Boston College Golden Eagles
2012 Overall Rank: #62
#8 ACC
Boston College Team Page
Boston College really had a tough season in 2011. They could not seem to generate momentum at any point during the season. They had a couple of nice wins, but none that stood out. Their biggest asset was all-world tackler Luke Kuechly. Unfortunately, he has moved on to the NFL. The 2012 campaign could be a make or break year for head coach Frank Spaziani and his staff. Another subpar season in Chestnut Hill could be the end of the line. He and his staff are hoping that Chase Rettig, once a highly touted high school quarterback, can take the next step and lead this team to some more victories.
2011 Record: (4-8)
2011 Bowl: None
Coach: Frank Spaziani
Offensive Coordinator: Doug Martin
Defensive Coordinator: Bill McGovern
Returning Leaders:
Rushing: Roland Finch, RB, 705 yards
Passing: Chase Rettig, QB, 1,960 yards
Receiving: Colin Larmond Jr., WR, 528 yards
Tackles: Kevin Pierre-Louis, LB, 74
Sacks: Two tied at 2
Interceptions: Four tied at 1
Other Key Returnees: WR Bobby Swigert, LB Steele Divitto, QB Dave Shinskie
Key Losses: LB Luke Kuechly, RB Montel Harris, DE Max Holloway
Strengths:
Boston College did not have too many strengths last year in any department as evidenced by their poor record. They were a bit respectable in certain defensive aspects, however. Their rushing defense gave up about 150 yards per game. That is not a great number, but they were in the top half of Division I in terms of stopping the run. They also had a bit of a knack for keeping teams out of the end zone. They held teams to only 23.5 points per game. In their last three games, the Eagles were even better. Their final three opponents only scored 14.3 points per game. A lot of those numbers were probably assisted by the tackling prowess of Kuechly, so keeping those numbers down will take some effort.
Weaknesses:
For all the hype Chase Rettig had coming out of high school, the Eagles did not have a great passing game. They threw for less than 170 yards per game last season. Part of that is the fact that the receiving corps is not stellar. Bobby Swigert and Colin Larmond, Jr. are reliable options but neither are game breakers. The other part is that the offensive line gave up two sacks per game. Rettig constantly found himself under pressure and in the dirt. He is athletic enough to make a play in that situation, but a quarterback cannot always escape. To add insult to injury, Boston College only rushed for 130 yards per game. Star running back Montel Harris started the year with an injury and only played in two games all season. That really hampered that part of the offense. Now he has been dismissed from the team for repeatedly violating rules. Roland Finch will have to pick up the slack. They also need to improve their sack numbers. Their quarterback pressure was nonexistent in 2011.
The Bottom Line:
Boston College has had some success and some talent in the program in recent years (Matt Ryan, Mathias Kiwanuka). Unfortunately, despite the current talent on the roster, the Eagles do not appear to be a complete team. Rettig will still likely be considered one of the top six quarterbacks in the conference, and at least his young receivers and running backs are a year older and wiser. Losing Kuechly and Harris will be a lot to overcome though. The ACC is not the most daunting conference. When you finish near the bottom, then you have some work to do. Boston College will have to prove that it is not the same 4-8 team from last year. It will be a challenge to get to six wins wins in 2012.
Projected Bowl: Independence Bowl
2011 Team Stats:
Rushing Offense: 130.92 (82nd in nation, 8th in conference)
Passing Offense: 167.83 (100, 11)
Total Offense: 298.75 (112, 12)
Scoring Offense: 18.17 (112, 12)
Rushing Defense: 151.08 (59, 6)
Pass Defense: 243.25 (81, 11)
Total Defense: 394.33 (70, 8)
Scoring Defense: 23.50 (43, 4)
Turnover Margin: -.33 (T85, 9)
Sacks: .92 (114, 11)
Sacks Allowed: 2.0 (65, 7)
