It's Jagodzinski's chance to shine at BC
But now that much of that senior-laden group is gone, the coach's job is about to get a lot tougher. Now he'll get to show why he's one of the hottest coaches in college football.
Not only has Matt Ryan left for the NFL, but so have last year's top two rushers, the best offensive lineman, and three second team All-ACC defensive players. However, two potential all-leaguers, DT B.J. Raji and LB Brian Toal, will be coming off the shelf after sitting out all of last season, and Jagodzinski made his name on being able to coach offensive players.
There's no real reason to expect much of a drop-off this year, if any. After getting to the ACC title game and winning 11 games for the first time since 1940, the program should continue to expect eight-plus-win seasons every year and be unbeatable in December bowl games. For the first time since 1996, neither Ryan nor Tom O'Brien is in Chestnut Hill, meaning Jagodzinski will have to be a leader and not just a rebuilder.
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The schedule doesn't get especially nasty until mid-October, so new quarterback Chris Crane will have time to get acclimated in September against the likes of Kent State, Rhode Island, and Central Florida. There will be time to get everyone's feet wet in a critical stretch for a team with several major questions.
Can Crane, who had a good spring, be close to as good as Ryan? Will there be more of a running game? What will the Eagles do to help out pass-rushing star Alex Albright with concerns about the other end? How quickly will all the good new recruits be a part of the show?
There's no real reason to be too worried. There's still plenty of talent to work around, the defense will be nasty, and Jagodzinski will do his part with Crane. In a relatively weak ACC, there's no reason to shoot for anything less than a title and a BCS game. The program has stayed that good, even after the coaching transition.
What to look for offense: Scoring issues early, for one — and not just because Ryan is gone. Of course the quarterback will be missed, but even when he was chasing the Heisman, BC had trouble getting into the end zone. On top of that, there's been a complete evacuation at running back, with a few recruits needing to shine, and two of the line's best blockers are on NFL rosters. Even if Crane is up to the challenge, the Eagles will attempt plenty of field goals, putting even more pressure on kicker Steve Aponavicius to be better.
What to look for on defense: A brick wall of a run defense. After yielding just 75 yards a game on the ground, the Eagles might be even stingier now that DT B.J. Raji and LB Brian Toal are back in the fold. The front seven is among the toughest in the country, meaning the secondary had better be prepared for plenty of attention. Teams will have to throw to win.
The team will be much better if ... a running game can be mined from an extremely young stable of backs. Whether or not it's Josh Haden, the offense needs to establish a degree of balance to take some heat off the new quarterback and the passing game. Even the new-age BC offense needs to have success on the ground, especially in the post-Ryan era, after finishing 106th in the nation in rushing.
The Schedule: It's tough, but all the big ACC games — Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech and Clemson — are in Boston. The road schedule is a breeze for a while, going to Cleveland to face Kent State and later traveling to N.C. State and North Carolina. Then it becomes problematic with back-to-back November dates against Florida State and Wake Forest.
Best Offensive Player: Junior WR Rich Gunnell. Although he won't blow you away with his size or speed, Gunnell simply makes plays, and typically at the most critical point of the game. He's the definition of a clutch player, Gunnell was always in Ryan's crosshairs when the game was on the line, finishing with 64 receptions for 931 yards and seven touchdowns. He'll help Crane out immeasurably.
Best Defensive Player: Senior LB Brian Toal. DT B.J. Raji may have a little more upside when it comes to the NFL, but Toal is an emotional leader and the best football player on this defense. After a breakout freshman year in 2004, he has leveled off and even regressed, largely due to problems with his neck and shoulders. Those have been addressed with surgery and a year of rest, which the linebacker feels has him set up for a monster finale with the Eagles.
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| Jeff Jagodzinski is expected to get a better chance to show how good a coach he is this season. (Al Messerschmidt / Getty Images) |
Key player to a successful season: Senior QB Chris Crane. While he doesn't have to be Ryan for the Eagles to soar, he does have to protect the ball and get it in the hands of an underrated ensemble of receivers. Equally important, he must become one of team leaders and accountable in the clutch, which were two of Ryan's intangibles.
The season will be a success if ... the Eagles get to eight wins and extend their nation's-best bowl winning streak to nine games. They could easily get off to a 5-0 start, but the second-half stretch of Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Clemson, Notre Dame, Florida State, Wake Forest and Miami might be too much for a program looking for answers in the offensive and defensive backfields.
OFFENSE
Who fills Matt Ryan's shoes? Although he'll have to officially earn the job, senior Chris Crane is the heavy favorite to start. Surprisingly quick at 6-foot-4 and 236 pounds, he has a capable arm and two valuable seasons as Ryan's understudy. The Eagles don't run as much as they did when O'Brien was around, but they still like to occasionally pound the ball between the tackles. Unfortunately, last season's best rushers are gone, and Jeff Smith and A.J. Brooks are unlikely to suit up for physical and disciplinary reasons. Enter rookie Josh Haden, who has the breakaway speed and clear path to win the job. Taking the place of massive Gosder Cherilus at left tackle is Anthony Castonzo, who started on the right side as a true freshman.
Quarterbacks: The Eagles' first priority on offense will be to replace Ryan, the third overall selection in April's NFL Draft. Stepping to the forefront is senior Chris Crane, who built some distance on the competition with a solid spring performance. Having spent two seasons as Ryan's caddy, he has a huge advantage in experience and knowledge of the system. Forgetting where the bar was at last year, everything should be fine. Crane throws a nice ball on the intermediate routes and will surprise people with his ability to tuck it and run. He might even exceed expectations and attract some NFL attention with some help from a suspect group of backs and receivers. There isn't any experience among the backups.
Running Backs: Graduations, suspensions, and injuries have cleaned out an Eagles backfield that was flush with veterans last year. How thin is the unit? True freshman Josh Haden has already been slotted in as the program's starting running back. He was a blue-chip recruit and already took part in spring drills, but Jeff Jagodzinski would have preferred a year as someone's apprentice before being thrust into this role. Plus, at only 5-foot-8 and 190 pounds, he's more of an explosive all-purpose back who'd benefit from more time in the BC weight training program. James McCluskey is the only Eagle on the roster with a carry, and he's the fullback. The running game will be erected on the backs of true freshmen, which is an instant recipe for inconsistency and serious concerns regarding depth.
Receivers: By the program's modest standards, BC is loaded with experienced receivers, welcoming back five of last year's top seven pass-catchers. The Eagles are bringing back three players who caught at least 50 passes a year ago — uncommon depth and production from a program that hasn't had a wide receiver drafted since Kelvin Martin was taken by Dallas in 1987. Junior Rich Gunnell and senior Brandon Robinson are coming off breakout years as Ryan's preferred targets. While those two have evolved into nice receivers, neither will force defensive coordinators back to the film room. BC has steady targets, but none who can be labeled spectacular outside of tight end Ryan Purvis, an All-ACC selection who can catch and block equally well.
Offensive Line: While Detroit Lions draftee Gosder Cherilus will certainly be missed, the line has three returning starters and the makings of another solid unit. From center Matt Tennant to tackle Anthony Castonzo, the Eagles have placed three of their best blockers on the left side of the line. Castonzo will keep getting better and Tennant and guard Clif Ramsey have become fixtures of the front wall. On the down side, last year the Eagles had Cherilus, who would go on to be drafted No. 17 overall in April. This year, however, BC doesn't have a bonafide star, or even a sure-fire all-conference selection, to build the line around.
DEFENSE
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Ryan got most of the pub last fall, but the defense was the backbone of a program that often had trouble putting points on the board. Even without LB Brian Toal and DT B.J. Raji, Boston College finished second nationally in run defense and No. 19 in total defense despite beginning the season without any true stars. The cornerstones of this year's crew will be DE Alex Albright, DT Ron Brace and LB Mark Herzlich, who'll help form a sturdy front wall that'll again be tough to run on. The pass defense, however, will be easier for opponents to navigate. Fiery S Jamie Silva and CB DeJuan Tribble are gone, putting pressure on Marcellus Bowman and DeLeon Gause to bridge the gap.
Defensive Line: After sitting out last season due to an academic issue, senior B.J. Raji is back at defensive tackle and looking to recapture the form that made him an NFL prospect. A pillar of strength in run defense at 6-foot-1 and 325 pounds, he uses his leverage to his advantage, bull-rushing opponents en route to the backfield. The tackles are big, deep and poised to once again be the catalysts for one of the nation's stingiest run defenses. Adding Raji to an interior that already includes Brace will be a nightmare for opposing running games. After Alex Albright, who is outstanding, the Eagles are dangerously thin at defensive end. If opponents get wise to this situation and double Albright, there are concerns about generating much pressure.
Linebackers: An already well-rounded group of linebackers will be even better with the return of 6-foot, 252-pound senior Brian Toal, who sat out last season to rehab an injury. Even after losing Jolonn Dunbar to the New Orleans Saints, the Eagles are well-stocked and go two-deep with players capable of stepping into the lineup and making plays. The depth is a little thin in the middle behind Mike McLaughlin, but that's nitpicking.
Secondary: All eyes will be on sophomore CB DeLeon Gause, who's being counted on to replace last year's best cover man, DeJuan Tribble. As a true freshman, he made an immediate impact and played beyond his class, collecting 39 tackles, three tackles for loss, and a pick. Everyone in this defensive backfield can deliver the payload, particularly the safeties, such as Marcellus Bowman and Wes Davis. Jamie Silva might be gone, but crossing the middle will still be perilous for opposing receivers.
Special Teams: Although senior Steve Aponavicius authored a feel-good story two years ago when he walked on to the team with no experience, he'll be ripe for the picking if he remains inconsistent. He dipped a year ago, making just 6-of-12 field goal attempts beyond 30 yards, missing four extra points, and displaying below average leg strength. When the post-spring depth chart was released, punter was left blank for a reason — the program has no viable option at this time. Sophomore Billy Flutie is a possibility, but the Eagles are hopeful true freshman Ryan Quigley can run away with the job in the summer. Provided shoulder problems don't hamper him, senior Brandon Robinson is the favorite to handle both kickoff and punt returns. On kickoffs last year, he averaged a modest 19.8 yards, which ranked him near the bottom of the ACC.
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