Draft 11-30: Plays of the Game vs. Cuse

Well Boston College was able to end it's regular season on a five game winning streak, promise of a bowl bid, and beating a former Big East rival, on thier turf, considering where we were a couple months ago, this was definitely an accomplishment! Here were our favorite plays of the game against the Orange!

1M) Andre the Giant

With Montel on the sidelines, we needed a solid, mistake-free game from Andre. With the exception of a few missed blocking assignments in pass protection, we got just that. Terrific job by the true freshman.

2W) Herzy Pick to end the regular season

BCMike, I agree. Andre stepped right in and was the workhorse we knew he could be. And did a great job!It was almost like it was scripted.. Syracuse was driving , not too much time left on the clock.. and Mark Herzlich grabbed a pick for the second week in a row. What a way to close the regular season..

3M) Not actually playing the "freshman" game

Good call on the Herzy pick Wesley--I almost went that direction myself, but I had to go with Andre.Here I'm going with not playing the drinking game "freshman". What the hell am I talking about? Well, during the game you may have noticed that the announcers were quite insistent upon pointing out how young our team is (despite having more degree holders on our team than any other team in FBS), and Wesley and I jokingly said it would have been a great drinking game if we had to take a sip every time the announcers said "Freshman". Trust me when I say it was amazing once you started paying attention to it. I'm glad we didn't participate because my liver would have given out.

4W) The play that almost was

Our play calling hasn't been the most exciting to put it incredibly mildly, but tranq dog dialed up a great one with an end around to swigert, then pass, it was all there other than the catch, but ive gotta give tranq credit on the call, I loved it!

5M) BC kicking game.

I think it speaks volumes that an "almost" play was one of the big highlights of our OC's year. That's another draft.... I'm going with our kicking game. Freese was automatic as usual, which is entirely under-rated, but more amazing to me is we had a couple touchbacks. When was the last time that happened? Anyone recall? It's truly a weapon if we can establish deep boots on kickoffs instead of granting possession at the 40 yard line as we have in seasons past.

6W) We beat a Big Least team

The Big East sucks.. just look at how their probable conference champ and recipient of a BCS bowl game Yukon.. Well, I have no problem hating on the Big East team, and they are an easy target, because they are worse than horrid.( and this is coming from someone who agrees the acc isn’t the best conference by far this year) but nothing would be worse than losing to them, not only do they suck, but we would never EVER EVER hear the end of it.

7M) Pantale presence

We called for it in our keys and Pantale delivered. While Chase didn't have a game for the ages, he did enough and utilizing Pantale early paid dividends all game long.

8W) Keeks 10 again

Just to prove he was human, Keeks got 10 tackles, which would be called low on his standards, but is very high in the mortal world.Continuing the streak to 21 games.. And also getting nominated for a finalist for the Butkus.

9M) Amidon emergence.

Who knew the kid who quite literally stumbled out of the gates would become one of our most valuable receivers? Along with a favorite of this blog Bobby (or "Billy" as he's known by inane announcers) Swigert, the two have really matured an developed just the way you would hope to see throughout the year.

10W)Lindsey showing

I remember seeing him on the field, and wondering if it was by accident, as I had no clue we would ever see him out there on defense.. But there he was in the secondary.. he got his shot and he didn’t back down.. I don’t remember him getting “burned” or anything like that. He played well., and stepped up and into the game.. on the last game of his BC career. Good showing Ryan!

Recap:
BCMike: Andre the Giant, no Freshman Game, BC kicking, Pantale, Amidon emergence
Wesley: Herzy pick, the almost play, beat big least, Keeks 10, Lindsey

Draft 11-30: Plays of the Game vs. Cuse
	BCMike: Andre the Giant, no Freshman Game, BC kicking, Pantale, Amidon emergence
	Wesley: Herzy pick, the almost play, beat big least, Keeks 10, Lindsey
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11/26/10 Draft: Keys to the Game vs. 'Cuse

Well, for the first time since prior to week four, we can say the Eagles enter the game with a winning record.

While many of us envisioned much bigger things for this BC team this year, we do have the chance to finish strong with five consecutive wins and get to seven wins / winning record for the 12th straight year.

Many of us don't have to be told not to sleep on 'Cuse--particularly the last game of the season...and we sure as heck hope the coaches have our guys ready to play today. Below are the keys to a BC win....Let's go Eagles--finish strong!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

1W) Andre Williams 0 fumbles

BCMike, I think we have something with our true freshman running back Andre Williams.. He runs hard and just hits people.. Did you see him lower his shoulder last week against the ‘Hoos? One thing concerns me though., his tendency to eat buttery foods before the game.. as it seems on most KO’s he drops the ball, then picks it up.. Even early in the season he showed his tendency to put the ball on the ground. If he can fix this problem, we could really be successful. I’m just asking everyone close to Andre, no leftover turkey, buttered popcorn, etc right before the game.. and I think we should be pretty good!


2M) Remember the Diamond

Our seniors need to keep on mind that at 6-6, there's no guarantee of a bowl game...but get to 7 wins, and we're in. Last time we played 'Cuse in a meaningful game, Diamond Ferri broke our hearts.

Time for some payback.


3W) McCluskey time

It definitely hurts Boston College that their “franchise player” is out, and there is no doubt about that. But instead of putting all the pressure on Andre Williams as a true freshman, Let McCluskey get a good spell of snaps.. he’s shown good ball handling skills, and he is a senior and has played in his share of important games (ie Clemson 07) He should be very reliable for the Eagles in his last regular season game.


4M) Chase primetime

We're on in a good slot once again. Well, not the noon part but following College Game Day on ESPN is a great place to be for exposure. Chase has had a couple moments in the bright lights already and things didn't go as well as we would have hoped. This time we need him and the rest of the guys to audition and show recruits that BC football is fun and a winning program. This is our chance to put an exclamation point on the season and show how far we've come.


5W) Pressure Nassib

At the start of the season, we did a blog on the best Quarterbacks BC plays this year, well I put Nassib up there. He isn’t going to wow anyone but he typically plays a pretty smart game. One thing that happens a good bit though is he gets sacked, he has already been sacked 28 times this year. I think this is a prime time to run those sack numbers up and force Nassib to hurry passes, and take some sacks.


6M) Safety Play

Good call on pressuring Nassib, Wesley. I have to say I have seen bits and pieces of 'Cuse thus far and you're right--Nassib looks much better this year than he did two years ago.

For the 6th pick I'm going to go with Safety play. The last couple of weeks our safety play hasn't really been tested much but also haven't really made many big plays. 'Cuse loves to go play-action and it's going to be a big test for whichever two safeties we have back there (they've been rotating quite a bit recently if you haven't noticed). We need to make sure we stay disciplined and don't give up the easy bomb on play-action. Make them earn it down the field.


7W) O Line Run blocking.

This is it, this will be the first time all year we hear a coach say wow, your offensive line took a toll on our D line.

The Big uglies will road grate all day long.. they have been hurt, injured and have stepped up for most of the year..

This is the game they own it, and on every single play. You will notice this from the first snap, and it will be the difference , and will make a W for the Eagles.



8M) Pantale presense.

With Montel out, the WR's and TE's need to step up. If Pantale can establish himself early and keep the LB's honest, that will greatly aid Andre Williams and the O-Lone when we run.


9W) Tranq trick plays

You know Mike, I have been hoping for a Pantale presence all year, and I just haven’t, and that is to no blame of him.. The play calls just haven’t been there for him.

And here is where I lose the draft lol.. But with the running game changed with Montel on the sidelines, I am thinking there has to be some sort of trick plays for short yards to compensate. Do I have the exact plays drawn up… hmm not exactly, but I’ve got to think that Tranq has some, and will use them this week.. come on Tranq.. lol


10M) Keeks showcase

The gaudy stats that Luke has put up have not gone unnoticed. While Luke's play in general will certainly have a big impact on the game I have to say I'm really rooting for Keeks to put up some big numbers and make a great case for ACC Defensive POY & Butkus.




RECAP:
Wesley drafted: Andre 0 fumbles, McCluskey time, Pressure Nassib, O-Line U run blocking, Tranq trick plays
BCMike drafted: Remember Diamond, Chase primetime, Safety play, Pantale presence, Keeks showcase

Keys to the Game vs. Syracuse
	Wesley: Andre 0 fumbles, McCluskey time, Pressure Nassib, O-Line U run blocking, Tranq trick plays
	BCMike: Remember Diamond, Chase primetime, Safety play, Pantale presence, Keeks showcase
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Happpy Thanksgiving / Let's Go Eagles!

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

For many of us away from Chestnut Hill, this is our first glimpse at Cap'n D and the new look Eagles. They're taking on aTm in the Old Spice Classic on ESPN.

Let's hope our new coach can prove that his system works and we show up looking great on national TV!

The Schadenfreude issue / Jafar Joy / Misery loves company

Well, what can we say. We're filled with a lot of hate typically, and this season hasn't really allowed us to get rid of a whole hell of a lot of it.

While we have avoided the cataclysmic disaster that could have been, now at 6-5 from the 2-5 start that had us all examining the suicide clauses in our life insurance policies--it's still been a very tough year to be an Eagles fan.

One of the few bright spots this season has been the ability for us to look down our noses at some other teams & programs and enjoy in their pain alongside ours.

Hey, we never said we were saints.

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1M) UGA

Or "You Gay" if you're into phonetic pronunciations. For those who have been reading this blog for more than a year, you're probably pretty familiar with me railing on UGA. For those who are not, here's the quick synopsis: If you live in Atlanta, all of the locals who have zero ties to UGA root for UGA with unbridled passion despite GT being actually IN ATLANTA. However, once UGA loses a couple games, all of the bandwagon jumpers with no actual ties to the university dry up like a priest on Sunday. Okay, bad example--but you know what I mean.

It's been quite enjoyable watching the locals who do care freak out at how bad UGA has gotten--but my personal favorite is this quick story:

My co-worker (we'll call him "Q") has the same feelings as I do on UGA. However, last week I saw Q sporting a UGA pull-over. I just about crapped my pants as my eyeballs hung to their fibers barely staying inside my head. I asked him what in the hell he was doing. His response was classic:

"I love wearing this to clients. I get to lead off with "man, it's tough being a UGA fan this year. They stink! They're awful! What a joke!" and people agree with me because they think they're commiserating with me...but I'm just dancing on the inside."

Impressive, Q. Most impressive. It's almost enough to make me want to buy a ND pull-over.

Almost.


2W) Texas

Oh how the mighty have fallen..How does it feel to be last in the Big 12 South? How does it feel to lose to UCLA, Iowa State.. Oh and don’t forget Baylor!

Go ahead and chalk up another loss on Thanksgiving to A&M, and when you are eating your turkey and dressing , remember the things to be thankful for… That the season is ovah!!!!


3M) UCan't

You know Wesley, it's tough to believe that Iowa State beat Texas. I didn't realize Iowa State could beat....well, anyone. Guess that Colt McCoy guy was pretty good after all.

My second pick is an easy one---UCan't. Yes, yes, it's still sadly very possible that UCan't goes to a BCS bowl game with four losses--that's how horrifically bad the Big East is (much like this year, as bad as the ACC has been--and it's been plenty woeful--thank big guns upstairs that the Big East is around to make us all feel better).

UCan't inexplicably received plenty of preseason love, particularly from the fickle New England media who never have a problem shunning BC but seem to have taken a shining to the Puppies for some reason. Those high hopes have come crashing down and the talks of Randy Edsall leaving for greener pastures have been put to bed. Guess Randy should have cashed that check before the void date appeared: Fall 2010.

An added bonus in all of this is watching the most insane, creepy, unprofessional "writer" of them all, Mr Desmond Conner (or "DC", as he calls himself) have a complete and total meltdown. You'll remember that DC had UCan't a borderline teen ranking to start the year. Whoops.

Fret not, UCan't fans....Ladies hoops just started.


4W) Rutgers

So I am thinking, is coming in dead last in the Big East similar to your Grandmother beating you in a slam dunk contest? Neither of you probably should have been there, and now you just look stupid for showing up?

Rutgers just can’t seem to put it all together even against power houses such as Tulane and South Florida. Let alone the thrashing they took this past Saturday against Cincy.. 69 points..


5M) U$C

Darn. I was hoping NJ State would last, but good pick Wesley. Oh, did you hear Shiano removed his name from consideration for the Rutgers job? Those jokes never get old....

Yes, they're not that bad, but it doesn't matter. They are not on TV and can't go bowling....definitely satisfying. I was sure that the Reggie Bush violations would never actually catch up with the Trojans, but now between Pete the Poodle bolting for rainier pastures in Seattle and Insane in the Membrane Lane Kiffen taking over the ship, it's nice to see the U$C fans come back down to earth.

Make sure to tune into their bowl game on channel....oh wait. LOL.


6W) Ole Miss Running Rebel Black Bears etc etc

WHATEVER they want to be called this week. Maybe if you didn’t change your mascot your fans would know who to cheer for.. orrr if you are losing to an already crappy Tennessee, maybe they won’t.. Sounds like a year that tailgating is up in the Grove and Play is down.

I especially like this because of all the hype that Masoli got, just to be rendered less than irrelevant.


7M) Notre Dame

HAHA...awesome. Excellent call, Wesley. I love it when folks who blindly break the rules (okay, "bend") don't get the payoff. So if you're curious--yes, I'm glad Brett Farvruh is blowing this year as well.

Yes, Notre Dame beat us...which as we all know sadly doesn't mean a whole hell of a lot this year. But I'm just happy that they lost to Navy....and TULSA. FUCKING TULSA. How great is that?

I still think Kelley is an awesome hire and eventually will return the folks from Indiana Catholic Community College back to the promised land; but I was only all too happy to see that they are not going to make it there this year, and likely not any time soon.


8W) Vandy

Before I get 1000 emails saying, BUT WESLLLEYYY it’s just Vandy!!!!!!

OR getting 1000 emails saying , BUT WEESSSLEY they play in the SEC (second only to only SOME NFL Conferences)

Ok, Vandy doing bad, helps BC because it proves it is hard to get skilled athletes that are serious in the classroom as well as on the gridiron.

And the SEC comment just makes me sick.. Everyone plays in a conference.. I will say the SEC is the best one, and the ACC is far behind this year.. but everyone goes through the lumps.. and everyone is going to have wins and losses, kinda how it all works out.

ANDDDDD to top it all off, I am glad they are doing crummy , because I am still pissed about the 2008 music city bowl.


9M) Kansas

Really? Kansas? Yeah, well here's the thing: I actually have a good couple of friends that are Kansas fans. Wait--I should clarify. I have a good couple of friends that are Kansas BASKETBALL fans. They didn't know a football from a golf ball until a couple years ago--then all of a sudden they cared about "Jayhawk Fooball" and were all of a sudden die-hards when Planet Mangino had them playing (and winning) in a BCS Bowl game.

I understand it's a small sample size, but I'm just thrilled to have my Jayhawk friends STFU about being great in football as well. They'll always be great in hoops and frankly--they really don't deserve to be good in anything else. Glad they're bottom dwellers once again.


10W) Akron

Not because I hate them , or anything deep like that..They are having a hard year, and they typically aren’t quite this bad..

It’s just that their total wins could be said by their nickname “ZIPS”.

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RECAP:

BCMike drafted: UGA, UCan't, U$C, ND, Kansas
Wesley drafted: Texas, Rutgers, Ole Miss, Vandy, Akron

The Schadenfreude issue - Jafar Joy - Misery loves company
	BCMike: UGA, UCant, USC, ND, Kansas
	Wesley: Texas, Rutgers, Ole Miss, Vandy, Akron
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Draft 11-21: Plays of the Game vs. UVA

Well we are really liking the trend here at BCDraft as we much rather be doing plays of the game over worst of the worst after a game but, Wow this is going to be hard.. it was all ugly, but we got the W, so that makes it a bit easier to swallow. The seniors are able to extend thier season, and go out with a Win in thier last game at the Heights.

1W) Herzy pick

We needed a stop, it’s the seniors last home game.. And guess what Club grips the INT? none other than BC’s own Mark Herzlich. What a way to end his BC career at home.

2M) 2 x 100

I honestly don't remember the last time BC had two backs go over 100 yards each vs. a BCS opponent, but Andre "The Giant" Williams came up big like a giant when we needed him most. Both backs had great days and we can only hope Montel is OK after the knee tweak

3W) Rettig to Amidon TD

As it looks like this is our deep option, I can get used to this freshman combo, amidon was double covered but was able to pull down a great toss by rettig for 6

4M) We're fucking going to a bowl game

After such a brutal year, I can't believe that we're actually going bowling, but we are...continuing our 12-year streak.

5W) Keeks break up for the W

We know Luke is great but he seems to remind and surprise us each week.. After continuing the 10 tackle streak quite easily , he was the one that was able to swat away the final throw from virgina and get a w for the eagles!

6M)Tranq opening it up

While I am still very anti-Tranq, I have to say we actually took SOME shots downfield. Chase throws a terrific deep ball (although sometimes into coverage) and tossing it deep causes the safeties and 'backers to respect the deep threat and not just stuff the run. Kudos to Tranq for tossing it downfield occasionally.

7W)Rettig to Momah

Momah, played an overall great game, but threw pass from rettig to momah out of their own end zone was nothing short of just a great play by both of them.. Momah is a great mismatch against shorter db's and rettig had great zip on the ball to get it to him quick.. Also good call by tranq, I was expecting dive left lol

8M) Montel Milestone

Despite playing about half the game, Montel passed two more BC greats and now sits #2 on BC's all-time leading rusher only looking up at D-knight...and he's got two more games and another season to go before he's done! Congrats once again to Montel.

9W) CJ Jones overall play

Donnie Fletcher plays very well esp as of late, he positions well and makes moves for ints.

When he got injured I was a bit worried about CJ coming in because of his play early in the season , appeared to be that of what was typical for a freshman, erratic. CJ came in, and played very well, even in on some tough stops. I am very impressed with his progression since earlier this season.

10M) Freese perfect

CJ did play pretty well, perhaps a bit too far off the ball, but better than getting burned deep I suppose.

It's easy to forget about kickers when things are going well but let's give thanks to the terrific season Nate Freese has had. Yes, his FG was a chip shot and you expect the XP's and short ones to be automatic, but all you have to do is look across the field to the other sideline to realize that is simply not the case

Recap:

Wesley: Herzy Pick, Rettig-Amidon, Keeks finisher, Rettig-Momah, CJ Jones step-up

BCMike: 2 x 100, Bowling, Tranq opening up, Montel Milestone, Freese Perfect

Draft 11-21: Plays of the Game vs. UVA
	Wesley: Herzy Pick, Rettig-Amidon, Keeks finisher, Rettig-Momah, CJ Jones step-up
	BCMike: 2 x 100, Bowling, Tranq opening up, Montel Milestone, Freese Perfect
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Draft 11-19: Keys to Victory vs. UVA

Well here it is , the chance to be bowl elgible, the last home game for the seniors, and a chance to get over 500.

BCMike, you have first, so shoot.

1M) Rettig shakes the jitters early

Regardless of who the OC is, the QB has to be able to find the open receiver in man coverage to make the D play you honest. The one habitually bad thing about Chase thus far is his slow start ad jitters early which allows teams to stack the box on us early and not really give Montel a fair shot at moving the ball.

This weekend, we need Chase to shake the jitters early and get our offense off the ground in the first quarter.

2W)Andre Williams carries

I want to see Andre redeem his early season fumblitis,.and.show his tough running style for about 10 carries giving Montel a good breather here and there

3M) Keeping the Max heat up

That's right, I'm going back to the well again with another Holloway call-out. Hey, it worked last week...and the week before! Let's hope Max keeps up his sack streak and is able to force some pressure on the QB and generate some turnovers for the Eagles.

4W)Freese from downtown

Freese has been good lately, but we havent had to call his number out of desperation yet, im thinking that could easily change this week as it will be.a close game and freese showcases his strong leg... From downtown!

5M) Keeping true to our record

Not wins ad losses here but our run D being ranked #1 in the country. Let's make UVA one-dimensional and force some turnovers!

6W) Senior Showcase

It’s the last game for seniors at home. It’s their last Conference game, and its their time to show the BC faithful a showcase of their abilities to remember them by.. Scafe, Herzy, Claiborne, Costanzo, Morrisey, and of course Wes Davis, Albright, Gause to name a few.

7M) Stopping the Payne

Excellent selection there, Wesley. While this season has been a far cry from what could have been, it looks like a bowl trip could e on the horizon and these seniors have to be proud of helping to turn this ship around. I hope they make their last home game count.

For #7 here I'm going with stopping Keith Payne, UVA's leading rusher and more importantly the back that gets into the endzone 15 out of the 18 times the Hoos have found paydirt on the ground this season. Our D needs to step it up and force Verica to pass into the endzone, not allowing them to utilize Payne near the goal line.

8W)Amidon end around

Although not overly successful against Dook, it was a good change of pace. Amidon is our fastest reciever and gives us a different look, and makes the Defense look for something outside of dive left, dive right.. I can see this play putting up some big yards in certain situations.

9M) Breaking Verica's rhythm

Wesley, I have to disagree on Amidon end-around. I think we've run that play six times now and if we have six total yards to show for it; it's a lot. Alex has great straight-line speed, but when he changes direction the sundial clicks a few spots. I think he has a great future ahead of him at BC and will continue to improve, but for now his strengths are speed, not agility--which is very much required to run a successful end-around.

We have spoken about Verica multiple times before and I'm not sure why, but I have always liked Verica. I think he has good mechanics and if given time (IF) and allowed to get into rhythm, I honestly feel he's about as good as anyone we'll have faced this year outside of Wilson. The key is to break his timing, his rhythm. Even if we're unsuccessful in actually sacking him, we need to bring pressure on an irregular basis so he doesn't know what to expect and we can force him out of his comfort zone timing-wise.

10W) Coleman finally gets his TD

BCMike, I like when we disagree, it increases my odds a bit

I think our reader base probably already knows that both BCMike and myself are pretty big Jonathan Coleman fans.. He has done pretty well for his first collegiate season, and shows promise for the future. But he hasn’t yet caught his first Touchdown pass. It was close at Duke, as a pass slipped right through his fingers., This week at home against the Hoos he gets it.

Recap:

BCMike: Rettig shake jitters, Max Heat, True 2 record, Stopping Payne, Breaking Verica rhythm

Wesley: Williams carries, Freese downtown, Senior showcase, Amidon End around, Coleman TD

Draft 11-19: Keys to Victory vs. UVA
	BCMike: Rettig shake jitters, Max Heat, True 2 record, Stopping Payne, Breaking Verica rhythm
	Wesley: Williams carries, Freese downtown, Senior showcase, Amidon End around, Coleman TD
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Week 12 Ballot

BCDraft Ballot - Week 12

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Oregon Ducks	--
2	Auburn Tigers	--
3	TCU Horned Frogs	--
4	Boise St. Broncos	--
5	Stanford Cardinal	--
6	LSU Tigers	--
7	Wisconsin Badgers	1
8	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	1
9	Nebraska Cornhuskers	-2
10	Ohio St. Buckeyes	--
11	Michigan St. Spartans	--
12	Alabama Crimson Tide	1
13	Virginia Tech Hokies	1
14	Oklahoma Sooners	5
15	Arkansas Razorbacks	--
16	Nevada Wolf Pack	--
17	Missouri Tigers	3
18	Temple Owls	3
19	Navy Midshipmen	3
20	N.C. State Wolfpack	--
21	Iowa Hawkeyes	-9
22	Texas A&M Aggies	--
23	Maryland Terrapins	--
24	Northern Illinois Huskies	--
25	West Virginia Mountaineers	--
Dropouts: Utah Utes, Arizona Wildcats, Central Florida Knights, Fresno St. Bulldogs, San Diego St. Aztecs

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

Draft 11-16: Plays of the game vs. Duke

A win is a win, right? It was scary at times, but the good guys held off the storm and extended the win streak to 3. Boston college plays Virginia at home this week, and then finishes with Syracuse on Thanksgiving weekend in the dome.

1W) Rettig to Swigert

This touchdown pass was great for several reasons. One being swigert was open the whole time, but rettig did a great job of looking at every other reciever to buy swigert even more time. Two, it was a great long bomb. Three , freshman to freshman, I could get really used to this over the next few years!

2M) Keeks the tackle monster

21 tackles? Seriously? The guy is leading the NCAA before the game started....and now? Now he's 40-some tackles away from the single season record for tackles. Two games sounds like it would be tough but if BC wins one of the next two we should go bowling and Keeks should get the NCAA record.

3W) Montel TD run

Let me put a disclaimer first, Montel helped make this game a bit more interesting than it really needed to be by fumbling twice in the redzone. But Boston college was able to make it out with a W, and montel has definitely personally pulled the win out of the fire for the rest of the team in the past, so he undoubtedly gets a pass. Montel's TD run was a good showing of his great balance and power as he was hit initially behind the line of scrimmage, (as most times) and was able to run sideways, do the limbo and get into the endzone. To top it all off he still had over 100 yards on the ground and averaged around 5 yards per carry.

4M) Max Holloway coming through

We needed Max to have a big game and he did just that registering a couple of sacks and a couple TFL's. Getting pressure on the QB is so important for our bend bit don't break defense and Max has been the difference maker in the last couple weeks.

5W) Momah Touchdown

Momah has officially found his pair of recievers gloves. Until recently I was starting to think that he was an experiment at WR and not at DE. Well Rettig was able to toss a high ball that only Momah or someone on stilts could bring in, well this time it was Momah, and it was a great catch.

6M) Four yards

While it would have been great to have Duke stay in the negative, bit four yards rushing and now leading the nation in rushing D is something I'm going to be just fine with.

7W) Not having to watch on espn3

Ill take BCMikes advice on this that the commentating to this game was horrible. Now don't get me wrong Warrick dunn was a good running back, but him and his sidekick are not great announcers to put it mildly.

8M) Amidon fly routes

Wesley, count yourself fortunate not to be subjected to Ryan Rose. While Warrick Dunn is far from Keith Jackson, Adam Rose once solidified himself as the worst announcer on the planet.

At 8 here I'm going with the Amidon "9" or "streak" or "fly" route, whatever you like to call it. Amidon consistently gets solid separation on this route giving Rettig a great target. I don't know if it's at the line of scrimmage or the cornerbacks are just not respecting Alex's speed, but any way you slice it that route has been good to both Alex and Chase.

9W)Rettig no picks.

BCMike, good call there, I am also VERY impressed with Alex’s blocking ability, which has been a problem throughout the year. Well I felt like it was important enough to put in our Keys to victory, and it was. If Rettig would have thrown an interception we could VERY easily be talking about how we lost to Duke. Thanks for reading the Keys on Friday Chase!

10M) "...so you're saying there's a chance"

At 2-5, I was pretty sure I was watching the end of an era of BC football, not going to win one FBS game let alone go bowling...but now...well, hell--one win vs. UVA *OR* 'Cuse might get us in a bowl game...and two wins most certainly will. It's not the dream season many of us thought that 2010 was going to be, but finishing strong (enough) to go bowling and keeping that streak alive would be quite an accomplishment at this point.

I like that our boys are actually giving us something to hope and be positive about.

Recap:

Wesley: Rettig to Swigert, Montel TD, Momah TD, no ESPN3, Rettig no picks

BCMike: Keeks tackle monster, Max coming through, 4 yards, Amidion fly, a chance

Draft 11-16: Plays of the game vs. Duke
	Wesley: Rettig to Swigert, Montel TD, Momah TD, no ESPN3, Rettig no picks
	BCMike: Keeks tackle monster, Max coming through, 4 yards, Amidion fly, a chance
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Keys to the Game vs. Duke

It's Duke week, and that means that Coach K and the boys from Camer...oh, wait...it's the football guys. Never mind.

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1M) Respect your opponent

This isn't your Father's Duke team. Well, actually depending on how old your Dad is, that could be a compliment if we go back to the Spurrier years...

I digress. The point is that we cannot afford to waltz into this game expecting to be handed a win simply because we're BC and they're Duke. Duke isn't that automatic win any longer and frankly, we're not exactly world beaters ourselves these days. We need to approach this game like we did Clemson and Wake, and take care of business.


2W) Focus on this week

With BC getting closer and closer to bowl eligibility, bc will be doing the math to see what it takes to be playing in December/ January, well Duke isn't a horrible team and BC will need to focus on beating them before getting ambitious about future opponents.


3M) Containing Helfet

Good call there Wesley. Not just overlooking Duke for Duke; but looking at the future instead of the now. I hope our boys heed your words!

Next up I'm taking locking down Helfet. Last time out vs. UVA, Helfet went off for over 125 yards and the one Duke receiving touchdown. I'm not exactly petrified of Renfree, but we have to respect Helfet and make sure our secondary knows where he is at all times. He's not their leading receiver on the year, but I personally fear the "hot" player more than I do the season resume guys.


4W) Minimize penalties

Last week at the wake game I literally watched our team back up about 4 times in a row. Actually overall this season we have been getting a lot more penalties than we typically do. Whether that's due to the youth of the team, or something else I really don't know. But it needs to stop for us to continue our bowl ambitions.


5M) Keeping pace on the scoreboard

Believe it or not, Duke can score. While we are never going to turn down the points, here's what I'm talking about: if BC gets up by 10-15, we simply can't afford to turtle on offense like Tranquil has had us do the past couple weeks. If we do that, Duke will eventually score a chunk and be right back in it.


6W) Herzy's re-coming out party

Herzys been good this year, and his story has been nothing short of a miracle. But, this Is the game to watch. If you like college football, you're going to love this.
Herzy is going to play outta his mind this week against duke, and be a large factor in the W.


7M) Keeping Holloway sackin'

Holloway had a great couple of sacks late last week to seal the victory. We need to have him keep the momentum up and get pressure on Renfree.


8W) Rettig zero picks

Last week against wake Rettig had 2 picks, one was a tipped ball, and one was a poorly thrown pass. Rettig played very well otherwise and showed great composure to forget about the ints. This week, rettig will get a bit more rope as he has each week, and should be allowed to throw more. To win, we need his passes to not land into the hands of the guys in blue and white.


9M) (for all that is holy and good in the world), Run patterns past the first down marker.

While there are many aspects of Gary Tranquil's offensive playbook that make me projectile vomit, none is more infuriating than the "run into the middle on first down. Run off tackle on 2nd down. On third and 6, run a short pass pattern right at the sticks" strategery. It's beyond aggravating, our opponents know it and don't respect any route past the sticks. They habitually jump those patterns forcing Rettig to make the perfect throw which he really can't do on a consistent basis yet.

All I'm asking is that after we run the ball into the middle of the line on first down and off-tackle on second down is that we have our wideouts run patterns longer than the first down markers by five plus yards. I beg you.


10W) Stop Connette’s run

Connette is Duke’s form of running QB, a good, true freshman he runs the ball 4 times more than he throws. And currently has 6 TD’s for the year. The Defensive line for the Eagles are going to have to be very aware when he is in.

=======================================

RECAP:

BCMike drafted: Respect opponent, contain Helfet, keep pace, Holloway, past 1st down marker
Wesley drafted: Focus, Min Penalties, Herzy re-coming out party, Rettig 0 picks, contain Connette

11-13-10 Draft: Keys to the Game vs. Duke
	BCMike: Respect opponent, contain Helfet, keep pace, Holloway, past 1st down marker
	Wesley: Focus, Min Penalties, Herzy re-coming out party, Rettig 0 picks, contain Connette
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Week 11 ballot

BCDraft Ballot - Week 11

Rank	Team	Delta
1	Oregon Ducks	--
2	Auburn Tigers	--
3	TCU Horned Frogs	2
4	Boise St. Broncos	-1
5	Stanford Cardinal	3
6	LSU Tigers	8
7	Nebraska Cornhuskers	-1
8	Wisconsin Badgers	1
9	Oklahoma St. Cowboys	3
10	Ohio St. Buckeyes	--
11	Michigan St. Spartans	--
12	Iowa Hawkeyes	4
13	Alabama Crimson Tide	-6
14	Virginia Tech Hokies	5
15	Arkansas Razorbacks	5
16	Nevada Wolf Pack	8
17	Utah Utes	-13
18	Arizona Wildcats	-5
19	Oklahoma Sooners	-4
20	Missouri Tigers	-3
21	Temple Owls	1
22	Navy Midshipmen	--
23	Central Florida Knights	--
24	Fresno St. Bulldogs	--
25	San Diego St. Aztecs	--
Dropouts: Baylor Bears, South Carolina Gamecocks, N.C. State Wolfpack, Maryland Terrapins

SB Nation BlogPoll College Football Top 25 Rankings »

11/8/10 Draft: Plays of the Game vs. Wake Forest

Another game, another win. What else is new?

What's that? This *IS* new? Oh, well it's nice to be hitting up the "W" column once again this past weekend. I have to say I'm reminded of the most underrated sequels of all time, the baseball flick "Major League II" after this past weekend:

"We won last time out. We won today. We win tomorrow, it's called a "Winning Streak". It HAS HAPPENED BEFORE."

...on to our favorite plays from Saturday...

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1W) Keeks pick

First toss of the game was caught by number 40 for the eagles. What a great way to start the game.


2M) Montel determination TD

You know which one I'm talking about...Montel was stopped dead to rights by a big defender but stayed strong, flexed, and contorted himself to stay upright before lunging forward and diving for the endzone. That play was Montel personified.


3W) Fox Pick

Haha, that was an awesome one BCMike, good call.. Montel just looked pissed as he took what he felt was rightfully his ( the end zone).

I hate to go back to back similar play, but this one was very noteworthy. I haven’t always a been a big Fox fan, I’ll admit that. But the past 2 games he has been playing very well. Wake was driving the ball with a good amount of confidence, Fox stepped up and made a good play to stop them on what seemed to be a points scoring drive.


4M) Reemergence if Jonathan Coleman

Good call on Fox. He's gotten an opportunity to play and has made the most of it.

For mine I'm going with the reemergence of Coleman. He played great in the season opener and we has not seen much of him since. He stepped up his game and made a couple big catches at important times this game.


5W) Max Holloway sack

There aren't many better ways to end a game, especially on the defensive side of the ball. Max has played really well , esp of late and I am excited to see what the future of DE look with both him and Edabali for future seasons. Max showed great pursuit on this play, and an awesome motor as he said "this ends now" as he caught the shoelace and double knotted it for the qb. Game. set. match. BC!


6M) Quigs killin' em softly

In a game with so many turnovers, many times it's easy to look over the field position...but let's not. BC's defense (as we all know by now) relies on the QB making mistakes by taking chances down the field. To force those chances, you have to give him a long field to play with, which is exactly what Quigs did. He averaged...averaged just under 50 yards/punt (46.6) and constantly gave the Eagles breathing room when they needed it. It's easy to overlook a punter, but we've got a pretty great one here, folks.


7W) The Wake crowd

I know this isn’t a direct play for the 60 minutes watched but as a fan this counts.

Although the Stadium probably only had about 20k people in it as it was just over half full and seats 31,500.. The Wake supporters do a great job putting on a class act program. They have good interactive vendors, great supportive fans, even down to a very friendly security staff. I was really thoroughly impressed with the wake crowd.


8M) Montel's Home run

Nice one, Wesley. After visiting Lane Stadium and being treated like trash, I can appreciate being treated well even more.

For my next selection I'm going with Montel's first running TD. We spoke about how important it was for BC to get off to a fast start and Montel's homerun early made a statement and gave BC the lead we would not give up.


9W) Rettig to Amidon

Although Rettig threw 2 picks, he did complete 12 out of 16 , which is the best we've seen at BC for quite some time. Rettig had a good look around to all the potential receivers, and threw a deep one to Amidon, who was able to get a little separation and make a play. Amidon has great speed, and it will be nice to see this combo for many years to come!


10M) Swigert toughness

Agreed on the deep ball to Amidon was pretty. As we said during our game chat I'm starting to thunk Chase throws a better deep ball than short ball. Hopefully we'll see more deep shots downfield as we finish up the season.

For my last one, I'm going with the toughness of Bobby Swigert. Bobby had a deep ball thrown to him and had two defenders deliver powerful shots on him. Bobby composed himself and jogged off the field letting Wake Forest know that we can take your best shot and walk it off no problem. Gotta love that kind of toughness.

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RECAP:

Wesley drafted: Keeks pick, Fox pick, Holloway sack, Wake crowd, Rettig to Amidon
BCMike drafted: Montel determination TD, Quigs, Coleman, Montel HR run, Swigert toughness

11-9-10 Draft: Best plays vs. Wake
	Wesley: Keeks pick, Fox pick, Holloway sack, Wake crowd, Rettig to Amidon
	BCMike: Montel determination TD, Quigs, Coleman, Montel HR run, Swigert toughness
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