Boston College travels to NC State on Saturday night for the Wolfpack’s ACC opener (that will be televised on ESPN2). I am officially putting the world “on notice” that this game represents the POTENTIAL end of my interest in football this season and as a watershed moment in my well-documented “let’s wait and see” attitude related to Chuck Amato.
In fact, Chuck the Chest has ALREADY managed to ‘pull me back in’ for one final chance with his announcement that Daniel Evans will start at quarterback for the Pack against Boston College.
I had decided NOT to attend Carter-Finley on Saturday night before the announcement that Daniel Evans was going to start at quarterback this week. Selfishly, allow me to ask – ‘Why should I go to the game?’
The game is scheduled to be televised. The hassle of packing a seven month old child to drive to Raleigh…to spend more money on a hotel…to only have limited time tailgating with friends…to wake up early on Sunday (with an obvious hangover) and drive home is simply NOT offset by the “value” derived by watching one of the worst offenses in NC State history…a week after the team completely gave-up in a game… and reverted to their historical ways of playing stupid.
The redundancy of the broken record of NC State football has worn thin on most fans, including me. During the end of the Mike O’Cain era when State was losing games to top teams by scores of 62-3 and 77-17 and was losing miserable affairs to bad teams (Baylor, Duke, Wake Forest and Purdue) I based some conclusions on the belief that, “losing games is one thing; the manner in which we were losing games tells a greater story.”
In 2006, such a statement is becoming relevant again – both in the margin of scores and in the manner in which the Wolfpack is losing.
* In Chuck Amato’s first four seasons in Raleigh, NC State lost three football games by more than ten points.
* In Chuck Amato’s last two years (and three games), NC State has four football games by more than ten points.
The stupid penalties.
The turnovers.
The mindset of players more concerned with celebrating and jawing than executing on the football field.
The offense that is either (a) racking up tons of yards but failing to score points or (b) racking up tons of yawns and failing to score points.
The recent losses to clearly inferior programs like Wake Forest, Akron & Southern Miss.
The winning percentage against our “peer group” of – Clemson, Maryland, Boston College, Georgia Tech, UNC-CH & Virginia.
The winning percentage in newly renovated Carter-Finley since 2003 season.
Despite all of the tactical benefits that Caulton Tudor shared regarding Daniel Evans, I truly believe that the PRIMARY benefit of the move has been to keep most of the fans around for one more game. One more last chance. One more effort.
The good news here is that BC’s run defense (entire defense) ranks as one of the worst in the country. If there was ever a game for Daniel to potentially have the pressure alleviated because of a great running attack, then this one would be it.
Hopefully, it is a recipe for great execution and a new leaf in our recent tubulent chapters on the gridiron. I know that it has rekindled my interest for another week.
