|
QB
Matt Ryan |
|
|
2006
Statistics |
Coach:
Jeff Jagodzinski
1st
year |
2006
Record: 10-3 |
|
at
Central Michigan |
WON
31-24 |
CLEMSON |
WON
34-33 (2OT) |
BRIGHAM
YOUNG |
WON
30-23 (2OT) |
at
NC State |
LOST
15-17 |
MAINE |
WON
22-0 |
VIRGINIA
TECH |
WON
22-3 |
at
Florida State |
WON
24-19 |
BUFFALO |
WON
41-0 |
at
Wake Forest |
LOST
14-21 |
DUKE |
WON
28-7 |
MARYLAND |
WON
38-16 |
at
Miami FL |
LOST
14-17 |
MEINEKE
CAR CARE BOWL |
Navy |
WON
25-24 |
|
2006
Final Rankings
AP-20, Coaches-20, BCS-24
|
2007
Outlook |
New
head coach Jeff Jagodzinski returns
to BC after his standout efforts as
OC here from 1997-98. Faster big men
(less body fat percentage) will be
found so that the speed of their offensive
execution can increase, a key to Jagodzinski’s
offensive vision being realized. In
bringing on OC Steve Logan, we can
predict that there will be an effort
to reestablish the running game and
(then) to stretch the field more as
explosiveness abounds. That’s
what will happen when All-ACC first-team
QB Matt Ryan returns for his senior
season. Ryan has the new system down
and is ready for his men to keep up
with his thorough approach. The tight
ends and RBs are all still here, but
a new fullback is vital to Jagodzinski’s
vision being realized. Still, it is
the consistency of the defense under
10 year coordinator Frank Spaziani
that will mean BC challenges for their
division half. That is an even easier
prediction when nine returning defensive
starters and most of the reserves
come back. The only concerns are at
corner, where matchup issues due to
size could impact team results. Still,
who can argue with 21 INTs from them
in ‘06? Little change will be
seen to the schemes on this side of
the ball – keep it simple and
keep the ball in front of you. The
(home) opener with a resurgent Wake
Forest squad and a trip to Atlanta
look like the only challenges before
the last six games (four of them on
the road) define their 2007 campaign.
BC was 12 points away from an undefeated
season in ’06, losing two of
their three to teams they should have
easily beaten. Only tiny steps back
will need to be taken with the new
coaching, so expect big things for
New England’s best college football
team.
Projected
2007 record: 10-2
|
|
BOSTON
COLLEGE
*POWER RATINGS |
Offense |
Defense |
QB
- 4.5 |
DL
- 4 |
RB
- 4 |
LB
- 4 |
WR
- 3 |
DB
- 4 |
OL
- 3.5 |
.. |
|
RETURNING
LEADERS |
Passing:
Matt Ryan, 263-427-10, 2942 yds.,
15 TD
Rushing: L.V. Whitworth, 174
att., 791 yds., 4 TD
Receiving: Kevin Challenger,
47 rec., 543 yds., 5 TD
Scoring: Steve Aponavicius,
8-11 FG, 24-25 PAT, 48 pts.
Punting: Johnny Ayers, 59 punts,
42.1 avg.
Kicking: Steve Aponavicius,
8-11 FG, 24-25 PAT, 48 pts.
Tackles: Jolonn Dunbar, 92
tot., 50 solo
Sacks: Kevin Akins, 7.5 sacks
Interceptions: DeJuan Tribble,
7 for 108 yds., 3 TD
Kickoff Returns: Jeff Smith,
23 ret., 28.0 avg., 1 TD
Punt Returns: DeJuan Tribble,
27 ret., 8.7 avg., 0 TD
|
|
|
DT
B.J. Raji |
|
|
|
BOSTON
COLLEGE |
|
|
OFFENSE
- 7 |
----RETURNING
STARTERS---- |
DEFENSE
- 10 |
|
KEY
LOSSES |
OFFENSE:
Mark Palmer-FB, Tony Gonzalez-WR, James
Marten-OT, Josh Beekman-OG |
DEFENSE:
Larry
Anam-CB, Ryan Glasper-SS |
|
|
2007
OFFENSE |
You
can bet that under new coordinator Steve
Logan, all-ACC first-teamer Matt Ryan will
thrive even more. The 6’5 senior embraces
the short passing game well; some advice
for their new head coach - if it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it. One of Jagodzinski’s
main aims here is to speed the team’s
execution up so as to save those fractions
of a second that are often the difference
between gaining and losing yards. Ryan already
can do this, so it is up to the rest of
the offense to attain quicker play development.
Moreover, BC’s signal caller isn’t
afraid to grab someone who misses an assignment
and give them the time of day, and Ryan’s
leadership will be vital with the transition
to an offense with even more possibilities.
The receivers come back pretty much en mass,
so role players like all-ACC senior Kevin
Challenger and junior Brandon Robinson are
already in place. Logan will have to find
a downfield threat, likely Clarence Megwa,
since he is the corps’ most experienced
six-footer. TEs Ryan Thompson and Ryan Purvis
(no relation) afford Ryan two big deep threats
who occupy safeties as they open defenses
up. All of this will be complimented by
a fresh focus on making the running game
more than what it has been lately (ranked
92nd in all of I-A). Logan uses a physical,
old school approach to softening up defenders,
so the thunderous senior duo of L.V. Whitworth
and Andre Callender will likely see their
load increase 10-20%. Both will see the
ball often in the flat, as will ex-LB James
McCluskey who has been moved to fullback.
Jagodzinski has said clearly that the Eagles
will have to find a guy who can handle the
complicated assignments his offense requires
from the fullback, and McCluskey’s
heady approach and prep success there has
looked good in everything so far. Jagodzinski
is also famous from his last stint at BC
for having his lines allow the fewest sacks
in the league via their athletic edge. His
work is cut out as they have no one with
significant real game reps at left tackle.
Senior Gosder Cherilus, a stalwart on the
other side for 36 straight starts, has the
physical tools and know-how to shift over,
and two four-star tackle recruits along
with this year’s class that is heavily
laden with OLmen means there should be few
problems come September. Talented senior
reserve Ty Hall will find a home somewhere,
likely the open guard slot. Guard Ryan Poles
and center Kevin Sheridan are two returning
seniors who, along with Cherilus and Hall,
give the Eagles enough to insure offensive
success in Beantown. Look for more formations
(from pro-style to creative spread) and
balance in the Eagle’s ball-moving
efforts, which will allow the deeper passing
game to find new life once opposing safeties
are forced to respect their ground capabilities.
|
|
WR
Kevin Challenger
|
|
|
BOSTON
COLLEGE 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
OFFENSE |
QB |
Matt
Ryan-Sr (6-5, 218) |
Chris
Crane-Jr (6-4, 232) |
FB |
James
McCluskey-Fr (6-2, 240) |
John
Quinones-Sr (5-11, 232) |
TB |
L.V.
Whitworth-Sr (5-11, 216) |
Andre
Callender-Sr (5-11, 204) |
WR |
Brandon
Robinson-Jr (5-10, 195) |
Clarence
Megwa-So (6-1, 212) |
WR |
Kevin
Challenger-Sr (5-8, 178) |
Rich
Gunnell-So (5-11, 205) |
TE |
Ryan
Thompson-Sr (6-4, 259) |
Ryan
Purvis-Jr (6-4, 260) |
OT |
Gosder
Cherilus-Sr (6-7, 318) |
Ty
Hall-Sr (6-4, 300) |
OG |
Ryan
Poles-Sr (6-4, 295) |
John
Elliott-Fr (6-4, 288) |
C |
Kevin
Sheridan-Sr (6-3, 290) |
Bryan
Murphy-Jr (6-3, 292) |
OG |
Tom
Anevski-Sr (6-2, 291) |
Matt
Tennant-So (6-4, 278) |
OT |
Clif
Ramsey-Jr (6-6, 313) |
Patrick
Sheil-So (6-6, 284) |
K |
Steve
Aponavicius-Jr (5-10, 175) |
.. |
|
|
2007
DEFENSE |
Expectations
on this side of the ball are high with almost
all of the returning starters back, especially
up front. The tackles are both huge, yet
each has an initial burst that proves extremely
effective (B.J. Raji is a beast). The ends
come back two-deep, almost guaranteeing
this to be a top 25 unit for run stopping.
The starting LBs are a well-sized senior
group who know how to work together, and
like the ends, all of last year’s
reserves returning mean BC will punish ball
carriers within 10 yards of the line of
scrimmage. Underneath coverage should improve
as Jolonn Dunbar & Co. settle in. One
area of mild concern is at corner. Sure,
DeJuan Tribble is solid, and Razzie Smith
and Taji Morris are capable. But size issues
will again mean bigger receivers can win
higher passes and jump balls. Senior Jamie
Silva roams lots of ground in ruling the
deep middle while strong safety Paul Anderson
gets his starting role back. This secondary
works on a bend-don’t-break approach.
With so much help up front, extra DBs will
be seen often. In all their coaching turnover,
interim coach and coordinator Frank Spaziani
- with his 14th-ranked scoring defense returning
nine regular starters - remains one constant
that will assure Eagle fans of much success.
|
|
CB
DeJuan Tribble
|
|
|
BOSTON
COLLEGE 2007 DEPTH CHART
Returning Starters/Key
Players |
DEFENSE |
DE |
Brady
Smith-So (6-2, 285) |
Austin
Giles-So (6-3, 285) |
DT |
Ron
Brace-Jr (6-3, 335) |
Thomas
Claiborne-Fr (6-3, 340) |
DT |
B.J.
Raji-Sr (6-1, 340) |
Jerry
Willette-Jr (6-5, 265) |
DE |
Nick
Larkin-Sr (6-4, 250) |
Alex
Albright-So (6-5, 230) |
LB |
Tyronne
Pruitt-Sr (5-11, 220) |
Mark
Herzlich-So (6-4, 230) |
LB |
Jolonn
Dunbar-Sr (6-0, 233) |
Kevin
Akins-Jr (6-2, 212) |
LB |
Brian
Toal-Sr (6-0, 232) |
Robert
Francois-Jr (6-2, 240) |
CB |
DeJuan
Tribble-Sr (5-9, 190) |
Razzie
Smith-So (5-10, 178) |
CB |
Taji
Morris-Sr (5-9, 181) |
Roderick
Rollins-So (6-0, 170) |
SS |
Paul
Anderson-Jr (6-1, 210) |
Marcellus
Bowman-Fr (6-2, 206) |
FS |
Jamie
Silva-Sr (5-11, 208) |
Wes
Davis-So (6-1, 205) |
P |
Johnny
Ayers-Sr (6-0, 186) |
.. |
|
|
|
2007
SPECIAL TEAMS |
Punter
Johnny Ayers had over half of his 2006 attempts
either fair caught or land inside opponents 20,
which gave the Eagles the 18th-best net results
in the nation…all of which should continue.
What is somewhat perplexing is how kicker well-endowed
Ryan Ohliger has so few conversions from 40+.
Reserve RB Jeff Smith was seventh in the country
for kick returns, while the world is just waiting
until DeJuan Tribble returns one to the house.
|
|
|
|
|