Late Christmas present from Spaz

This rumor has been floating around for a while, but tonight it is official: Albert Louis-Jean is coming to BC. This is big for a lot of reasons. It keeps a top Massachusetts prospect home. It gives us a potential difference maker in our thinning defensive secondary. It also shows that Spaz and Company can close on a guy who was a Miami commit. ALJ decommitted when the Canes fired Randy Shannon, but BC still had to sell him on the program and on the advantages of playing close to home.

He is expected to enroll early and will hopefully make an impact in 2011. Let's hope this is a sign that BC is going to close their recruiting class with a bang.

A word on recruiting violations and BC websites

Eagle Action posted an article (since removed) on the two Cincinnati recruits and their upcoming visit. In the article their former St. Xavier teammate Luke Kuechly said this: "My main thing that I'm going to be very honest with them about things." Silly and innocent as it seems, that is an NCAA recruiting violation. The official rule states that schools, players and/or team official cannot speak to any media about specific recruits until after signing day. What happened with Eagle Action is very, very minor and shouldn't be a big concern. BC probably self reported the violation so that no one else would blow the whistle on them and make it look worse.

Although I personally haven't done any recruiting reporting for Scout.com since my affiliation with Eagle Insider, Scout has made clear any potential hazards and asked me to hammer home those tricky NCAA gray areas to my contributors (first the BC Draft crew and then the other Scout guys). My interaction with BC folks on recruiting was equally stringent. They wouldn't even broach specifics. That's why this mistake from Eagle Action is so surprising. I've had my issues with EA in the past, but I will give them credit for having the most in-depth BC recruiting coverage for a decade now. They should have known better.

When the smoke clears, I don't think anything will come of this. If we don't close on Duggan and Daniels it will most likely be about the program and not the websites.

Gaughan commits and other links

Despite the mood after the loss to Notre Dame, BC added another solid recruit in PA OL Paul Gaughan. The class still needs some more bodies and more skill position/speed players, but it is looking like a decent group of kids.

BCeagles.com posted another excellent overview of the hockey team. The team debuts this Saturday against Northeastern.

Steve Donahue is not done in California. There are another few prospects we are targeting out west. I really like this strategy too. In basketball circuit playing in the ACC is very big for the west coast kids. Proving themselves against the Duke and UNCs is a great selling tool. Combine that with a great school like BC and a player friendly offense, and you can really create a pipeline in California.

The only news on the depth chart are the true freshman offensive line men on the second team. I doubt you will see them play.

Joe Trapani is one of the players on the preseason Wooden list. I like Joe but don't see him getting the numbers to win this award.

In-game comments post: Virginia Tech

Some of the best and worst moments of this blog have come during Virginia Tech games. I hope today's game adds to the best memories! You can commemorate this game with brilliant in-game comments below!

My colleague Dan Silver will be chatting live from the BC press box during the game from the Eagle Insider Chat Room (you enter from the Eagle Insider message boards). He'll have updates on injuries and tell us if he sees any NFL scouts or BC recruits. Dan is still having some issues from his knee surgery, so he will be online but not from the press box.

You can also join discussions on the Eagle Insider Message Boards.

I will be tweeting periodically through the game.

Second viewing thoughts and grade report: Weber State

The feature is still up but now posted over at Eagle Insider. Watching the game back made me feel better. The team did not play well, but still has real potential.

BC Draft's Keys to the Game

This will be a weekly feature on Eagle Insider. Friday I will put up my Friday Focus on Eagle Insider. And there will be game day content as well.

EDSBS closes their countdown with Herzy and other links

Herzy is even getting national college football bloggers pumped for the season.

Soccer started their season with a win over Hartford.

Here is my preview for the Tight Ends on Eagle Insider.

Herbie acknowledged a lot of BC guys on his Herbie list.

The Ravens put Mike McLaughlin on IR. I am a little suspicious that this is a way to keep him with the organization but not waste a roster spot on him.

Ivan Maisel was on campus the other day and spoke with Spaz.

Conroy wrote a lengthy BC preview for ACC Sports.

Here is a best/worst case scenario for BC basketball.

Schedule for kickoff week

Kickoff week is finally here! BC football is now just days away. I am looking forward to blogging another season but want to give you the heads up on how this week will work.

Over the next few days I will finish up posting the position previews on Eagle Insider. BC Mike and Wesley will also have their Keys to the Game at Eagle Insider. I will have a new piece on Eagle Insider on Friday called: Friday Focus. On Gameday Dan Silver will be hosting a live chat from the press box on Eagle Insider.

Over here on Eagle in Atlanta, I will be posting the normal links and what not. I will also be posting my three different versions of how I think the season will play out. Thursday will still be the day for the game preview.

Saturday there will be a comments blog post here (I am too superstitious not to have one). But I encourage most of you to try out the Eagle Insider boards on game day. I will and the other members of the BC blogosphere will also be on Twitter most of the game.

As always I appreciate your continued support as I try to juggle this all and the real world. Wish me luck and "Let's go Eagles!"

Position preview: quarterbacks

My latest preview is up over on Eagle Insider. The good news is that I am feeling better about Dave Shinskie than I ever have. While I didn't get into too much speculation and gossip in the Scout.com piece, there was a real worry around the program that Shinskie might crash and burn. Now it seems like he's found his sea legs, knows what he has to do and is ready. If his play matures too, we could be in for a special year. Plus, everyone also likes Marscovetra. BC is almost in a can't lose position (now I've jinxed us).

New captains, Herzy news and other links

The football team elected Alex Albright, Anthony Castonzo, Wes Davis and James McCluskey as captains for the 2010 season. I am curious how they arrived at four, since we've had two, three and four at different times over the past decade. All guys are what you want in Captains and should serve the team well. A few people were surprised that Mark Herzlich was not also elected. Don't read too much into it (health of personality related). Herzlich missed practice again today and according to the Herald has a stress fracture in his right foot (his left leg had the tumor). If it is a stress fracture, this will be a lingering story and injury. The only thing that heals stress fractures is time and low impact stuff. I am sure he can play through it...let's hope it doesn't slow him down or progress.

[Pushy Eagle Insider links coming ahead!] In addition to getting content from me and others, the cool thing about becoming a member at Eagle Insider is that you get recruiting scoop from across the network. For example BC is already targeting 2012 QBs and 2013(!?) QBs. The 2013 kid isn't even a the fulltime starter at his high school but already has an offer from BC. That's got to be a good feeling.

Here is one of the better previews on the team.

This analytical look at the ACC predicts that BC will finish fourth in the division. HD has us 7th overall.

As expected Josh Haden will be joining his younger brother at Florida. No idea if a good tattoo artist will be able to make the BC logo look like the Gator logo.

BC just offered Massachusetts athlete Manny Asprilla.

The BC Draft guys go through their wish list.

Position preview on Eagle Insider

Here is my preview on the linebackers. News flash -- they are good.

Max Ricci talks to Eagle Insider

The BC Draft crew caught up with our latest commitment over on Eagle Insider. Please note that it is a premium article (all recruiting news will be). I know that will disappoint some of you but know that is Scout's business model. My goal is to have the occasional free recruiting article and some sign-up specials as the season approaches. As you've seen the past few days, there will be plenty of free content too.

As for Ricci, he seems like a very thoughtful and well adjusted kid. I was impressed with what he had to say and hope that other schools don't try to poach him.

Part II of AC interview and other links

Here is part II of BC Draft/Eagle Insider's interview with Castonzo. In this section he discusses his improving teammates and the highlights of his BC career.

BC put up a video interview with new baseball coach Mike Gambino on bceagles.com. Unfortunately BC is not letting us embed those videos (yet). Also you can get a glimpse of the new Under Armour polo shirts.

Matt Tennant has good things to say about Sean Devine and his time at BC. Matt also says he wants to go to law school after his playing career is over.

The BCI guys spoke with the Football Outsiders to better understand how they came about their projections for BC.

BC is in the final three for Delaware lineman Trip Thurman.

Craig Smith got a new deal with the Clippers.

Troy Vincent was on campus to talk to the football players about finishing their degrees and life after football. I hope with all the agent news going on in college football, that he told them to be smart about their decisions off the field.

BC Draft's Interview with Castonzo

As I mentioned there will be many different voices at Eagle Insider. I was very excited when the BC Draft guys agreed to contribute and there first effort didn't dissappoint. They held an interview with Anthony Castonzo (PART I) and touched on a variety of topics both personal and related to Xs and Os.

Part II will be up Tuesday.

A brief announcement

Some of you may already know this, but I have agreed to take over Scout.com's Boston College site, Eagle Insider. Eagle Insider's history has been a bit uneven. I hope that my involvement will make it the complete and ultimate stop for BC sports. We will be leveraging the ties with Fox Sports and also host some familiar names from the BC blogosphere and message boards. Please 'excuse our dust' the next few weeks while I get things up and running. We should kick things off nicely with an interview by the BC Draft guys.

If you have suggestion or things you would like to see, let me know.

To answer a question I am sure some will ask: this blog will continue. Some of the content and features that you've seen here in the past will be there. Some content is more appropriate for here. As always I appreciate your support and look forward to leading Eagle Insider.