BC to retire Ryan, Kuechly's jerseys

In two separate ceremonies this fall, BC will retire the jerseys of Matt Ryan and Luke Kuechly. In the final paragraph of the release, BC explains:

Previously, Boston College has retired the numbers of Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Doug Flutie and Outland Trophy winner Mike Ruth and the jerseys of eight other standouts: Art Donovan, Bill Flynn, Gene Goodreault, Mike Holovak, Lou Montgomery, Charles O'Rourke, Tony Thurman and Louis Urban.

Both Luke and Matt are great guys who followed great BC careers with great NFL careers. Both have given back to BC and serve as role models for the BC Football community. This honor is well deserved. However, I do have a few quibbles with the process and timing.

Retiring numbers in football is difficult logistically. The massive size of the roster necessitates recycling iconic numbers. Hence most teams use some sort of ring of honor. The eight numberless jerseys that are honored at Alumni are in the same concept. BC doesn't clarify whether or not Ryan and Kuechly's 12 and 40 will be permanently retired, yet both are out of use and seemingly reserved for retirement. I think Ryan and Kuechly should be retired, but their numbers should live on with new players. In my opinion, Flutie's 22 should be the only number not re-used. (I would argue that even Ruth's 58 was premature...but that is another subject.) While both Ryan and Kuechly were special, I don't think either deserve the ultimate honor and honoring them in that way now is a trend that glorifies the recent past (in all sports) over true history.

My second issue is that this honoring skips over too many guys who came between the Thurman-Flutie-Ruth eras and the Ryan-Kuechly ACC era. I think Herzlich and Kiwinuka were both conference players of the year and both had incredible college careers. I feel like they are not being honored like Ryan and Kuechly because their NFL careers did not reach the same heights. That shouldn't matter.

There might not be a Matt Ryan era if not for the rebound led by Glenn Foley. How is his jersey not retired? What about all the great offensive linemen who have protected BC's stars? Mike Cloud, Derrick Knight and Montel Harris all finished their respective BC careers as the school's all-time leading rusher. Some acknowledgement is deserved, not to mention what Andre Williams' accomplished. Tom Coughlin and Tom O'Brien deserved the same honor that Mike Holovak received. I could go on, but the point remains.

In the short term this will be a nice little boost of PR for the Football team. I hope it leads to clarification of what BC is honoring --  "jersey vs number" -- and a whole new group of other players getting the recognition they deserve.

Broncos win Super Bowl without BC

There are no BC guys on the Broncos' roster, so no Eagles picked up Super Bowl rings Sunday. Luke Kuechly performed well, but football is a team sport and Denver had the better defense on Sunday.

There was lots of talk prior to the game if Kuechly was the all-time best Eagle in the NFL. I still think it is too early to tell and still think Matt Ryan has the better chance to retire with that title. Kuechly has a Defensive MVP, but elite linebacker's windows are much shorter than QBs. As Peyton Manning showed, Ryan might have another eight or nine more competitive seasons. In the end, I want them both to do well. I also hope we send a lot more guys to the NFL over the next few years so that others enter the "best Eagle" competition.

Luuuuuuuuuuuuuke!

I didn't really care who won the NFC Championship...or even the AFC Championship for that matter. But I kept smiling with every big play Luke Kuechly made.

He was a great and special player at BC. I am glad the rest of the world will get to see that in two weeks.

Addazio talks to the media and and other links

Addazio held his normal Monday press conference. He seemed a little defensive about the criticism of the offensive line. I agree with Daz that there was some good line play. It just wasn't as consistent as we need. He also thinks that Thadd Smith has real upside.

BC alums Matt Ryan and Luke Kuechly sell a lot of NFL jerseys.

Women's Soccer lost to St. John's.

NFL rosters are still being tweaked, but there is still good news for former Eagles. Tyler Murphy is on the Steelers' roster Brian Mihalik and Chris Pantale made the Eagles practice squad.

Both Men's and Women's Golf had decent starts to their seasons. The men finished 5th at Turning Stone. The women were fourth at the Red Bird Invitational.

Throwback Thursday with Luke Kuechly

This current video of Luke Kuechly is making the rounds.


Since it is Thursday, it is a great time to look back on some of Luke's highlights at BC. He's also set to graduate in a few days.

Luke's years might not have been the most fun time to follow BC Football, but we were and are lucky to have him.

Analytical love for Matt Ryan and other links

With the cliched talk of "elite" QBs, I feel like I am constantly defending Matt Ryan. The only person who might be a bigger defender of Ryan is Grantland's Bill Barnwell. Barnwell has Ryan in his Top 10 and ahead of Brady, Brees and Eli. I hope the Falcons bounce back this year, but more importantly I hope casual fans start to realize how well Ryan has played the past few years. Kuechly also made Barnwell's Top 25.

Andy Gallik made the Preseason All ACC team.

Earlier in the week EDSBS assigned parts of our galaxy to ACC teams. The BC analogy is probably fair.

Steele Divitto is ready for Jets Training Camp.

Miami is recruiting New England players this cycle.

Checking in with Luke and other links

Luke Kuechly is still working on his BC degree and getting ready for another big season in Charlotte.

More talk of the Falcons' interest in Chase Rettig.

Some BC students got caught running the Marathon with fake bibs. I still don't understand the fuss. I know plenty of people who ran without numbers in the past. Did tightened security keep those without numbers out this year?

BCI went through a list of potential new Baseball coaches.


Johnny Gaudreau will be part of Team USA at the IIHF Men’s World Championship this May.

Rough recruiting weekend and other links

There are only a few days left before Signing Day. I think we all expect Addazio to finish strong, however, this weekend was a bit of a speed bump. Recent verbal Tre Tarpley flipped his commitment and is now headed to Vanderbilt. The second bit of bad news came when A.J. Bush committed to Nebraska. BC got involved late, but Nebraska jumped in and gave him a chance at QB. I expect BC to try to use these last few openings before Wednesday.

Here is a Beanpot preview.

Alexandra Carpenter is generating a lot of attention as we near the Olympics.

Women's Basketball lost to Virginia Tech.

Luke Kuechly earned the Defensive Player of the Year at the NFL Honors show.

Kuechly ready for a big second season

Kuechly had an unbelievable rookie season. Of course expectations are even higher this year.

BCI talked to Doug Flutie about current college football and his involvement with EA Sports.

Kiwi is adjusting to the latest Giants position shift.

UConn-BC official and other links

Once we knew that both BC and UConn were in the 2k Classic, an official pairing seemed inevitable. The organizers agreed and the two former Big East foes will face off in the Semis. I know none of the current players, coaches or ADs share the bad blood, but the fans still do. I hope we win convincingly. Not only will it mean some revenge, but it will also be a huge RPI win for a BC team that will probably need one. 

Sarah Marshall Ryan took a job with the Atlanta Dream. 

Austin Tedesco's preseason basketball coverage continued with a Q&A with Anderson and Hanlan. 

Experience pays off for college QBs. Let's hope it holds true for Rettig.

BC is doing a good job of getting our players on the PreSeason Watch lists. Amidon made the Biletnikoff list.

Luke Kuechly can jump.

Boyle to UConn, Kuechly honored and other links

Tim Boyle made it official: he will sign with UConn instead of BC this week. I usually wish bad things upon commitments that spurn BC, but I can't blame Boyle for this. He wasn't really wanted in Chestnut Hill. Best of luck to him in the future.

Luke Kuechly won the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

The Women's Basketball Team lost to Maryland.

Kuechly finishing his degree and other links

Luke Kuechly is back on campus this semester finishing his degree. He shared that news and thoughts on the NFL in this Q&A with BCeagles.com.

Stewart Mandel gave BC a "B" for our coaching hire and like most thinks snagging Don Brown was a coup.

Most of you might have seen this already, but Gene is now teaching people the basics of football.

Adding an essay to the BC application process drastically cut the number of applicants and that is probably a good thing.

Report: TOB in talks w/UVA and other links

David Teel is reporting that TOB is considering joining Mike London's staff at UVA. While not a done deal, this is the most unpredictable thing I've ever read about the most predictable man in the business. TOB doesn't need the money. As a BC booster recently told me: "Tom still has his first communion money." TOB told many former staffers and players that NC State was his last job and that he was nearing retirement. However, he didn't leave NC State on his own terms. Maybe being fired struck a nerve. Or maybe he realized he's still too young to retire. I don't know, but I am surprised he would consider a staff job. I heard he had interest in Cincinnati. He has a long relationship with London and always loved UVA. Maybe he will go back into coaching. Just when you think you know a guy...
London did clean house and does need a DC, but I don't think Spaz will be in play. TOB is an empty nester and Spaz still has kids in school in Massachusetts. I doubt Spaz is willing to sacrifice any buyout money to go be an assistant somewhere else.

This is from a few days ago, but Doug Martin is returning to New Mexico State. Best of luck to him.

Johnny Gaudreau is on a great run in the World Juniors.

The Heights posted a good preview of the basketball team heading into ACC play.

The women's basketball team lost to Hampton.

Luke Kuechly might not win Defensive Rookie of the Year, but he is getting credit for changing the Panthers defense.

Kuechly ROY? and other links

As his tackles pile up, many NFL pundits are realizing that Luke Kuechly should win the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Carolina is out of the spotlight, but if Luke keeps up this pace, he will lead the league in tackles.

The Football team handed out their awards the other night. Emmett Cleary won the Scanlan Award and Amidon was named MVP. Congratulations to them and let's hope our next football banquet comes next January after a bowl win.

Here is more on Jags where his friend and new boss specifically deal with his departure from BC.

BC offered a scholarship to Florida Safety Darrion Owens. 

Spaz becoming his caricature

Multiple people have sent this or commented on it, so I thought it deserved its own post. This is from the Globe's article on Luke Kuechly.

The choice by the Panthers drew praise from BC coach Frank Spaziani. “A great choice,’’ he said. “He will be perfect for them. And it was the perfect pick for me as well since it came two minutes before my bedtime.’’

Spaz should stop trying to be funny. His quips fall flat. He also shouldn't joke about things that other coaches are saying about him. Once Spaz wins the ACC I will hire a drummer to follow him around hitting rimshots after every joke. Until then focus on football and not being funny.

(For those wondering, Kuechly was drafted at approximately 8:55 PM.)

Panthers draft Kuechly 9th overall

After all the speculation and despite plenty of trades coming in the first round, Luke Kuechly ended up as a Top 10 pick. The Carolina Panthers selected him with the 9th pick overall. Kuechly is the 10th Eagle to have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft in the last 13 years.

Congratulations to Luke, his family and the BC football program. Now he'll get to square off against Matt Ryan twice a year, every year.

Here is the Carolina leadership talking about him and their expectations. The Draft continues over the weekend and we can hope that Donnie Fletcher joins Kuechly as a BC draftee.

Who are the future 1st rounder's currently on the BC roster?

19 BC football players have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. We all hope Luke Kuechly becomes the 20th tonight. I think most BC fans realized Kuechly would be a high pick during his amazing sophomore season. I don't think many feel as strongly about our current roster. There are no obvious first-round picks, but I do think a few players have the chance. Let's look at the guys who can still play their way into the first round.

Kevin Pierre-Louis KPL played at an all conference level before injuries slowed him down in the middle of the season. Like Kuechly, he's very instintive, very productive and covers a ton of space. He's got good speed. The biggest question is size. KPL will need to add a little more bulk to his frame like Kuechly did. If he has stays healthy and productive over the next two seasons, I think he could be a first-round pick in 2014.

Kaleb Ramsey Kaleb Ramsey has one season to take his game to the next level. He's got the build and has shown flashes of potential, but NFL scouts are likely to questions his heart and desire. He needs to have a big year, stay healthy and prove to teams that he wants to play football.

Dominic Appiah At times it might seem like I am President of the Dominic Appiah fanclub, but I do think he has great game-changing potential. Plus BC has a history of producing solid NFL DTs. Because he's got so much playing time head of him, Appiah has the most upside. We know he is in the right system to display his talents. Now let's hope he develops and gets better every year.

Chase Rettig This might seem like the ultimate BC fan post considering he has a completion percentage in the low 50s, but Rettig has a few things going for him. NFL teams will like his size and arm strength. They will appreciate that he took a beating and kept playing. They will like that he's had to learn new systems and adapt to different coordinators. But if Chase wants to be the next Matt Ryan or even a guy considered for a late first-round pick, he is going to have to have an outstanding final two seasons. It will take a huge jump in productivity (which I will address in an upcoming post) but there is still the possibility that it can happen.

There are a few other players that may develop into something more, but for now this group stands our best chance. Let me know if you think I missed anyone else.

More Kuechly projections on Draft Eve

The Mock Drafts are flying around the internet. In theory nothing has changed but that doesn't mean players aren't moving up and down draft boards. One of the "hot" names is Luke Kuechly. Luke's sudden popularity makes sense. Every draft pick is a roll of the dice. As much as team's draft for need and upside, what they all want to avoid is a bust. Busts don't help you win games. A competent, hard working, tackling machine will. Here are what some of the experts think.

Mike Mayock now believes Kuechly moves up to Buffalo with the 10th pick. The Bills haven't really been at the center of much Kuechly talk, but he did visit them last week.

The ESPN crew now thinks Kuechly could go as high as the 5th pick to Tampa. That would be a huge honor for him and a nice boost for BC. The downside is that he'd be facing Matt Ryan twice a year.

Fox News (not Fox Sports) thinks Luke ends up in Seattle. From the outset must thought Kuechly would be picked in the teens, so this makes sense.

Greg Cosell mocks his draft based on his ratings, not projections. He has Kuechly heading to Kansas City.

Looking at other Eagle's chances in the Draft

Luke Kuechly will be drafted in the First Round of the NFL Draft. With the Draft weekend approaching, it looks like he might be the only Eagle drafted.

Of the other eligible players, only Donnie Fletcher is getting any mainstream attention. ProFootball Weekly considers him a fifth or sixth rounder and all of their anonymous gossip is bad. Rob Rang of NFLDraftscout.com likes him more than most but still sees him as a sixth rounder. Fletcher's got good size and is a good tackler. But will that be enough for him to overcome his lack of speed and his rumored work ethic issues. I've always liked the way he played. I think if he is drafted he will have some staying power.

While the news isn't good on Donnie, at least he is getting some attention. Even the sites that go deep into the talent pool aren't even bothering with Lars Anderson, Ryan Quigley, Mark Spinney or Max Holloway. They all have profiles on NFLDraftscout, but not one write up among them. Holloway is the most frustrating case. As dreary as BC football may have been last year, it is still better than not playing. And if he truly had NFL ambitions, one more year to get notice may have made a difference.

Ifeanyi Momah looks like a lost cause too. Because he still is not healthy enough to work out, no one will touch him. Maybe someone will bring him in this summer, but he will already be behind the eight-ball due to lack of practice and familiarity.

Everett star to Notre Dame, UMass schedule and other links

BC target John Montelus won't be joining his fellow Everett teammates at the Heights. The OL prospect committed to Notre Dame over the weekend. Remember when people justified keeping Spaz for recruiting reasons...

UMass released their future football schedules. BC will play the Minutemen in 2014, 2016 and 2018. For those who have longed for a BC game day filled with uninterrupted spacious tailgating, we will finally play a game at Gillette Stadium in UMass's 2014 opener.

How are people still saying Kuechly is too slow after the Combine?

BC baseball commit Chris Shaw is generating Major League interest.