Football Spring Practice News?

[BCdee]

i think this is more Kevin Bacon in Animal House, 'remain calm all is well' its great that Chase and the new O are lightin up the D, except the guys on D should be playing intramural flag ball

god help me if I see that little piece of shit GDF there next week, I dont know what I will say but it wont be pretty

Would love to hear your report back after the game next week, Mosi!!

[DomingoOrtiz]

Word is the offense is really opening up under the new OC. More vertical passing

Chase seems to be favoring Amidon.

Cranmore is having a hard time covering Amidon.

[bcnyceagle]

Also, our top wide-receiver from today's scrimmage was senior walk-on Joe LaCorte.... This is a circus.

And how the hell did Rettig go 12-23 against Cranmore and our walk-on kicker? Good God...

[rktbrkr]

It's nice that students are getting a chance as walkons , a senior like Delacorte could get a doctoral level degree on the house!

this really doesn't sound like a BCS level college football team, they might get mauled by the Maine Bears!

[rktbrkr]

So far, Shakim Phillips, a 6-1, 200-pound sophomore from Boston College, is running with the first-team offense and he looks like he's just what the Huskies have needed at the wideout position — good hands, speed and ability.

• Rettig started the scrimmage by connecting on seven of his first eight passes (and 5 for 15 after that)

[claver2010]

Crazy that the spring game is less than a week away.

It always coincided with the draft

Saturday's temp: High of 51, sucks

[eepstein0]

Walkon QB Cranmore joined the walkon kicker in the defensive backfield for today's scrimmage

Stellar - keep banking those schollies Spazoo!

How on earth do we have a walk-on QB and kicker playing DB? And no Spaz, you're not allowed to invite Hampton Hughes back.

[cvilleagle]

Walkon QB Cranmore joined the walkon kicker in the defensive backfield for today's scrimmage

Stellar - keep banking those schollies Spazoo!

How on earth do we have a walk-on QB and kicker playing DB? And no Spaz, you're not allowed to invite Hampton Hughes back.

that's it, eppy! Invite Hampton Hughes back to plug the DT hole!

[rktbrkr]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

[eepstein0]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

[cvilleagle]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

Really think we'll win 2? Hooray!

Last year we went 4-8 with an all-world linebacker. Who's our best player this year? Can we classify any position on the field as a "strength"?

[eepstein0]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

Really think we'll win 2? Hooray!

Last year we went 4-8 with an all-world linebacker. Who's our best player this year? Can we classify any position on the field as a "strength"?

There's actually a fair amount of talent around. Junior QB, couple good RBs (Williams & Finch), good TEs, the DBs have a fair amount of players back there & LB is solid. Even the WR play with Larmond, Swigert, Amidon & Evans is pretty legit.

The problem is the 1* coaching we're currently enduring. could win 8 games with this talent.

[eagle216]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

Really think we'll win 2? Hooray!

Last year we went 4-8 with an all-world linebacker. Who's our best player this year? Can we classify any position on the field as a "strength"?

There's actually a fair amount of talent around. Junior QB, couple good RBs (Williams & Finch), good TEs, the DBs have a fair amount of players back there & LB is solid. Even the WR play with Larmond, Swigert, Amidon & Evans is pretty legit.

The problem is the 1* coaching we're currently enduring. could win 8 games with this talent.

Don't agree on the DBs. Collectively, our talent there is poor. WRs are legit by traditional BC standards, but they are bottom half of ACC talent-wise. You did not mention DL and OL, but both units, which are traditionally BC strengths, may very well be bottom half of the league as well. If this later part is true, we will suck. TEs are ok. None are difference makers.

All in all, this team, as was the case last year, is talent poor in relation to BC teams, on average, dating back to Coughlin era.

[eagle9903]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

Really think we'll win 2? Hooray!

Last year we went 4-8 with an all-world linebacker. Who's our best player this year? Can we classify any position on the field as a "strength"?

There's actually a fair amount of talent around. Junior QB, couple good RBs (Williams & Finch), good TEs, the DBs have a fair amount of players back there & LB is solid. Even the WR play with Larmond, Swigert, Amidon & Evans is pretty legit.

The problem is the 1* coaching we're currently enduring. could win 8 games with this talent.

Don't agree on the DBs. Collectively, our talent there is poor. WRs are legit by traditional BC standards, but they are bottom half of ACC talent-wise. You did not mention DL and OL, but both units, which are traditionally BC strengths, may very well be bottom half of the league as well. If this later part is true, we will suck. TEs are ok. None are difference makers.

All in all, this team, as was the case last year, is talent poor in relation to BC teams, on average, dating back to Coughlin era.

There are a lot of question marks and I fully expect to lose more players before a game is played (which is terrible). However, the likely starting defensive backfield adding Jones back and having Noel play safety consistently(and therefore not having so much Hampton Hughes) is probably a slight upgrade from last year. I don't know if I'd say Jones/Noel/Williams/ALJ is talent poor. It's OK, Noel is pretty good, Jones looked decent as a freshman, and Asprilla looked good last year so throw him in there somewhere.

The DL starters look OK, I'd say Appiah/Ramsey is a lot better than the last two years DTs, but there is no depth at all, obviously and it will now be year 6 since we've had a legit pass rushing DE.

The OL should be better. I have no idea if it will. I agree that this (other than Spaz generally) was the biggest reason for 4-8 last year and if it is not improved it will be the biggest reason for sub-.500 this year.

I don't know why you would compare our WRs to another school's in a comparison of this year's BC team's talent vs. other years?

We have no idea if the TEs are difference makers because we haven't thrown to the TE since 2008.

We do have some talent issues, but I think they're going to really rear their heads two years from now or so, unless we have a solid recruiting head coach by next season who can stop the bleeding. I agree with Eppy that a mediocre coach could do some damage (e.g. crappy bowl game) with the current talent. Spaz can't though.

[eagle216]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

Really think we'll win 2? Hooray!

Last year we went 4-8 with an all-world linebacker. Who's our best player this year? Can we classify any position on the field as a "strength"?

There's actually a fair amount of talent around. Junior QB, couple good RBs (Williams & Finch), good TEs, the DBs have a fair amount of players back there & LB is solid. Even the WR play with Larmond, Swigert, Amidon & Evans is pretty legit.

The problem is the 1* coaching we're currently enduring. could win 8 games with this talent.

Don't agree on the DBs. Collectively, our talent there is poor. WRs are legit by traditional BC standards, but they are bottom half of ACC talent-wise. You did not mention DL and OL, but both units, which are traditionally BC strengths, may very well be bottom half of the league as well. If this later part is true, we will suck. TEs are ok. None are difference makers.

All in all, this team, as was the case last year, is talent poor in relation to BC teams, on average, dating back to Coughlin era.

There are a lot of question marks and I fully expect to lose more players before a game is played (which is terrible). However, the likely starting defensive backfield adding Jones back and having Noel play safety consistently(and therefore not having so much Hampton Hughes) is probably a slight upgrade from last year. I don't know if I'd say Jones/Noel/Williams/ALJ is talent poor. It's OK, Noel is pretty good, Jones looked decent as a freshman, and Asprilla looked good last year so throw him in there somewhere.

The DL starters look OK, I'd say Appiah/Ramsey is a lot better than the last two years DTs, but there is no depth at all, obviously and it will now be year 6 since we've had a legit pass rushing DE.

The OL should be better. I have no idea if it will. I agree that this (other than Spaz generally) was the biggest reason for 4-8 last year and if it is not improved it will be the biggest reason for sub-.500 this year.

[b]I don't know why you would compare our WRs to another school's in a comparison of this year's BC team's talent vs. other years?[b]

We have no idea if the TEs are difference makers because we haven't thrown to the TE since 2008.

We do have some talent issues, but I think they're going to really rear their heads two years from now or so, unless we have a solid recruiting head coach by next season who can stop the bleeding. I agree with Eppy that a mediocre coach could do some damage (e.g. crappy bowl game) with the current talent. Spaz can't though.

The poster I was responding to was not comparing BCs talent to other BC teams. He was simply commenting on the talent generally. When you are assessing a team's talent, the most logical way to do it is to compare it to that of competing teams.

The OL talent is just not there. It MAY be better this year, but there is absolutely no objective evidence suggesting it will be. The good news is that OL as a group can improve with better coaching. Maybe that will happen this year. But as far as talent is concerned, I don't see it.

And saying the DBs will be better than last year is not the same as saying they are talented. Most ACC teams would not trade their DB stable for ours. Fortunately, the Spaz D relies on a "system" for its defensive backfield play, and not necessarily talent.

[eagle9903]

this is not a BCS level program, Maine game will show that

All aboard the 2-10 express?

Really think we'll win 2? Hooray!

Last year we went 4-8 with an all-world linebacker. Who's our best player this year? Can we classify any position on the field as a "strength"?

There's actually a fair amount of talent around. Junior QB, couple good RBs (Williams & Finch), good TEs, the DBs have a fair amount of players back there & LB is solid. Even the WR play with Larmond, Swigert, Amidon & Evans is pretty legit.

The problem is the 1* coaching we're currently enduring. could win 8 games with this talent.

Don't agree on the DBs. Collectively, our talent there is poor. WRs are legit by traditional BC standards, but they are bottom half of ACC talent-wise. You did not mention DL and OL, but both units, which are traditionally BC strengths, may very well be bottom half of the league as well. If this later part is true, we will suck. TEs are ok. None are difference makers.

All in all, this team, as was the case last year, is talent poor in relation to BC teams, on average, dating back to Coughlin era.

There are a lot of question marks and I fully expect to lose more players before a game is played (which is terrible). However, the likely starting defensive backfield adding Jones back and having Noel play safety consistently(and therefore not having so much Hampton Hughes) is probably a slight upgrade from last year. I don't know if I'd say Jones/Noel/Williams/ALJ is talent poor. It's OK, Noel is pretty good, Jones looked decent as a freshman, and Asprilla looked good last year so throw him in there somewhere.

The DL starters look OK, I'd say Appiah/Ramsey is a lot better than the last two years DTs, but there is no depth at all, obviously and it will now be year 6 since we've had a legit pass rushing DE.

The OL should be better. I have no idea if it will. I agree that this (other than Spaz generally) was the biggest reason for 4-8 last year and if it is not improved it will be the biggest reason for sub-.500 this year.

[b]I don't know why you would compare our WRs to another school's in a comparison of this year's BC team's talent vs. other years?[b]

We have no idea if the TEs are difference makers because we haven't thrown to the TE since 2008.

We do have some talent issues, but I think they're going to really rear their heads two years from now or so, unless we have a solid recruiting head coach by next season who can stop the bleeding. I agree with Eppy that a mediocre coach could do some damage (e.g. crappy bowl game) with the current talent. Spaz can't though.

The poster I was responding to was not comparing BCs talent to other BC teams. He was simply commenting on the talent generally. When you are assessing a team's talent, the most logical way to do it is to compare it to that of competing teams.

The OL talent is just not there. It MAY be better this year, but there is absolutely no objective evidence suggesting it will be. The good news is that OL as a group can improve with better coaching. Maybe that will happen this year. But as far as talent is concerned, I don't see it.

And saying the DBs will be better than last year is not the same as saying they are talented. Most ACC teams would not trade their DB stable for ours. Fortunately, the Spaz D relies on a "system" for its defensive backfield play, and not necessarily talent.

I don't care enough about this to argue about it. So fine. Comparing our 2012 wide receivers to Clemson or Miami's wide receivers is more logical than comparing them to our own 2007 or 2005 wide receivers even though BC hasn't had a single wide receiver like Clemson's or Miami fields nearly every season for over 20 years but has still had enough talent to win games consistently.

There is no objective evidence that the offensive line won't be better this year. They have a new coach who I don't like but who has coached for a successful BCS team before. Let's be honest with ourselves too, offensive line talent was a weakness in 2007 but was coached competently and therefore didn't kill us. I think if Bicknell Jr. was coaching Cleary (decent), Vardaro (decent), Gallik (weak point), White (decent) and Wetzel (weak point) they'd be just fine. Bollman might be able to pull that off or not. Removing Devine's utter incompetency should have some result, I'd think.

I didn't say the DBs (as a group) were talented did I? I said they'd be "slightly better" than last year.

All I'm saying is I agree with Eppy, TOB could take this team to a shitty bowl game. Spaz won't but the lack of talent argument is overplayed. It will not be overplayed once the 2012 recruiting class enters its junior season should such a class repeat itself.

[twballgame9]

BC's lack of talent is not the first string. It's the depth. BC has plenty of talent to finish 2nd or 3rd in the Atlantic Division and make a crappy bowl if the entire first string stayed healthy all season. But that is an unreasonable expectation, and injuries will reveal glaring depth problems at DB in particular.

I like what I have been seeing from the limited scrimmage reports about many of the TD passes being longer plays. I have no idea if these are catch and run plays or long throws, but I think BC's talent calls for a run heavy offense with a play action vertical passing game, using Kimble and Pantale as the outlets under the coverage.

Frankly, I don't have much hope that the team will be coached well, or that they will avoid injuries to key guys. But if the secondary can stay healthy and Martin does a decent job with the O, this team could be 6-6 or 7-5.

[eagle216]

BC's recipe for success for over 10 years has been:

1) Good DL run stuffers with good LB/DB run support holding opponents to under 100 yards rushing
2) A pass D that relies on well executed, complex at time (for college), zone coverage working mostly in long yardage downs
3) Good on the ball DBs who get a lot of INTs and thus keep us on plus side of TO
4) Good run and pass blocking OL that permits mediocre WRs and RBs to excel
5) Good passing QB play.

When BC has all 5, we will be ACC title contenders every time.

Right now, we don't have 1,2,3 and 4. We probably have 5, but hard to say because we have been lacking 4. We do have the LB portion of 1) though.

For this coming season, we MAY be able to somewhat get 1). I don't think we get 4) but it is theoretically possible since I believe good coaching can make a good OL out of mediocre talent. We may be able to get 2) and 3) IF we stay 100% healthy in the back 7.

[eepstein0]

At CB you have Jones, ALJ, Apsrilla & Williams, that's not too terrible at all.

At safety Noel & Slyvia (who I don't love), isn't horrible. Maybe Justin Simmons won't RS and could step in at safety. Rositano & Hughes stink, neither should be playing.

[Bunratty]

BC's recipe for success for over 10 years has been:

1) Good DL run stuffers with good LB/DB run support holding opponents to under 100 yards rushing
2) A pass D that relies on well executed, complex at time (for college), zone coverage working mostly in long yardage downs
3) Good on the ball DBs who get a lot of INTs and thus keep us on plus side of TO
4) Good run and pass blocking OL that permits mediocre WRs and RBs to excel
5) Good passing QB play.

This has been a recipe for mediocrity. We have not won a conference championship, nor have we been to a BCS Bowl in 27 years.

[hansen]

BC's lack of talent is not the first string. It's the depth. BC has plenty of talent to finish 2nd or 3rd in the Atlantic Division and make a crappy bowl if the entire first string stayed healthy all season. But that is an unreasonable expectation, and injuries will reveal glaring depth problems at DB in particular.

I like what I have been seeing from the limited scrimmage reports about many of the TD passes being longer plays. I have no idea if these are catch and run plays or long throws, but I think BC's talent calls for a run heavy offense with a play action vertical passing game, using Kimble and Pantale as the outlets under the coverage.

Frankly, I don't have much hope that the team will be coached well, or that they will avoid injuries to key guys. But if the secondary can stay healthy and Martin does a decent job with the O, this team could be 6-6 or 7-5.

teddy read my mind... these are my thoughts exactly. if we stay healthy we could we win 6 or 7 games with spaz. but, if we suffer numerous injuries we could very well win only 1 or 2 games depending on where the injuries occur. injuries at DB, RB, or on the DL would be disastrous.

[cvilleagle]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

[eagle9903]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

Maybe the defensive backfield is better as a group? Maybe the defensive line if there are zero injuries and no one else is kicked off the team? Maybe the Wrs?

I don't think we're doing much better than 4-8, but am just answering the question.

[eagle216]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

I do not think the team will be any better this year, and am certainly not predicting more than 4-8, but the best argument in favor of more than 4-8 is that we were 2-4 in one score games last year. Flip that over and we will be 6-6. Also, CFU>Army.

[cvilleagle]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

Maybe the defensive backfield is better as a group? Maybe the defensive line if there are zero injuries and no one else is kicked off the team? Maybe the Wrs?

I don't think we're doing much better than 4-8, but am just answering the question.

I understand. It's just I can't think of many places we're better. You're probably right that the DL is better if we stay 100% healthy. Possibly the WRs, but with no offensive line they're kind of irrelevant.

As for Eagle216's point, I can definitely see that, but isn't it sad that our best hope for optimism this year is sheer luck?

[eagle9903]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

Maybe the defensive backfield is better as a group? Maybe the defensive line if there are zero injuries and no one else is kicked off the team? Maybe the Wrs?

I don't think we're doing much better than 4-8, but am just answering the question.

I understand. It's just I can't think of many places we're better. You're probably right that the DL is better if we stay 100% healthy. Possibly the WRs, but with no offensive line they're kind of irrelevant.

As for Eagle216's point, I can definitely see that, but isn't it sad that our best hope for optimism this year is sheer luck?

I don't feel very lucky as it relates to BC football right now.

[eagle216]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

Maybe the defensive backfield is better as a group? Maybe the defensive line if there are zero injuries and no one else is kicked off the team? Maybe the Wrs?

I don't think we're doing much better than 4-8, but am just answering the question.

I understand. It's just I can't think of many places we're better. You're probably right that the DL is better if we stay 100% healthy. Possibly the WRs, but with no offensive line they're kind of irrelevant.

As for Eagle216's point, I can definitely see that, but isn't it sad that our best hope for optimism this year is sheer luck?

I don't feel very lucky as it relates to BC football right now.

And to whittle away at my "maybe we will improve because we were 2-4 in one score games" argument, we are replacing Duke with GIT. Oops.

[innocentbystander]

My question for anyone predicting better than 4-8 is this: at what position, if any, have we improved from last year? Or is the schedule just easier?

It doesn't work this way. College Football <> College Basketball

You don't just pull a Kentucky and recruit yourself into an improved team in one year. What freshman college football team ever won a national (or even, conference) championship? A 22 year old is actually much, much stronger than an 18 year old. And although the 18 year old might have twice the athletic ability as the 22 year old, that is only meaningful when the sport is supposed to be non-contact (basketball.)

The entire 2012 team will be improved (at every position) over the 2011 team. Age and experience go a long way in college football. It was no accident that BC kicked ass in 2007 (with the oldest team in all of college football, only exceptions being the LDS teams which are always the oldest teams.)

[rktbrkr]

A year ago Montel and St Luke were expected to lead the team and now both are gone.

Defense has lost their best player so LB will be weaker than last year, DB were terrible last year and theres no reason to believe they'll be better this year.DL is thin, is Ramsey hurt, is Quinn caught up in Screamer Gate, Rudolph wasn't a star but he played and depth is an issue. Overall defense will be weaker than last year, maybe a lot weaker than last year.

Offense. the two best OL out of a really weak group graduated. Last year they tried to cover Wetzels pass blocking weakness by playing a guard with a bad back at the critical LT, this year they're flipflopping Wetzel and Cleary, only problem is that Cleary can't pass block much better than Wetzel. Surprisingly Rettig survived the season without a serious injury although he was obviously shell shocked by the end. Overall I think there may be modest improvement just getting Devine out of the way.

RBs are OK except Williams runs like a FB and the other RBs tend to fumble - and there's only 3 of them to last 12 games.

Receivers are OK, just have trouble getting separation in the amount of time that Rettig has to throw the ball.

Overall offense should be about the same as last year unless a couple RBs get hurt and they have to rely completely on a pass offense, that will be impossible to watch for long.

2-10 unless Maine springs an upset or there are a couple injuries at RB. Their second likely win is MD or Army.

[innocentbystander]

A year ago Montel and St Luke were expected to lead the team and now both are gone.

Defense has lost their best player so LB will be weaker than last year, DB were terrible last year and theres no reason to believe they'll be better this year.DL is thin, is Ramsey hurt, is Quinn caught up in Screamer Gate, Rudolph wasn't a star but he played and depth is an issue. Overall defense will be weaker than last year, maybe a lot weaker than last year.

Offense. the two best OL out of a really weak group graduated. Last year they tried to cover Wetzels pass blocking weakness by playing a guard with a bad back at the critical LT, this year they're flipflopping Wetzel and Cleary, only problem is that Cleary can't pass block much better than Wetzel. Surprisingly Rettig survived the season without a serious injury although he was obviously shell shocked by the end. Overall I think there may be modest improvement just getting Devine out of the way.

RBs are OK except Williams runs like a FB and the other RBs tend to fumble - and there's only 3 of them to last 12 games.

Receivers are OK, just have trouble getting separation in the amount of time that Rettig has to throw the ball.

Overall offense should be about the same as last year unless a couple RBs get hurt and they have to rely completely on a pass offense, that will be impossible to watch for long.

2-10 unless Maine springs an upset or there are a couple injuries at RB. Their second likely win is MD or Army.

No.

We will not see too many 10-2 predictions this year. They are going to go about 6-6. Last year was an Epic Fail but much had been recovered by the end of the season (when it didn't matter.)