Some rivalries mean a little bit more. When Notre Dame and Boston College take the field, the game isn’t likely to garner national headlines or bring ESPN to town. But the “Holy War” has been filled with memorable moments, with most of them featuring the Eagles tripping up an Irish squad -- sometimes on the brink of something great.
The Irish’s first loss to Boston College -- a 41-39 shocker in 1993 -- put the rivalry on the map. But Lou Holtz wasn’t the only Irish coach to get tripped up by the Eagles. Bob Davie, Tyrone Willingham, and Charlie Weis all lost to BC, with Willingham’s No. 4 rated Irish nearly doubling the Eagles in yardage but losing 14-7 thanks to five back-breaking turnovers (three fumbles and two Pat Dillingham interceptions in eight throws). Some Irish fans still struggle to acknowledge Boston College as a true rival, but the two-game win streak the Irish are on is their first since 1998, so any air of superiority should have been washed away throughout the Eagles six-game win streak.
This year’s Boston College team is in the midst of an incredibly disappointing season. Head coach Frank Spaziani finds himself squarely on the hot seat, as the third year head coach and long-time Eagles defensive coordinator is sitting at an ugly 3-7, with wins over UMass, Maryland and North Carolina State. His best offensive player, Montel Harris has struggled with injuries all season and his offense has been anemic, scoring more than 20 point only twice.
Through it all has been Bill Maloney, the proprietor of Eagle in Atlanta, one of the longest standing Boston College blogs on the internet. Bill was kind enough to get us up to speed on the Eagles, joining me for the second year in a row. I asked, he answered, you read.
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Most predicted the Eagles to take a step forward this season. That’s obviously not been the case. Can you put your finger on one thing that’s been the problem? Just how disastrous has this season been for Frank Spaziani and Boston College?
There isn’t one thing and that is the big problem. Injuries and inexperience are the excuses you hear from Spaz. And it makes sense that he points to those issues as it absolves him of blame. Both are legitimate issues but not the reason BC is only 3-7. Spaz is now on his third coordinator and the results still stink. BC has trouble executing basic plays and time and seems to have a grab bag of offensive philosophies.
Lack of development along the offensive line has been troubling.
The defense -- which is Spaz’s baby -- has also struggled. They have been blown out twice this season. Even in lean years BC could usually count on the D to keep games close. Not this season.
Plus there are dozens of in-game strategic mistakes that Spaz makes every week. Some of those cost us close games like Northwestern or Duke.
Just how hot is Frank Spaziani’s seat? Do you see him surviving into next year? What are the pros and cons to firing him?
If fans were voting Spaz would be gone already. I actually think he is fairly safe though. I think the University leadership will give him another year as they are blaming Jeff Jagodzinski for all of this season’s problems.
I am firmly in the “Fire Spaz” camp. The only pro I can see for keeping him is saving a few dollars on salary. There is no other reason to keep him around. Recruiting is mediocre even by the staunchest Spaz supporters. He’s not trending the right way in his wins -- considering this is Year 3. His age limits the idea that he is building towards the future or that he is a long-term solution.
Injuries have ravaged the Eagles. What’s been the most crippling blow to the team?
Montel Harris was probably the most costly injury. Although the other RBs have had nice games, no one has Harris’s ability to make something from nothing. If he had been around the whole season, BC’s offense would have been a little more consistent.
The Irish have Manti Te’o, their own All-American candidate at linebacker. But for someone that watches Luke Kuechly every week, just how good is he? What do you think his NFL career will be like? Is there a player you can compare him to?
Kuechly is very good. I haven’t seen many players who can shed blockers like he can. He has a great feel for the game and where the action is going. Plus he’s got underrated closing speed, which helps him cover a lot of ground.
I think he can be very good in the NFL. He might not have ideal size, but his productivity should get him drafted in the first round. I don’t know if there is a great NFL comparison right now. Since he is an undersized MLB.
Irish fans have their own second-year quarterback to be critical of, but how would you describe Chase Rettig’s sophomore season? Could you call this year a step forward? Is he still the long-term answer at the position?
I actually remain a big supporter of Chase Rettig. While he is not perfect and hasn’t made a big leap this year, I don’t know if any QB could shine in this situation. He switched coordinators midseason. His Oline has him running for his life half the time. He doesn’t have great skill position guys and his coach refuses to ever open up the offense.
He’s not as accurate as he needs to be, but he’s still got a good arm. I think with time his accuracy will improve. As for his future, it really depends on what BC decides to do with the offense. If Dave Brock wants more running from his QB next year, that is probably not a great sign for Chase. If they will finally start to focus on the pass, he could be very good.
Regardless of their record, Boston College always seems up for a battle with Notre Dame. If you had to pick a way for the Eagles to spring an upset, give me the roadmap. Do you think it will happen?
I have real doubts about BC’s ability to upset the Irish. Even if they force a lot of turnonvers (step 1 for beating ND), I don’t see BC scoring enough to make a difference. I think BC would need to score at least 24 to even entertain an idea of an upset. Spaz has only scored more than 24 on the road once in three years.
Bonus question: How does it feel watching Tom O’Brien struggle at North Carolina State?
I make many jokes about O’Brien but at this point I really don’t care. If anything I am surprised. I didn’t think he would turn them into a power, but I thought he would have more success.
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Be sure to check out Bill’s site during the run-up to the game this weekend, and give him a follow on Twitter at @bcatleagle.