More Potential BC Uniforms

If I Were Boston College's Next Athletic Director...

Boston College football is a sputtering program with such promising potential. Everyone knows what football could become in Chestnut Hill, but most have resigned to the understanding that it simply isn't happening any time soon. The culture calls for sending good people through the program, doing things the right way, and having class. All great things, but winning is supposed to be the fourth part of that equation. It hasn't been in a few years.

If I was the new athletic director succeeding Gene DeFilippo, I'd introduce these uniforms. Look at schools like Oregon. How do they build their football programs? They look fresh. They sparkle. They have what the younger generations would call swag. Players envision themselves in that jersey, that helmet, those complete uniforms, and they want to be a part of it. Everything is about the image. Just my two cents, but if I was the AD, I'd put these into action and watch my Eagles soar once again.

Boston College Football — Predicting the Rest of 2012

When Friday morning rolls around, I'll be boarding the Boston College Eagles' charter that takes off from Logan Airport and lands in Chicago. The following morning, BC will square off with Northwestern for the third game of their football season.

My attendance is rather unimportant — I'll be doing the play-by-play commentary for Boston College's student radio station, WZBC 90.3 FM — but the game is of massive importance for the Eagles.

Boston College (1-1) is coming off of a blowout 34-3 victory over the Maine Black Bears, an FCS opponent whom the Eagles dominated for their first win. On Saturday, BC will look to notch their first win against an FBS opponent on the young season and prove that they are once again contenders in college football.

Ten games remain on their schedule. Here are my optimistic predictions for how this thing will unfold.

Game #3 — September 15th at Northwestern
As I've just mentioned, this is a statement game for the Eagles. Chase Rettig has led an impressive offensive attack thus far, and the defense — albeit against an FCS offense — looked stellar last weekend. The Eagles hung around with the Wildcats in last year's opener. I see them doing better than that this year. With their three-pronged running attack and revamped passing attack (Might Bobby Swigert be returning soon?), they get a big win against a good opponent. Boston College 27, Northwestern 20.

Game #4 — September 29th vs Clemson
BC's bye week comes after the Northwestern game, so they'll have two full weeks to prepare for Clemson. Sadly enough, that isn't going to matter. All the optimism in the world cannot logically bring me to suggest the Eagles will beat the Tigers. Clemson is absolutely loaded, and if you ask me, they could be competing for a national title come January. No harm, no foul — not a soul expects us to win, anyway. Clemson 42, Boston College 20.

Game #5 — October 6th at Army
This will be a pretty cool game for anyone lucky enough to attend it. Army is a good venue for obvious reasons, and it will surely be a hard-fought game. I suspect they may be too one-dimensional to hang with an Eagles team that brings their A-game. If they do bring that A-game, Boston College rolls. Boston College 34, Army 14.

Game #6 — October 13th at Florida State
Not quite as easy as last week. This will be Boston College's most difficult road game of the season, without question. FSU is always talented, they're an ACC opponent, and midway through the season it will be a critical game. I've said many times that I feel like the Eagles will beat one of the three big powerhouses on their schedule (Clemson, FSU, Notre Dame). It isn't Clemson, and it's not Florida State. Florida State 28, Boston College 14.

Game #7 — October 20th at Georgia Tech
Rounding out a three-game roadie, BC heads to Georgia Tech for another ACC matchup. Even though GT was impressive against VT, I think that is partially because VT is overrated. Like usual, it will be a dog fight. But let optimism prevail. Boston College 20, Georgia Tech 17.

Game #8 — October 27th vs Maryland
Maryland is God awful. We even beat them last year. Boston College 31, Maryland 12.

Game #9 — November 3rd at Wake Forest
It would be outrageous to assume that the Eagles will win all of their winnable games, just like it would be outrageous to say they're beating Clemson on the basis that they could... possibly do it. This is one of those games that the Eagles will drop. An easy win against Maryland behind you and a huge match-up with ND ahead of you — BC lets their guard down and drops a game they could have had. Wake Forest 30, Boston College 17.

Game #10 — November 10th vs Notre Dame
The game of the year for BC and their fans. It will almost surely be under the lights at Alumni Stadium. By my count, BC will enter the game with a record of 5-4. That means they're competing for bowls. And this place will be jacked up. Notre Dame — already an overrated squad — will struggle. BC gets a huge win by executing in the passing game and protecting the football. Boston College 24, Notre Dame 21.

Game #11 — November 17th vs Virginia Tech
I'm telling you, VT is an overrated football team. Logan Thomas is good and all, but they always seem to have problems putting the whole package together. BC is a good team with some flaws. They're still not at the point where they're a true contender in the ACC yet. But they're damn close, and they'll get a signature win after their biggest win the week prior. Boston College 38, Virginia Tech 35.

Game #12 — November 24th at NC State
I could group this game into the same category as Wake Forest, but the difference is that it's the last game of the season. There's an outside shot — albeit unlikely — that this game could still give BC a shot in the ACC. They may be playing for entry into a bowl game. There's a lot on the line. For those reasons — and because BC has a tendency to finish the season on a high note — I think the Eagles close out their campaign on a very impressive three-game winning streak. Boston College 28, NC State 17.

FINAL RECORD: 8-4 (4-4)
Most fans around here would be thrilled with an 8-4 season from the Eagles. I think that their opening loss to Miami will end up being very costly as they compete for the ACC title. As I said, they're still a few pieces away from competing for that conference championship. But this is a good group of players. You'll see it this year. I'm telling you that much. You'll see these players start to win ballgames. When Bobby Swigert and Chris Pantale come back to add two huge weapons to the passing game, Chase Rettig will be that much more impressive. And when Al Louis-Jean comes back as the team's top cornerback, you'll see a defensive unit with more stability and skill.

I may be optimistic suggesting that the Eagles will win eight games this season, but I don't think I'm crazy. I've watched this team start the season, and saw most of them play last year. There's something to work with here. As Doug Martin settles into his new role as offensive coordinator and guides Rettig to multi-touchdown games every week, the limit will continue to rise for the BC Eagles.

And there is still the slightest bit of hope that this team can become relevant in college football once again.

UPDATE -- Optimism can be an embarrassing thing.
      

Bookie Tips — Saturday College Football Locks

As another beautiful Saturday full of college football heads our way, why don't we take a look at some ways to earn the extra dollar of beer money this weekend? If you're a gambling man, these picks should be right up your alley. You may not trust me yet, but I'm hoping you will after today's slate of games.

Kansas State (-7) over Miami

Being a Boston College superfan, I saw the Miami attack first-hand last weekend. Let me tell you this — it was nothing impressive. Yes, they put up 41 points in Chestnut Hill, but BC gift-wrapped the game for them. It was a very standard and predictable attack from the Hurricanes, and the Eagles just couldn't make tackles or protect the football. It was as simple as that. Against a much better KSU squad, the U finds itself back to .500. Book it.

Auburn (+3) over Mississippi State

Against one of the most talented teams in the nation last week, Auburn hung around and lost a tight game. Mississippi State is no Clemson. This game will be close, and SEC battles are always grinders. But Auburn doesn't drop to 0-2 today. Quarterback Kiehl Frazier had very shaky numbers in the opener against Clemson — 11-for-27 (40.7 percent) for 194 yards with a touchdown and a pick. Despite the poor performance, Auburn was in the game. The Tigers get their mojo back today.

Clemson (-28) over Ball State

I was just raving about how good this Clemson team is, and it wasn't just to justify the Auburn pick. This team is for real. They're headed for what I see as an easy road to the ACC Championship game, one which my money would already be on the Tigers to win. They're mega-talented and headed back to their home field for this game — a field they went 7-0 on last year before getting blown out in the Orange Bowl to West Virginia. Those talented physical specimens will go to work for Clemson in an absolute rout of Ball State.

There's the wrap for this Saturday's slate of games. Pick any of these three — or, if you're feeling lucky, parlay them together — and you just might find yourself with some extra money to spend on beer and wings tomorrow for NFL action.

First Reaction: Grading the Patriots 2012 Draft

It was no secret that the New England Patriots needed to bolster their defense in the 2012 NFL Draft. That much was expected. But when it comes to the occurrence of the expected, the tale pretty much ends right there. Instead of following the expectation, Bill Belichick pulled some strings and broke his traditional mold, trading up twice to land premiere defensive players in this year's draft.

Jack City and I will break down every team's NFL draft grades in detail, but here is my first reaction to the Patriots' 2012 draft class.

Chandler Jones, DE / Syracuse (First Round, No. 21 Overall)
The Patriots possessed picks No. 27 and 31 in Thursday night's first round, but they played the aggressor this year by packaging third and fourth rounders to move up to No. 21 and 25. At No. 21, Bill Belichick got his guy — defensive end Chandler Jones from Syracuse, brother of UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon "Bones" Jones. Athleticism runs in this family, and Chandler Jones is a freak athlete. His size is desirable for a player that New England will want to use in both the 4-3 DE and the 3-4 OLB positions. His freakishly long arms and strength on the pass rush provide incredible upside. He isn't polished just yet, but the raw talent is absolutely present here. An impressive athlete, to put it lightly. Jones has the potential to become the best pass rusher to come out of this draft. Whether he does or not, it was reassuring to see Belichick jump up six slots to grab a player who may be an elite pass rusher. Isn't this what we've been waiting for? Pick Grade: A- 

Dont'a Hightower, ILB / Alabama (First Round, No. 25 Overall)
I loved the Chandler Jones pick, and I really love the Dont'a Hightower pick. This was the moment where my giddiness as a Patriots fan went through the roof on Thursday night. It was truly a Pats fan's fantasy. Year after year, we see elite names go off the board, the Pats trading down, ultimately grabbing some player from a weak football conference. Grabbing one of the most valuable players on the incredible Alabama Crimson Tide defense is an absolutely brilliant move. Hightower was available at No. 25, and that was way too late for such a good player to be hanging around. Baltimore almost surely would have grabbed him at No. 29, so Belichick saw his chance and slid up six more spots from No. 31 to get the Nick Saban product. Hightower is an extremely dynamic linebacker who can play inside or outside in a number of complex schemes. He is a perfect fit for the Patriots. He played on a championship defense. There is some uncertainty with Chandler Jones along with the tremendous upside. I see very little uncertainty here. Hightower is a stud. He always has been, and he will be in Foxborough. Pick Grade: A

Tavon Wilson, S / Illinois (Second Round, No. 48 Overall)
Who? Who? Tavon Wilson? That was the reaction of most Pats fans — myself included — when Bill Belichick pulled the trigger on a guy who was hardly visible on any draft boards among analysts. Here's the bottom line, though. The analysts don't know what the teams do. Mel Kiper had Vontaze Burfict as one of his best available from about the fourth round forward. Well, there was something the teams didn't like. And on the flip side, there was something that teams liked about Tavon Wilson, who was a rock-solid safety and cornerback for Illinois over his college years. Despite not being invited to the combine, Wilson worked out with seven NFL teams and had private workouts with two of them, including New England. In other words, he was on some teams' radar. How do we know that he wasn't going to be taken in the next five picks? The truth is, we don't. So trust Belichick. He got himself a player with good size (6'0", 203 lbs.) who runs well. He had a clean bill of health throughout his time at Illinois. He is versatile, starting at both safety and corner in the past two seasons. And he has been well documented as doing whatever it takes to help his team. He sounds like a Patriot. We can question the value of this pick at No. 48 — Wilson might have been there in round seven. But we don't know that. I'll say Belichick sensed he might have been taken by another team somewhere along the line, and because of that, he gets a little slack. Pick Grade: B-

Jake Bequette, DE / Arkansas (Third Round, No. 90 Overall)
I've said many times in the past that I wish Belichick would opt for players out of good defensive systems more often than players out of no-name programs. I liked the pick of Jake Bequette out of Arkansas a lot at No. 90. He has the qualities of a Patriot that we always talk about — versatility, team football, extremely high effort, and a love for the game. Bequette finished his career as No. 3 on Arkansas's all-time sacks list. He racked up 10 of those sacks last season, playing in the toughest conference in college football. Getting an SEC defensive lineman late in the third round is fantastic value. That's almost enough value to make up for the questions raised back at No. 48. Getting a high motor player who can put his hand in the dirt in a 4-3 formation or stand up on the edge in a 3-4 is a great pick for the Pats. If Andre Carter doesn't return this year, we might even see Bequette and Jones lining up on each side of this front seven next season. Pick Grade: B+

Nate Ebner, S / Ohio State (Sixth Round, No. 197 Overall)
Again — who? I looked at one summary of Nate Ebner's draft profile, and the first line simply read: Ebner is an elite rugby player. It went on to say that he didn't play football in high school. He walked on to the Ohio State team, becoming a special teams guru. Many have said he was, hands-down, the best special teamer on the Buckeyes. Ebner played just three snaps defensively this past season, but I'll try to look past that fact. 12 years ago, at pick No. 199, we took a guy named Tom Brady with a somewhat unimpressive outlook. This time around, two picks earlier, we take a rugby player. But Nate Ebner is a very motivated kid, a kid who lost his father a few years back. He's a kid who loves throwing his body around and making sacrifices. He lays it all on the line, and one scout described him as a "bat out of hell" on kicks, gunning down the field on a beeline for the returner. He wants to prove people wrong, and Belichick will give him the chance. Pick Grade: B-

Alfonzo Dennard, CB / Nebraska (Seventh Round, No. 224 Overall)
Taking a chance. Trying to hit a home run. Belichick did it twice by trading up in the first round to select high-profile players. And it seems he had the same thing in mind when he moved his fifth-round pick back to Green Bay in exchange for a sixth and two sevenths. He wanted to take a stab at a high-risk, high-reward player. That's Alfonzo Dennard. This is a corner who has second-round talent. He excels in zone schemes. He has the potential to be a big-time cover guy in the secondary. But he was arrested last week for assaulting a cop, and in Nebraska's bowl game against South Carolina in 2011, he was ejected for getting in a fight with receiver Alshon Jeffery. There are definite character issues here, but Dennard worked out with the Patriots and met with Belichick before the draft. Belichick noted that New England investigated the incidents in Dennard's past, and they were "comfortable" taking a chance on him. When you have second-round talent sitting on the board in the seventh round, you take the chance and run with it. If any organization can fix character issues, it's the Patriots. I wanted them to try to grab Janoris Jenkins, and for the same reasons, I love the decision to grab Alfonzo Dennard. This guy could be a major piece in New England's secondary. Pick Grade: A

Jeremy Ebert, WR / Northwestern (Seventh Round, No. 235 Overall)
Ebert isn't a guy who will come in and contribute right now. The Patriots are loaded with bodies at receiver, and it would take some kind of effort for the rookie to break onto the scene over all of the existing targets in Tom Brady's arsenal. But as a slot guy who produced at a high level over the past two seasons, there is some potential here. Ebert may start out on the practice squad, but he could be a future replacement if the Wes Welker era (and the Julian Edelman era, moreover) were to, for whatever reason, come to an end. He can become an NFL slot receiver, but he doesn't address an immediate need. I'm okay with that at No. 235, given that Belichick addressed immediate needs with his previous five selections. Pick Grade: B-

Am I biased for giving out honor roll grades here? Maybe. But if you ask me, this was Belichick's best draft in years. We still got those late-round picks. We still landed some of those no-name guys who Belichick can brag about later, if they work out. But the difference this season is that we landed some big-name difference makers. Difference makers. These guys are going to be impact players on New England's defense, this year. We're not waiting for the future. We see the window closing. Tom Brady and this high-octane offense may only have a few years left of elite-level production. It was time to go big, and that's exactly what the Patriots did this weekend. It's rare that I find myself excited to watch sixth- and seventh-round prospects, but I am. I'm excited to see each and every one of these players in a Patriots uniform. Some of them may not make the squad, but you can guarantee that some of them will. And the ones that do will make an immediate difference. They will bring the New England Patriots one step closer to becoming champions once again. 2012 Patriots Draft Grade: A
          

Jack City's 2012 NFL Mock Draft: Version 3.0

Here's Jack City's third and final NFL Mock Draft before Thursday night's first round of the 2012 NFL Draft.

1.) Indianapolis Colts: Andrew Luck/QB, Stanford
We know this.

2.) Washington Redskins (from St. Louis Rams): Robert Griffin lll/QB, Baylor
We know this, too.

3.) Vikings: Morris Claiborne/CB, Louisiana State University
Leslie Frazier came out and told the media that he values playmakers that can score points and change the dimension of a game with a top 5 pick. With this being said the Vikings may be looking past Matt Kalil who prior to this statement was considered a lock in this spot. With this being said, The Vikings have a gaping hole in their secondary, which was put on display first hand when Tim Tebow came into Minnesota and lit up their secondary throwing the ball. We saw in the National Championship that Alabama wouldn’t even throw on Claiborne’s side of the field, as he is glue on coverage, registering 6 picks for a total take back of 173 yards. He is the playmaker on defense Frazier values in a top 5 pick. This pick will certainly shape the direction of the draft, as the Vikings will still strongly consider Kalil and Blackmon at this spot too.
Previous Pick: Matt Kalil/OT, Southern California

Who Said Boston College's Luke Kuechly Wasn't Big Enough, Fast Enough, Strong Enough?

Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly was a ball-hawking tackling machine during his three seasons as an Eagle. In his junior season last fall, he smashed his own school record for tackles in a season by racking up 191 of them. That total helped him break the ACC record for tackles in a career, etching a final tally of 532 into the books. His stellar season helped him reap several awards, including the highly renowned Butkus Award for being the best linebacker in college football.

Despite all of these accolades, NFL scouts have maintained their doubts about Kuechly's size, speed and strength in his move from the college scene to the NFL.

After Kuechly's eye-popping performance at the NFL Combine on Monday, however, many of the critics are starting to eat their own words.

Everyone knows that the former BC Eagle has an uncanny nose for the ball and an astronomical football IQ. His athleticism, though, was on full display during his combine workouts. In fact, Kuechly proved to be one of the most athletic among the linebackers — and all positions, for that matter — present at the 2012 combine.

After many emphasized the disadvantages of his small stature, Kuechly measured in at 6'3" and an impressive 242 pounds, showing that he has bulked up since the end of the college football season.

In the 40-yard dash, Kuechly ran a blistering 4.58 time, slating him third among linebackers.

On the bench press, he performed 27 reps — a very impressive number for a guy who was deemed to lack strength and muscle. His total placed him sixth among linebackers.

Kuechly's vertical jump notched a height of 38 inches, good for third-best among linebackers.

His broad jump distance of 10 feet, three inches ranked him fifth among his fellow linebackers.

His time for the three-cone drill (6.92 seconds) placed him fourth among linebackers, his 20-yard shuttle time (4.12 seconds) ranked him third, and he notched the best time among all linebackers in the 60-yard shuttle (11.43 seconds).

Pretty good for a kid who lacks athleticism.

For the local fans here at Boston College and throughout New England, there was never much doubt that Kuechly would translate to the NFL level. We've seen him play, we've seen his commitment, and we've seen his instincts in action. For some of us at the Heights, we've even seen his study habits and his profanity-free language choices. As Boston College coach Frank Spaziani and the rest of the Eagles refer to him, he's "Superboy."

The combine spread that same belief around the nation. After his impressive performance on Monday, it's a certainty that Kuechly will be drafted in the first round. I'd be stunned if he isn't gone by the 15th selection (Philadelphia). He might even go at No. 11 to the Kansas City Chiefs or No. 13 to the Arizona Cardinals. I suppose he could go to anyone — who wouldn't want Superboy?

There's one thing that I've been sure of for a while — and others are becoming convinced of it this week — Luke Kuechly is going to be a very good inside linebacker in the National Football League.

I look forward to purchasing his jersey... unless it's one of those teams from New York.