Frank Spaziani Press Conference: Miami Game

I know this has been a favorite of the fire-Spaz crowd each week – teeing off on Spaz sound-bites from the weekely press conference. And I can see where that comes from.

But my take is it eminates from Spaz’s personality and perhaps dislike/disdain (or at a minimum, uncomfortableness) for the media, or the media process. He’s from a different generation from most of his critics (critics here anyway) and he’s brutally honest. Clearly, he doesn’t feel like it’s his job to be a cheerleader, or say things that exhibit salesmanship, which many feel/perceive shows the requisite energy/enthusiasm a CFB coach must/should have.

Again, not trying to reignite the fire-Spaz v. Spaz apologist debate (I think it’s been done to death here), but just making an observation that his style irritates his antagonists as much as the on-field product. In that regard, he’s his own worst enemy. For me, it doesn’t bother me as his style is more in line with my own (I also interact with the media and generally don’t like/respect what they do). I’d rather our coach focus on the team than PR. Winning is the greatest PR tool of all.

In contrast to Spaz (in addition to Jags), there’s Steve Donahue. Now before I say another word, I want to be clear I like Donahue a lot; his personality, style and energy, and the more important, ability, philosophies and strategies on court and in recruiting (I think). I expect Donahue and BC basketball to be a success, long-term.

Now, that said, it’s interesting to contrast the “treatment” the 2 programs get from the media, blogosphere, message boards, etc. To be honest, the 2 coaches are only 1 year apart in their tenures at the respective programs. And most would say, it’s a lot harder (takes longer) to turn around a football program than it does to turn around a basketball program. I think that’s because football requires a great deal more physical development and maturity and that basketball can be turned around with a key recruit or two whereas football needs many more players and parts.

But there are significant parallels btw the beginnings of these coaches tenures. Each inherited a depleted roster and then suffered even greater losses with transfers, disciplines, etc, leaving the cupboard dry. I think what you’re seeing is that basketball can be decimated even quicker and more completely than football, but for the same reasons, basketball can be fixed quicker. To use an analogy, basktball is like a turning around a pleasure boat, while football is like turning around an aircraft carrier (bigger, more cumbersome, more moving parts).

But most folks seem quite optimistic and enthused about the basketball program despite the ugliness and embarrassment, but not so about the football program. To go back to the original point, how much of that is owing to the contrasting style and ages of their respective leaders?

Brian – just as you don’t like my “cupboard was bare” argument with respect to what Spaz inherited, I don’t buy the “Spaz was here since 1997 (or here with Jags)” argument with respect to his partial responsibility for recruits. Bottom line is he was NOT the head coach, so he didn’t CONTROL what was happening in the program until he became HC. As far as his part in recruiting and the product on the field before he was HC, he was responsible for the DEFENSE and the defense under Spaz was superior year in and year out. To take that a step further, not only was he not responsible for the program as a whole when he was not the HC, but he had no part in what was happening on the offensive side of the ball, and I’m sure that included recruiting. So what cupboard was bare when he took over? The offense; particularly, the QB (and o-line).

Poor QB play, a young o-line, and no pre-season ACC player of the year at RB, have killed this offense this year, with the QB play a problem now for 3 years.

As far as the players you name in each recruiting year, I have multiple comments:
1. 2007 and 2008 would be Jags years and 2009 forward are Spaz years. Yes, 2007 and 2009 would have been started by their predecessors, but BC usually doesn’t load up early, so unless you broke it down player by player, hard to say who to attribute a recruit to. My point on these hybrid years is they’re usually not good as neither coach, outgoing or incoming, has an opportunity to close on his players. Coaching changes usually decimate at least 1 class – in Jags case, 3 classes (his incoming, his middle and his outgoing). Did we get players those years? Sure, but not enough, both in quality and quantity.
2. A number of the players you name as proving the cupboard wasn’t bare either didn’t play this year, or played infrequently or ineffectively. Momah (best WR), Harris (best RB) and Ramsey (best DL) have been out ALL YEAR. Richman has been out almost all year. Finch had 1 big game (against the worst team and defense in the ACC) and hasn’t done much else (benched). Larmond, Edabali, White and Wetzel have been largely ineffective. Freese has been ineffective and arguably cost us 1-2 games. Just because guys are on the roster, or even in starting roles, doesn’t mean they’re GOOD Brian.
3. Those that are good, and there are a few, are simply not enough on an 85 man roster (or say among the 45 or so who might matter in a season).

Really, item 3 is the point in a nutshell – we don’t have enough quality players. Quality and Quantity. Why? Because 2007-2009 blew a gaping hole in this program. That’s not GDF spin; it’s not Spaz-apologist; it’s A FACT. And you can’t turn a college football program around on a dime. Results on the field, i.e. your record, is usually a reflection of what was happening in the program 3-5 yrs previously.

Look, I’m not giving Spaz a pass for everything, but I’m acutely aware of what he inherited. If this team doesn’t have a significantly better record in 2012 – crappy QB situation notwithstanding – Spaz will be fired and probably deservedly so.