RYAN DAY FINALLY OC...SOMEWHERE ELSE

Well, this ought to be received well by the faithful. Ryan Day is being reported as on his way out and off to Temple to become OC.

I obnoxiously quote ATL from January 10, 2011, because that seems so long ago and it feels like we had hope back then:

UPDATE: Ryan Day will be the new offensive coordinator. I applaud the move and will post more on the topic when BC announces it.

If this keeps happening, the whole giving up swearing for Lent is going to be challenging.

LET'S GET NUTTY...OR ARE WE STUCK UNTIL 2013?

With the news of every fired coach who's name doesn't start with "F" and end with "Rank Spaziani", the BC faithful get a bit irked and start freaking out. Ole Miss has scheduled a 3 pm ET press conference to announce it is parting ways with Houston Nutt at the end of the season, and I've already seen at least one or two mentions on Twitter that Nutt be considered for a move to Chestnut Hill.

I'm less than excited or optimistic about GDF making the hire. I mean, SEC castoffs aren't exactly lining up to get into Boston, and it's not like Nutt's lack of success at Ole Miss was a fluke. That's not the only reason, though. It has to do with the fact that I'm not a believer that the head coaching job at BC will be vacant at the end of 2011 - it may not be until 2012.

Why? Well, money. College football is a business. TV contracts, expansion, ridiculous uniforms prove this. There is no reason to change anything if those things are guaranteed, right? 

The 2012 home schedule is among the best BC has likely ever had and there are tons of rivalries on there that will sell tickets - mainly because I'd bet the farm that the Athletic Department will lock Notre Dame, Miami and Clemson single game seats into season ticket packages. As proven by the Wake Forest game last week, ESPN will put nearly any game with Notre Dame that it gets into a prime time slot, regardless of opponent. BC-Miami will all but assuredly be Thanksgiving weekend (especially since BC starts on the road). Those are two reasons that people may hold onto any tailgating spots, and donate to make it happen.

If 2012 is going to be a failure on the field no matter what - new coach or same coach, 4-8 or 5-7 are optimistic unless this team completely changes form - but won't hurt the wallet that much, there is no reason to change. 2013 doesn't have quite the same prospects in terms of guaranteed cash flow. The ACC capsule reverts back to the Wake Forest-NC State-Florida State home games, and TOB is about as likely to be there in 2013 as Spaz will be.

The Athletic Department will be in a much better position to let Spaz go in 2012, as well. Three years will be in the books (what has become the official "give a coach time" standard) and another season on top of it, and Spaz's age will make the extension break a nice excuse in addition to the extra time. A new coach in '13 could help, as well, rejuvenate whatever base survives the next two years.

Buckle in, sports fans. I hate to be the guy pissing in the Cheerios, but I put the odds in favor of Spaz being on the sideline next fall over being in a retirement home. The Athletic Department can take it to the bank.

WHO WOULD YOU TAKE?

CoachesHotSheet.com tracks how hot each coaches seat is getting on a week by week basis. Spaz started at 81 in the preseason out of 120, pretty safe. He has sky-rocked to make the top 10 and get his face smeared on the top of the page. I am posting a screenshot of that here for a scientific study. Are there ANY of the other top 10 coaches that you would NOT rather have as the head coach of BC?

Since we seem to be one of the biggest, loudest #FireSpaz promoters, over the next weeks we are going to start doing some more in-depth write-ups on current coaches who might be out of jobs at the end of the season and might make great hires for BC.

WHERE TO GO FROM HERE?

DL has been taking the brunt of the posting workload lately, given that I am across the country in San Diego (it means Whale's Vagina), but I wanted to chime in about the tumult that is our program at the moment.

The firing leave of absence of Kevin Rogers gives pause to all of BC fandom given that he was brought in to replace Rip van Tranquil who's offense was about as exciting as watching grass grow.  Most analysts (including Kirk Herbstreit) felt that his hiring would be the change that BC needed to get back in the game, that he would bring an exciting style of offense that could upgrade our flaccid scoring from 2010.  (I want to note that I did not see it so favorably).

Now with his offense doing absolutely nothing for two weeks (even though Tranquil was given 2 years of failures before "retiring") he is gone. So we bring in Brock to head up the offense and move a grad assistant up to TE coach. Why not move up Ryan Day ("The next great BC coach?") and give him a chance to make a difference? IMHO, its because he is the biggest threat to GeneD's best buddy, Coach Spaz. The #FireSpaz bandwagon is rolling on, and getting quite heavy, and if the ruse around Kevin Rogers is true, #FireGeneD might be next.

So where do we go from here? In my (albeit pessimistic) opinion, we will likely have to scrap this season anyways, so why not get rid of Spaz now, and start a coaching search. Who will be available at the end of the year? No one is sure, but I could easily see some decent names on the market such as Mark Richt (not that he would be interested, but he might need a job!). Why not get ahead of the game and make it clear we are looking and start talking to hot seat coaches and scoop up the best one available at the end of the season.

Who would be your ideal coaching hire (realistically)?

NCAA Football and the Year of the No Clear Front Runner

Welcome to the 2008 NCAA Football Season. I got giddy typing that sentence.

This year it's almost like we are starting at the beginning, and yes, that sentence is intentionally ironic. For the past few years, many believe that the preseason polls have established an unfair, early agenda that determines who will ultimately play in the Championship Game. I think if you take one look around to the various poll-makers you will notice that a trend this year is hard to spot.

Last year, Ohio State was the consensus number one after they stomped Notre Dame in the previous year’s Fiesta Bowl. From the beginning of the year, they were as close as you can get to being a unanimous choice to return to the Glendale desert for the inaugural BCS Championship Game. They had two things in their favor (in order of importance): 1) A relatively easy schedule (outside of Texas and Michigan, who bolster the Buckeyes strength of schedule) guaranteed a good record. 2) They had a talented corps of players, including the eventual Heisman winner. In other words, the preseason polls were looking to guess how teams will finish rather than how they will start, and it is difficult to get off that logic.

For the first time in a long time there has been a lot of transition among last season’s top teams. It is not easy to predict how the young role players stepping in will perform. How exactly will Tim Tebow do as the main signal caller for the Gators? Who will fill in for Ohio State? Will the Michigan senior class jump the hurdle and be a contender this year? How quickly will Wake Forest fade away…or is writing off Riley Skinner and that innovative system a dangerous thing? LSU without Russell? USC with Booty? Which one is the favorite?

Clearly, making lists of teams just skirts the problem of the rhetorical angle of the last paragraph. There is so much turnover that we actually have to take these teams at zero, forget about previous years, and try our best to put it all together. So, we start at the beginning and that is a very good place to start.

One thing important to mention is the amazing amount of new head coaches. Some are returning to old conferences with championship rings (Saban) and some have never even tasted the reins of having their own team. There are 23 schools with a change at the HC position and 11 of those men are in their first post at the head of a ship (thanks to CoachesHotSeat.com for the stats).

In terms of the preseason rankings, the one thing I can say is that no team, no matter how they were ranked, how talented they are, how deep the chart is or how creative and exciting the new coach may be, should be in the top ten after such a drastic change. To me, the three schools who are most affected by my ironclad rule include my Alma Mater, the defending Big East champion and the former king of the SEC (Nick Saban). Of those three though, the most likely to really make me eat my preseason prognostication is Louisville.

Steve Kragthorpe's name was thrown around when Boston College was looking to hire a new head coach. He is innovative and will be able to use the offensive weapons he has inherited. Louisville has a great shot to return to the Orange Bowl this year as Big East champion, especially with Heisman hopeful Brohm as its signal caller. Louisville benefits from the bottleneck factor of the Big East, so it still may be an unfair fair assessment to say that they should have been a top ten team. The bottom end of the conference is terrible, between UConn, Syracuse, Cincinnati and USF. Rutgers has greatly improved in the past few seasons but won't be sneaking up on anyone this year, and the de facto championship will be the Louisville-West Virginia game in Morgantown on November 8th. Kragthorpe benefits from walking into the best situation in the country.

Something similar could be said for Jags at BC, with 16 of 22 starters returning. The conference is tougher, the out of conference schedule includes a trip to South Bend, and BC does not play the three weakest teams in the ACC (UNC, Duke and Virginia). Optimistically, and as a homer, I'd love to award Jags and the Eagles the Atlantic Division. But, how will my boy Matt Ryan adjust to a playbook that has more than one page? As exciting as it is to have Jags around, he has yet to coach a game. Not a single one. With this schedule, it is going to be even more of an uphill battle.

More than anything else I'm writing this year, I will gladly eat my words on this last paragraph. With a nice salad, some farva beans and a glass of Chianti. I’m trying to be marginally rational right now though, and the limitations at Chestnut Hill need to be mentioned.

With many of the other coaches, it is about rebuilding. One or two of them may surprise, but for now, they will be going up against some of the big guns.

The two schools, and head coaches, to watch the most this year will start their road from two different sides of the country. Pete Carroll and the Trojans may run into Les Miles and the Tigers in New Orleans next January. Carroll has a great Pac-10 style and phenomenal prospect in John David Booty. Down in the Bayou, Miles can demonstrate that LSU is a force in the best conference in football even without JaMarcus Russell.

This year’s spoiler could be last year's Big Ten runner-up, Michigan, especially if Henne plays at the level many believe he should. Beyond Michigan, there are many candidates that could fill in that esteemed spot. I could rattle off stats about Wisconsin getting screwed for a big bowl last year or the power of the SEC and not writing off Florida just yet; West Virginia's ridiculously easy schedule. Rather than keeping on this trend, I am bringing back an old gimmick.

20 or so self-proclaimed experts (which is pretty much the Harris Poll anyway) that I know have volunteered to help me construct a poll which is built with a very simple metric. When each of the pollers ranks the teams, they are asked to take into account whether they think the team ranked higher will be the better team the vast majority of the time when playing opponents below them. It's so simple, you'd think this is how everyone does it. Alas. Finally, since this is a BC blog, each poller gives an estimate of where they think the Eagles should be. Here’s the official preseason poll:

1 USC (11) 0.974
2 LSU (5) 0.842
3 Texas 0.835
4 West Virginia 0.828
5 Florida 0.819
6 Michigan 0.762
7 Wisconsin 0.647
8 Oklahoma 0.452
9 Louisville 0.442
10 Ohio State 0.365

16 Boston College

Part two of this three part preview will give you a conference-by-conference look at the six BCS conferences as well as quick predictions for the mid and low majors. And in two weeks, we will be unveiling the Heisman Rubric that will make an appearance all year long. I'm really excited about this addition because it is just a great way to talk about what it means to be a Heisman and who really deserves it if that is what the award is about.

ESPN on Jags

As I keep reading about Jags (and not posting, I know, sorry!) . I get more and more excited about his hire. He looks like the happy medium between the SHAZAM that I was proclaiming a need for, and the Boring but Efficient TOB Squad. He seems like he will bring both excitement to the offense and technique and finesse to both sides of the ball.

Another aspect that makes Jags a good pick is his BC ties and loyalty. I know the BC is a special place, and its a place that needs a certain type of HC. TOB was NOT that type. He was not a BCer at heart. I think Jags MIGHT be. I really liked this quote in the ESPN article today

"I told my wife when we left Logan [Airport] the last time, 'I'll be back someday,'" he said. "If it was any other place I really don't think I'd be leaving."

This rings to me like a guy that knows how good he's got it here, and might, JUST MIGHT, become a long term loyal coach.

When it comes to play style, Jags has the experience with being the O-Line Coach both in the NFL and at BC before. Being that we are O-Line U, this will fit nicely. At the same time, he has coached an under-supported Matt Hasselbeck, and a future HOFer Brett Farve. These both are good examples of the kind of QB that can be fostered in the Jags system. Hopefully this will be a great asset to Matty Ryan next year and our future field generals as well.

Anyways I want to talk to some of my insiders and hear a bit more about the private side of Jags, but I am starting to turn towards really liking this guy. The first test is going to be a great one, the always talented and non-Jeff Bowden ruined, FSU Squad.

Commentary on the Jags Hire

Ok, so I am still a LITTLE in shock about the Jags Hire. I am not upset by it, but I am a bit surprised. The obvious reason was the BC Connection, but we will see. I will have an extensive review of the hire tomorrow morning, been busy working for the weekend right now. Catch ya'll in the AM.

It's Greg Brady by a nose...!

Boston.com is reporting in a developing story that Jagodzinski, Green Bay Packers Offensive Coordinator, will be named Head Coach at a presser Wednesday afternoon. More as it comes in.

Here's the story, of a guy named TOBy.

It's a Monday morning and the rumor mill is spinning faster than Carmelo Anthony's fists.

Weekend reports had it all but announced that Mark Whipple would be leaving the Pittsburgh Steelers and roaming the sidelines at Alumni, until last night when EagleAction claimed that it would actually be an internal promotion of Frank Spaziani.

The moral of the story? No one actually knows anything. The Flynn Department over in Conte has been so quiet it's creepy. The only thing that is known is that the Board of Trustees is meeting early this week and will decide. Michael Vega, of the Globe, has it narrowed down to three, Whip, Jags and Spaz.

So, because no one knows anything, here's a Brady Bunch like matrix of the players involved.




Top Row: Whipple (as Marcia), TOB (as Carol Brady), Jags (as Greg)
Middle: Bob Davie (as Jan), Alice (as Alice), Dave Clawson (as Peter)
Bottom: Dana Bible (as Cindy), Coach Flip (as Mike Brady) and Spaz (as Bobby)

Silence is golden...

Some speculation this morning that the complete lack of coverage by ANY news outlet is a direct sign that an official announcement is coming soon. This could be (a) a legitimate coincidence so that the media gets a huge push ready for the announcement, (b) driven by the same media guys who didn't shut up about Whipple and are now getting slack for creating a hype that really isn't there or (c) that the search is actually on the opposite side and FAR from over.

I hope it's (a) so that this can be over with and we can try and salvage a few of the recruits which seem to be leaning away (specifically, St. Peter's Mason Robinson). If it's (b), well, it's just interesting that Whipple could have that much media control, which would be good for the school anyway.

If it's (c), someone shoot me. More info as it comes. Look for a leak tomorrow and a presser Monday.

Whipple losing ground?

The rumor mills are spinning again, and with GDF continuing the search for a new coach, some are speculating that Whipple's "confirmation" may have been publicity pressure coming from some friends of his in the press. This is all MAJORLY speculative, but what would we do without yellow journalism on the internet.

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INSTEAD, the word right now is that there are interviews being held with Nebraska OC Jay Norvell. His resume seems good, but the consensus on the net is that he could have acted in Super Troopers.


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Also, FireTOB.com has a new mascot, which I love and wanted to share with you all.

And a reversal?

So the message boards and blogs have been FLOODED today with rumors about the new HC. Several posters that have been known to have inside sources are saying that Jeff Jagodzinski is it, decided and done.

Yet several others are opening the field up more, Rivals has an article (subscription required) about Jay Norvell as a serious contender for the job. See the article here.

And the winner is...

Well maybe that was a tease, but Eagle in Atlanta is reporting:

Pretty solid on this. So our new coach probably knows he got the job or will know shortly. I still can't confirm who the guy is yet, but will post as soon as I can. backlink

So Coach Flip, please take us off the edge of our seats. If I had to guess, its going to be Whipple and immediately following going to announce Clawson as OC and Spaz staying on as DC. HEY! a man can dream can't he?

Bob Ryan's Whipple Column...

If you get a chance, read Bob Ryan's column on Whipple's history. To add more weight to an article in this morning's Globe and rumors from some fairly reliable sources, you have to admit that anyone who is going to give a detailed interview to the biggest sportswriter in Boston is doing something right.

This is what we call, in the business, good public relations.

More info as it comes...

Developing News...

Angry Eagle is claiming inside info saying the deal is done with Whipple... Check it out:

Whipple is a done deal. I have inside information which I am not willing or at liberty to disclose. It's just a matter of dollars right now. My prediction is that the deal will be for about $1M, standard stuff for the ACC, and the contract will be signed tomorrow, Monday at the latest. backlink

This inside info Tidbit seems to confirm Boston Globe writer Michael Vega (a very reliable BC Source) who claimed yesterday that Whipple's deal was in. Read his article here.

Here's to hoping!

The search is half the battle...

Gene DeFillipo’s search for a new head coach has definitely shot one thing to the top of his priority list: fireworks. He’s taken several actions during the nationwide coaching search that imply he’s looking to generate excitement from the graveyard of Alumni Stadium.

#1: No Defensive Coordinators

Of those interviewed to this point for the head coaching position, there has been two QB coaches, an Offensive Coordinator and a guy with a track record for scoring. These names are unrecognizable (save, Fassel) to most, which is a far cry from the first names being thrown out. Those included the Old School Bob Davie, Brown’s Head Coach and former Patriot’s DC, Romeo Crennel along with the names of Defensive Coordinators from a few nationally high profile programs (Florida/Michigan). None of those last four have had an interview with GDF, and, until Thursday afternoon there was fifth: acting Head Coach and the Defensive Coordinator, Frank “Spaz” Spaziani.

Is this an Anti-TOB push? TOB was heralded when he came to the Heights for the job he did as UVA’s Offensive Coordinator, at one point the most prolific in the country. Who was really calling the shots down there for a coach whose teams at BC were more defensive in nature? GDF may be borrowing a page out the story from Wake in ’06: creativity, ingenuity can trump talent and still put points on the board.

#2: Strike a Pose

Well, to be specific, a very certain pose: leg reared, ball in the nook with an arm extended stiff. Matt Ryan was the ACC’s leader in several offensive categories in 2006, and with many returning starters, he has a chance to only improve. If he can lead the team to the promised land of at least the ACC Championship Game, he may legitimately be considered. Now, look at the track records of the guys who are being recruited to coach him: the guys who have coached Big Ben (Whipple in Pittsburgh) and Favre (Jags). Does Matt Ryan’s 2007 campaign carry enough wait as to dictate who the coach will be?

#3: The Jury’s on Trial?

Coach Flip is looking to make a legacy for himself in his first big hiring as AD. York, Skinner and TOB were all previously installed upon his arrival.

The tradition in recent hires has been to take a good coach who isn’t in the right place and bringing him up to something better than what he had. BC won’t go after NFL coaches or other HC’s and ask them to take a step back. But, York was given a chance to return to BC after leading Bowling Green to a National Championship. Skinner could raise the bar on a program that was already higher than URI would ever get. What’s the promise with the football team? Part of it, the discipline and ethic, was built by TOB, but he didn’t reach the rest of his expectations.

Whip, Jags and Clawson. One of those three men will likely be announced as early as Tuesday. The person to whom this hire will mean the most, the person on which will reflect more in terms of history, scrutiny and security, is the coach they call Flip.

An interesting article and a few laughs

I just read this article in Virginia's Daily Press, discussing BC's history with the ACC, the TOB hire, and the Bowl Situations. It was disheartening but utterly true. BC is and likely always will be the red-headed stepchild of the ACC. I am proud to be a part of the ACC, but I am NOT so excited about the way we are treated. A little exerpt:

After reconsidering a year later and welcoming Boston College for 2005-06 competition, the ACC allowed its bowl partners to hose the Eagles in consecutive seasons, relegating them to lesser games - Boise, Idaho, last season and Charlotte, N.C., this year - that belied their record

Read the whole article here.

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Also, some of the word flying around Yawkey right now is that by Friday (TOMORROW) the coaching list will be narrowed down to 2 (Whipple and one other?) And a decision will come out soon. I am hoping that this isn't rushed, at the same time, the team needs a coach and needs resolution. Coach Flip, make it happen.

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And now the laughs:

Thank you Mr. Erik Huelsebusch for this one of our favorite Wolfpack HC

More Coaching News + A Congratulations

As reported this morning by ESPN, Coach Flip has been meeting with GB Packers Offensive Coodinator Jeff Jagodzinski. Jags has been on most fans short list for a while, he is a hotshot young coordinator with NFL experience and a lot of excitement. We will see how this turns out, but it might be just to drum up more sucess given that Whipple was on the cusp of getting the bid already earlier. Read the ESPN article here

At the same time as the news is coming out about the Jags interviews, the Globe is reporting that Whipple is it, decided, done. Not sure what to read of this, but here is the article. To be honest, I would be really really happy with Whipple right now if he was picked, on the same hand, I would love to see a little more of a search. We will see how it plays out.

I may be totally off base, but I think that GDF has done on thing GREAT in this process. He has brought BC's Coaching Search to the forefront and press-wise it is a TOP story. This will now be one of the most high profile hires this year (if not the highest now that the Alabama story as waned). And we should give him big ups for that.

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In other news, OG Josh Beekman has been named AP First team All American. Congrats Beeks, it couldn't have happened to a better guy. Josh lived down the hall from me freshman year in Chevie, and you won't meet a nicer, more genuine guy. Congrats and THANK YOU for your service to BC these past 4 years.