Preseason Blogpoll Ballot

It is the return of the blogpoll. Brian prefers that we do a public draft of the ballot, and then change it based on debate. You are welcome to debate me in the comments but I am not changing this. After my usual digestion of the preview magazines, the only conference I don't have a good grasp on is the ACC. With extreme parity and flawed teams I could see nearly every team making a run and also see all the alleged conference favorites falling flat on their faces.

For those new to this blog, the blogpoll was established a few years ago to give the bloggers their own version of college football's ranking system. The major difference with our poll is that we announce what games we actually watched, wear our bias on our sleeve and don't have to adhere to any system but our own. In general I tend to reward record and strength of schedule.

On the BC front, this year Eagle All Access joins me and the BCI guys in the poll. I left BC out of my preseason Top 25 and will try my best not to jinx the team if we start strong.

Rank	Team
1	Florida
2	Southern Cal
3	Texas
4	Oklahoma
5	Ohio State
6	Mississippi
7	Penn State
8	Oklahoma State
9	LSU
10	Virginia Tech
11	Alabama
12	Oregon
13	TCU
14	Georgia Tech
15	California
16	Michigan State
17	Brigham Young
18	Georgia
19	Utah
20	North Carolina
21	Texas Tech
22	Oregon State
23	Cincinnati
24	Wake Forest
25	Central Michigan

QBs of the future and other links

Scout continues to improve its BC coverage this time with pieces on our two incoming QBs Josh Bordner and Chase Rettig. With two incoming and four QBs on the roster, I imagine we'll see some more position changes in January.

Wes Davis is the latest guy to sing the praises of Bowman.

Give credit where it is due: Blaudschun is finally treating his blog like a blog and not just a place to put drafts of his Globe stories.

HD admits she might have overlooked a few BC players in her rankings.

Another ACC forecast that has BC at 10 in the conference. I know Rice was a good player, but did these guys not see the other players step up at different moments? What other team has as much returning talent?

If Vitale is saying BC belongs back in the Big East then you know some conference higher ups are actively pushing this agenda. I don't get the media push though. What are they hoping to accomplish? Gene is not looking back. Are they setting the stage for Gene's successor to open talks? Are they hoping BC fans and alumni put pressure on BC to go back? It seems like a lot of wasted effort. (Thanks to Mike for the link.)

As we transition away from a strict zone blocking scheme to more of a hybrid it is interesting to read this recap of the Chow-Carroll issues at USC earlier this decade. Carroll was the one who forced Chow to zone.

A message from the hoops coaches brought to you by Andy Katz

Ignore Jay Bilas'* dismal predictions in this ESPN piece for a moment and note what Andy Katz wrote in his "Key Players" section:

3. Evan Ravenel, So., Boston College: One of the reasons the Eagles didn't add a single player to their roster was because of the faith they had in Ravenel. He didn't play much last season, but the staff is confident he can develop into a solid contributor if he commits himself to Al Skinner's system. It'll need him to be, since the weakness was frontcourt depth a year ago.

As chronicled here, Andy Katz is pretty plugged into the Skinner staff and his summer leaks have a good track record of coming true. Meaning we can expect to see a big leap in minutes and productivity from Evan Ravenel this year.

*Bilas is actually not the BC hater that some call him. I actually met him at the Final Four in Atlanta a few years ago in a social setting and he had nothing but great things to say about Skinner, BC as a campus, and the staff.

"Say cheese" and other links

Hats off to bceagles.com. When I started this blog they occasionally put up fresh content. Now they are producing unique interviews and features daily for the big sports. Today they put up a video of the team's annual "Picture Day." My only gripe is that their partner CBS Sports doesn't offer embedded functionality. Check out the video on bceagles.com. As for the scenes themselves, the guys seem to enjoy it. At least it gives them a much needed break from Camp Spaz. I am also trying to block out the image of McCluskey still wearing the boot.

CBS Sports considers Albright one of the impact players returning this year.

Tomahawk Nation put together a great breakdown of our offense. I don't think people realize that our offense was middle of the pack within the ACC last year. There is a foundation to improve this year, but it will come down to Tranq and the QB.

The Herald is picking up on the freshmen's potential. Also, don't forget about the redshirt guys that will be playing for the first time too. The Milford Daily also wrote a piece about the OLine. Why don't these smaller town papers cover BC more during the season?

BC, BU and FSG held a press conference regarding the outdoor game set for January 8. Fans who go to Mobile for the GMAC bowl should be back to Boston in time!

Although we will probably be a Top 25 team, the basketball version of College Gameday won't be coming to the Heights this season.

Jerry York picked up another verbal.

Second scrimmage and other links

BC held their second scrimmage and it seems like more of the same. The D looks good and the offense struggled. As for the QBs, Shinskie got the most snaps and looked a little more accurate. Marscovetra was ok but also threw a pic.

The smart guys don't get caught up in all the offseason noise with BC. Football Outsiders predicts a 9-3 record and a second place finish in the division. This is easily the most optimistic outlook and has a lot to do with our D remaining strong and the Oline.

The Globe featured Dillon Quinn this morning. It will be interesting to see how he matures this year. He's obviously raw, but Spaz has done a good job rotating in the younger Dlineman. Will McGovern do the same?

Add another "unique" destination to the ACC bowl lineup. The fifth place team will head to El Paso for the Sun Bowl. The Sun Bowl has a nice tradition and offers a Pac 10 opponent. I don't think many BC fans will make the trip to west Texas though.

Buster Sports considers Montel Harris one of the most underrated players in the ACC.

HD thinks Spaz can be coach of the year.

Folks in other media markets continue to focus on Spaz's steady hand.

This is the time of year when hometown papers love to cover their kids. This time it is Castonzo who gets the press.

Despite the media attention, I don't think you'll see BC play UConn as long as Gene is still making the schedules.

Future Eagle Philip Samuelsson has been staying busy this summer.

Can the ACC get SEC-type money and other links

Here's a good breakdown of the factors in the new ACC TV deal.

It looks like our running game will be more traditional, less stretch zone stuff.

Have you seen a red Cadillac on campus? It probably belongs to Dave Shinskie.

Despite his holdout, Raji came into Packers camp prepared and should play in their next preseason game.

I thought BC fans would appreciate EDSBS's description of the BC-Notre Dame relationship.

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.

BC's Mike's blog and other links

Friend and frequent commentor BC Mike has his own blog now. It is draft focused but well worth your time.

The BCI guys joined in on a ACC roundup.

Justin Jarvis is helping the freshman on the team.

We know what happened in our scrimmage. HD has the scoop on what happened around the conference.

Herzy was there for Ron Brace's first NFL preseason game.

NESN finally noticed that we send a lot of QBs to the NFL.

Charlie Davies' impressive play continued this weekend with his new club Sochaux.

BC is talking to Florida TE Neil Basford.

One of BC's top baseball recruits Kevin James is bypassing the Heights and signing with Tampa.

Former Eagle Brian Boyle is back east and now a member of the Rangers.

Chris Crane played about half a quarter in the Colts' most recent scrimmage. He went three for four for 18 yards.

Sunday conversation

This was filmed in the spring and the hosts are not totally up to speed on BC, but there is a few solid minutes of Spaz talking about the job and the team.

[UPDATED: I pulled the embedded video because it kept launching on some browsers. Check it out on your own here.]

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.

Media Day roundup

BC held their annual media day Friday. Below are the links and stories of note:

Spaz touched on many topics but this article noted his comments on Montel Harris. Tranq plans on getting Harris and Haden on the field together. Outside of QB, Tranq feels pretty good about his offense.

BCeagles.com coverage included a ton of player photos.

Towards the end of this article Gunnell mentions that the offense looks better than it did last year at this point. Although it is only practice, I think this is a good sign of things to come.

Megwa hurt his hand but shouldn't be out of action long.

In this Q&A Wes Davis talks about his comeback from his spinal injury and how guys on the team all play video games.

Preseason breakdown: Running Backs

Part II of the previews. This time I turn my attention to the running backs.

Consensus heading into the season
BC’s backfield is talented and diverse, but lacking depth. Most expect opposing Defensive Coordinators to loaded up the box to slow BC’s running game. This will put that much more pressure on Haden and Harris.

Roster Reminders
Returning Starters
-- Josh Haden
-- James McCluskey
-- Montel Harris*
Backups and Hopefuls
-- Jeff Smith
-- Sterlin Phifer
-- Rolandan Finch
-- Brendan Deska

*Practically a starter

If we are hit with a rash of injuries, these are some the names that you might see floated as possible RBs: Boek, Mulrooney, Fox.

Chatter

Considering the hype that surrounded his signing, Josh Haden’s freshman year was a bit of a disappointment. He had a series of nagging injuries that slowed his explosiveness. The chatter is that Haden had a good offseason and is ready to take the next step. When healthy, he should be a big play threat.

The Real Question
What will Spaz do with the true freshmen? TOB’s preference was to redshirt whenever he could. Jags felt that if a guy was good enough and ready, that he should be on the field. Spaz has yet to tip his hand on his philosophy. If Haden and Harris stay healthy, there might not be a need to play Phifer or Finch. My guess is that one will play and the other will redshirt.

My bold prediction
None of the RBs will have more than 20 receptions. Haden, Harris and McCluskey all made big plays in the passing game last year. While they may still get the occasional pass thrown their way, Tranquill’s track record at his last stop indicates that throwing to guys coming out of the backfield is not a priority. The most catches for a running back in any of Tranq’s years at UNC was 15. In comparison McCluskey had 19 catches in an abbreviated season last year. Even if Tranq opens it up, no one is going to approach Andre Callendar’s mark of 76 catches in 2007.

What keeps me up at night
Lack of a big back. McCluskey’s lingering injury and Jerry Kelly’s decision to transfer led to the Deska shuffle to offense. Can Deska –- in McCluskey’s absence -- open up holes for the tailbacks? Who will be our goal line solution? With a new QB it would have been nice to have an experienced, big running back as a security blanket.

Outlook
As the season approaches my optimism grows. A major part of that optimism is due to Montel Harris. I didn’t spend much time in this preview writing about Harris but believe he is just what this team needs. Our new No. 2 is a grinder who can make something out of nothing and move the pile. As he matures things should only get better. We may have an issue with the altered running scheme, but I expect Harris to adapt. If Haden stays healthy or Jeff Smith finally “gets it” then we can really surprise people. Anything we get from the freshmen is gravy.

Last year at this time we didn’t know what to expect from our running backs and they proved to be very good. This year –- now that they are known commodities -– let’s hope they exceed expectations again.

Raji signs and other links

BJ Raji is finally a Packer. Terms were not disclosed. He'll be in Green Bay on Friday to sign the deal and get in pads.

Here is an article on the top football prospects in Massachusetts including two who have already committed to BC.

Not much meat in this update from bceagles.com, but it does include more photos.

This is a nice story about Marlotte van den Bergh's t-shirt drive to help children in India.

Spaz TV and other links

Most of you probably saw this but here is the Globe's day with Spaz.

Mark your calendar as the long rumored BC-BU hockey game at Fenway will take place January 8. There will be a press conference Thursday to talk about the event.

BCeagles.com didn't post any pictures today, but they did have another practice update. Toal and Raji were also back on campus.

Scafe is ready for a big year.

BC landed another top recruit in Delaware DB C.J. Jones.

Et tu, Carlton? (Thanks to Matt for the link.)

BC soccer put together a good recruiting class. (Thanks to Chris for the link.)

SI doesn't think we will make a bowl. It figures since they ranked us No. 71.

Preseason breakdown: Offensive Line

I am going to take a slightly different format with the position breakdowns. Up first: the offensive line.

Consensus heading into the season
Everyone agrees that the offensive line should be the strength of the team.

Roster Reminders

It is a fairly balanced depth chart.
Returning Starters
-- Thomas Claiborne
-- Anthony Castonzo
-- Rich Lapham
-- Matt Tennant
Backups and Hopefuls
-- Ian White
-- Mark Spinney
-- Nick Halloran
-- Mike Goodman
-- John Wetzel
-- Nathan Richman
-- Emmett Cleary
-- Keith Bourne

Chatter
Everyone wants to know who will fill the LG position and what the latest scheme change will mean for the line. I am not worried about either. Clif Ramsey was all conference last year, but whoever fills his shoes will be bookended by two of the best linemen to come through BC in Tennant and Castonzo. As for the new coach Sean Devine, he's considered a good teacher and has worked the zone scheme before. I think he will keep the OLine U tradition going strong.

Real Question
When will Nathan Richman be healthy? Richman -- one of the favorites to fill the open starter position -- still has a gimpy ankle. It looks like his absence will open the door for...

My bold prediction
Emmett Cleary will start at LG and make the ACC's All Freshman team. Cleary looked a little spotty in the spring game, but there was good buzz about him during his redshirt year. He probably could've played as a true freshman if we had needed him. Say what you will about Jags, but the guy had a good eye for line talent. He thought Cleary could be as good as Castonzo. I am on the bandwagon and think our leftside will dominate this year.

What keeps me up at night
Rich Lapham's consistency and Matt Tennant's shotgun snaps. Lapham improved throughout the year but he was still the unit's weak link. Hopefully his footwork has improved and he's little more focused. Tennat's shotgun snaps were a bit of an issue last year, but I don't think it will be a problem this year since we'll have QBs under center more often this year.

Outlook
This should be the best line in the conference and could be the best in the country. Injuries and newbies could upset the applecart, but I am predicting great success. I think Devine is a promising coach and but how this unit gels will be the first real indicator if my hunch is true.

We'll have plenty of time to worry about other parts of this team, but the offensive line is going to be very, very good.

New captains and other links

The BC football team elected three captains today. With the honor Mike McLaughlin becomes one of the rare two-year captains. Matt Tennant also got the nod. The surprise election was Rich Gunnell. Hopefully that is a sign the Rich is ready for a big year.

The local papers got into the swing of things. The Herald had an article on Albright and Spaz's adjustment to his new gig. The Globe even got around to posting a story on Castonzo.

BC finalized a two-year basketball series with South Carolina. Adding an SEC team is a great idea for strength of schedule. My only quibble is that South Carolina provides another road game in the Carolinas. That's great for me and other BC fans in the southeast, but if we had played a Pac 10 or Big XII team, BC fans in other parts of the country would have been able to see the guys in person.

Raji remains a holdout in Green Bay. (Thanks to Mike for the link.)

Forbes is getting attention for its new college rankings. This is a potential challenge to US News' more established rankings. BC is in the Top 20 with Forbes.

F off Brian Bennett

I know many BC fans dislike Heather Dinich, but her colleague and Big East blogger Brian Bennett proved himself to be a pompous dickhead windbag. Here's what happened, Bennett decided to post a mailbag about Big East expansion. With the BE coaches whining about their short schedule it makes sense to address the topic. However the floated mega conference or ACC poaching will never happen. Bennett knows -- or should know -- this. When challenged by a Bob V (occasional photographer for this blog) this is what happened:

Bob V. from Washington, D.C., writes: Did you actually talk to any BC fans? I coordinate all the game watches for BC alumni in DC, and have never, EVER heard anyone express displeasure with the ACC or a desire to return to the Big East. BC's biggest Big East rivals were Miami and Virginia Tech and the Clemson series has been a hugely popular success. Besides that, academically the ACC is a much stronger fit. Why would we want to play Louisville and Cincinnati? This is not the first time you have raised this, and not the first time your column seems completely out of touch with facts and reality.

Brian Bennett: Ah, yes, the storied rivalry that is Boston College vs. Clemson. I bet that gets pretty heated at the ol' office water cooler, because so many BC and Clemson fans work in adjoining cubicles. It's been known to tear families apart. And enjoy your bowl trips to Boise and Nashville, even after you play in that hugely popular ACC title game. That move to the ACC has worked wonders for the Eagles, all right.

So instead of answering Bob's valid question on what BC fans think, he mocks him and brings up the water cooler debate. Excuse me but the water cooler bullshit is one of the lamest straw-men out there. Unless you work in some place in Boston filled with BC grads and alums, there is no water cooler talk about BC football. That doesn't happen if we play Rutgers or West Virginia or Clemson or USC. The ACC wasn't about generating buzz. It was about money and stability and playing in a conference of equals. If Bennett doesn't know this or get this, he's dumb. The fact that he mocked Bob just means he probably put two minutes into his blog post. As for Nashville, Boise, et al bowl nonsense...our bowl situation wouldn't have been any better in the Big East. Turnout for Tampa? The Big East doesn't even have a championship game.

I guess I shouldn't get worked up over this stuff, but Bennett is wasting his time, his platform and his opportunity to do something cool so he can take cheap shots and be an internet tough guy/funny guy. I wish and hope ESPN holds their bloggers to higher standards. Thankfully we have HD.

First day and other links

It is just practice, but BC played football today! Not much news but some great pics in the link from bceagles.com. The best news was Clarence Megwa playing at full speed.

Surprisingly HD didn't put BC at the bottom of the ACC.

Nothing from the Globe today, but the Herald had two pieces (Thompson stepping up and a general preview). ACC Sports also posted questions facing BC.

The Colts brought Chris Crane back into their camp. (Thanks to Bill for the link.)

Practice! and other links

By the time most of you read this, BC will officially be practicing football. Thankfully the long summer is over. My coverage has been a little thin, but I hope to pump out some previews this week.

Spaz sounds fairly confident and I was glad to hear from Tranquill. It sounds like it is all about Shinskie.

392 BC athletes made the ACC honor roll.

Chris O'Donnell is ready for football season.

Cherilus held a Q&A with the Globe.

Good call from BC All Access.

Florian loses and other links

Kenny Florian couldn't pull off the upset at UFC 101. He lost in the 4th when Penn got him in a rear-naked choke.

Al is not among the ACC coaches on Twitter, but you can follow assistant Mo Cassara.

Tony Gonzalez is now coaching high school football.

More Quinton Porter updates from Canada.

BC is back in the mix for former Stanford commit Louis Young.

Shinskie makes his ESPN debut and other links

I believe the coaching staff when they say QB competition is open. But they may be tipping their hand a bit by sending David Shinskie on a media tour. Shinskie's story is a good one, but why would BC send him to ESPN if he wasn't expected to do much. (Thanks to Andrew for the link.)

Brandon Robinson is having a good training camp with the Eagles. (Thanks to Justin for the link.)

Surprisingly, BC received 3 votes in the preseason coaches poll.

Raji remains in Green Bay -- unsigned, underappreciated and bored.

Quinton Porter is still the starter in Hamilton.

Cleary funeral and other links

Very sad news as funeral services were held for former hockey captain Joe Cleary. He was only 39.

This is a pretty complete preview accept that it doesn't mention Shinskie?!?

The Globe's Mark Blaudschun didn't cover the ACC meetings, but did make it to the Big East event. He and/or the Globe just don't get it...

Check your local listings for Spaz's interview on this Raycom show.

The team from Lost Letterman sent me this blog post from Paul Peterson. I have no confirmation if it is Paul, but whoever wrote the post is pretty adamant in his support for Gene.

Kenny Florian has the mental focus to win Saturday. The Globe even gave the big event coverage.

Although he just stepped foot inside the country, former Eagle Keenan Jourdan joined the Belize National Team.

The Gator Bowl is considering dropping their affiliation with the Big East.

Enough with the Big East stuff and other links

The Big East is holding their annual meetings so it is time for the annual "BC should come back" meme. Forget the argument over whether or not BC is a good fit in the ACC or the lingering bad blood and just look at the financials. Do you think BC would give up money to return to the Big East? Especially with the looming ACC TV contracts? And the idea that Maryland would ever ditch the ACC is laughable.

Dan Mulrooney is healthy and ready to play.

Brian St. Pierre is pushing Matt Leinart for the backup job in Arizona.

Patrick Eaves signed on with Detroit.

Athletic Department's Annual Report and other links

BC Sports put up their Annual Report. Flynn Fund members already received a hard copy last week. It's mostly fluff with feel good stories from current and former athletes. Key takeaways:
-- BC still trails most of the ACC in athletic donations. We need to improve that
-- The trending on fundraising remains positive.
-- There is no shared info on a potential football practice facility.
-- There is a section on Conte Forum but no word on a new Heating/AC system, new seating configuration or improvements to the scoreboard/video screen/in arena ad space.

Atlanta Magazine finally posted their Matt Ryan article online. To read the entire piece you'll need to pay $.99. It's a good article with quotes from his crew in Exton and even has a shrink profiling Matt's perfectness. I cannot say it's worth a buck. I didn't pay since I got to read the hard copy in my dentist's office.

College Football News ranked BC at 48 in their preseason poll.

Good news -- Joe Martinez is set to rejoin the Giants' rotation and has recovered from the line drive he took off his head in April. (Thanks to Steve for the link.)

BC Guy Kenny Florian is in one of the key fights for Saturday's UFC 101.

While Raji continues to hold out, Ron Brace is settling in with the Patriots.

Another BC blog and other links

The ACC has finally jumped into the blogging game. They've hired current students from each school to blog on their site. The lucky BC student blogger is David Auffenberg. Check out David's first work and follow him all season here.

Tim Bulman keeps exceeding expectations in Houston.

Another day, another oddsmaker predicting a rebuilding year.

The PAC 10 commissioner thinks any new ACC-PAC 10 TV network is a few seasons away if it happens.

What I did this summer by David Shinskie

Our newest Eagle David Shinskie got his first real press as an official member of the BC football program. The Herald's take was pretty lighthearted and positive. It seems that the players have predictably started teasing him about his age. Shinskie's getting back into the flow of playing football and looking forward to getting hit again.

Shinskie even seems pretty open about the true difficulties of his new life -- the lifestyle and the classroom. The baseball lifestyle (sleep in, play at night, drink after the game, crash, repeat) and its endless summer vibe is gone. Now Shinskie has to be up and on the field at 6 AM. He also has to adjust to being a student again. The fact that he's sharing these challenges makes me optimistic. Maybe he does have the personality and maturity to make the most of this opportunity.

Crane cut and other links

Chris Crane's hope to become the next Matt Cassel or even the next Brian St. Pierre hit a bump in the road when the Colts cut him. This doesn't mean he can't catch on somewhere, but he's going to have to really impress at his next stop.

Deep into this article on the Lions, there's a discussion on Cherilus and how his struggles may have been predicted. While Gos' senior season was not his best, I don't think his play was as poor an Joyner describes.

This Clemson blogger is already counting our game as a W for the Tigers.

Spaz speaks

Here are two clips from last week that have now been put up online.

This clip wouldn't embed put here is Spaz chatting up a local reporter.

Alumni basketball news and other links

Tyrese Rice signed with Panionios (a Greek club). It's probably not where he wanted to be, but it is a chance to make money and work his way into the NBA. If Rice needs a role model, he should look no further than Jared Dudley. Dudley has fought for every minute and is now a key piece of the Suns' plans. You can follow Dudley on Twitter.

Dickie V has BC just on the outside of the Top 25.

The football team raised $28,000 in the Lift for Life event Thursday. Congrats to them for working hard and putting on a good show. Also thanks to those who gave. Although the event has passed, you can still donate.

Respect for BC fans and other links

We need to get the Princeton Review folks on some bowl selection committees. Despite our travel reputation or the belief that we are more concerned with tailgating than kickoff, BC made the top ten in the Review's annual survey for “Students Pack the Stadiums.”

One of the ideas I've been calling for -- a bowl game at Fenway -- may be a real option. This article mentions baseball stadiums getting involved in college football. The reason I've always thought a bowl would work in Fenway is the novelty of playing there. Plus the limited capacity and city center location could make it sort of an event. Something that it wouldn't be in Foxboro.

Justin Tuggle is considered a redshirt freshman to watch.

Herzy is on everyone's mind. As mentioned in the SI article he's heard from everyone including Charlie Weis. HD promoted the Lift for Life event. Let's hope people put up pictures on Friday.

Tennant and Castonzo made the preseason ACC first team. No one from the defensive side made the list.

The definitive Herzy article

Great read. Of course it was written by Kevin Armstrong.

Note to Sandy Herzlich, there are definitely more than five people who think Mark can make it back for 2010!

Lift For Life update and other links

The team's fundraiser in honor of Herzy is Thursday. Please support the guys and the cause. Here is a clip of Chris Fox promoting the event. (HT BC All Access)

The ACC TV talk remains a focus. The Charlotte Observer and the AJC both had articles on the topic. The key will be hoops. But as the BCI guys showed, BC is holding its own revenue wise under the current plans.

Spaz spoke highly of our new OC Gary Tranquill.

Some of our unheralded recruits are now ranked by the major services.

No Blaudschun at the ACC meetings?

Is Mark Blaudschun not at the ACC meetings? We are two days into the event and he has yet to file anything with his byline. He may be there and collecting background but the fact that nothing is making it online or in the paper is not a good sign. As most know, the Globe is facing huge financial problems and could be reducing travel expenses.

I have been a critic of Mark Blaudschun's BC coverage at the Globe but I would prefer poor coverage from the Globe as opposed to no coverage. Sarina Mathai had an article this morning. Perhaps there will be new voices on the beat. Let's just hope we get some articles with depth and the occasional breaking news.

At the Herald, Conroy posted a good piece that shows Spaz's sense of humor.

Spaz in the spotlight and other links

Spaz spoke with the media today and seemed to charm folks. He got a few laughs for this Shinskie line:

"The good news is he's 25. The bad news is he can buy beer for the whole team."

The Herald had Conroy at the meetings. Nothing yet from the Globe.

BC did not receive any votes from the ACC media.

Here is Matt Ryan's first national TV commercial.

This VTech writer put together a decent BC preview. The key for me though was his honesty when discussing the Hokies recent losses to BC. Is this now a real rivalry?

Dominique Davis made his destination official. After this one season he can transfer back to a DIA program.

These are some of the things the ACC is doing to improve attendance at the ACC Championship Game.

Quinton Porter's play has put him in the middle of a QB controversy again.

ACC Kickoff stuff and other links

Since it is not in my backyard this year, I couldn't make the ACC Media Days/Kickoff. Fortunately the ACC covers its own event well. You can see video of the interviews, see pics and get transcripts on the conference site.

Here are a few storylines to follow out of the ACC this year.

John Swofford took a look at the conference prior to the event.

Matt Ryan is focused on improving off of his rookie season.

Consensus among the experts: BC will be 5th

There are a few optimists, but the average prediction from the experts has BC finishing 5th in the Atlantic Standings. Even Dr. Saturday, who certainly goes his own way on these things, fears the offseason was too much and BC will be at the bottom of the division.

Talking TV

I have received a few emails from readers who are excited about Comcast adding ESPN U to some basic cable tiers. That's good news for BC fans under any circumstances and this year is even more important with many of our games likely pushed to the U. But a bigger issue is on the horizon -- the ACC TV deal.

As you can read here, the SEC TV has set a precedent. The SEC deal also creates a problem for the ACC. The SEC cut a deal with ESPN first and therefore gobbled up value scheduling real estate and syndication partnerships. Now there is speculation that the ACC will partner with other conferences (perhaps the Pac 10 and/or Big 12) for some sort of network. We'll see if and how that would happen. No one is asking me, but instead of going the Big Ten route with a custom network, I would prefer the ACC leverage its assets and get a ESPN/broadcast/syndication package as close to the SEC's as possible.

It's not outlandish to think this could happen. The ACC has a few things over the SEC:
1. A more populous geography
2. More major TV markets
3. A better basketball product that translates better into national markets. As much as we tire of Duke-Carolina, that game gets huge ratings nationally. More than double any SEC basketball game would get.

As fans of BC and the ACC we shouldn't worry about access. We'll get to see more games on more channels regardless of how the negotiations work. But play attention to the $$$, since we want the conference to get as much money as possible. More money for the ACC means more money for BC and better sports for us.

Loscalzo speaks and other links

Good job by Eagle Action to get an interview with Strength and Conditioning coach Jason Loscalzo. I've been impressed with the way Loco helped reshape the team. I also want to emphasize the importance of the S&C position. He's one of the few guys who can work with the players year round. Loco's got a great rep and has been a key to our success in the post-TOB era. (Thanks to Brendan for the link suggestion.)

The sports journals are following our marketing efforts. Who knows if it is really driving sales though.

HD likes our secondary but doesn't think much of the special teams. Our coverage teams were ok last year, but I pray that our kick offs and place kicking improve. I don't think I can take another year of shanked kicks.

More on BC's marketing efforts and other links

Have you submitted your name for BC's ticket video? The Herald has the story on how the whole campaign came together.

The Washington Times ranked us 60th overall.

HD continued her position ranking and has the linebacker's 10th overall.

Some of the BC baseball players are heating up their respective summer leagues.

Shinskie's transition to college and other links

Although he hasn't even played a down, there has been a lot written about David Shinskie. This Fanhouse post deals with his transition to the structure of college football. What I found interesting in the piece though was Chris Weinke talking about the mechanics of throwing and adjusting back to the game. The first real test will be how the QBs react in the scrimmages. Most recall that the scrimmages were the final indicator that the Crane-Davis combo would not come close to filling Matt Ryan's shoes.

Great news on the medical front as Herzy's treatments are going better than expected.

Eagle Insider posted a Q&A with Reggie Jackson.

The Charlotte Observer started their college basketball coverage including some early scouting on BC. (Thanks to John for the link.)

Finally, word leaked out that BC may play Army in the new Yankee Stadium in 2014. I would be glad to see the Black Knights back on the schedule but having the game at Yankee Stadium doesn't do much for me. Playing them at West Point would be just as cool.

More BC athletes helping out

Players from the women's basketball team, the women's hockey team and the men's hockey team recently visited Boston Children's Hospital. The football players had a conflict and couldn't make it. These are the little things that I am glad BC athletes do.

Thanks to Gordon's Left Foot for the pics.

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.

More Stanley Cup pics

Thanks to John for these pics. And once again, thanks to Brooks for showing off the cup.

The Cup hits campus

As promised Brooks Orpik brought the Stanley Cup to BC Sunday. A very good crowd of BC fans showed up and the whole thing benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs. Now let us hope other Eagles get their names on the trophy next year.


Thanks to Tom for these photos.

Rice's summer

Here are some pics of Tyrese from Vegas courtesy of reader Mark. Rice is playing well, but is still not a sure thing to make the Wizards.

Gene talks $$$

Everyone and everything is hurting financially. Once thought recession proof, sports has certainly seen a dip in demand and donations. There is plenty of belt tightening in college sports, and as Gene explained to ESPN, all schools have to make tough decisions.

In the article Gene talks of fairness and setting standards, but that ship has sailed in my opinion. Look at the easy to manage and regulate cost savors like coaching staff limitations and scholarship limitations. Yet schools get around both of those issues with huge salaries, veteran Grad Assistants and using prep schools and JUCOs as holding stations.

I am glad Gene has a platform and a plan. The entire university has been overstaffed for a long time. Tough choices should be made. But I also don't want Gene to use the economy to table long term needs like a permanent, indoor football practice facility and a full renovation of Conte.

Cool football commercial

I know this is a ploy to sell tickets, but man, this sort of stuff get me excited.

Stanley Cup on campus and other links

You know how each member of the winning Stanley Cup team gets to take the Cup somewhere? Well Brooks Orpik is using some of his key Cup time to give the best trophy in sports a tour of Conte. You can see the Cup (and Brooks) on campus this weekend. Details at this link.

HD seems to like our offense as units, but not as a sum or its parts.

Ron Brace and the Pats are close to signing their deal.

Getting to know Andre Williams and other links

Andre Williams seems to have a good head on his shoulders. In this Q&A he talks about his decision to commit to BC and his goals for the season.

Some current BC football players helped out at a local camp last week.

Matt Tennant and Jim Ramella will represent BC at the ACC Media Days.

HD thinks we have one of the better WR groups in the ACC.

You can catch Derrick Rossy box on ESPN 2 July 31.

Matt Ryan talking BC to ESPN.

Clarifying my Shinskie comment

My earlier comment about Shinskie raised more questions than it answered. When I said "less enthused" about Shinskie it wasn't so much about him. It was more about him being our last-minute savior. Now take this all with a grain of salt given that it is secondhand, and Shinskie has still only been involved with unofficial team workouts. Early word is that he's a good athlete, but certainly football rusty and not necessarily leaps and bounds better than Boek or Tuggle. He has the advantage of age on the other QBs but isn't a Paul Peterson/Chris Weinke studious, mature, boy scout type. Take that for what you will. I have hopes that he blossoms and it clicks (before Labor Day would be nice!). But like I said, my prediction is it will be a big success or a washout. I don't expect some long, drawn out, mediocre four-year career.

My take on HD's BC predictions

HD made three predictably predictable predictions about BC. Here is my take on what she wrote.

1. No middle ground with Shinskie. HD is optimistic about Shinkskie. I am less enthused based on early feedback. I think Shinskie will either be a great, great player who leads us for years or he struggles and is a nonfactor who doesn't hang around to ride the bench.

2. The running game will frustrate BC fans. We have the talent and a great Oline, but I think the new offense and untested QB will mean 8 in the box again and again, all in an effort to shut down the run.

3. The linebackers will be much better than people think. No doubt that Herzy and a gimpy McLaughlin won't be replaced easily. But I actually think the talent in place and the scheme will help the LBs exceed expectations.

Rettig roundup and other links

The Rettig commitment generated some good press in California, in Boston and among the ACC.

HD thinks our QBs are the worst in the conference. We really don't know what we have. I actually quibble with the top of her list and think she overrates Lewis and Ponder.

Jamie Silva is ready to build off of his first year. (Thanks to Steve for the link.)

Rice played well in the Wizards' summer league game against the Cavs, but Dan Steinberg wonders if the team needs an undersized 2 guard.

I mentioned this on Twitter, but I think the ACC TV deal is a huge story that is under the radar. The conference will try to get SEC type money but faces economic and football challenges. Fortunately ACC basketball will help improve the overall deal. With donations and ticket sales down, BC needs the revenue from a TV deal now more than ever.

More on Davies move within Europe.

Rettig is an Eagle

Finally some good news on the QB front as Chase Rettig committed to BC. Like Boisture I expect other schools to keep recruiting him, but he has decent offers now and still wanted to come to BC. That is a good sign. Below are some links and video.

-- ESPN Scouting Report

-- ChaseRettig.com

USC Camp: Chase Rettig @ Rivals Video

Support BC Uplifting Athletes

In the days following Herzlich's announcement, many of us wondered what we could do to make a difference. It didn't take Mark's teammates long to decide how they were going to help.

Boston College Uplifting Athletes to Host Charitable Event to Benefit Ewing’s Sarcoma Boston College football players to participate in the “Lift For Life” on July 30

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Members of the Boston College football team have officially launched the newest chapter of Uplifting Athletes, a national organization that works with college football players to fund rare disease research. Shortly after Mark Herzlich (Senior, Linebacker) disclosed his battle with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare form of cancer that typically affects young men, Ryan Lindsey (Junior, Wide Receiver) rallied his teammates to take advantage of the position they are in to make a difference.

The Boston College Uplifting Athletes inaugural event will be the “Lift For Life” on July 30 at 6pm. Fans are encouraged to attend this fun-to-watch strength and conditioning competition to show their support. At least 60 football players are expected to participate, including well known veterans such as, Montel Harris, Wes Davis, Matthew Tennant, Rich Gunnell and incoming freshman. Donations can be made online at www.upliftingathletes.org. Mark is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments, but hopes to be able to attend this unique event.

"It's humbling for me to learn that not only are my teammates supporting me, but that my situation has inspired them to do something that will help a lot of people facing similar challenges," Mark said. "I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at Lift For Life and personally thanking them.” “As soon as we heard about Mark’s battle with this rare disease, we wanted to do something,” explained Ryan, the Boston College chapter president. “I was familiar with Uplifting Athletes from some of my friends that play [football] for other schools and they put me in touch with the executive director, Scott Shirley. The coaches were supportive of the idea so we met with Scott and he helped us get started. We are excited about this opportunity” Shirley added, "There are a lot of benefits they get from the experience of organizing and running a chapter of Uplifting Athletes. They can take something they do every day and turn it into an event to raise awareness." Uplifting Athletes chapters are run by current football players on college campuses across the country, including Colgate University, University of Maryland, Ohio State and Penn State – each benefiting a rare disease relevant to their team. Current Eagles responsible for planning their chapter’s Lift For Life event include Ryan Lindsey, James McCluskey, Damik Scafe, William Flutie, Thomas Claiborne, Wes Davis, Mark Spinney, Marcellus Bowman and Darius Bagan. For more information or to make your tax-deductible donation, please visit www.upliftingathletes.org.

We often talk about BC guys being different. The initiative these guys took to promote and organize the event is an example of how truly different they are. Support them if you can.

Bosco pipeline continues and other links

One of the challenges of coaching changes is losing continuity with recruiting territories. Fortunately we've kept our pipeline to Don Bosco open with our latest commitment Steele Divitto. Steele was recruited as linebacker and gives Spaz another much needed body into what should be a large recruiting class.

Is Spaz one of the more secure coaches in the ACC? This writer sees other coaches in the conference on the hot seat.

Incoming Eagle Chris Kreider got a crash course in NHL life via the Rangers developmental camp.

Globe: BC-BU at Fenway will happen

The long rumored, never confirmed match up between BC and BU outdoors at Fenway will happen. The Globe is reporting that the official announcement will come Wednesday.

Are we going to get any good news this summer?

2010 basketball recruit Danny Lawhorn decommitted -- get this -- via facebook. Given the basketball staff's track record, I am sure they will fill the void appropriately.

A few Brighton residents sued the city in an effort to halt the renovations of the Brighton campus.

Another Eagle and other links

Spaz picked up another commitment with Pennsylvania product Andre Williams. He's expected to play running back and had interest from schools like Temple and Vanderbilt. His coach has praised Williams' intelligence. Sounds like a good fit. Welcome aboard Andre.

Nathan Gerbe wants to build on his strong AHL season at the NHL level.

BCeagles.com put together a round up of all the former BC guys in pro baseball.

The Charlie Davies media push continues.

Media Guide 2009 is here!

BC released their annual Football Media Guide today. You can click around on the PDF version here. Congrats to BC Sports Information for putting out another great book.

There was a decent amount of banter on the message boards about the depth chart. Don't read too much into any of it. The key position -- QB -- won't be settled until close to kickoff and will probably drag into the season too. Due to rotations, depth charts for most of the defense and WRs is also unimportant. The real interesting area will be left guard. Right now Emmett Cleary is listed above Richman. I expect a few other guys to be in the mix there too.

Other areas of interest include the usual history and stats sections as well as the full bios of the new coaches.

Regardless of whether you read every page or just skim it, the best part of the media guide is that it is one more reminder that the season is approaching.

Gene absent on the power list and other links

Who is the most powerful person in the ACC? Gene D did not crack the Top 20 on this Power list. The man at the top of the list was featured in the Orlando Sentinel.

The Canucks expect Cory Schneider to stick at the NHL level this year.

The national recruiting guys are starting to notice that BC has a New England focus this year.

Davies' move to France seems eminent.

Mr. College Football predicts we will finish 5th in the division.

Here are ESPN's college football broadcast pairings. We'll be seeing a lot of the ESPN U teams this year.

USA Today posted a preview on the ACC yet barely mention BC.

ACC Sports caught up with Eagle Action's Eric Hoffses.

Flutie is still getting love from SI.

Nonconference previews and other links

CFN has previews up of all our non conference opponents (not including lower level Northeastern). You can read them here: Notre Dame | Central Michigan | Kent State

No love for Spaz on this blog. The BCI guys touched on the same topic. I think you'll see a BC related pattern when the media looks at our coaches. If they are new, little will be expected of them (see Jags and Spaz). Once they accomplish a little for a few seasons they will become a overrated (see TOB).

Sorta NSFW...EDSBS had a little fun with our new customized ticket marketing. (I am 32 and a father, yet this sort of childish humor still makes me smile.)

More QB news and other links

BC has moved on from Joe Boisture and is looking to take multiple QBs in this recruiting class. We seemed poised to add another until...

"The timing is crazy because I was actually thinking about committing to Boston College today and then I got an email from one of the coaches to call coach (Lane) Kiffin and when I did, he told me they were offering."

The summer of "doh" continues. Rettig is still saying good things but now that Tennessee is in the mix, I think our chances are slim. Let's hope the staff stays aggressive on the recruiting front.

The BC women will take on Baylor in the Maggie Dixon Classic at MSG.

Suns.com posted a Q&A with Jared Dudley.

The Examiner catches up on Brace and Raji.

HD gives Herznation some pub and other links

I have the best intentions for some in depth content this week, but today is more links (been very busy).

HD gave the folks at Herz Nation some much needed publicity this afternoon.

Joe Martinez is working his way back to Majors. (Thanks to Alex for the link.)

It is certainly a niche role, but some think the Jack Geiser has potential to long snap in the NFL. (Thanks to Bill for the link.)

Here is more on our Josh Bordner and how he quickly caught BC's attention.

Derrick Rossy is still plugging along with his boxing career.

BCEagles.com posted a Q&A with budding star Charlie Davies.

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.

Previews, previews, and other links

The NYT's college blog put out their usual solid preview of BC. The writer Paul Myberg did his homework. He predicts Tuggle prevails at QB and has BC as a borderline bowl team.

Athlon's preview is a little more dated and didn't have the latest on Davis.

Looks like rising soccer star Charlie Davies could transfer to a French team.

Mark's dad is sharing updates on Mark with Rivals.

Herzy on Twitter

I've spent a good deal of time promoting Twitter. If you haven't signed up yet, perhaps the chance to get updates from Herzy might be worth it. Based on his tweets, it looks like Mark is holding up well.

Rice's summer league plans and other links

This writer thinks Tyrese Rice can build off of his summer league opportunity with the Wizards. I actually think the Wizards were a bad choice. Like the link says, their summer team is guard heavy. But more importantly, Rice needs to be on a team that has an idea of how to use him. Despite his size, I don't think his game or D translates to being an NBA point. He needs to be on a team that shoots 3s and has good floor spacing (like Orlando this past season). If JJ Reddick can get good minutes on a playoff team, there is no reason to think Rice cannot do the same. He just needs to find the right fit. I hope Washington is it, but I think they are just his first step towards Europe.

Bleacher Report thinks Reggie Jackson is ready to step up and fill Rice's void.

Even with the outdated information in this link, it looks likes you can still bet on BC for six wins this season.