2014-15 Football Previews – (ACC) – Eagles
Boston College used to be one of those consistently good but not great programs and with coach Steve Addazio on board it looks like they can probably get back to that level.
Boston College Eagles
Head Coach: Steve Addazio
2013 Record: 7-6
Gambling Odds to win National Championship: 500/1
Gambling Odds to win (ACC): 250/1
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They are likely never going to compete for an ACC title but they could easily hover in the middle of their division and qualify for bowl games. Last year’s 7-6 record was a great example of that but with few offensive starters returning building on that success is going to be difficult.
Strengths:
The only returning starters from last year are on the interior offensive line where three seniors return. This year’s offense is going to be very different but you have to imagine they are going to want to establish some kind of identity in the running game so these guys up front, supplemented by two new starters who are also seniors will lead the way.
There is experience in the secondary with 5 starters returning all of them upperclassmen. The jury is out on whether they will be a strength or a weakness given the Eagle were 111th against the pass last season. Thankfully their schedule is not overloaded with pass happy offenses. Arizona gouged them in the bowl game so they are aware of the need to improve.
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The Eagles are expected to open things up more on offense this season. Andrew Williams was a bit of a crutch last season but this year the should be more explosive offensively, which is required given the personnel that they have and the calibre of competition they will face.
This year they will be much less predictable
Weaknesses:
Andre Williams was their offense last season. He rushed for more than 2000 yards and gave this team a tough identity in the process. His replacement is sophomore Myles Willis who is a finesse back weighing about 40 pounds less.
His numbers last year showed some slipperiness but can he withstand the punishment of being an every down back.
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Tyler Murphy may be a senior quarterback but his experience is limited to 7 games last year with Florida. He lucked into playing time last year but he saw the writing on the wall and transferred out to BC to earn some time as a senior.
His stats don’t scream that he is going to walk in and set the ACC on fire and the passing offense was terrible last season.
The non-conference slate is no picnic with visits from USC and Colorado State, two programs that should be better than they were a year ago and could easily win on the road. Other than their opener at UMass I am not sure they can be expected to win any of their road games this season.
This is not a schedule that will make it easy to show improvement.
Gambling Prediction: 4-8
2014 BC Schedule:
- Aug 30 – Massachusetts
- Sep 5 – Pittsburgh
- Sep 13 – USC
- Sep 20 – Maine
- Sep 27 – Colorado State
- Oct 11 – @NC State
- Oct 18 – Clemson
- Oct 25 – @Wake Forest
- Nov 1 – @Virginia Tech
- Nov 8 – Louisville
- Nov 22 – @Florida State
- Nov 29 – Syracuse
The Eagles could be better this season but I don’t think it will show up in their record. This is a tough slate but don’t forget about them at the end of the season.
Odds are they are coming out of Tallahassee looking pretty ugly.
This will add some value to their closing game of the season at home against a Syracuse team that is far from great. This team should be competitive under Addazio even as the losses mount.
