Boston College

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,243
I think they are gonna try and do what ND and most other teams tried, with success, last year. Until we can prove we can block the MLB, we will continue to struggle. I'm more interested in seeing the dive improve, it sets up everything else. If we can't consistently get 3 yards a pop up the middle, our offense sputters.
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
Messages
13,030
BCs D was amazingly good last year. On the bright side, they lost ~1/3 of their solo tackles to graduation and their DC to Michigan.

I don't buy the suggestion that the success of ND et al last year was what they were doing as much as it was to what we weren't. BC will be a good test in that regard.

My take, fwiw, is that one beauty of our O is that we don't have to win all our blocks as much as not lose them quickly. If we can just slow down the D a bit, the plays can get past them.
 

YJMD

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,628
BC is going to be hard to predict. They had an equivalently awful year as us last year, and were also hit by injuries and losing games they were competitive in. However, they had changes in both OC and DC, although to people we have already played on different teams in the past. One thing is interesting to me. I read that they had been spending a good bit of time prepping for the option thus far. It's interesting because they're theoretically also learning brand new offensive and defensive schemes at the same time.

I had also thought they were more experienced playing option teams. Although, it looks like we were the last (2008).
 

jacket fan in dairyland

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
112
I think it will be an ugly one, decided by a field goal. Good guys 13-10. If, and it's a big if, we can complete a few passes it might not be that close. I don't think we will be successful with long drives this early in the season due to our lack of depth and inexperience on the OL, plus the BC defense is pretty stout. BC will attempt to control the clock, convert third downs with short passes if needed. Our read and then react defense will play too soft in crucial situations allowing them to match our time of possession. Think a little bit weaker version of Pitt.
 

RyanS12

Helluva Engineer
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5,084
Location
Flint Michigan
I'm not a weather expert not can I predict what it'll be like in Dublin in 19 days but from what I remember watching the games they've played in the past I remember it raining every time. If that's the case we need to be careful with the mesh and the pitches. Keep the turnovers down I think we win.
 

ramblin' wagon

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
41
IMO the BC defense was not nearly as good as it showed to be statistically. If you compared their YPG to ours against our 5 common opponents it's really not all that different.

Opp - them(us) - diff
FSU - 217(280) - 63
Duke - 228(279) - 51
Clemson - 515(537) - 22
VT - 274(343) - 69
ND - 447(457) - 10

That's an average of 43 YPG difference. BC was 1st in YPG at 254 and we were 44th at 368. 5 of 6 of the best teams BC played were also on our schedule. They were really able to skew there stats by playing some weak offensive teams.

Opp - YPG
Maine(FCS) - 91
Howard(FCS) - 11 (yes eleven. not a typo)
N. Ill - 158
Wake - 142
Syracuse - 241

Just trying to add some perspective. It is what it is.
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
Messages
13,030
IMO the BC defense was not nearly as good as it showed to be statistically. If you compared their YPG to ours against our 5 common opponents it's really not all that different.

Opp - them(us) - diff
FSU - 217(280) - 63
Duke - 228(279) - 51
Clemson - 515(537) - 22
VT - 274(343) - 69
ND - 447(457) - 10

That's an average of 43 YPG difference. BC was 1st in YPG at 254 and we were 44th at 368. 5 of 6 of the best teams BC played were also on our schedule. They were really able to skew there stats by playing some weak offensive teams.

Opp - YPG
Maine(FCS) - 91
Howard(FCS) - 11 (yes eleven. not a typo)
N. Ill - 158
Wake - 142
Syracuse - 241

Just trying to add some perspective. It is what it is.

Yds/game is the wrong stat to compare since our ball control offense limits opposition plays. Here's yds/play:
,............ BC ......... GT
FSU ..... 3.81 ...... 5.09
Duke ... 3.21 ...... 4.57
CU ....... 6.82 ...... 7.26
vpi ....... 3.97 ...... 5.04
ND ....... 6.21 ...... 7.37

In ypp vs pwr5, they were #5. We were #80.
 

flea77

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
934
I was very excited watching the scrimmage Sat. We are very physical, we just have to stay healthy. The defense has some depth. We have some talented depth on the O , just young and they need some more reps. MJ is a power back playing QB. I watch one play and I was hoping he would run out of bounds, he did not. MJ jumped right up, the CB, not so fast. MJ is going to really help us this year. He is a tough runner. Mills looked great. Freddie is healthy, SD is going to mash folks. The B back dive is Alive!
 

flea77

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
934
I'm not a weather expert not can I predict what it'll be like in Dublin in 19 days but from what I remember watching the games they've played in the past I remember it raining every time. If that's the case we need to be careful with the mesh and the pitches. Keep the turnovers down I think we win.
Its gonna be wet. That is not a horrible thing. The O knows where they are going.
 

ramblin' wagon

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
41
Yds/game is the wrong stat to compare since our ball control offense limits opposition plays. Here's yds/play:
,............ BC ......... GT
FSU ..... 3.81 ...... 5.09
Duke ... 3.21 ...... 4.57
CU ....... 6.82 ...... 7.26
vpi ....... 3.97 ...... 5.04
ND ....... 6.21 ...... 7.37

In ypp vs pwr5, they were #5. We were #80.

I mostly agree. BC still got torched by ND and Clemson. There YPP is all over the place. I don't think that is indicative of a top 5 defense. I don't think comparing our P5 schedules is equitable.
 

AE 87

Helluva Engineer
Messages
13,030
I mostly agree. BC still got torched by ND and Clemson. There YPP is all over the place. I don't think that is indicative of a top 5 defense. I don't think comparing our P5 schedules is equitable.

Of course, stats have limits. Maybe the Atlantic division had mostly poor offenses last year. Still, holding pwr5 teams to fewer than 4yds per play is crazy.

Are you suggesting that the diff between #5 and #80 is just the 4 or 5 different pwr 5 opponents?
 

ramblin' wagon

Georgia Tech Fan
Messages
41
Of course, stats have limits. Maybe the Atlantic division had mostly poor offenses last year. Still, holding pwr5 teams to fewer than 4yds per play is crazy.

Are you suggesting that the diff between #5 and #80 is just the 4 or 5 different pwr 5 opponents?

I don't want to get this thread off topic. I will respond in the stats thread you started. It will be more appropriate there.
 

dressedcheeseside

Helluva Engineer
Messages
14,243
I was very excited watching the scrimmage Sat. We are very physical, we just have to stay healthy. The defense has some depth. We have some talented depth on the O , just young and they need some more reps. MJ is a power back playing QB. I watch one play and I was hoping he would run out of bounds, he did not. MJ jumped right up, the CB, not so fast. MJ is going to really help us this year. He is a tough runner. Mills looked great. Freddie is healthy, SD is going to mash folks. The B back dive is Alive!
Post of week!
 

NorthGaJacket15

Jolly Good Fellow
Messages
279
I was very excited watching the scrimmage Sat. We are very physical, we just have to stay healthy. The defense has some depth. We have some talented depth on the O , just young and they need some more reps. MJ is a power back playing QB. I watch one play and I was hoping he would run out of bounds, he did not. MJ jumped right up, the CB, not so fast. MJ is going to really help us this year. He is a tough runner. Mills looked great. Freddie is healthy, SD is going to mash folks. The B back dive is Alive!

Thanks flea!

I was thinking to myself how amazing it would be if CPJ came out and "called" 8-10 straight B-Back dives and we pounded it 75 yards for a touchdown! The icing on the cake would be if we could somehow plant a tv reporter on the sideline that could "overhear" CPJ with a sly smirk on his face telling an assistant coach, "this is gonna be fun, it ain't 2015 anymore!"
 

Gtech50

Ramblin' Wreck
Messages
526
I was very excited watching the scrimmage Sat. We are very physical, we just have to stay healthy. The defense has some depth. We have some talented depth on the O , just young and they need some more reps. MJ is a power back playing QB. I watch one play and I was hoping he would run out of bounds, he did not. MJ jumped right up, the CB, not so fast. MJ is going to really help us this year. He is a tough runner. Mills looked great. Freddie is healthy, SD is going to mash folks. The B back dive is Alive!
Did you notice anything out of Brandon Adams or Jordan Woods? I'm interested to see if they play this year.
 
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