Burton and Stoneburner commit

Although he only recently received an offer from BC and transferred to Florida in order to gain more national attention, Austin Burton will be playing college football close to home. The former Newton South QB verballed to Addazio Thursday. He's the second QB to commit in this recruiting class. I am excited for him -- all reports are that he is a good kid -- I just hope this sticks. My fear is that if he has a great season in Florida, big programs will come calling.

One of the guys he might be throwing to at BC is new commit Ohio WR Caleb Stoneburner. He's a big kid and from a good program in Dublin, OH, but most of his offers are MAC type. Perhaps being a tweener between Tight End and Wide Receiver scared Power 5s off. BC has done well with big WRs under Addazio. As long as the kid can block, we should be okay.

BC gets excited about Twitter addresses

Earlier in the week, BC teased a big announcement for Friday. The guessing among fans kicked into overdrive. New uniforms? Revamping the dreadful BC italics logo? Real progress on some of the facilities? Friday of a holiday weekend is usually a bad time to announce major news, but who cares? BC fans were getting something big! Errr, maybe not.

Maybe they teased the change too well, because this release from BC make it seem like the big announcement was about Twitter handles. Changing Twitter addresses is such a non-event, I don't know why they felt the need to promote it. All the short little rollercoaster did was raise expectations and in the aftermath raise frustration.

The only good to come of it is that the Athletic Department got a glimpse into what the people want. Perhaps they should address uniforms, or logos or other things people brought up. It would certainly excite the fanbase more than Twitter tweaks.

Chatman joins Basketball team

According to reports, former BYU guard Jordan Chatman is our newest basketball transfer. He's a graduate, so he is eligible immediately, but that might be the only thing normal about his situation. Unlike most grad transfers, Chatman is not a one-year rental. He actually has three years of playing time left. He's also 22 and has used a redshirt year too. Chatman's unique age and eligibility stats are all related to his time as a Mormon missionary.

As a missionary he took a two year break from college. The mission stops the NCAA playing time clock, but he was still able to get through school quickly.

Chatman came off the bench for BYU last season. He is likely to be a role player with BC too. He's not a difference maker, but should provide some good depth and maturity. With his remaining years of eligibility, he doesn't really help the scholarship imbalance like a normal grad transfer might have. Hopefully his age becomes an asset, because this team is desperate for a leader. Welcome aboard, Jordan.

Oline pressure and other links

Everyone talks about our QBs, but the real key to the season might be the Offensive Line. Personally I think this unite comes together quickly.

The Heights put together a nice "Year n Review" feature.

Former BC Defensive End Brian Mihalik is going to convert to Offensive Tackle for the Steelers.

Camp, kicking camp and Towles stuff

BC posted a a slide show of some of their Football camps. It is a pretty good insight into much of what goes on...which is nothing. While it is critical to get targets and good regional teams to campus for camps, there is also plenty of kids who camp at BC who have zero chance to play FBS football. For starters, many are young and this is just something to do in the summer. BC and its football staff make a few bucks, kids get a great experience and it grows BC Football and Football in general in the area. Most colleges do this in all sports. One of my kids just spent a week at a Georgia Tech camp. But there are also camps for older, elite prospects which are very important. We've generated dozens of players from these events over the year. The camp environment allows the players and coaches to get to know one another in a football setting. And unlike the new satellite camps, it a kid attends camp at Alumni, you know the guy has real interest in BC.

Another smart camp related thing that Addazio is doing is hosting a Kohl's Kicking Camp at Alumni. Ours just took place last week. Kohl's sponsors a series of these around the country and they are a tool to showcase Special Team's specialists. BC coaches have attended these for years looking for kickers and punters. By having it on campus, BC improves their access and ability to recruit kickers and punters that much more.

Athlon thinks Towles was one of the bigger QB transfers this year. They don't mention the chance of Wade starting. It should be an interesting training camp. I think both guys think they will start.

Sorry for the delay

Long story short, I didn't post Friday or Saturday. Not much news and I was partially out of pocket. Fortunately it is the dead of summer. Thanks for the inquiries. Normal blogging resumes now.

Army hires Foster away from BC Baseball

BC Baseball looked hapless as recently as two years ago. The turnaround began last year. In part due to improved and maturing talent, but also due to pitching coach Jim Foster. That success gained notice as Army hired Foster to be their next head coach.

If you listened to the player interviews during BC's run, they gave a lot of credit to Foster. He called very solid games and provided great scouting reports on the other team's hitters. Beyond the NCAA tourney success, Foster also served as a trusted adviser to Gambino. When he joined the staff, Foster brought much needed experience as a head coach from his days at URI. Hopefully Gambino appreciated what Foster brought to the team and finds another great assistant who can handle the pitching staff as well as fill in for some of Gambino's short comings.

Best of luck to Foster at West Point. Coaching and winning there is always a challenge. If he struggles, I would love to see him return to BC as an assistant. If he wins big, maybe he'll be the head man here one day.

Recruiting class getting bigger

Summer remains Addazio's key recruiting period. Wednesday, BC added New Jersey DE Marcus Valdez. While he doesn't have many stars with the rating services, Valdez does have a good mix of offers from Power 5 and mid major schools. He also comes from Don Bosco. I think it is important to stay relevant and bring in kids from programs like Bosco that have supported BC through the years and consistently produce talent. Hopefully Valdez is another Bosco player who will blossom at BC.

Another new member of the class is New Hampshire's Drew McQuarrie. Although he plays QB, he is coming to BC as a Tight End (according to BCI and EA).

I remain impressed that Addazio has this momentum coming off a terrible season. Imagine how things will be if we turn it around?

Can Florida competition validate Mass QB?

BC offered QB prospect Austin Burton Monday after camp. Focusing on a second QB in this class is noteworthy, but what I find more interesting about Burton is his geographic background. He's from Massachusetts and played at Newton South, but is now playing in Florida.

BC was very familiar with Burton before he left for Florida. He's Newton Offensive Cooridnator was Darren Flutie and his father is local Boston anchor Steve Burton. Austin tranfered in an effort to raise his profile and prove his talent at a higher level. Now that he's wrapped up a BC offer, will other Power 5 schools come calling? Will they wait until he actually plays in Florida?

It will be also interesting to see how much playing in his hometown means to Austin and if he is willing to be the second QB in the class. He seems like a good prospect and assuming he plays well this fall, will bring in a different perspective than most of our New England recruits.

Barnes-Thompkins to transfer

Rising sophmore Sammy Barnes-Thompkins is transferring. This comes as no surprise considering SBT's open criticism of the staff and his teammates. While it would have been nice to see Barnes-Thompkins develop, as a player, he is not a significant loss. He was not going to change the program this summer as a swimmer.

Best of luck to SBT. Hopefully he finds a team and scenario that meets his needs and hopefully BC uses the SBT scholarship in a thoughtful and valuable way.

Two more recruits for Addazio

BC had a busy weekend. Coming off of on campus camps, BC made some offers and landed some new recruits. The big name is Alec Lindstrom. He's one of the better players in Massachusetts and has a chance to play either offensive or defensive line. He's also the brother of BC's Chris Lindstrom. That aspect of his recruitment and commitment can't be overlooked. It means that players and their families still believe. Coming off a terrible season, that is not always a given.

The second player who verballed to Addazio was New York WR Noah Jordan-Williams. This is also a good sign, since Jordan-Williams held a Syracuse offer, is from Syracuse's backyard and turned down Syracuse's new pass happy offense. Those are tough recruiting hurdles.

More verbals should be coming out BC's camps and satellite efforts.

Sneak peek at Ireland field

In case you missed it, our Irish hosts tweeted out the layout and paint scheme for the game in Ireland. Their maroon looks okay and I like the added touched of the Boston College at midfield. It is a neutral site, but this was our home game and we pushed for the Ireland opportunity. Labor Day weekend can't get here soon enough.

The battlefield has been marked for September 3rd in the Aviva Stadium - will you be there?! #muchmorethanagame pic.twitter.com/FRRHnVFZsn

— College Football IRE (@cfbireland) June 14, 2016

Pundits hate our schedule too

As BCI pointed out, CBS thinks BC has the weakest schedule of any Power 5 team. Our non-conference is a joke and even the ACC games line up in a favorable manner. CBS is not alone in trashing our schedule. Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman also thinks BC's slate is very friendly. He uses an index, but is math really needed when you look at UConn, Wagner, UMass and Buffalo?

Purdue and Stanford are nice additions to future schedules, but there is no getting around this lineup. We will hear numerous excuses as to why it had to be this way. None of it really matters though. All that mattes now is winning and bouncing back from last year. If Addazio can't bounce back with this schedule, then he deserves all the criticism that comes his way.

Athlon doesn't think much of BC's talent

One of the things I dislike about College Football is how much perception matters. Rankings and recruiting are directly impacted by coverage and reputation. That is why BC's disastrous season will have a carry over until BC wins again. Take Athlon's preseason All ACC teams. There are no BC guys on the first team. Only two on the second team. One on the third and three on the fourth team. We all know that on the defensive side alone, we have more talent than that.

The guys who were named: Landry (Second Team), Milano (Second Team), Walker (Third Team), Hilliman (Fourth Team), Baker (Fourth Team), Strachan (Fourth).

I think the most glaring snub is none of the defensive backs being named anywhere. I also think Gutapfel should have been mentioned somewhere.

This list won't impact any wins or losses this season, but it will have an impact on player awards. Many of the All ACC postseason lists will be very similar to the preseason lists. It will be interesting to see how the other preseason magazines rate individual players. Hopefully someone recognizes the talent and more importantly, I hope that all the players overachieve this year. 

Basketball announces more schedule info and other links

Basketball announced they will take part in the Birthday of Basketball Doubleheader. BC plays Fairfield in the opener followed by Auburn-Oklahoma.

BC is making a big push at North Carolina RB Larry Rountree.

Jared Dudley seems ready to come back to Boston as a Celtic.

The conflict of the MLB Draft

The MLB Draft might be the most player friendly. A prospect can get drafted and still play in college. However, there is a catch. Once a player starts college baseball, he cannot return to the MLB Draft until the end of his junior year. BC commitment Dante Baldelli is dealing with that right now.

The Phillies drafted Baldelli. Depsite his commitment to BC, Baldelli could still be gone. If he agrees to a deal before school starts, he's a Phillie. If he waits, he's an Eagle for three seasons.

This whole scenario is tough on the coaches. They need elite talent, but cannot have too many empty roster spots or unused scholarships. Good luck to Baldelli and to BC Baseball's coaching staff.

Stanford added to future schedules

The good news is that BC scheduled another Power 5 series. The bad news is that it is more than a decade away. When BC plays Stanford in 2028 and 2029, both schools will be very different and very likely playing under different coaches.

This is a step in the right direction on many fronts. Stanford is a good role model on how an Athletic Department should look. We have legions of fans in California who will jump at the chance to see a game in person. Even with potential coaching changes down the road, adding Stanford helps BC's perception. We can sell this type of scheduling to the media and recruits.

My doubt about the series is still in effect. If the ACC adds a ninth game, this series could be in trouble. If the Power 5 break off, this series could be in jeopardy. Future football coaches and ADs from both schools might not want to play the game.

Brad Bates deserves credit for signing the deal. Now let's hope this one stays and we get more schedule quality in the coming seasons.

Baseball's run comes to an end

Very few (with me at the front of the line) would have predicted that BC Baseball would come within one game of the College World Series. While being firmly on the bubble, they spent the past four weeks winning more than expected, got into the ACC Tourney, the NCAA Tournament and then won their bracket. It came to an end Sunday in Miami. After chipping away at Miami's lead, the game got away on a Canes grand slam. The final score was 9-4.

Both benches emptied after the grand slam, as our guys took exception to the bat flips and taunting from the Hurricanes. Based on social media, many BC fans were angered by Miami's display and proud of the boys for standing up. I am more of the opinion that if you don't want someone showboating or taunting, don't let them score. The whole thing was unfortunate, because it was a great series.

Let's hope BC rides this momentum. This should only help recruiting, fundraising and fan support. If we get the new stadium in a reasonable time, BC Baseball could be a real force. I also hope Gambino has officially turned the corner. There were many times over the past few years where the results on the field raised numerous questions. This year was a breakthrough. Now, let's not fall back.

Congrats to the whole team and organization on a great season. They ended a rough year for BC Sports on a high note. 

BC stays alive in Super Regional

The story of Saturday was BC taking the lead and not looking back.  Even while both teams waited out a long lightning delay, BC staying focused and close out the win. That keeps the team alive and creates a game Sunday. Sunday, is winner take all. Win and BC is on to the College World Series in Omaha.

Miami takes Game 1

BC took an early lead and kept it close into the 5th, but once the 'Canes got into our Bullpen, it was effectively over. BC added a few runs late, but never really threatened. The final score was Miami 12, BC 7.
Justin Dunn pitched well in the loss. He struck out plenty of Miami's players and kept walks down. However, when they did hit him, they hit him hard. Miami is a talented team that is playing well at the right moment.

BC must win Game 2 of the series Saturday at noon to stay alive.

Mets take Dunn in 1st Round

The good news continues for BC Baseball as the New York Mets selected Pitcher Justin Dunn with the 19th overall pick. This season saw a major jump in performance from Dunn as he moved from the bullpen to the starting rotation to the key player in a Super Regional team.

There were many reasons why BC Baseball struggled for a few years and why the rebound finally came and the biggest issue was talent. This year saw talented players like Dunn make the leap. As long as BC keeps doing that, BC Baseball should be fun to watch.

As for Dunn's future, I think the Mets know what they are doing. They wouldn't select him this high if they didn't think they could sign him. Dunn did bypass MLB when the Dodgers drafted him out of high school. Given how the MLB and college rules go, this probably means he's headed to the pros. 

Checking in on former Eagles

I always expect a lot out of 5th year transfers. I tell myself that BC will unleash the kid's potential and the change of scenery is just what everyone needs. However, the reminder that 5th years are not all program changers, is learning about former BC guys in their new stops.

Harrison Jackson had a few nice moments at BC but dealt with numerous injuries and numerous offensive coordinators. He never reached his perceived potential and I didn't care when BC failed to keep him on for another year. Former BC Offensive Coordinator Doug Martin must think that he can still get some value out of Jackson, because the BC grad is headed out to New Mexico State. Good luck to him there. He should be targeted more than he ever was at BC.

Malachi Moore is another guy who might benefit from a change of scenery. He contributed at BC but we always had good depth on the Dline and he never became an impact player. Now he's back in New Jersey at Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights have a new defensive minded coach, so maybe Moore will make the mot of his one season of eligibility remaining. 

More Hoops schedule info and other links

The dates and opponents are now known for Basketball's trip to Brooklyn. BC will face Kansas State November 25 in the Barclays Center. BC will then face either Richmond or Maryland in Day 2 of the event.

Former BC Athletic Director and BC grad Chet Gladchuk won a prestigious AD award. Gladchuk's post-BC career has been fascinating. He did many things that used up goodwill and the Henning-gambling issue ultimately cost him his job, but he has used his second chances to really turn other Athletic programs around.

BC is still putting the hard sell on New Jersey Defensive Lineman Mike Tverdov.

BC to face Miami in Super Regionals

BC's next step in the NCAA Baseball Tournament is against an old foe. BC will face fellow ACC member Miami in a best-of-three game Super Regional.

Due to the ACC's expansion, Miami and BC have not played since 2014. The Hurricanes won the College World Series four times, but have not had the same level of championship success since moving to the ACC. Like BC, they were a three seed in their bracket and advanced.

Baseball sweeps regional!

The hottest team in college baseball might be BC! Although only a 3 seed in a four team bracket, BC ran through their whole regional without dropping a game. Sunday they beat Tulane to win the bracket and advance to the Super Regional.

While you could have considered BC a bubble team, their amazing performance in Oxford showed that their bid was well deserved. It was also validation of the season they had. In the past, early exits from the NCAAs raised questions to how good BC actually was. No doubt this season.

BOSTON COLLEGE IS ON TO SUPER REGIONALS!

For the FIRST TIME EVER, the Eagles advance to Supers. #RoadToOmaha pic.twitter.com/teHx1HeRrX

— NCAA Baseball (@NCAACWS) June 6, 2016

Baseball keeps rolling

BC Baseball -- who were knocked out early in the ACC Tournament -- are on the cusp of winning their bracket! Saturday they rallied to beat Utah. Sunday night BC will start Freshman Jacob Stevens against the winner of the loser bracket game between Utah and Tulane. If Stevens and company shuts the opponent down, BC moves on. If not, BC has one more chance on Monday.

BC wins NCAA opener against Tulane

Justin Dunn dominated when BC needed him the most. He struck out 11 and held Tulane to just two runs as BC won 7-2. BC will now face the winner of Ole Miss and Utah.

Considering the pressure and lack of postseason experience on the roster, this was a great start for BC. No one seemed overwhelmed by the stage or the stakes. If they keep it up, they may win their bracket.

Athlon's Preview of BC

Athlon released their BC preview and has the Eagles at No. 65 nationally and 6th in the Division. They believe Towles will start and that the season will come down to what Loeffler can do. Overall Athlon considers Towles the 10th best QB in the conference. They consider Addazio the 12th best coach in the conference.

The most reassuring thing of all their BC coverage, is the confidence in the Defense. There is talent and good coaching on that side of the ball. As Athlon -- and everyone else is saying -- this year will come down to how the Offense performs.

Lezzer returns to Football...at UCF

Medical issues with college football raise plenty of questions. Some schools (like Alabama) have reputations for finding medical issues with unneeded or underperforming players. By moving a player to a medical scholarship, it frees up a true scholarship for the team to use on another recruit. There are other scenarios where School A might not clear a player and School B will. Think of when Ty-meer Brown left UConn for BC. I am not sure where to put Christian Lezzer's situation.

Last fall Lezzer announced his retirement due to head injuries. At the time it seemed like a smart move. There is still so much unknown about head injuries, that being cautious is usually best for a person's long-term health. Lezzer was a reserve at BC and his loss was not an issue on the football field. Now he's back playing football and is transferring to Central Florida.

Former Clearfield star and Boston College LB Christian Lezzer is headed to UCF to play again. @Ry_Bass pic.twitter.com/eEzMR2nQvY

— Sean Fitz (@seanfitz247) June 1, 2016

I am going to give Lezzer the benefit of the doubt. I have also not heard of Addazio pushing him out or being aggressive with medical hardships like his buddy Urban Meyer is. I hope he does have new information on his brain issues and will be ready to play. With so much cynicism in college football, Lezzer's comeback would be a nice surprise.