Great Expectations For Chase Rettig And The Big Finish

Brian: The next great QB hope for Superfans, Chase Rettig, is feeling better and ready to start this weekend against the Seminoles:

"It feels good. I feel ready to play. I practiced (Tuesday) and I took all the reps that I was assigned to and I'm practicing again today, so I'm 100 percent full, so...

It's close to 100 percent. Being away from practice for a week and half, or however long it's been, I'm just trying to get back in practice mode. Some ways I turn and some ways I go, I'm not as strong as I usually am. But I'm able to do everything they're asking me to do, so I feel confident I'm going to be all right."

Shinskie, on the other hand, isn't feeling all right. He's been ruled out for this game with a concussion. Freshman Josh Bordner moves up to third string QB this weekend.

So what are you expecting from Rettig this weekend? Are you at all concerned that BC is throwing Rettig to the fire a bit, in front of a hostile Doak Campbell Stadium crowd? What are your expectations for Rettig tomorrow? Care to give me a final stat line for Chase?

Jeff: I think Chase was wronged by getting his first ever snap by starting three games into the season against Notre Dame. Starting on the road tomorrow for his second start might not be ideal but I see nothing wrong with it. Many people have high hopes for Rettig but that's really all it is, just hope. Everyone around BC is desperate for him to show some ability at the QB position after it's been such a position of weakness since Matt Ryan left. When Ryan was here, we never had a great running back. Now that he is gone, we have Montel Harris but no QB to keep defenses honest. Montel Harris is probably hoping for great things from Rettig as much if not more so than anyone.

Rettig should be able to have some success as long as he doesn't hold the ball too long. I look for him to complete 55% tomorrow with 2 TD's at least one int and maybe more. After FSU's emotional rivalry game last week and Rettig hopefully playing the entire game, I look for our offense to do a little more than it has the last few weeks.

 

Big Finish

Brian: In BC's last two games against the Seminoles, Jacksonville native Montel Harris has had big games, rushing for 121 yards and 179 yards in 2 Eagles victories. Will Montel have another big day? Does he eclipse the 100-yard mark tomorrow?

Jeff: If we're going to win again he will.

 

Jeff: Apparently in 14 years as a head coach, Tom O'Brien has never rushed a fullback. Your thoughts?

Brian: I find that very hard to believe. Not once? Though Brian Toal was basically a fullback in goalline situations. First and Toal.

 

Brian: FSU is expecting their largest crowd of the season. This season, that simply means more than 70,000 show up tomorrow. Will the crowd be a factor? 

Jeff: Only if it is a close enough game for little things like that to be an issue. Crowds don't affect blowouts much.

 

Jeff: Since starting the season 9-0-1 and climbing to #2 in the polls, the women's soccer team has lost three straight. What gives?

Brian: Virginia and Maryland appear to be very good teams, but the Virginia Tech loss is a head scratcher. Hopefully the Lady Eagles can turn things around this Sunday against Clemson.

 

Brian: Kirk Herbstreit thinks FSU "might be the best team" he's seen play in-person this season. Your thoughts? 

Jeff: I find that hard to believe but he also hasn't seen Ohio State, Oklahoma and others yet.

 

Jeff: BC hockey heads to Denver to take on a shorthanded Pioneers team tonight and tomorrow. Care to make a series prediction?

Brian: The Eagles avenge last year's loss to Denver and win 4-2 tonight, and skate to a 3-3 tie on Saturday.

 

Brian: Last one. Prediction time. Phil Steele thinks the Noles will cover the 22 point spread. Meanwhile, ATL Eagle should be committed. Who ya got this weekend? What's the final score? 

Jeff: I agree that something needs to start going our way. I told you when I was rewatching the N.C. State game that BC is still very close to be a lot better. Part of me says we do get a small miracle tomorrow but I am only going to say we'll cover the spread. Florida State 27, Boston College 17.

 

Pick 5 

This year's Pick 5 has mirrored the fortunes of BC football. It's gotten so bad that if our Pick 5 selections were a quarterback's final stat line for a game, we're completing less passes than Dave Shinskie. Yeah ...

Jeff:

Pittsburgh -1 at Syracuse
N.C. State -7.5 at East Carolina
Oklahoma State +3 at Texas Tech
California at USC -2.5
Texas at Nebraska -10

Brian:

Maryland +14 at Clemson
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech -22.5
Ohio State -4 at Wisconsin
Middle Tennessee State at Georgia Tech -19

Boston College +22 at Florida State -- the roulette ball has landed black 8 straight times. It's got to be red this week, right? Right?? I guess I'm willing to piss away another game to find out, and am surprised Jeff didn't take BC with first pick this week.