cares about sports. What matters are the guys that take the field. The new season is a blank slate and each game is truly an independent event. That unknown...that newness...that's what gives me hope. I can predict a blah season, but starting Saturday there is the chance for greatness.

What's on my mind (not totally related to this game) 
I was at one of my kids games the other day and a couple of Georgia Tech fans were exchanging horror stories about access or lack thereof to the ACC Network. So whatever problems you are having, know that it is not exclusively a BC-fan gripe. While the model is questionable and the carriage battles really just hurt the fans (since the ACC is guaranteed its money), I do think in the long run this benefits the typical BC fan. If you want a reliable high quality provider of lots of BC content, you will get that in the ACC Network. Whatever extra charge you pay will probably still be a comparable spend to what you might pay for sports or entertainment elsewhere.

Three Simple Keys
1. Keep it simple with Dillon. I know we have a new OC. I know we have a team ready to stop Dillon. But don't do anything stupid. Just give him touches, open up holes and let him be.
2. Let Brown run a bit. I don't know if fear of injury of coaching kept Brown from taking off more, but I hope this year if he doesn't like his passing options and has room, he takes off. Like so many things, I will open up things on offense.
3. Get pressure from surprise areas. The further we move away from Don Brown, the less we use his blitz philosophies. I don't think we have enough pure talent upfront for them to win battles on their own, so it would be nice to copy some of Brown's ideas of bringing pressure from anywhere.

Gambling Notes
-- Addazio is 5-1 in openers at BC
-- Addazio is 3-3 vs Virginia Tech
-- Addazio is 2-4 in his first ACC game of the season
The current line is BC+4

Factoid
Virginia Tech leads the all-time series 9-18

Scoreboard Watching
Boise State takes on Florida State. This interests me on two fronts. One, last season ended in such an abrupt and strange way, I still have no idea how good Boise State is or was. Two, I don't know if Florida State is on the road to recovery or will remain a mess.

I hope to see...
A smooth offensive game. Bajakian has a lot riding on his shoulders. Forget dynamic, we haven't been an efficient, productive offense since Ryan Day left. If we can just get in the top half of CFB production and efficiency, I would consider Bajakian a great coach.

BC is in trouble if...
Brown's passes are getting batted around. Beyond the loss of down, it would show a lack of development and coaching.

Bottom line
This game is very winnable. I know this doesn't line up with my season predictions, but these game previews always have me looking for reason for a win. I think BC can control the clock and tempo. Make a few plays and start the season the right way.
Final Score: BC 21, VT 13

Season Prediction Part III: What will happen

Here it is: my official prediction. At a very high level, I know the talent is young, but I think it is on par with what we've had the past few years. I think the schedule is tougher on paper than it is on the field. My biggest issues are I don't trust Addazio to manage tight games and I don't expect Brown to make any sort of leap. Therefore we are what we've been under Addazio.

Virginia Tech. Loss. My guess is this will be like the opener against GT a few years ago. BC blows a winnable game.

Richmond. Win. Should be easy. Just don't hurt Dillon.

Kansas. Win. Closer than we want, but still a BC win.

at Rutgers. Win. Play smart, run Dillon a lot and take the road 'W.'

Wake Forest. Win. It will be back and forth, but we do enough at home.

at Louisville. Loss. I think we probably have more depth and maybe more talent. I am betting we let them hang around and steal a game.

NC State. Loss. I don't think much of Doeren, so it is frustrating to watch him build a better program.

at Clemson. Loss. I think we scare them early, then they pull away.

at Syracuse. Win. This has been a weird series under Addazio. I expect more of the same this year.

Florida State. Win. A quasi-upset. This gets everyone fired up.

at Notre Dame. Loss. On the road, against a highly ranked team. What do you expect Addazio to do?

at Pitt. Loss. This is the heartbreaker. Addazio has another chance to break through and doesn't.

6-6 (3-5 in ACC play) will be enough to get us to the Military Bowl where we beat Navy to get to seven frustrating wins.

Season Prediction Part II: best case scenario

BC has a difference maker at a key position. In the right year, with the right scheme Dillon could carry this team far. He will make plays, he will draw attention so that others can make plays and in theory he could set a tone on offense that protects the D. I don't think that will be so smooth, but this is how it could play out if everything goes BC's way.

(My official predictions are coming Wednesday.)

Virginia Tech. Win. Tech is vulnerable and we run all over them.

Richmond. Win. Not even interesting.

Kansas. Win. Another easy W. BC is now ranked.

at Rutgers. Win. BC avoids a trap game. Lots of excitement.

Wake Forest. Win. Another close game, so now we realize we might be overrated, but the win still gives BC a great start.

at Louisville. Win. BC overpowers a rebuilding Louisville D. The team moves into the Top 10.

NC State. Loss. Even in our best seasons, I don't see us going undefeated, so a setback here is natural.

at Clemson. Loss. We can't survive a shoot out with them.

at Syracuse. Win. A close win, much needed win.

Florida State. Win. BC starts moving up the rankings again.

at Notre Dame. Win. Because of the time of year, opponent and ranking, this is probably Addazio's biggest win.

at Pitt. Win. BC takes care of business to complete a great regular season.

Two ACC losses means no ACC Championship. Instead BC ends up in El Paso vs UCLA. We win that to give Addazio a 11-2 regular season and a Top 10 finish. No more seven win talk. It is really a season for the ages.

Season Prediction Part I: worst case scenario

Here we go again. This is not what I think will happen...just what could happen. We have enough issues and concerns, that this season could go sideways. Do you trust Addazio to pull this team out of a nosedive if one should happen?

(My official predictions are coming Wednesday.)

Virginia Tech. Loss. It is a tough way to start the season. BC looks sloppy.

Richmond. Win. I don't see any way we lose to Richmond.

Kansas. Win. While Kansas is going to be better than they've been, it won't be this early in Miles' time there.

at Rutgers. Loss. Huge letdown. The D is not what is was or should be.

Wake Forest. Win. The Wake-BC series is filled with close, weird games. I think this is more of the same, only it goes BC's way.

at Louisville. Loss. Dillon's last trip to Louisville was a career maker. I don't think they let him run all over them again.

NC State. Loss. This is where the season feels out of control. Lots of hot seat talk.

at Clemson. Loss. Clemson is not losing focus at home against us this year.

at Syracuse. Loss. Another ugly Cuse loss.

Florida State. Win. I think FSU is going to be a mess again. We rally for the Crowther game.

at Notre Dame. Loss. BC keeps it close, but can't knock off the Irish. Bowl hopes gone.

at Pitt. Loss. Nothing to play for and it shows.

I would usually predict that a 4-8 season would get Addazio fired, but we know how basketball played out.

Big questions: How tough is the schedule? [UPDATE]

[BC wanted to make is clear that Addazio did not schedule this season's games. So we are clear, Notre Dame is part of an ACC agreement. Richmond is an interchangeable FCS. Kansas and Rutgers are the big P5 variables. They were scheduled towards the end of Bates' tenure. I argued to BC that Addazio had a voice in those games getting scheduled. BC says no.]

A series of questions as we approach another year of Addazio.

Be prepared to hear a lot about BC's schedule this year. It is rare to be playing 11 Power 5 teams. For years, BC has put one or two mid-majors on the schedule to pad the win total. From afar, it looks like that wiggle room is gone this year. But a closer look at the schedule also has me wondering if it really is any harder than it has been in the past.

Non-Conference
Richmond, Kansas, Rutgers, Notre Dame
Richmond might be one of the more consistent FCS teams on the east coast, but come on, they are still undersized and coming to Alumni. If Addazio can't win that game, he has problems. Notre Dame has been on our schedule at various times through the years. This year's game is on the road and late in the season, so it could be dangerous. However, Notre Dame has been coming off two strong years and most sites have them expected to take a step back.

When Addazio scheduled Kansas and Rutgers, they were two of the worst teams in college football. At the time, I found it cynical and short-sighted. When you schedule a team years in advance, you can't truly predict how good they will be once you take the field. Look at Purdue last year. I doubt Kansas or Rutgers will be as good as Purdue, but both will probably give us more of a game than we want or expect. But still as a whole, this non-conference schedule is favorable. BC should be favored in three of the games, and come away with at least two wins.

ACC games
There is nothing unique about the ACC schedule we play this year. Pitt is our rotational cross division game, but everything else is the same. Do you usually feel like BC has a tough conference schedule? Yes, we play the defending National Champion, but we also get Florida State during a rebuild. Yes, we kick the season off with VT, but they have many issues and question marks. I am a big believer that the ACC games will always be cyclical. For every team on an unexpected upswing, there will also be a team in a down cycle. This year is no exception.

I hope BC and Addazio don't use this schedule as a crutch. Aside from the perception, it is probably not all that different from a typical BC season. Manage it well and win the games we should and BC will probably be where it always is under Addazio.

Big questions: Can BC find magic in the transfers again?

A series of questions as we approach another year of Addazio.

Last year's senior class was arguably Addazio's most talented. Their departures left multiple holes. While there is youth in the pipeline, he wisely picked up a few transfers to help bridge any talent gaps. Grad transfers have been critical to a few of Addazio's seasons. The question heading into this year, will any of this year's transfers be difference makers for this season.

Danny Dalton might be the most prominent transfer given his New England roots and history with BC (he decommitted to go to Penn State). Now that he is finally an Eagle, he offers the potential to fill in some of the productivity at Tight End. However, Tight End was probably one of our deeper positions. In this case, Dalton is a nothing to lose fill in. If he plays well -- great. If he doesn't -- BC has others who will gladly take those snaps.

If we don't need Dalton to be great, we sort of do need Richard Yeargin to be great. DLine is our biggest question mark. We need someone to step up and provide pressure. Can it be Yeargin? He will get the chance. He's had all the tools, but dealth with injuries and setbacks while at Clemson. He was also among the best dline prospects in the country, so you could see how he might have been overlooked down south. At BC, he will finally get his chance.

Hayden Mahoney is another ACC transfer. Can BC get more out of him than Miami? He is supposedly set to start...and Addazio handles the Oline well, so that's a good sign. Some of Addazio's best transfers have been P5 Olinemen. Let's hope Mahoney continues that tradition.

If any transfer might make or break the season it could be Aaron Boumerhi. The former Temple kicker will be asked to do something seemingly simple, just kick FGs and convert extra points. Kickers have been one of Addazio's Achilles Heels. Maybe one grad transfer can break that cycle of frustration.

Big questions: What's Addazio's backup qb plan this year?

A series of questions as we approach another year of Addazio.

Last year Addazio pushed the narrative of BC being in the game against Clemson until Brown went down. It probably oversimplifies things and gives Addazio an excuse for last season's collapse, but the bigger issue is how to avoid such a drop off if Brown goes down again.

Until the summer, Addazio kept talking up his QB depth and talent. That's been a downgraded talking point since three of those backups have transferred elsewhere in search of playing time. I don't view any of the guys who left (Perry, McDonald or Langan) as program changing losses. And that is part of the problem. Addazio has brought in plenty of QBs and the best of the bunch so far has been Brown. The RS Jr Brown represents the most stability Addazio has had at the team's most critical position. Yet, he has missed games both years and has been inconsistent over the course of two seasons.

Based on what has been posted and discussed, it appears Matt Valecce is the primary backup. Sam Johnson is the most highly touted but as a freshman, unless he is blowing people away, it would be a real surprise for him to see the field. Dennis Grosel and Daelen Menard are projects on the depth chart. If either of them see the field we are witnessing a miracle or a disaster.

Valecce was well regarded as a recruit and has played well in spring exposure. Like Brown, he has to adjust to a new OC. But he's basically a blank slate.

If any team is forced to play their backup QB, something is wrong. My ongoing frustration under Addazio is that we've never had a backup who could step in and really press the starter. The best backup was Wade and even he was someone who you really had to work around and manage.

I hope AB has a breakout season and proves to be an elite player. I hope he stays healthy. But given everything that has happened, I am really hoping Addazio has his backup ready and it is someone who won't require Addazio to go conservative in a critical game.

Media Day reactions

Addazio and his coordinators spoke with the media Tuesday. It was pretty standard preseason stuff without much true news. At this point we know Addazio, he knows the fans, he knows his team, his AD and the media. The college football world is not waiting on his media address in August, but I think he does use this to set expectations for the season. Now I am about to get into all sorts of speculative nonsense, but I think Addazio is a little worried about the season. He specifically avoided a win total discussion and only vaguely included competing for a division. That is understandable considering Clemson is in the division, but in prior years he was a bit bolder. He put a lot of emphasis on building a culture and not wanting to disrupt that culture and the recruiting hit you take when you do. That seems directed at his critics -- like me -- and potentially his AD. I think the timing of this is all off for him. Last year was supposed to be the year. This year seems harder, so just when he needs a breakthrough, he will have to scrape that much harder to maintain.

I do trust him on his evaluation and enthusiasm for the OLine. If this team does exceed expectations it will be because the OLine made things easier for Dillon.

Sheridan was low key. He seems to like his squad and is not worried about the transition from Jim Reid. He was much more frank about the youth and how they aren't ready. I guess he has a lot to do before VT.

Bajakian didn't offer much news either. He does seem to buy into what BC is and what Addazio is selling. I found his criticism of Brown's accuracy important. I think it is one of the issues to get AB to the next level, but I also think Brown needs to work on finding the best option and also his general awareness. Some of that will come with maturity, but most of that will have to be nurtured by Bajakian. 

RIP Cathy Inglese

Longtime BC women’s basketball coach Cathy Inglese died Wednesday. She had suffered a brain injury last week after falling.

Inglese built and maintained one of BC Women's Basketball longest periods of success during the '90s and early '00s. Like her colleagues of that time who weren't hired by Defillippo, she was out the minute the program ebbed. And like some of the other misguided changes, the program has not been the same since she left.

Inglese was only 60 and had recently been an assistant at Hofstra. Condolences to her family. Many former players still hold her in high regard and are clearly saddened by her passing.

Moore serves as a reminder

Many times I have used this blog to promote BC athletes as special. In the vast majority of cases, I don't know the player. I am just attributing virtue and uniqueness based purely on what we see in public and based on my love for the school they represent. And while many of these athletes have been special, it is foolish not to remember that they are all human and some of them do terrible things.

I don't know Kam Moore and understand that he deserves his day in court, but this arrest is bad. I don't know if there is a good resolution for this sort of thing other than everyone heal and get better, and for it to never happen again. Football really isn't important when things get to this stage.

BC players are flawed. Deep down I know that. What I do hope is that BC continues to try to create a special culture. I also hope that the BC football community (coaches and players) reach out to Kam and try to get him and his alleged victim some help.

UConn is dumb and so are the BC analogies

UConn is leaving the AAC to return to its roots in the Big East. This has been met with applause and head scratching in the college sports world. I am firmly in the head scratching camp. In my opinion, this move is risky and borderline nonsensical. I predict that UConn, in trying to reclaim past glory, will only sink all their future endeavours. I also think that anyone saying BC should do the same should also realize how silly that would be.

The Big East is dead
Whatever UConn thinks it is going to find in the Big East doesn't exist anymore. Yes there is still a tournament in Madison Square Garden and yes many of the teams they play are familiar, but the Big East is not the Big East of the '80s or even the Big East of the 2000s. TV audiences are smaller. There are fewer elite teams. The geography is spread out to the Midwest. Are the UConn fans who were disinterested in Memphis or Tulane going to turn out for Butler or Creighton?

It is coaching
While Villanova's success shows that you can win National Championships out of the Big East, UConn already won a title out of the AAC. Villanova's success was driven by Jay Wright. UConn's struggles post-Calhoun were just as easily attributed to coaching as conference. The AAC has legit basketball programs in Memphis, Cincinnati and Central Florida. UConn couldn't have beaten any of them lately. That's not because their players and fans long for the Big East. It is because their teams were bad. Maybe coaching will fix this, but changing conferences won't.

Giving up on Football will drag all sports
While their fans seems to think this move will give their programs new life, I think it will kill all their sports. Every coach who is recruiting against UConn can say, "they killed their football program. What will they kill next?" While I don't have a clear look into their books, I can't imagine this will improve athletic department revenues. We know the Big East TV deal is small. We know that football will be lucky not to lose a ton of money as an independent. Plus they have a $10 million AAC exit fee. Will ticket revenue from basketball and donations be enough to offset those decision?

Don't talk about BC and UConn
Predictably UConn's decision sparked talk from the pundits that BC should consider the same move. This is stupid beyond so many levels, namely the money, but also because the ACC is an entirely different group of schools. BC wants to be associated with Duke, Syracuse, Notre Dame, etc. Even those who don't care about sports realize that benefit to BC. Plus unlike UConn -- which declared itself a basketball school to the world -- BC is a football school. Our most public moments have been football related. Our fans and alums care more about football than any of our other sports. And football has given us an identity.

As has been proven out time and again in college sports, any team can compete from any conference. The key is always finding the right coach and giving that coach the right time and support to turn things around. Whatever failings BC or UConn have had in the last decade have not been one of conference affiliations. They've been bad hires or bad decisions. Both schools have challenges. I hope that BC is on the right path to fix ours. I am pretty sure UConn just made their problems worse.

Bowman made the right decision

Congratulations to Ky Bowman. Although the BC guard wasn't drafted, he did sign a deal with the Golden State Warriors. Given the Warriors' depleted roster and their need for cheap talent in the hopes of retaining Thompson and Durant, Bowman should get a legitimate shot at making the team. The difference between being a first round pick and a second is bigger than being a second round pick and an undrafted free agent. Second round picks are discarded by NBA teams all the time. The other blessing for Bowman is the renewed commitment to the G-League. Teams actually use it for true development now. It is not lucrative nor glamorous, but if the Warriors send him down, he will have a chance to comeback.

I don't know if Bowman will bother completing his BC degree. I would hope he does. Even in professional basketball, he would probably need it in most post-playing jobs (coaching, front office, etc). I know BC does help these guys the best they can with completing course work in the offseason or through distance opportunities. 

Despite a happy ending, I wish BC would be at the forefront of a rule change to allow players to return if they are not drafted in the NBA or NFL (call it the Hamp Cheevers rule). If BC is going to take a stand on paying players, why not make this stand too? Give players the chance to earn in the real world, but return if they change their mind or are given bad advice. If this is truly about developing them or giving them an education, changing that rule would seem like the something BC should believe in and support. 

I hope Bowman has a great career. He was fun the watch the past few years and I thank him for what he did for BC.

A look at the roster shuffle

The transfer portal has been up and filled with BC-related names, but not many answers from BC or the press. We got some answers Wednesday. Matt McDonald, who had been on the portal for a few weeks, is headed to Bowling Green. He will join fifth year Grad Transfer Davon Jones and former BC OC Scot Loeffler. While Addazio can't talk about it right now, I assume both had his blessing. When the season ended Jones seemed iffy on social media if he would even be asked back. McDonald showed promise in the Spring Game, but I think he still faced an uphill climb on the depth chart. Reuniting with Loeffler give both a chance to see the field. Addazio's son is on Loeffler's staff, so this has to be seen as friendly.

McDonald leaving also explains the recent commit of Florida QB Daelen Menard. Commits that come in late may usually have a story. Menard is small and dealt with injuries, hurting his chance to play at a high level. I am fine with taking a risk on him and Brian White and Addazio's hit rate on under the radar guys from Florida has been pretty good. Menard will hopefully continue that pattern.

Incoming transfers include former Miami OL Hayden Mahoney and former Clemson DE Richard Yeargin III. They join the long-announced Danny Dalton. Will any of these guys change the program? Probably not but like the Florida history, Addazio has a good track record of turning discarded P5 players into contributors at BC.

Baseball's bubble burst

After making an impressive run in the ACC Tournament, the Baseball team's season came to an end when they didn't make the field of 64 for the College World Series. They've been playing some of their best baseball the last month of the season, but the slow start to the year and some tough early losses hurt their resume. The ACC is well represented with seven teams. Hopefully one of them wins it all.

Lax comes oh so close again

For the third time in three years, the Women's Lacrosse team made it to the National Championship game. And for the third time they came up short, this year losing to Maryland 12-10. Despite the loss, the Senior Class leaves BC as the most accomplished in school history and can claim they put the program on the map. But where are things headed?

The history of NCAA Women's Lacrosse is relatively short. Maryland has been the premiere program, but they are in the heart of lacrosse country. The better model for BC might be Northwestern. They had a decade run when they came on the scene from a non-traditional lax school and won a series of National Championships. BC has yet to break through to win the big one, but there is no reason to think that they can not be perennial contenders.

The key will be next year. Acacia Walker-Weinstein has proven to be a great program builder. But now with her most talented players leaving, can she recruit and develop others? I think she can and as I have said before, I think like Jerry York, once she breaks through things will just take off from there.

More than sports

The BC Sports community lost two of their most beloved members this weekend in Andy Jick and Marie Grip. 

If you are reading this blog, you've probably read BC message boards or BC Twitter and know Marie Grip as Dixie Eagle. Like myself, she was a BC grad married to a BC grad living in the South. She reached out to me very early on in the blog and has been a great voice of reason for me and others for years. She was a realist without being a pessimist, someone who could be empathetic but also critical, all why showing a great sense of humor and grace. That's a tough combination to pull off online. And for those who did get to know her through BC, she was very genuine. As I tweeted, I never met her in person, but feel I knew her well. Putting so much time into sports and the subcommunities around them doesn't really make sense if you step back. The time, the money, the emotion...even in at its best is fleating. Yet those moments you do get and get to share with interesting people, make it worthwile. There was more to Marie than BC sports, but I am glad I got to know her through BC sports.

Although I met Andy Jick when I was a student, I didn't know him like I knew Marie. Jick has been part of the fabric of BC sports for two decades as the PA announcer for basketball and other sports. With his passing, numerous tributes went up online about his character and kindness. He will be missed and hard to replace.

Fenway finally gets a bowl

For the longest time, I've argued that BC and the Red Sox should spearhead a bowl at Fenway. Now it is finally a real thing. The first yet to be named bowl will kick off in December 2020 and feature an ACC team and an AAC team. You might as well just call this game the BC bowl because we will be in it more than any other team...and I am okay with that.

The reason I am okay with BC playing in a freezing bowl, down the street from campus is because the whole bowl season is a farce. These are glorified exhibitions that ESPN gets on the cheap during the holidays, propped up by sponsors and corrupt bowl committees. While the playoff is an improvement, the bowl season is still a mess and further and further from a meritocracy than it was 20 or 30 years ago. While every ten years or so BC lines up a decent opponent, in a somewhat desirable destination where our fans will buy tickets (NYC, Orlando, San Fran), most of the time we are in places and games that no one cares about. Heck the most interesting moment of Addazio bowl era was our game in an empty Cotton Bowl getting cancelled.

The allure of playing at Fenway is diminished, but we have history in the park. We won't get treated as second class citizens and some BC fans will actually get to attend the game. That is all good. If you view these things as made for TV events, the weather and location matters even less.

So welcome to the party Red Sox. Now let's get back to winning bowl games.

Allen, Harris highlight unique second day for NFL Draft

The good news for BC is that two more players were drafted on the second day of the NFL Draft. The unfortunate news is that both were in the 3rd Round instead of the 2nd. But both highlight how expectations and fortunes change based on a player's history and NFL team needs.

A year ago most thought Zach Allen would be a first round draft pick. He followed with a strong enough Senior Season to keep him in the discussion. However, his draft process did not help his cause. Whether it was his measurables or concerns about being too slow for DE but too small for DT, Allen fell out of the first round. Then out of the second. Finally the Cardinals took him and may end up with a steal. Allen did grade out very high for his actual game play. But aside from the contract, none of it really matters. What matters is that Allen gets his shot and is in the NFL. He will have plenty of chances to make those that passed on him regret it.

The Lions selected Will Harris in the 3rd round too. The most interesting thing about his selection to me is that Lions DC Paul Pasqualoni finally got a BC guy on his team. I have been shocked and disappointed that Coach P didn't take any BC guys last year (especially when Landry was there) and then this year passed on Allen. He was their position coach and more than anything should know what they are capable of doing in the NFL. Taking Harris is an endorsement of BC and hopefully a sign that he was going to bat for his former players and was just being overruled.