Boston College Football: Bye-Week Blues

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The Boston College Eagles are off to a 2-1 start in 2013, and they have given us some hope of an improved performance both this season and in the long term. Maybe not on Saturday in Los Angeles, but in general with their attitude and confidence adjustments.

After three weeks of giving us things to talk about, they’re gone again.

Sure, the Eagles will be back in two weeks, but as we enter this bye week, there are plenty of things for which we should be thankful. It might not seem like it after what transpired this past weekend, but there are.

First and foremost, we can all take pride in the fact that Boston College has a winning record. Before winning the Villanova game, the Eagles hadn’t had one since 2010. Frankly, I don’t care and it doesn’t matter if you don’t think those wins are “good enough” considering the competition. Seeing as how the Eagles were essentially failing to win games at all in the last couple seasons, being where they are now is an improvement. And, if we’re going to be honest with ourselves, last year’s Eagles would have probably lost one or both of those first two games. Considering how they actually did lose to Wake Forest in 2011 and 2012, that’s not a reach.

Next, we should be thankful for our coaches. The attitude has changed and it started with them. The players have a great deal more confidence and all parties involved are trying to let a winning mentality permeate through everything. That may be the last thing someone wants to read after a blowout loss on the road, and for the record we have spent the last several years being anything but homers here, but they are going to learn from the experience at USC and they are not going to let it get them down.

Finally, we should be thankful simply for the fact that what’s in the past is done and Boston College has started the process of recovering from bottoming out. Next season, they may step backwards again with the loss of a number of seniors, but the trajectory is not pointing downward long-term. Nobody can say three games into Addazio’s tenure what this program will be in five years, but there is quite literally nowhere to go but up.

Has it been perfect? No, of course not, and this team is going to have to scratch and claw its way to six wins, if it gets there. Still, while any criticism or praise of the team’s in-game performance is valid if it is backed by facts and reason, keep in mind that it did not take a few weeks to smash a perennial winning program to pieces, and it will not take a few weeks to put it back together. Accept this season for what it is and hope the kids do as well as they can for our school.

In a week and a half or so, we will see the Eagles take the field again. They’ve got a tough draw in Florida State, but many of us can’t wait for this bye week to pass, even if it seems like it might be a long afternoon on September 28.