NC State game Reaction Post Coming Soon

I will have my post game reaction post up for tomorrow. Ill analyze the game, look ahead to FSU and will talk about our chances for the rest of the year and give five good reasons to not give up on the season.

WE ARE BC

This weeks predictions

ACC: 2-4

Season Record: 7-6

Shoutout

I've been meaning to give a shout out to the womens soccer team and the mens hockey team. The BC women were ranked #1 last week, an incredible accomplishment considering the ACC is the toughest division for soccer in the country, until falling to NC State 4-3. I encourage anyone who can to go watch and support our womens soccer team as they have a chance to do something special this year. The mens hockey team is ranked preseason #1 in the country after winning the 2010 national championship last year in Detroit. They played an exhibition game against the University of Toronto last Sunday, winning 8-0 in an impressive fashion. Their home opener is Halloween weekend and there will be a special banner raising ceremony for the national championship and hanging Jerry York's number in the rafters. BC history will be made that night as our all time winningest coach will be retired to the rafters (let me be clear though, Jerry York is not retiring from coaching, he is just being honored).

Last Weeks Football predictions:

ACC play: 5-2

Other games: 3-1

BC vs ND Post Game Reaction

8:00pm, the Aluminum Monster:

The stadium is rocking. All of Eagle Nation has turned out for the "Holy War" 2010. The superfans have been filling the stadium since the gates opened and have been on their feet cheering the whole time. A packed house of 44,500 fans fill the stadium on the crisp October night. The gold of the student section, prominently displayed on national tv as well as maroon and gold painted faces. The students are loud and ready. The rest of the stadium loud and ready. An excellent showing for BC nation ready to cheer their team onto victory. Finally kick off, Nate Feese kicks the ball high into the October night. A missed tackle here, a missed tackle there and Notre Dame is at midfield. Just a few plays later ND's QB Dayne Crist walks the ball into the endzone. 7-0. All the air leaves the stadium.

I have to give credit to Brian Kelly and this Notre Dame Fighting Irish team. They were well disciplined, well coached and took it to BC on their home field in front of a national audience. From the first whistle to the last tick of the clock ND dominated all aspects of the game and quieted the sold out Alumni Stadium crowd early.

1st Quarter Debacle...

That being said this game was very winnable for Boston College. The defense came out flat and spotted Notre Dame with 21 points. After allowing those 21 points in the first quarter, BCs defense shut down an inexperienced Notre Dame offense. Allowing only 10 points in the final three quarters, the lone Notre Dame touchdown was aided by maybe the worst pass interference call I have ever seen so BCs defense isn't 100% responsible for those points. (I'd say 85%)

Even after a rocky start, which was expected from a true freshmen starting Quarterback, Rettig and the BC offense settled in and put together some good drives. One was his first career touchdown pass that went 58 yards to Bobby Swigert with less then a minute to go in the first quarter. Rettig's next drive set up a Nate Freese field goal from a distance of 49 yards, something a BC kicker hasn't done since at least the 90s. BC goes into half time down 21-10.

The Rettig Era starts with a lightning strike and ends just as quick….

Mr. Rettig did not disappoint in living up to his hype on Saturday. In his first touchdown pass (around 25 seconds) ever for BC he offered fans a glimpse into a brighter future for the program. But just as quickly as he came, Rettig left after a 2nd quarter scamper where he hurt his ankle, knocking him out for the remainder of the game. He is listed as day-to-day and all of Eagle Nation wishes him a speedy recovery.

The Second Half...

BC started the second half with a punt, then a few plays later they recovered fumble and kicked a field goal. 21-13, a one possession game. From there Notre Dame took over and controlled the clock with a punishing run game and conversion after conversion on third down. BC's linebackers and secondary often looked confused as Notre Dame receivers were left wide open down field. If BC is going to be competitive for the rest of the season they must step it up on defense. Sure they only allowed on touchdown in the Virginia Tech game and then after the 1st quarter debacle of Notre Dame only allowed one more touchdown and a field goal but they cannot afford to take drives or possessions off. BC's defense is not good enough to take drives off, if we are to win games our defense has to be the catalyst, they have to be there on every down.

Looking Forward…

Terrible start. Good effort to get back in and make it a 8 point game in the third quarter. Too many defensive lapses. BC could have won this game but instead they lost to a superior team with superior play calling. Gary Tranquil and the offense must try something new in their approach this coming Saturday against the NC State Wolfpack. There need to be changes and fast if the season is to be salvaged. That being said, if Rettig is able to come back from injury and play this Saturday it will be a huge boost to this offense.

Keep in mind BC still hasn't played any ACC Atlantic opponents so a division title is still very much in the cards, providing the proper changes and adjustments are made by the players and coaching staff. Don't lose hope fellow Eagles, there is still much football to be played. I am confident in the coaches to make the changes necessary this week and that after being embarrassed at home on national t.v. the players will execute. They have to or it will be a very long season for Eagle fans. WE ARE BC.

Next Post Coming Soon

Ok so I've been meaning to do a game recap post after Saturday nights game, but I have a history paper due on Tuesday as well as an exam so I will make my post (as well as special post about my experience of watching the game on the BC sideline!) once I have finished my paper.

Thanks and keep the faith BC Nation!

Game Day

Its finally here Eagle Nation,

The game that has been circled on our calendars since last time Notre Dame visited Chestnut Hill. Tonight will be a game that changes BC football. A night that will set us on the path to the ACC Atlantic Division crown, and a night that will raise our expectations of what this team is capable of. BC football changes tonight for the better. I call upon Eagle Nation to make the Aluminum Monster a place where teams don't want to play. To give our Eagles the best home field advantage in the country. Time to get that respect. GET READY. LETS GO! BEAT ND! WE ARE BC!

(I will be going to the Stadium around 4pm to help out with the arrival of the live Eagle. I am what is called a spotter for the Eagle team and I will be following them around up until game time. Of course after that I will make my way to the Q to watch the game. I will write a post game blog post tomorrow, then I will write the special post on my experience with Challenger the live Eagle. GO BC!)

Cheerleaders, Players and…yellow spandex?

The lights went out and the big screens came on. Shipping up to Boston blaring through the loud speakers while highlights flashed and the students cheered. The cheerleaders and the band were on hand to greet the team and the fans. As the video montage ended the students were all riled up and ready to greet their team. The music stops and the lights come on….and two kids dressed in suits come out and start yelling into their microphones. The students quieted down as the energy was replaced by confusion. No one could hear anything they were saying, the hosts were talking far too loud into their microphones so for ten minutes we didn't know what was going on.

I had been getting psyched all day to go to this pep rally and instead of getting amped to go watch a great game I was straining to hear and losing interest. After more rambling by the hosts, who Im sure were funny I just couldn't understand, I was able to catch the words "…they're here! In the building! Give it up for your Boston College Eagles!!!!!"

At first nothing happened, "What kind of pep rally is this?" I heard some kid behind me say. Then a guy walks out slowly from the tunnel underneath the stands. People didn't recognize him at first, but I knew exactly who it was….the man I had a chance meeting with just the other day. The one, the only, Coach Spaz.

In an instant all the energy that the video montage produced was back, and got much louder as the rest of the team filed out behind the coach led by Mark Herzlich. The band playing them on with their rendition of "For Boston" the Boston College fight song. Herzlich grabbed a microphone and began pumping up the student section, which was pretty much the highlight of the night. That or the friendly pie eating contest between a fan and a unidentified player, with Thomas Claiborne (my boy) playing cheerleader.

After Herzlich and Spaz addressed the superfans, the captains, Anthony Costanzo, Wes Davis, Alex Albright and James McCluskey, called upon Eagle Nation to get to the game early and get loud. We must protect the Aluminum Monster. The speeches concluded, and the students were ready, when the BC fan who wears a greenman suit, only in yellow, ran out onto the floor and, along with Spaz began pumping up the crowd again. It truly was a sight to behold.

The pep rally served its purpose for the most part, although it was somewhat of a disappointment to what I was expecting (But hey at least I got a free T-shirt!). It had its moments, and it was good to see the student body getting out to support the team. The atmosphere on campus this week has been electric, you can feel the excitement in the air. Although the pep rally was a disappointment, I have no doubt that come game time, our fans will be on their feet, lead by the Superfans, and we will make a statement about our program, football and fans alike, on national television.

WE ARE BC

Ill leave you this time with a video from the BC website, ignore the fact that it asks for a donation at the end (Anyone who watched the video, did you notice that they blurred out Shinskie's number in the highlights? Its around the 30 second mark).

BC vs ND Pep Rally

UPDATE: Pep Rally has been moved indoors due to rainy weather. It is now in the basketball stadium Conte Forum.

Today there is a pep rally for the upcoming BC vs Notre Dame game Saturday at 5pm in the Dust Bowl (the site of the old BC football field). I will be in attendance and will try to take pictures of the event and upload them to the blog. There are going to be guest speakers and free T-shirts to anyone going.

I will write a post about the pep rally tonight as well as a special blog post of my experience helping with the live Eagle coming to BC to fly into the game before Saturday!! Stay tuned this should be an exciting weekend.

Its more than a game, its Notre Dame. WE ARE BC.