A random stream of consciousness (one day removed) after BC’s 41-10 shellacking of Virginia on Saturday.
Back from an extended weekend in Charlottesville and just wanted to say how wonderful both the town and the people of the area were to visit. The weather, as it was at home, was amazing, the venues to be visited like Monticello were fantastic and everyone was just so accommodating and despite the outcome of the game, wanted you to feel welcome. Thank you to all who made the trip for my wife and I so pleasurable.
A lot of reasons to feel good about the Eagles right now. I mean honestly, is there too much at least in the moment to complain about? Yes, they had some tackling issues that need to be addressed but heck if they tackled better, UVA may not have gotten 200 yards of offense.
The offensive line is the answer to every question of why. It isn’t that other things on the offensive side haven’t improved, they have. Big plays have gone way up, drops from receivers have gone way down, Anthony Brown looks more comfortable, generally more accurate, the run game has come alive to the perimeter and in between the tackles, play calling is in a flow, suddenly every one in a pass route tree is open...for almost all of it...thank you offensive line.
Just watch the video and see how many defenders are within 5-7 yards of the line of scrimmage and bite to the run, even when receivers release. That’s because they still don’t fear the BC passing game, but now have the real concern of trying to stop Dillon and Hilliman as runners.
And BTW, it wasn’t like BC was great running the ball the other day either. The Thadd Smith run accounted for 76 of BC’s 237 yards on the ground. On the other 46 carries, the Eagles averaged just 3.5 yards a pop. But the reality of last week at Louisville and the few big runs BC has put together, it just looks better and teams are taking notice.
Speaking of which let there be no argument around big plays winning games. After it being such a big key at UL, the Eagles came right back with more of them.
Brown to Tommy Sweeney for 28 yds in the opening drive led to the 3-0 start. Thadd Smith’s run made it 10-0. Kobay White’s inside screen went for 76 and a 17-0 margin. The 46 yard flea flicker to Michael Walker turned into another TD.
BC got 319 of their 512 yards in 10 plays.
How excited should we be? Well I guess that is all in the context of how you look at. Before the season there were more than a few here who saw BC as an 8 win team. I saw them 5-7 and 2-6 in the ACC and had them 4-4 at this point in the season...with Virginia as a win.
Easy to say now that the Virginia win looks better than we thought it would with the Cavaliers at 5-1 coming into the game, but to any of you were at the game it was pretty obvious even in warmups that BC was a bigger, stronger and believe it or not, faster team.
The UVA fans sitting around me couldn’t get over the size difference and how they were being manhandled.
That’s because BC is better than Virginia, plain and simple.
Records don’t equate across the board and Virginia’s was built on the backs of Indiana, Connecticut, Duke, North Carolina, Boise State and William & Mary, ranking 91st on our Book strength of schedule, not close to what BC’s 4-4 record vs the ranking #1 is.
One thing I have never said, is that BC is a bad football team. They aren’t. Even at the worst of times, they may have played a bad game, but they weren’t a bad football team. What BC is though, is not the equal of the top end teams in the ACC.
What does this mean for the Florida State game is...THEY ARE FLORIDA STATE. We’ve picked on BC’s recruiting classes but FSU’s last five are #7 (2017), #3 (2016), #3 (2015), #4 (2014) and #11 (2013). Their 2nd and 3rd teams should beat Boston College on talent alone.
Unlike Virginia, the Seminoles 2-4 record is against the #2 strength of schedule, including losses to #1 Alabama, top 10 Miami, top 15 NC State and Louisville. They have struggled to score, but their defense has kept them in every game. If the Eagles can show what they did in the last two games offensively against this outfit, regardless of their record, or anything close to it, that will be impressive.
Which gets me to my question to you. How do you feel about Steve Addazio now?
Like most of you, I’m excited about the progress of the offense. But I still have my concerns about whether Louisville was a flash in the pan and UVA just plain over-matched, as well as how the defense has fallen off.
So take the poll below and let me know what you think.
Poll
Where are you with Steve Addazio after UVA?
This poll is closed
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9%
He’s won me over, he deserves another year
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17%
If he beats Florida State, I’m all in
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31%
I need at least a bowl game to want him to stay
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23%
He’d have to win out for me to feel good
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18%
No matter how this finishes, I don’t want him back