Boston College

It is the 13th century and William Wallace's Scottish Highlanders are nervously lining up to again face the British forces in the fields. The predawn breeze is gently caressing their flowing locks as the crickets cease to sound. As these soldiers on the front lines check their swords, shields, crossbows  and facepaint, there is a whispered rumbling coming from the rear ranks. It appears that William and his other lieutenants had a coffee klatsch scheduled in Glasgow at the same time as today's battle. Troops up and down the lines are casually looking for someone to lead the charge, and all they get are wide open stares from their neighbors as the red and white crosses are now in full sprint down the hill in their direction. Sure they spent hours drilling, but what is happening right now is not a fun exercise in the castle yard anymore. Before the sun has even crested on the heather-strewn field, the Scottish blood is rolling in waves toward the River Tee and another battle is lost.

The leaders clearly left Tallahassee in 2023. In fact, they left before the Holidays and the carcass shell of this 2024 squad to face Georgia in a forgettable bloodbath. No coach in the country can execute a game plan if the team does not have individuals that can step up and grab the colors to march ahead. This is the most rudderless football team I have ever seen. They are getting absolutely curb stomped by a mediocre BC bunch at home and the sidelines are like a Starbucks in Summer. Just some friends gathering to gossip a bit and move their heads to the music (more on that later). Kids, we sit right above the benches, and at no point did we see even a hint of anger, pride, or even rough acknowledgement of the carnage that was happening betwixt the lines. Even when the newly miniaturized Doak crowd was in relatively full froth following a Poitier score, the defense was sitting quietly on benches staring at Adam Fuller as he wickedly diagrammed another two deep safety look for the following series. Our current QB was fistbumping walk-ons as the regular receivers were 30 yards away laughing about a dance move highlighted on the video board.  Coach Norvell somehow in one offseason has a massive culture problem and I only see one way forward.  2024 is officially in the rear view and a steady but sure youth movement is the only solution.

Let's start with the defense and your supposedly strongest unit on the team. Arguably three of the top players on paper coming into the campaign were Farmer, Jackson and Payton. Coach Saban and other NFL luminati who attended practices remarked that this front is a treasure trove of NFL early round picks. They were going to lead you by example - and all three entered the portal this offseason. Every one of them threatened to bolt as a means to get more money. Problem. 

Your offense is led by two quiet-by-nature offensive lineman and a well traveled QB who looks to have the moxie of a possum in headlights. Problem. Your other recently acquired transfer lineman, when not running into each other on counters are grabbing drive killing penalties. 

The 2011 Champs Bowl featured an all freshman offensive line against a veteran Notre Dame defense and we watched as they raised hell trying to protect EJ Manuel who broke his leg during the game and kept fighting to a win. That group won a Natty in 2013. You don't need a well compensated Senior to lead your team. You just need leaders. I saw more passion from Brock Glenn in an Orange Bowl drubbing than I saw both games combined from DJU. There has not been a practice witness in the last two months who will tell you that Brock is better in practice than DJ, but this is no longer a bridge year to greatness. This is collecting reps to win championships in 2025 and beyond. Bring in Otto and Early on the line. Start Cam Davis if the old men in front of them don't run hard. Mike said at least three times in the presser that his kids were not winning one on ones. Translation, our transfer wide receiver from Bama can't get open. Put the two freshman stud wideouts Moore and McCoy on the field. Take our tea with lumps and live with it. Give us a reason to care about this lifeless ball dropping jart throwing mess we have witnessed thus far.

Defense is another issue altogether. The Godby junior quilting team was in the end zone last night and was heard commenting on why we refused to come out of our base man two deep look against another team incapable of executing a forward pass. BC beat us at home without completing a downfield throw to a wide receiver! What?? I know our current linebacker coach can not recruit or apparently coach a lick, but for the head man on that side of the ball to not diagnose that the entire Eagle passing attack was slipping the backs and TE's out of the backfield... Whoa. You should have seen the knitting needles flying in anger in section 110 last night. Shy Brown might be a potential leader, but he is 25 yards from the play every down. DJ Lundy might be a leader, but keeping this hard working kid on the field on 3rd down is like walking into a Sumo training room with a Hardees's triple bacon burger and expecting to eat it yourself. Our defensive scheme is simply too easy to diagnose and defeat with the personnel that we have right now. We can't (or won't) play zone and with QB / headset technology, we are fooling absolutely no one with our presnap looks.

This on-field emotionless quagmire was only the backdrop to my second least favorite night in Doak Campbell Stadium in terms of total game experience. Only the glorious opening of the Willie Taggart era where we were serenaded with incessant rap and a party-house DJ takes the British Bake Off to last night. The Chiefs - apparently still awaiting their uniforms from a baggage claim mixup in Dublin entered in tee shirts. Then, they were summarily punished by not being allowed to perform for the rest of the game. Hearing club music at ear splitting decibels literally in between every play was so entirely over the top even students were pissed off. The Chiefs play a specific song byte after a first down. Not last night. Legendary Burt gets his Smokey anthem played at the end of the 3rd. Teaser, but no. The combination of broken video boards, an inoperable game clock and a water torture of inappropriate tub thumping made it a complete mess of a night for fans. We are very, very fortunate that the capacity is so down right now, or the upper West side would not need to be under construction to be empty next game.

Let's finish with a note on the best special teams in recent memory and a nod to Rohn Stark-esque punting from our stud Aussie. Game one was Ryan's night and he did not miss again this week, but holy hopping Kangaroos did Alex hit the little pig hard last night. No punts under 50 and there were plenty of choices! If Coach had not foolishly dialed up a DJ 4th down pick, Mastro would inevitably pinned them inside the 10 again. We absolutely have to use him to win games. At this point, when we talk about putting our best foot forward, we only have two current choices! 

Noles, do we still have the right coach? Defiantly yes. Did he watch his team for 7 months and was completely fooled by the effort and attitude they would bring to the bright lights. Again, yes. You will see dozen tv memes of our man looking like a Bourbon Street reveler trying to find his hotel, and if the broadcast cared, I shared that look. Over the next month, I have confidence that he will reestablish his long term culture one kid-over-a-veteran at a time. It may not happen as quickly as we sideline warriors may desire, but until William Wallace and his mates return with a newly caffienated attitude of destruction, minor skirmish victories is all we can count on...