Boston College needs ACC victory
AD situation might preserve Addazio’s job
There might not be an athletics department in the country that has more at stake in the final half of the college football season than Boston College.
At 3-4 heading into Saturday’s game at North Carolina State, there’s theoretically a chance for Boston College to make a bowl game and regain some of the momentum that seemed to be building in Steve Addazio’s first two seasons.
On the other hand, the Eagles are in the midst of a 12-game Atlantic Coast Conference losing streak dating to last season and only 34,647 showed up (that was the announced crowd, anyway) last weekend to watch a 28-20 loss to Syracuse. With games coming up against N.C. State, Louisville, Florida State and Wake Forest, there’s a real chance Addazio could post consecutive 0-8 conference records.
Despite the grim streak Boston College is trying to break, it’s far from certain Addazio will be replaced after this season.
For one thing, firing Addazio with four years left on his deal would be an expensive proposition for a school with one of the more frugal reputations among members of the Power Five. But perhaps the more interesting factor is the underlying uncertainty within Boston College’s athletics administration.
Though current athletics director Brad Bates inherited difficult circumstances from his predecessor, Gene DeFilippo, the nose dive in football — combined with a basketball program coming off a 0-18 season in the ACC — has created a mess for a program that struggles to gain relevance in the Boston market under the best of circumstances.
According to multiple people with knowledge of the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the vibe coming out of Boston College is that Bates’ contract is not likely to be renewed when it expires this summer.
Bates has flirted with other openings in recent months, but at this point it seems almost certain he will be in place through the end of this season and into 2017. That sets up a scenario in which the school, if it wanted to change football coaches this cycle, would do so with an athletics director who is perceived as a lame duck.
In other words, there’s a school of thought at Boston College that it might just be better from a timing perspective to give Addazio one more chance to turn it around and start fresh with a new athletics director next year.
That doesn’t guarantee anything. The schedule coming up is difficult, and the optics of a 16game conference losing streak would be awful, especially if the results are lopsided. But the decision will come from the school president, the Rev. William P. Leahy, and all indications are he would prefer not to have to make the move — especially now. COACHING CAROUSEL CLIPS This is the time of year in which athletics directors at smaller schools and search firms start looking over coaching staffs for assistants with upward mobility. Of the 29 Football Bowl Subdivision jobs that opened in the last cycle, 17 were filled by assistants, underscoring how important it is to be considered a hot commodity among that group.
Putting aside Alabama offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin, whose history will make him a divisive figure in many coaching searches, several assistants have clearly raised their stock this year and will land on interview lists at the end of the season. Among those in that group:
Rhett Lashlee, Auburn offensive coordinator: Still only 33, the Tigers offense has taken off since Gus Malzahn gave him total control of play calling.
Tim Drevno, Michigan offensive coordinator: The longtime Jim Harbaugh staffer, dating to the University of San Diego, is having a breakout season with the Wolverines’ rise to No. 2.
Justin Wilcox, Wisconsin defensive coordinator: Coaches the nation’s No. 9 defense; has been good everywhere in his career except Southern California.
Kendal Briles, Baylor offensive coordinator: Despite the scandal attached to his father, Baylor’s system has brought instant offense everywhere it has been imported.
Jake Spavital, California offensive coordinator: The former Texas A&M wunderkind is 31, and the move to Berkeley has paid big dividends. Cal is averaging 545 yards of offense per game.
Matt Canada, Pittsburgh offensive coordinator: Entering Thursday, Pitt had 36 points or more in six consecutive games, the school’s longest such streak.
Jeremy Pruitt, Alabama defensive coordinator: After a rough ending at Georgia, he returned to Alabama and has arguably produced the team’s best defense of the Nick Saban era.
Darrin Chiaverini, Colorado co-offensive coordinator: The ex-Buffaloes and NFL wideout returned to CU this year and helped engineer a 6-2 start.
Ivin Jasper, Navy offensive coordinator: With Ken Niumatalolo likely to stay long term, don’t be surprised if Jasper gets serious looks as Navy’s keeps rising in the American Athletic Conference.
Manny Diaz, Miami (Fla.) defensive coordinator: Has done a terrific job with a young defense and is well-connected in South Florida as a recruiter. FAUX PAS OF THE WEEK Connecticut coach Bob Diaco is endearingly insane. Not only was Diaco unhappy and obviously hurt about the social media backlash he received over the “Civil ConFLiCT” trophy and rivalry he created with Central Florida, but he spent 10 minutes defending himself when asked his thoughts on UCF basically snubbing the trophy after its win last weekend.
“I’m trying to maintain my composure here,” Diaco said before launching into his rant.
Diaco might be the most earnest man in college football, and sometimes it’s hard to tell whether to laugh at his eccentricities or admire how passionately he attacks things on the periphery.
He did have a point, however, in defending himself: His harebrained idea to shoehorn this “rivalry” got people talking about his program and the AAC.
“I got other ideas too,” Diaco said. “They want to talk about networks? I’ve got all sorts of ideas on networks. Let’s target 6to 16-year-olds. How about that? Eventually they’re going to be 18 to 35. Let’s broadcast our games on Nickelodeon. Who owns that? Viacom? Let’s create some real intrigue. Let’s create a following.”
Crazy or hilarious? You decide. YOUR WEEKLY HARBAUGH The latest Harbaugh-style addition came last week when he showed up on the sideline wearing some old school “browline” glasses that were popular in the 1950s and ’60s. He explained that he is now a “full-time glasses person” on the recommendation of his eye doctor and that he chose those particular frames as a “tip of the cap to Woody Hayes, to Michael Douglas in the movie Fall
ing Down and also a tip of the cap to Malcolm X.”
It seems there is nothing connecting the former Ohio State coach to a fictional movie character who goes off the deep end to one of history’s most important civil rights activists other than their eyewear choices. But if it makes a guy who wears khaki pants every day feel a little more hip, have at it, Jim. DUD OF THE WEEK It’s understandable that Texas A&M would want an easy game right after playing Alabama. But it’s not so great for the fans or the Southeastern Conference to have its No. 2 team playing New Mexico State in late October in a battle of Aggies. New Mexico State (2-5) was reasonably competitive in its previous foray into SEC football, losing 62-42 at Kentucky. This is a whole different level, however, and the only question is whether Texas A&M will be motivated enough to cover the 44-point spread.