MotleySports 2012 BC Football Preview: The STG Response

This afternoon, while working on various other writing projects, I received a Boston College football season preview in my inbox. It’s from an outfit with which I am not otherwise familiar, MotleySports. As I read through it and discovered that I had several comments, I elected to devise a response.

First, the author has pegged Boston College for a 1-11 (0-8) season. After what I’ve seen the last three years, including the wretched flop of a season BC had last year, it’s hard not to harbor some doubt. With that said, while nothing would truly surprise me anymore, 1-11 is not my expectation. When the time comes for me to predict a record in August, it won’t be that dire, I assure you.

Then, the focus shifts to our coach, Frank Spaziani (and we get the first of the “Golden Eagles” references which is like a knife through my soul). The author is correct that the program has trended downward since Spaz’s installation, but I do believe that the situation isn’t quite as clear-cut as bowl-or-bust. Remember, we’re not in a typical situation here at BC (indeed, because he’d have already been fired at many other BCS schools). Our athletic director adores Spaz and would probably cling to any reason to keep him as coach, so long as his own job wasn’t put in subsequent jeopardy. Therefore, even if BC goes from 4 wins to 5 in 2012, still missing a bowl, I’m not 100% certain that would spell the end of Spaz’s tenure. He doesn’t have a high bar to clear for us to hear the word “improvement” coming from Yawkey via Blauds and Dinich.

Finally, we reach the team preview, and “Golden Eagles” makes another appearance. Their players to watch:

"TE Chris Pantale, LB Steele Divitto, DT Kaleb Ramsey"

I would have come up with a different list myself. On Pantale, it’ll be interesting to see how Doug Martin utilizes him, but he’s not my offensive player to watch. I’ll give you six: Chase Rettig and whichever five guys are in front of him at the time. Simply put, if the offensive line fails, then Rettig will fail, and if Rettig fails, we’ll be 110th out of 120 in offense again this season. In that case, no footballs will make it to Pantale because Chase will be on the new AstroTurf before he can throw them.

Steele Divitto is a solid player, but again, I don’t think he’s the linebacker I’m going to be watching. Kevin Pierre-Louis is probably going to be the guy who picks up the most slack for the departed Luke Kuechly.

Then there’s Kaleb Ramsey, and I actually agree with this one. After a wasted season due to injury last year, Ramsey is a wild card on our defensive line and I’ll be paying close attention to how he plays.

This preview then weaves into the schedule:

"They play Northwestern, Army, and Notre Dame OOC, nothing easily winnable there."

The first and last ones are going to be legitimately difficult, but as for the one in the middle — I was prepared to say how that wasn’t true, but it actually might not be easily winnable. Army isn’t any good, let’s be honest, but in recent seasons they’ve been picking off one BCS-conference team a year. Still, if BC is having trouble beating Army, then we’re not going to have the kind of season we’d like. I guess it also says something that some writers think we’ll have our hands full with them.

"Boston College comes into the season with low expectations."

Now with this, I agree.

I certainly don’t agree with all of it, but there are a few points buried in there. Just don’t call us the “Golden Eagles.”