The ACC Atlantic Division's Fading Stars? And The Big Finish
by Brian Favat on Jul 9, 2011 9:00 AM EDT
in Big Finish
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PrintWrapping up an abbreviated Wake Forest week ...
Brian: It's hard to believe that just 5 seasons ago, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons were ACC football champions and playing in the Orange Bowl after compiling a 11-2 regular season record. Not bad for a school with the smallest enrollment in the BCS. However, the dream 2006 season looks like a bit of a historical high water mark after examining Wake's resume recently. In the last four seasons in Winston-Salem, Jim Grobe and his Wake team have won fewer total games and fewer conference games in each successive season.
2006: 11-3 (6-2 ACC)
2007: 9-4 (5-3)
2008: 8-5 (4-4)
2009: 5-7 (3-5)
2010: 3-9 (1-7)
It would appear that Wake Forest has hit bottom, with the Deacons posting just a 3-9 record overall and a 1-7 record in the ACC (managing to beat only Duke in a shootout).
A similar unsettling trend can be seen here in Chestnut Hill, with BC winning fewer and fewer games in each of the seasons following the 2007 season:
2007: 11-3 (6-2 ACC)
2008: 9-5 (5-3)
2009: 8-5 (5-3)
2010: 7-6 (4-4)
While less pronounced than the Wake trend, BC has also won fewer total games and fewer league games in each of the seasons following the Eagles' 11-3 season in 2007. Two questions, Jeff. Has Wake Forest bottomed out, or do you expect the Deacs to continue to struggle going forward? And do you see a similar pattern happening to BC, or do you expect the usual 8, 9 and 10 win seasons that we've come to expect from Eagles football?
Jeff: Wake Forest absolutely had their high water mark season in football five years ago. Their fans will remember that for a long time and it's unlikely they will ever surpass the success achieved that season. I don't see BC in the same circumstances though. While it's true the Eagles have declined in win totals since their first trip to the ACC Championship Game, BC is not likely to decline as far as Wake has since their best season. Historically, BC has a far superior football program to Wake Forest having a well above .500 win percentage which Wake can not claim.
Wake Forest is unlikely to improve next season or much in the near future in terms of competitiveness on the field. Last season, they were close to winning 5-6 games. That includes nearly beating BC and losing in the final seconds against a bowl-bound Navy team. Wake Forest could easily improve its win total next year without being noticeably more talented on the field.
Big Finish
Brian: BC coaches in the post-World War II era have averaged 7 wins in their third seasons at the helm. Does Spaz fall short, meet or exceed this historical average?
Jeff: I am predicting 8-4 so I'll say exceeds.
Jeff: I know you are following this closer than most so what is going on with college hockey these days?
Brian: The death of the WCHA, which is a bit of a problem in the short term for some of the existing D-I programs.
Brian: In the Atlantic, ACC Blogger has already previewed Clemson (at no. 3) and Maryland (at no. 4). So who nabs second in the division -- N.C. State or Boston College?
Jeff: He is clearly lower than most on Maryland. Let's hope BC.
Jeff: Looks like Joe Trapani is off to Italy to sign with Fastweb Casale Monferrato. Who scores more points this year in Europe -- Joe Trapani or Tyrese Rice?
Brian: Gotta think Rice scores more points with his experience the past two years in Europe.
Brian: ESPN's Heather Dinich and Adam Rittenberg preview the season opener against Northwestern, in a matchup of strength against strength (and weakness against weakness). Who has the edge in the matchup between BC's O and NU's D?
Jeff: Has to be BC's O since we return nearly everyone at the skill positions.
Jeff: Real-life blogger meeting tomorrow at the Rays-Yankees game. Derek Jeter needs 2 hits for 3,000. Does he get them?
Brian: It's a bachelor party. The groom is a Yankees fan. I'd say chances are good. Yes.
Brian: Last one. Ivan Maisel wonders whether Virginia Tech can maintain its status as a borderline national power post-Beamer. Does the success of the past 15 years belong to Beamer or to the program?
Jeff: Good question. I think it's been done long enough down in Blacksburg that it's now the program.
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ESPN countdown rankings
eSPN is down to #42 (or close) and BC is not yet ranked. So BC may be a top 40 person team. Not whoopie material, but better than expected from the skew-the-rankings-to-get-ratings ESPN
However, NCSU is ranked in 50s, so maybe ACC blogger has BC at 2 not 5.
We also outrank NW and UCF for what that’s worth
Nope
Looks like BC will be 5 or 6 … ACC Blogger selling BC this year!
http://accblogger.com/2011/07/11/acc-blogger-football-preview-atlantic-no-2-nc-state/
BC Interruption, SBN's Boston College Eagles blog
good beamer question
Whats great about college rather than pro football is that if a coach makes a program into a national power his legacy extends well beyond his tenure with the team. When you think Penn State you think Joe Pa, but that doesn’t mean that when he leaves its not going to be one of the most attractive destinations for coaching prospects, as we’ve been witnessing with Bowden at FSU (who were awful before he came in the 70s). It doesn’t matter what your program was before, if you rise to national power status under the guidance of one coach’s career you can immediately continue that success after he retires
Wake
In 2006, Grobe did a fantastic job. They pulled upset after upset. I believe that the qb was Riley Skinner. They were the “feel good story” of that year. They took emotion a long way. Your stats are right on. The BC program appears to be “setting in the Western sky”. Unless Rogers pulls a miracle, NW and UCF are losses with the rest of the season in jeopardy.
He’s not being a hater, he’s being realistic…there’s a good possibility that this team bottoms out with a difficult schedule and highly questionable coaching.
As for the article…I find it more crazy that Wake Forest was EVER an ACC champion forget about the fact that it happened 5 years ago. People keep wondering how it all “fell apart” for Grobe afterwards. The answer is simple: he stopped hitting home runs on 2 star recruits from Florida and Wake is back to being what it is and probably always will be…a doormat. Grobe should have gotten out when he had the chance.
U buying this?
Unless Rogers pulls a miracle, NW and UCF are losses
We do not need a miracle to beat inferior opponents.
JBQ is a well-known troll, not a BC fan at all
Yeah...
It’s ridiculous that we ever made an ACCCG, much less the Orange Bowl. I doubt we will ever do it again. I have absolutely tremendous respect for Jim Grobe for not leaving to Arkansas when he had the chance.
As much as our fans think we can be better than a doormat, with the academic requirements that we have, along with several other factors, it is hard to think that we will ever be a perennial bowl team.
Wake Forest '12
Mother So Dear
Faded, accidental Glory
So hard to watch it pass. Imagine how ND and Miami, who were not accidental flashes in the pan, feel now that the glory days are gone, gone, gone
by waterwater on Jul 10, 2011 11:24 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
haha you're likely the first person to ever compare Wake Forest to Miami or Notre Dame.
Wake Forest '12
Mother So Dear
My post came off a little harsh. I also have respect for Jim Grobe and what he did for those 2 years (they were pretty good the year after as well). But it was a great combination of the diamonds in the rough theory that BC has been practicing for a decade along with a lot of luck in games that year that got them to that Orange Bowl. Unlikely for things to break your way that often in one season again.
Boo
there’s a good possibility that this team bottoms out with a difficult schedule and highly questionable coaching
Tranq is gone in case you did not notice. We now have an excellent OC and excellent DC. And experienced players too
Troll
Troll maybe. Flutie and Gordon took BC to the Heights. Coughlin had them “cookin’”. Jags really took off. Spaziani had so much promise. He has fallen flat on his face with more to follow.
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