Boston College football opens the 2012 season at home against the Miami Hurricanes, a rematch of both program's 2011 regular season finale. Despite the lopsided results in the all-time series (5-23), any BC-Miami game takes on a bit extra meaning given the historical context of Flutie-to-Phelan and Brian St. Pierre-to-Ed Reed, via Mike Rumph and Matt Walters. But if you are expecting another BC-Miami instant classic this Labor Day, you might come away disappointed.
CanesInsider recently took in one of Miami's spring scrimmages and had this to say about the 'Canes 2012 prospects.
"If they go 6-6, based on what I've seen, Al Golden should be signed to a lifetime contract. I'm absolutely serious. If they go 6-6 with the team that they have, give him a lifetime contract. If he can take this team to be 6-6 or better, give him whatever he wants, because the talent just isn't there."
6-6? Lifetime contract for Golden? Yikes. Imagine BC fans saying this about Spaz and the 2012 Eagles?
The entire podcast is worth a listen. It's interesting to hear a Cane reporter acknowledge how far the program and the roster have fallen in recent years. CanesInsider also discusses the likely NCAA sanctions dumpster fire, saying he expects 1-2 more bowl bans and additional reductions in scholarships." The podcast then goes into how Miami lacks depth at a lot of key positions -- sounds familiar -- and with more scholarship reductions possibly on the horizon, the future doesn't look too promising.
While whatever Miami does in football has less of a bearing on BC than it does on the Coastal Division (and Florida State, Miami's cross-divisional and in-state rivals), the situation down in Miami is one worth keeping an eye on. Possible bowl bans and reduced scholarships offer an immediate opportunity to Boston College (if BC can work its way back to a bowl game), but the Canes don't come around on the annual football schedule that often. It'll be very important to get off to a fast start this season -- not only for this season, but also to seize the opportunity and notch another W over Miami in what will likely be a down year for Hurricanes football.
Then again, Maryland started last season off with a home win over a Miami team rocking a depleted roster and we all know how things turned out for the Terps in 2011.