Phillips says he's coming back

BC can't talk about it until he's on campus and enrolled, but Shakim Phillips says he is coming back to the Heights.

ICYMI: Spoke with WR Shakim Phillips last night, confirming his return to #BC for his final year of eligibility
— Rich Cirminiello (@RichCirminiello) June 26, 2014

Of course this has been long rumored and highly dependent on Shakim wrapping up his UConn degree this summer. All the various summer sessions at UConn conclude in July and August. As soon as he has his degree, he is eligible for practice at BC.

Gorman pitching well in Cape League and other links

John Gorman is back in the bullpen during this Cape Cod League season. The good news is that he is playing well enough to earn a full roster spot.

Soaring to Glory moved their profile series to key RB Marcus Outlow.

If you're looking for a BC angle at the ESPYs, how about Johnny Gaudreau potentially winning top male college athlete.

Basketball looking at late bloomer and other links

Connecticut big man Steve Enoch does not have a BC offer yet, but we are one of the many big programs now taking notice. Enoch's growth spurt and good summer showing have helped his standings. Enoch is a 2015 recruit.

Before the holiday, Florida DE Wyatt Ray committed to Addazio. Hopefully a signing like this will open up a recruiting pipeline with his high school traditional Catholic power St. Thomas Aquinas. Ray is big but might be able to play LB at BC.

The ACC named BC runner to Danielle Winslow to its All Academic team.

Happy 4th of July

Tweets of the Week

A MUST READ: @PeteFrates3 describes his journey with ALS and hopes for the future of the disease. #StrikeoutALS http://t.co/F1JU2kiQOg

— BC Baseball (@BCBirdBall) July 2, 2014

What an experience it was playing in a World Cup! Thanks America & fans for believing! Blessed to be a part of this team #USMNT! #1N1T #USA

— Alejandro Bedoya (@AleBedoya17) July 2, 2014

This Jason Kidd thing has a Boston College/Jeff Jagodzinski feeling about it. That worked out so well for both.

— Tyler Dawgden (@TylerDawgden) June 29, 2014

Sooo..... @Panthers LB Luke Kuechly throws a medicine ball like its a basketball pic.twitter.com/Z6tVnLw1ph

— Chelsa Messinger (@ChelsaMessinger) July 3, 2014

2014 Preview Questions: How difficult is the schedule?

One of the less mentioned aspects to last season's bounce back year was our manageable schedule. Three very winnable games in Army, New Mexico State and Villanova, gave Addazio a good base for bowl eligibility. This year the schedule is not as friendly. But how difficult is it?

The experts think BC's got a challenging slate. Phil Steele ranks our Schedule Difficulty at 28 (second most difficult in our division behind Syracuse). As Steele points out, the NCAA's metric considers BC's schedule the 15th most difficult. Most of the computer models also factor in replacing Maryland with Louisville, a road MAC game and playing USC again. On paper it seems like this will be tough. However, when you break things down, I don't know if it is that much worse than last year.

The UMass game in place of New Mexico State is huge boost. NM State was a terrible team, but we traveled to them and their staff had a familiarity with our personnel. UMass is a road game where we don't have to travel and where half the crowd will be BC fans. Colorado State is respectable but we will be favored. USC at home is tough, but they will be breaking in a new staff and travelling a long way early in the season.

As for the ACC schedule...things seem manageable too.  We have winnable road games at NC State and Wake. Toss up games like Pitt and Syracuse are at home. Winning games under any circumstances is tough, but I think we could be favored in at least six of our games. For a young team with a new QB, that doesn't seem too daunting.

If you break it down into parts, the schedule looks fine. Go 3-0 in the "cupcakes," split with the ACC peer programs like Wake, Cuse, Pitt and NC State, and then steal one from the big boys of Clemson, VT, Louisville, and Florida State. That is a respectable six wins, especially in a transition year for a young team. 

Dunbar's comeback and other links

Last season was a disaster for Jo-Lonn Dunbar. He missed the beginning of the year with a PED suspension and only played in seven games. The Rams even cut him. The team gave him another chance this year and he plans to make the most of it.

Outside of Gallik, most of our seniors seem like longshots for the NFL.

Soaring to Glory's continued their player preview series with Kam Moore.  He seems like the type that woud redshirt.

Daz gets his second QB

BC talked to a variety of QBs this recruiting season, hoping to find the right second QB. With the commitment of Florida QB Jeff Smith, it looks like Addazio has found his final QB for this cycle.

Smith camped at BC, so the staff is familiar with his abilities. He's also has the size and speed to play another position if he cannot get on the field as a QB. Even if the staff expects Smith to switch positions, I still don't think they will take another QB. They have so many needs and a third QB is not one of them. With just a handful of scholarships left, it will be interesting to see what Addazio does next. We need some big bodies for the OL/DL area and could use another skill player.

Addazio's message

I didn't comment when it debuted two weeks ago, but I wanted to revisit Addazio's Youtube clips. There a good underlying message in them, with this one focusing on accountability. Is it a little cliche? Sure, but the theme of the message is true and Addazio delivers it in a believable manner. It is refreshing to have a coach who can shape and deliver this sort of message.

My only concern about the whole things is the lack of views. BC's official Youtube page posted the clip two weeks ago. In that time only 1,100 have viewed the clip. This is the type of clip that should go to every BC fan and every recruit and be in the tens of thousands of views after two weeks. Addazio's willingness to be the face of the program is valuable. Let's not waste such a great asset.

2014 Preview Questions: How good is the Offensive Line?

Given BC's history with OLine play, it is surprising that it took until last year for an offensive coach to say "forget skill players, maybe we should just put out eight offensive lineman." The jumbo packages combined with the spread proved to be a good wrinkle. It played to our strengths and depth. I am sure this year we will see new wrinkles, but I don't think teams will be as surprised or that we have the same depth to pull it off. The big question is how good can this Oline be? Their success as a unit will impact BC's season more than any other.

During the decline under Spaz, the most obvious weakness was offensive line play. Mistakes, confusion and sloppy technique were evident. One of the reasons for last season's turn around was simply better position coaching. Which shouldn't have been a surprise since Addazio was a former OLine coach. You assumed that he would put an emphasis on the unit and find a good position coach (which he did in Justin Frye). In Year 2 -- with another year of good coaching -- things should be better. But it is not always that simple.

The middle of the line returns. Vardaro, Gallik and Williams should all probably be in the same position as last year. But those three were also the most inconsistent of our starters last season. Vardaro and Gallik would play really well some games and struggle in others. With Gallik receiving a series of preseason accolades, I assume the coaches are expecting a big season season from him.

But who replaces the Tackles? It is assumed that it will be another Florida transfer Ian Silberman and Seth Betancourt. But the coaches could easily move Vardaro and Williams wide and use Silberman and Betancourt on the interior. It really depends on what Frye thinks is most important, position familiarity or putting you best talent at Tackle.

I also don't know if and how often we will go big. Opponents have had a whole offseason to prepare. Without the surprise will the big packages be as effective? Also, do we have the depth? Are the guys on the bench able to come in and play? Are we better off with multiple Tight Ends? Unlike our questions at WR, I have more confidence that the Oline will come together. The talent and coaching is too good for it not to come together. And if it doesn't come together...we're screwed.

Jersey commit, NHL Draft and other links

BC added another WR to the recruiting class on Friday. New Jersey WR Nolan Borgersen set records last year and recently improved his speed. Hopefully he'll be as productive as our last under the radar recruit from Westwood -- BJ Raji.

Although he went high to Columbus, future Eagle Sonny Milano is committed to playing for Jerry York next year. Vancouver drafted Demko, which seems appropriate given their familiarity with BC goaltenders. The Devils' draft pick Joey Dudek is also committed to playing at BC.

This MAC blog is already previewing the BC-UMass game.

Remeber David Sills? He's the former 7th grader who verballed to USC. Now that he's older and Lane Kiffin is not around, Sills is not headed to USC. BC offered a scholarship, but most expect him to go to West Virginia.

Tweets of the Week

Judge Wilken: Does "SEC" get confused for the Securities and Exchange Commission? Sankey: "In my part of the country, generally not."

— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) June 24, 2014

New Eagle sighting! @IIdrissa #ACC#WeAreBc pic.twitter.com/s2R4AQZdRQ

— Preston Murphy (@coach_pmurph) June 22, 2014

Officially a super fan #BCOrientation #BC2018 pic.twitter.com/uElkrlUrvZ

— Nick Page (@NickPage96) June 24, 2014

RT @FullTimeHoops1: Chris Paul visits his teammate Jared Dudley's Camp of Opportunity. pic.twitter.com/7wZeqy2tJi

— Jared Dudley (@JaredDudley619) June 23, 2014

Father Neenan passes, more recruits and other links

A long-time member of the Boston College community William B. Neenan, S.J. passed away Wednesday. Father Neenan came to BC in 1979 and serve the university in a variety of leadership capacities since. He will be missed by all.

The recruiting train continued Thursday. Mass CB/Athlete Taj-Amir Torres committed after camping. He's raw and without a natural position, but he's fast. Like really, really fast. Let's hope the staff has a plan for his ability. Joining him in the 2015 class is California DT Ray Smith. Smith has some decent west coast offers.

WR coach Todd Fitch's Florida roots were a big factor in Mehdi El Attrach decision.

Californian Thatcher Demko credits Gretzky for the hockey boom that launched his career.

Tennis' Matthew Wagner made the 2014 All-ACC Academic Men's Tennis Team.

Three more recruits commit!

Addazio's staff isn't slowing down on the recruiting front. Three more recruits committed Wednesday. The group represents a good mix of local late bloomers and versatile recruits from strong football regions.

Davon Jones jumped on board first. He camped at BC and is local, so the staff must have a good feel for his potential. Of the latest prospects, he's the least heralded, but the familiarity should calm any concerns about his potential.

Jimmy Martin committed too. He's another versatile athlete out of Florida. He's projected as a Linebacker or Fullback at this level. Martin held offers from other ACC schools, a Big Ten program and a bunch of mid-majors in the south. 

The biggest surprise of the day was Virginia linebacker Tanner Karafa. He had offers from both UVA and Virginia Tech. Karafa also had multiple Ivy League offers, so you know he can fit in academically.

I don't know why there has been such a rush of verbals. My guess is some of these guys had deadlines as it looks like Addazio is ready to fill out most of the class. I expected things to slow down, but with the way things are going Addazio might be to 25 recruits by the end of the week!

Does David Blatt open or close doors for Tyrese Rice?

David Blatt recently made history when we was hired directly from the Euroleague to coach the Cavaliers with no prior NBA experience. The longtime international coach is coming off a Euroleague Championship when his club, Maccabi Tel Aviv, capped off a surprise run in May. The MVP of that team: Tyrese Rice.

Since leaving BC, Rice has bounced around Europe. He's shown flashes of his potential but never took over a team for an extended time until this year. But now that he's proven himself at the second highest level, it might make sense to come back to the U.S. and give the NBA one more try. Still a great shooter, Rice could be an instant offense guy on the right team. Blatt knows what he can do. It would seem natural to bring along his best player to add depth to the Cavs. But Rice and Blatt had issues in the beginning of the season. There's also the issue of Rice's money. At this point he's established in Europe. He will play the whole season. I have no idea if any NBA team would give him a guaranteed contract (beyond the usual 10-day for guys who have bounced around).

I always root for BC guys and still think Rice has been overlooked. Sure he is a defensive liability, but he can score. Bringing Blatt over is proof that the NBA is watching. If his old coach doesn't want to bring him, maybe another NBA team will.

El Attrach on board and other links

It has been a busy summer for Addazio's recruiters. The latest news is that Florida Athlete Mehdi El Attrach committed. Mehbi has decent size and good speed. I could see him growing into a linebacker. But as an athlete, they are not slotting him for any position yet. He could also play WR or DB. While not highly ranked, he does have a decent list of offers.

Soaring to Glory posted a map of the hometowns of Addazio's recruits. The map reinforces our slight shift from the Midwest to more emphasis on the ACC states.

This is the time of year where everyone produces their respective list ranking any and everything in college football. This one has Addazio as the 10th best coach in the conference. It is still so early in his tenure here at BC, that I don't know how anyone can really rank accurately. Athlon didn't think much of our individual defensive players, but ESPN thinks Daniels might surprise.

BC's color commentator Pete Cronan had some of his best seasons with the Redskins, so it is only natural that he has an opinion on the team name.

BC needs to make four-year scholarship official

Because of our commitment to graduation rates, BC usually honors scholarships over four years. But with other private schools making it a formal stance, BC should probably follow suit. 

The NCAA rules allow for one year, renewable scholarships. This technically means that any player can be dropped from a team year to year. Now even the coldest and most cynical of coaches and teams (like Saban) don't just cut players who underperform. They usually encourage transferring or find some medical excuse to get them off the team but still receive a free education.  

Making something formal that we already practice doesn't seem like a big leap. BC should do it for the PR advantage and for recruiting purposes. We sell the BC experience and the BC education. Offering a four year scholarship just reinforces that position. 

More opponent previews and other links

Although each game is its own event, I do think college football -- with its short season and young players -- lends itself to game to game momentum. That comes into play with Syracuse since we face them at the end of the season again and they have a bear of a schedule (as USA Today's preview points out). They play Notre Dame, Maryland and at Central Michigan out of conference. I think there is a good chance they are out of bowl contention before the come to Boston. Let's hope they have thrown in the towel by then.

Virginia Tech is another team we get late in the season. This preview emphasizes what we already know: their D will be good and their offense will be a question mark all year.

Colorado State returns all of their key offensive starters and might be a tougher opponent than we think.

Kuechly talked about BC football.

Two more recruits commit

Another busy two days for the BC recruiting staff. Friday, Ohio WR Chase Pankey committed. Pankey has good speed and hails from another Cincinnati Catholic School power. His offer list isn't overwhelming, but he has interest from plenty of major conference teams. I am just glad we are keeping a presence in Ohio. Pankey is the type of guy who has thrived at BC in the past.

The bigger recruiting news came Saturday, when local TE Chris Garrison committed too. Getting locals stars is crucial and Garrison had offers from most of the FCS and FBS programs in the northeast.

Addazio now has 15 verbals but still has plenty of space. Based on current recruiting pace, I expect us to pick up a few more guys this summer and then get the last five or six commitments during the season.

Tweets of the Week

Men at work. Building at better stadium. Building a better team. #WeAreBC pic.twitter.com/ulRu4yEWsj

— Jerry Gordon (@BCJerryGordon) June 17, 2014

Great rebounding drill to end the small group workouts today! Everyone's getting better #SummertimeGrind pic.twitter.com/gxXxkXY3xo

— BC Men's Basketball (@BCHoopNews) June 19, 2014

@damienwoody seriously, you are unbelievable. What else is on your schedule for today? You reviewing a movie later this afternoon ?

— tim hasselbeck (@tthasselbeck) June 18, 2014

"Welcome to the Bitcoin Bowl! Please do not take off your Guy Fawkes mask or use your real name at any time."

— netw3rk (@netw3rk) June 18, 2014