Rugby player wins Bronze Star and other links

This article doesn't mention BC, but I wanted to link the story about former Eagle David van Dam. (thanks Robert for the link). Too often I focus on what former BC athletes do as professionals in their respective sport. But many others go on to do incredible things beyond the playing field.

KC Caudill started out playing baseball, but as he kept growing, hoops made the most sense.

Mike Mayock keeps predicting that the Philadelphia Eagles will draft Luke Kuechly.

Montel Harris will participate in Spring Ball, but the staff will take it easy on him while he recovers.

Cleary, Swigert and Hughes all made the All ACC academic list.

Providence awarded Will Blackmon with a key to the city.

Ryan Purvis signed with the Giants.

Because I don't get tired of watching the Beanpot highlights.

Day 2 and other links

The second day of practice was uneventful. Unlike Monday, the weather cooperated. The team is still not in full pads yet.

Spaz and McGovern know the young players will have to step up and everything cannot be dependent on Kuechly.

HD called Rettig the most improved QB in the conference. I also think Rettig's stats from last season are somewhat misleading. While his percentages and TD to INT ratios weren't great, I think you have to look at them in relation to what he was asked to do. I think you'll see a big jump in efficiency this year.

Another day, another glowing Alex Albright story. I just wish that Rob Ryan didn't have to take a backhanded shot at Herzy while complimenting Albright.

Ryan Purvis is now one of Tampa's more experienced Tight Ends. He should make an even bigger impact this year.

The Colts signed Josh Beekman. I hope he sticks as it would be nice to see Beekman and Costanzo on the same line.

Abner Logan has a BC offer but he is determined to visit other schools.

BC opened as a seven point favorite over Northwestern. Now the line is to BC-3. It looks like the early smart money jumped on Northwestern.

Cool poster and other links

I am usually not a fan of the annual BC Marketing poster, but I have to say that this year's is pretty bad ass.

BC will be one of the first schools to use Under Armour's new basketball shoes.

Thursday was photo day which meant no practices. On this bceagles.com link you can see the photo gallery of their session.

Ryan Purvis is fighting for a roster spot in Tampa Bay.

BJ Raji is ready to become a full-time player for the Packers.

Long weekend roundup

Here is more on BC's latest commit Connor Wujciak. Inside the article he mentions frequent talks with Andre Callender during the process. It is nice to see Seton Hall Prep guys sticking together.

This article focuses on UConn but also mentions that BC football turned a profit last season. I guess we owe Tampa Bay thanks for taking Jags' buyout off our payroll.(Thanks to Mike for the link.)

Ryan Glasper is keeping his career alive in the UFL...and still has a bit of bad blood towards TOB.

Tampa bloggers still have hope for Ryan Purvis.

Former BC Director of Basketball Ops Preston Murphy may end up back up at URI on Barron's staff.

BC has reportedly offered Pennsylvania guard Darrun Hilliard.

Purvis and Jags reunite in Tampa

Ryan Purvis' draft status took the biggest dive under the transition from the Matt Ryan offense to Chris Crane. Some wondered if Purvis' productivity was all due to Matt Ryan. Clearly the guy who had a front row seat for both seasons didn't think that way as Tampa signed Purvis to a free agent contract. He is now reunited with Jags and Steve Logan. Best of luck to him. Tampa is deep at TE, but Purvis will get a fair shot at making the team.

The Combine and what it says about Akins, Purvis and others

Only three Eagles were invited to the NFL Combine. The number isn’t surprising. The invite list was…somewhat. Raji and Brace are no brainers. Akins was a surprise. Used in multiple positions during the course of his career my fear come draft time was the NFL wouldn’t know where to use him (CB, Safety, Linebacker). I guess his size in the defensive backfield will be valuable enough regardless of questions about having NFL secondary speed. I hope he performs well in Indianapolis.

As for the other potential draftees, there is a reasonable explanation for each of their exclusions.

Toal – At this point his injury history negates any upside he might have to an NFL team, therefore no combine. He still might get drafted but not until the late rounds. His Pro Day will be the only way to move up teams’ draft boards.

Ramsey – He is a late bloomer at an undervalued position (G) so the combine was always a reach. In the plus column though are his size, great final season and the school’s reputation for producing quality lines. If he doesn’t get drafted, I think he will probably catch on. It doesn’t hurt that Bicknell Jr and Jags are both in the NFL and, I imagine, would gladly pick him up as a free agent.

Crane – Like Toal, the timing of his injury cost him. This is a shallow QB class too. With a better, injury-free season, he’d be at the combine. The plus side is that Crane has the body, arm strength and athleticism to be an NFL QB. Matt Cassel’s success shows you don’t need the college reps to mature into a good NFL QB. Matt Ryan’s success shows that BC was doing something right with QBs. I think Crane will probably have good free agent choices if he is not drafted late. His Pro Day will be very important.

Robinson – Great guy but there is no way a team uses a draft pick on him. He’s smart and tough, but comes up short in the size and speed category. If you don’t have those qualities, you need velcro hands…which BRob doesn’t. In addition to a good Pro Day, he’s going to need to turn heads at any minicamp opportunity.

Purvis – He’s the most interesting case of the non-invitees. If he had come out last year, he would have been drafted. This year was supposed to be his spring board into a first day pick. After the Kent State game it was obvious to everyone in the building that BC’s passing game was going to take a major step back. For most of the season people assumed the NFL would account for that change in offenese and still acknowledge Purvis’ previous work. Apparently they didn’t. In trying to point out this slight to Purvis, the data actually supports an argument that he regressed this year.

Compare Purvis’ Senior Year to his Junior Year.
2008 – receptions 24, yards 176, touchdowns 0
2007 – receptions 50, yards 521, touchdowns 4

Now here are BC’s total passing numbers for those same two seasons
2008 – receptions 233, yards 2471, touchdowns 17
2007 – receptions 335, yards 3981, touchdowns 28
The team’s decline in those categories respectively was 30%, 38% and 39%.
Purvis’ decline respectively – 52%, 66%, and 100%.

When Purvis goes around working out or interviewing, he'll also battle the John Carlson standard. Last year during the draft process Carlson was trying to explain his struggles as a Senior. Like Purvis, Carlson was a Tight End who had to adjust from a first-round QB (Brady Quinn) to a raw rotation (Clausen et al). But his productivity in those same categories only declined by only 15%, 41%, and 25%.

I don’t blame Purvis nor do I think he played poorly. I think his blocking was good and I think he will be a good NFL Tight End. He was just had an off year at the wrong time.

Ryan Purvis quotes

I sat with Brace first so by the time I got to Purvis he was rehashing stuff. Regardless he still had some good things to say. Here are a few of the subjects that haven't appeared elsewhere.

Purvis on Lars Anderson

“Lars is a real athletic kid. He’s quick. He’s agile. I think he’s going to do alright."

Purvis on Ifeanyi Momah

“Momah...the past couple days in 7-on-7, you see flashes of Plaxico Burress across the middle. Just plucking the ball out of the sky. His biggest thing is consistency. You’ve got to show that on a regular basis. I think he'll do that this year."

Purvis on Crane handling the spotlight

“I think he is doing great. I don’t think he compares himself to Matt in anyway. It’s his fifth year, his last year and his first year. First and last. He’s just looking to make his own imprint in the BC culture and the BC football program. And I think that’s just what he’s worried about. Getting out there and performing. I don’t think the Matt Ryan thing is going to bother him in the slightest.

Purvis on his big jump in productivity from '06 to '07

“I think it was a combination of everything. Every year of playing football, I’ve grown more mentally with the game. Physically, obviously, I am getting bigger and stronger. But then you’ve got to look at the system. How many times did we throw the ball last year? A percentage of those naturally are going to come to a Tight End. So I was just that guy last year."

Purvis on Jags publicly saying we won’t throw the ball as much.

"I feel like they say that but they’re going to do whatever’s working and whatever gets it done to win. If we have to throw the ball 50 times a game, I don’t think Coach Logan will say 'we gotta balance the offense.' But if we get off to a good start and are running the ball well, I don’t care if I have 0 catches next year…as long as we’re winning."

Purvis on his goals for the season

"I want to develop more as a blocker. A nastier blocker. I have good technique, I just have to get more mean at the point of attack. As far as winning and team goals, getting to Tampa and winning it this year is my biggest goal."

Purvis on how the Tight End blocks differently in the zone blocking scheme

"In the older offense I was more of a heavy, blocking D Ends kind of Tight End. I was stationary. In this offense I move around a lot. I am rarely ever in a three-point stance. I am more of a linebacker-level blocker now. I feel it has made me more finesse…getting to those linebackers, playing with your feet and your hands as opposed to raw power."


Purvis on Dominique Davis

"He’s a young guy, real athletic, kind of raw. Still picking up the system. He’s coming into his own though. He’s delivering some balls that I never would have thought he’d throw when I first saw him throw the ball."

Purvis on the Jags' philosophy on redshirting

"I remember when I started, you come in and you redshirted because you needed to. Offensively you needed to. (I don’t know about the defense.) You needed to come in and redshirt just so you could understand the offense. It was almost impossible to come in and pick it up right away. Although I feel like our offense now is just as complex, it’s easier to pick up. Maybe it’s because I am older and I’ve been through another offense. But we had such a smooth transition as far as freshmen playing…Haden, Momah, Castonzo at Right Tackle. I feel like maybe the system is easier to grasp. Maybe conceptually Coach Bible’s offense was harder to pick up. I don’t know. Maybe they recruit different kids. Who knows?"

Purvis on playing in the NFL one day

"If you start thinking about it – and there’s a lot to think about – you’ll just drive yourself crazy. When football comes it’s going to be all football for me. I kind of block out all the distractions and leave that to handle itself.

"I have a great family. A great support system. They help me with anything that needs to go through as far as NFL distractions."