Lynch update and other links

In the middle of this link is an update on BC verbal commitment Akeel Lynch. He continues to take visits and doesn't sound like he is headed to BC.

BC basketball lost out on prime target Luke Fischer. The Wisconsin big man has decided to attend Indiana.

Former BC QB Justin Tuggle will play linebacker for Kansas State next season. He is third on the depth chart so LB might be the only way he sees the field.

Departures, a day later

The article in the Herald sort of confirmed what has been floating out there: Tuggle's decision was completely amicable and Haden's was less so. Tuggle came to play for a different staff with a different depth chart. He got a chance but future opportunities at QB were unlikely.

Haden's situation is a little more complicated for a variety of reasons. First he is much more high profile recruit. Second, regardless of his health or his stats, there was still hope among those around the program that he would contribute and blossom. But ultimately he was unhappy. When a player is unhappy you can go a few different directions. You can appease him with more playing time. Try to give him extra attention. Talk to his parents. Or let him decide if he wants to be part of the team. The risk in the tough love approach though is that it sends a message to the whole team. It says that you are all in or all out. Spaz even referenced the all in or all out mentality in one of his answers to the Herald -- "If they don’t want to be here, they don’t want to be here."

Spaz isn't the first coach to do this. The difference though in sending tough love to a Billy Bennett type vs a Josh Haden, is that Haden was not as expendable and was popular. Forcing his hand gets rid of a grumpy and potentially negative influence, but it can also snowball if the team doesn't rally behind Spaz.

But how the transfers were handled has more importance in the long term because players will always be our biggest recruiting tool. The staff and the sales pitch gets the guys on campus for a visit, but how a recruit feels among his new potential teammates often makes or breaks the recruiting. There is a lot of self selection involved in the process. The guys think "would I fit in? Do the players seem happy? Do I like the vibe?" After something like this the players left behind will definitely give off a new vibe. They will either buy into Spaz and give that endorsement to recruits or they will send off a message that don't know what to make of their coach.

Transfers happen after coaching changes. More will probably come. Let's hope though that Spaz and Co use this to rally the team and find more guys who want to play at BC.

Haden (and his tattoo) and Tuggle gone

This has been floating out there for a few days, but ESPN's Joe Schad finally went public with the news that Justin Tuggle and Josh Haden are both leaving BC. This is not really a surprise since both probably saw the writing on the wall. As much as we hope and encourage guys to pick BC based on the experience and education, the reality is that depth charts and coaching have a huge impact on their decisions. Both came to play for Jags and work in Logan's offense. Now things are different and my guess is that they will look to find better situations for themselves. I wish them the best of luck.

As for Haden's tattoo...ugh. As the past guest blogger Reverend Mike asked "does anyone know of a good tattooo removal place in Chestnut Hill" or maybe Gainesville, Florida?

What to watch for: Shinskie's status

Spaz has made it pretty clear that if Shinskie wants to play against Northeastern, he needs to practice and perform well today. I will post any updates I recieve, but also be sure to check the message boards, HD's blog, boston.com or bceagles.com. My prediction is that he tries to play, is still in a lot of pain and we go with Tuggle and Marscovetra Saturday.

Dissecting the Depth Chart

The depth chart for Northeastern is out! It answered a few questions and raised a few more.

What we now know
-- We will start two freshmen linebackers and a third freshmen will be on the LB two-deep.
-- This is a very young team. There are 57 slots on the chart. 15 are freshmen and 15 are sophomores.
-- Montel Harris is going to get a lot of all purpose yards. He's our No. 1 TB, our No. 1 KR and our No. 2 Punt Returner.
-- Cleary did get the final open offensive line spot at LG. Let's hope this is the start of another great BC lineman's career.
-- Fullback-Tight End...what's the difference? Since we have no experienced or healthy full backs, Anderson and McMichael are listed there on the depth chart. I have no idea how Tranq will use them. I imagine they will still be pass catchers and also used at their previous position interchangeably.
-- Geiser's hurt. Walk on Sean Flaherty will be the long snapper.
-- Alex Albright is back (or at least healthy enough to reclaim his starting spot).

What we don't know
-- How the QB position is going to play out. Tuggle and Marscovetra are both listed as No. 1 on the depth chart. I assume that means both will play. Who gets the first series or how they will split snaps is still unknown. And what happens when Shinskie returns? I am encouraged by the fact that Marscovetra is a Co-No.1 as it probably means we won't be redshirting him.

More to come once Spaz explains this to the media.

Tuggle on top?

Boston.com is reporting that Tuggle is now No.1 on the depth chart and the likely starter against NU. With Shinskie's status still unknown, Marscovetra is second and Boek third.

This can be a good thing. Tuggle has improved, has a decent arm and should be able to make a play or two happen. Let's hope this is the start of a brilliant career.

Blaudschun and I agree on something (sort of)

In a tweet posted early this morning, the Boston Globe's Mark Blaudschun asked:

If Pete Carroll can name true freshman Matt Barkely to start for USC, why can't BC do it with Mike Marscovetra who has best arm in camp

In his breakdown on boston.com, he expounded on the QB depth chart a bit. He predicts Shinskie will be the starter, but adds "When he arrived at BC in June, he was almost anointed the starter. Only problem is he hasn't shown anything special, yet."

This lines up with everything I've heard about Shinskie. So why is he getting the benefit of the doubt? Why would Spaz stubbornly try to redshirt Marscovetra if he's the best of the QBs? I am not saying the sky is falling but I will be very disheartened if Spaz doesn't play the best QB now. Redshirting should not be an issue. When you are building for something long term and have an adequate substitute, redshirting makes sense. That may not be the case now. Spaz needs to win and win now. Even with the low expectations around the program, any drop off will be magnified given how we ended the Jags era and our safe hire of Spaz. Don't worry about Marscovetra's eligibilty. Four years from now we will have a different offensive coordinator and perhaps a different head coach. You have three QBs with four years of eligibility now. You have two more QBs coming in next year. Play the best. Win now. Redshirting is a luxury we don't have now. And if Mascovetra struggles as a true freshmen, try something else. Don't get married to the idea of one guy over another. That is very TOBish. Age, pedigree, even practice performance shouldn't make a difference. Whoever does the best under live fire needs to be our QB.

Back to square one

It looks like the QB depth chart is written in pencil. After narrowing in on Shinskie and Marscovetra last week, Spaz et al must of had a change of heart. How else to explain giving more snaps to Tuggle and Boek in Sunday's scrimmage? One theory is that we'll be running more (including some direct snaps) so having a QB who is a threat to run compliments those strategies. Who knows?

What I don't understand is the urge to lock in on one guy before the season. If no one stood out, why not split time amongst the equals? Although I never want to overlook anyone, Northeastern is not very good. We could split time among three QBs and see who steps up in live action. We could potentially do the same against Kent State. Michigan plans to play three QBs in their opener. Ideally you work out the kinks and are ready to go with one guy by the time we head down to Clemson.

We have one more scrimmage to decipher. But I have a feeling we won't know or understand what's best until after Northeastern.

What to make of Marscovetra

If Michael Marscovetra becomes the BC starter as a true freshman, it will be the latest and most visible example that the recruiting system has holes in it and that there are many factors that go into player evaluation. As a reminder, this was the Jersey guy's pedigree as a high school player:

Scout: 2 star and unranked.
ESPN: 75 rating
Rivals: 2 Star unranked.

Marscovetra did not receive another DIA offer. Even after he committed to BC, no other school entered the picture to lure him away. And it wasn't like he was playing in some obscure, underdeveloped football territory. He played in nothern New Jersey which is probably the most fertile and heavily recruited area in the northeast.


You want to give everyone a chance. You want to say that everyone starts with a blank slate. It is not true. Coaches, fans, recruitniks all anticipate who is going to be a star and who they think will be a bust. That's why Michael Marscovetra's emergence is so unexpected. The true freshman has been the best QB in camp so far. The reason he's not at the top of the depth chart is based on maturity and upside...and probably a little bit on expectations. The coaches didn't expect him to be this good and are probably having doubts. Does a guy like Spaz want to but his future in a unheralded kid who he didn't even recruit? Marscovetra was a Steve Logan flyer. But even Logan and Jags saw him as a backup. They were still going hard after other recruits after Marscovetra verballed.

Maybe this is all about rising to the occasion. While Mascovetra played in New Jersey, his team wasn't very good and neither was the talent around him. It shows in his stats. As a JR he completed 56% of his passes for 1,762 yards with 15TDs and 12 INTs. As a SR in high school he regressed a bit completing 47.6% of his passes for 1,422 yards, 8 TDs and 13 Ints. The reason he got a scholarship from BC was his impressive camp performance in summer 2008. In fact he's played the best football of his life in Boston. That is probably what matters. In a team sport, when the talent around him was finally even, he stood out.

Just because he's playing well doesn't guarantee anything. He's not beating out a Matt Ryan or Doug Flutie. The QB talent around him -- although more heralded -- is still flawed. And Shinskie may still take a big leap in play once he shakes off the rust.

Marscovetra may never play at BC. There is one name ahead of him now and could be two more names above him on the depth chart as early as January. And even if he gets the job, it doesn't mean we have a star. Look around at some of the other true freshman we've faced over the years. But Marscovetra's surprising start offers hope. As much as we think we know how things will play out, we don't know. No one does. That's what makes this all so interesting. For our sake, let's hope Marscovetra continues to exceed the low expectations. We need some good news.

Reading too much into the first scrimmage

The first scrimmage shouldn't mean much, but Spaz raised expectations a bit by saying that whoever stood out would be the No. 1 quarterback. Of course, no one stood out. So what does it all mean?

-- If you go by the scrimmage results, Boek and Marscovetra had the better night. Both have been good so far this summer too. Yet neither moved the ball much. Tuggle and Shinskie are still clearly in the discussion. Nothing has been determined.

-- The defense is going to be good this year. I know I've just started my previews, but I believe the D will be very good this year and tonight was the another sign of hope. If you remember the D dominated in the scrimmages last year and continued that dominance once the season started.
-- Some of the young talent is ready to step up. In past scrimmages you would see random names pop up and then disappear and never to be heard from again. Yet some of Saturday's names -- like Johnson and Holloway -- have been whispered about enough that you can start predicting big things.

Outsiders weigh in on BC and other links

Dr. Saturday has done a good job following the BC chaos this season. When it comes to the QB situation, he follow his hunches and predicts that Tuggle will emerge. The Doc is also covering the ACC all week and discussed the growing consensus that Florida State will win the division.

I think our DLine will be better than HD predicts. I also think our offensive line should be the best in the conference.

For some of us, our knowledge of BC history begins with the time we arrive on campus. This piece offers a good glimpse and discussion into BC basketball history. I don't debate the John Austin call, but I don't think the writer gave the '80s guards their due.

More on Chase Rettig.

Minnesota trade Craig Smith to the Clippers.

Jared Dudley was back in Boston for a basketball camp.

Tuggle feature and other links

As we spend the next eight weeks hoping that something and someone click at QB, perhaps we should take some solace in knowing that Justin Tuggle was born for this. As the son of an Pro Bowler, Justin Tuggle has the genetics and access to the best training of any of the potential QBs. He seems poised for the pressure. Now let's hope he can start making the throws in scrimmages.

Tony Sanchez hasn't had a moment to catch his breath since the College World Series and MLB draft.

For those who haven't followed Charlie Davies' path since he left BC, here is a quick summary of his career.

Who is David Shinskie?

The never ending offseason took another turn last night when David Shinskie became the latest member of the 2009 recruiting class. "2009?" you might wonder. "Didn't BC finish up recruiting for the '09 class in February?" Technically yes, but this late addition is headed to campus, and will enroll and practice with the team this summer. But his arrival is not the only unique aspect of the Shinskie story. Our new recruit also happens to be 25 years old and will compete for the starting QB spot this season!

Shinskie was originally a member of the 2003 recruiting class (the same one that gave us Paul Peterson and Matt Ryan). Although he had BCS offers, he signed with DIAA power Delaware. But before he even played a down with them he was selected in the fourth round of the MLB draft and signed with the Twins. After toiling in the minors for six years, he hung it up and decided to give football a try. His selection process this time around was pretty short and BC's offer and depth chart were inviting enough for him to commit shortly after visiting.

No one knows what we are getting in Shinskie. He hasn't played organized football in six years. The good news is that the track record of baseball washouts as QBs is decent. In addition to their physical maturity, the baseball guys often bring a work ethic and perspective that makes them that much better. Aside from taking up a scholarship for four years, there is really no downside to Shinskie.

Even before his time in baseball, Shinskie was a decent prospect. Here are his 2003 profiles in Rivals and Scout. He played in a lower level of PA football, but was prolific and winning.

Give credit to the staff. They are trying anything that works. With all that has happened and all the gloom and doom, we still might surprise people yet.

Yet another QB twist

Dave Shinskie is now an Eagle and will be eligible this fall. The one time star turned baseball prospect has decided to get back into football. This offseason roller coaster never ends. I'll have more on this development later today.

Before they were Eagles: Boek and Tuggle edition

None of us have seen much of Boek or Tuggle. We'll be seeing a lot more shortly. Here is some video from when they were recruits.

Davis gone

Official word is out. Dominique Davis is now transferring due to academic reasons. His destination is not known.

So now BC will start a QB this fall who has never thrown a pass at this level.

BC's official statement:

BC MEDIA RELATIONS

June 2, 2009





BC QUARTERBACK DAVIS TO TRANSFER



Boston College sophomore quarterback Dominique Davis has announced he will transfer after being suspended by the university for academic reasons. Davis is undecided at this time as to where he will transfer.



Davis completed 63-of-138 passes for 741 yards and six touchdowns with four interceptions last season as a redshirt freshman. He started the final three games of the season for the Eagles following an injury to senior Chris Crane.

Dominique Davis: Present and Future?

Dominique Davis will enter rare company with the start in the Music City Bowl. He will become the first BC freshmen to start at least three games at QB since Glenn Foley. Think about that. With all the talent that has come through, none either had the maturity or circumstances to get on the field as often as Davis. Think of the multiple rebuilding eras. Since Foley, Coughlin, Henning, TOB and Jags have all come to BC and gone with veteran QBs instead of rolling the dice with their own new guy. Despite the ups and downs, QB has been a relatively deep position for the Eagles.

Yet, even with this sort of on the job training Davis is assured of nothing next year. Close observers and the media expect Justin Tuggle to fight for the job this spring. BC also continues to woo QB prospects with the promise of early playing time.

This bowl game could be the launching point for Dominique Davis or the end of his time at the center of the BC offense. Just remember what Steve Logan said earlier in the season

"...after the third game you are going to get what you get."

If Davis struggles in Nashville there might not be much upside. But if he looks good, it could also mean that he has a nice long BC career ahead of him.