I have a long-standing group text thread going with a bunch of my buddies from BC, and yesterday I chimed in that BC wouldn't be ranked in the top 25 if Haf was still coaching but had the exact same results to date. Got some initial push back on that but after some back-and-forth banter it seems most agree -- BC likely getting more attention and respect due to BOB's rep and pedigree. Curious as to what others think about this?
It also got me thinking about other ways in which BOB has impacted the team / program / school. Despite recent mediocre results with the Pats and Tide, BOB is a big name in football and has an impressive resume so when he was announced as the new coach at BC it generated a ton of buzz beyond just the small fandom and dwindling local media. He immediately put BC back on the college football map. The halo effect of his brand was immediate and impressive, and has continued to reverberate since the announcement. For example:
It also got me thinking about other ways in which BOB has impacted the team / program / school. Despite recent mediocre results with the Pats and Tide, BOB is a big name in football and has an impressive resume so when he was announced as the new coach at BC it generated a ton of buzz beyond just the small fandom and dwindling local media. He immediately put BC back on the college football map. The halo effect of his brand was immediate and impressive, and has continued to reverberate since the announcement. For example:
- Current roster: I highly doubt there are many other coaches that could have come in here and kept the whole roster intact in this day and age of NIL free agency. I expected TC to bolt for a good pay day as he isn't a prototypical BOB QB, his value was really high after a 2K passing / 1K running season, and the BC's prospects for football prominence were pretty dim. There were several other kids that could have moved on to marquis programs. BOB came in, met with all of them one-on-one and they all opted to stay. Really impressive work.
- Recruiting: Not that he has torn it up on the recruiting front yet, but given the state of the program that he inherited, the late start date and limited NIL resources, he has done pretty well so far. Two key areas stand out -- his ability to recruit top talent in MA and his QB recruiting. Shaker Reisig was a pretty big steal as the kid had a ton of offers including from Mizzou and OK State, and while he got a pledge from '26 Corin Berry really early in the cycle it seems like the kid could be a player throwing for 5 TDs and 242 yards in his first game this season (and did have an offer from Arkansas in the SEC). In MA while he's only managed to grab 3 of the top 10 (while missing on some really good players on the list -- namely a couple of OL we really could have used), I fully expect him to do much better on that front going forward given his local ties and the product he is putting on the field.
- Staff: BOB took some heat for the hiring of Tim Lewis as it didn't look great on paper, but so far at least, looks like it may be been a really solid hire, and the guy does have extensive NFL experience (which does carry some cache). Beyond that, snagging strength coach Fitzgerald from Florida (where he had just been hired) was a great, and unexpected, hire. Beyond those BOB has brought in a ton of guys with NFL experience -- both in coaching and advisory roles. There is a decidedly pro vibe to the program vs the amateur vibe we'll all become accustomed to seeing for the past couple of decades.
- BC legends: BOB has welcomed past BC greats back into the program with open arms and seems to have regular communication with a ton of them. For example, I love that he has brought Will Blackmon in as 'Senior Analyst'.
- Media coverage: The college football media has really taken note of BC so far and a lot of that has to do with the fact that BOB is the HC. The interview with SVP on Sportscaster right after the FSU win is a prime example, but even beyond that the coverage in the Athletic, SI (yes, that's still a thing), the Globe, et al, is coverage that I doubt the program gets if Haf is 2-0 with this team. A resurgent BC under local boy made good is such a easy story for the press to latch on to so if he turns this program around in the longer term the school will likely be a bit of a media darling.
- I'm sure there are many other aspects of the BOB halo effect but I should probably get some work done.
