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2010 Football Recruiting Class Rankings | #7. Seth Betancourt

2010-07-21T12:00:00.000-04:00

Seth Betancourt OL 6'6" 285 lbs.

Philadelphia, PA-- St. Josephs

Strengths:

Plays a very aggressive brand of football
Good size for OT or OG
Good explosion off the line
Very strong upper and lower body

Weaknesses:

Needs to improve upon technique

Development:

Betancourt has all the physical tools to be a blue-chip lineman in the future. All he needs is a little time working with the offensive coaches at BC to refine his blocking approach. In a couple years, he will contend for a starting OL job.

Other Offers:

Duke
Michigan State
Minnesota
Rutgers
South Carolina
Temple
UVA
West Virginia

2010 Football Recruiting Class Rankings | #8. Robert Vardaro

2010-07-20T12:00:00.000-04:00

Robert Vardaro OT 6'5" 305 lbs.

Andover, MA-- Phillips Academy

Strengths:

Excellent blocking technique
Strong base and quick feet
Explosive off the snap
Good size

Weaknesses:

Didn't play against top competition in high school so wasn't really challenged by top notch DL

Development:

Vardaro burst onto the scene late last season and therefore didn't garner as much interest as he should have. He doesn't have many glaring weaknesses and is solid in every quality you look for in a lineman. He just needs some more experience practicing against talented DL before he's ready to contribute.

Other Offers:

Buffalo
UConn
Northeastern
Syracuse
Tulane
Vanderbilt

BC baseball coaching rumors

2010-06-30T09:21:00.003-04:00

The College Baseball Blog is reporting that BC Head Coach Mik Aoki will take over the Notre Dame job. Aoki has done a solid job with the program. Although I do not always agree with his in-game strategy (too much small ball) there is no doubt he has recruited and developed top talent to compete in the ACC.

His departure would hurt the program no doubt but BC remains one of the top programs in the Northeast and has become a competitive fixture in the ACC for the past three seasons or so.

Pat Dean drafted in third round of MLB Draft

2010-06-08T13:05:00.001-04:00

BC junior left-handed pitcher Pat Dean was taken in the third round with the 102 overall pick by the Minnesota Twins. I expect Mickey Wiswall and Kevin Moran to join him as draft picks shortly.

BC Baseball left out of post-season

2010-05-31T19:52:00.002-04:00

Boston College baseball's 2010 season has officially ended after not being selected to play in the regionals.

BC finished the year with a 30-28 record but the team failed to advance. The team's pitching was a major disappointment this year and likely the reason they underachieved this season. The team ERA was a whopping 6.71.

BC will lose Robbie Anston, John Spatola and Mickey Wiswall and Pat Dean will likely go high in the MLB draft.

Mike McLaughlin | Baltimore Ravens update

2010-05-15T22:26:00.002-04:00

Mike McLaughlin is switching positions to fullback. McLaughlin was an all-state performer as a running back in high school but spent his entire collegiate career at middle linebacker.

McLaughlin is a football throwback, a tough hard working kid who will no doubt do whatever it takes to make it in the league. Best of luck to him.

BC-Indiana | Big 10 - ACC Challenge

2010-05-12T16:21:00.002-04:00

Boston College will host Indiana on December 1 2010 in the 12th ACC-Big 10 challenge. This will be the 4th ever meeting between the schools with the Eagles holding a 2-1 edge.

2010 BC football video

2010-05-12T13:13:00.000-04:00

Evan Ravenel to leave BC

2010-05-08T10:11:00.002-04:00

Evan Ravenel is the latest Boston College basketball player to leave the program. Ravenel joins Rakim Sanders and Brady Heslip as players who have transferred. BC has also lost all 3 recruits who signed letters of intent.

The team is has only 7 scholarship players remaining now.

BC Baseball swept by Virginia Tech

2010-05-03T07:30:00.000-04:00

#18 ranked Virginia Tech took three games from Boston College this weekend.

BC drops to 24-20 on the season. These next few ACC series will be crucial in determining their post-season fate.

Game 1-- VT 9-4

Game 2-- VT 3-1

Game 3-- VT 10-5

2010 Boston College basketball highlights

2010-04-30T02:26:00.000-04:00

Boston College Spring Game | Offensive Notes

2010-04-26T17:12:00.004-04:00

Quarterback
Shinskie really struggled all game long with accuracy and decision making. From his game performance I noticed no real improvement form last year. Chase Rettig showed flashed of brilliance, showcasing some great arm strength but also showed that he has a lot of learning to do as his decision making and accuracy was questionable. He threw 2 interceptions on the day on a forced throw and a poorly underthrown ball. Mike Marscovetra was the biggest surprise at the QB position, as he showed the ability to effectively manage a game (granted it was against 2nd string defense). He displayed great accuracy on his passes and also completed the longest pass of the day to Ryan Lindsey.

Running Backs
Montel Harris only carried the ball 6 times but looked good receiving the ball out of the backfield. Mike Javorski opened some eyes with his quickness and showed that it wouldn't be the worst thing if he saw some time at RB this year (although very unlikely). Chris Fox also filled in at RB for the spring and looked solid.

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
No one really wowed me at this position, with the days top performer probably being Ryan Lindsey who showed solid hands and the ability to stretch the field. A lot of people, myself included, expected something out of redshirt freshman Jonathan Coleman, but he was quiet on the afternoon. Jordan McMichael was also a solid performer, showing sure hands at the TE position.

Offensive Line
The offensive line performed pretty well on the day. They were very solid in run blocking and opened up some huge holes for the RBs. Their pass blocking was a little bit weaker as they let up quite a few sacks on the day but it wasn't disastrous. Mike Goodman especially had a tough time in pass blocking, as he was harassed by Max Holloway for consecutive sacks to close out the scrimmage.

Boston College Spring Game | Defensive Notes

2010-04-25T15:56:00.002-04:00

The pass rush looked much improved already. Max Holloway showed his quickness off the edge and really punished Mike Goodman by beating him off the ball. He ended up recording 4 sacks. Ifeanyi Momah showed some promise as a pass rushing end. Although he still looks too skinny he displayed a couple nice swim and spin moves to get to the passer. He will struggle against the run but his speed and long arms should give him the ability to succeed against the pass.

The play of the secondary was mixed. I liked Donnie Flecther's tackling and run support. He is an aggressive player on the edge and a decent cover corner to boot. Jim Noel is still raw in his reads but comes downhill hard and makes some nice hits. Wes Davis and Deleon Gause will be counted on to lead this rather young group this season.

We heard Luke Kuechly's name called early and often, which at this point should surprise nobody. I didn't see much of Kevin Pierre-Louis but he certainly passes the "eyeball test". He looks much stronger and physical than the 215 pounds he is listed at.

I think the Eagles should be solid in the middle with Kaleb Ramsey and Damik Scafe. I was impressed with Ramsey's play and he was active in the backfield pretty much all game.

BC Football | NFL draft and signings

2010-04-24T21:33:00.002-04:00

Matt Tennant was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the 5th round (158 overall).

Free Agent signings

Rich Gunnell- Kansas City

Mike McLaughlin- Baltimore

Marcellus Bowman- Denver

Quick BC basketball notes

2010-04-23T22:53:00.005-04:00

Mark Blaudshcun of the Boston Globe had a very interesting blog post today. There were a couple important things to note:

Ted Sarandis and Bill Ebben will not return as play-by-play commentators next year and are expected to be replaced by Jon Meterparel. While I love Meterparel, it is kind of sad to see Sarandis leave after 15 years as the voice of BC basketball. He was a very pessimistic commentator but his love for BC basketball and inordinate knowledge of college basketball will be missed.
Former BC basketball recruit Brady Heslip will choose between Northeastern and Boise State as his next destination.
Kevin Noreen, who was recently released of his letter of intent to attend BC after the firing of Al Skinner, may consider attending BC after all. Noreen would be absolutely key for this recruiting class as a lot of big name schools are after him and he would be a perfect fit for Donahue's motion offense.

2010 Football Recruiting Class Rankings | #9. Bobby Swigert

2010-04-22T17:02:00.004-04:00

Bobby Swigert WR/DB 6'0" 175 lbs.

Louisville, OH-- Louisville

Strengths:

Versatile and high IQ player, played QB his senior year in HS
Proven playmaker
Solid hands and concentration
Good closing speed as a DB

Weaknesses:

Needs to add on strength to get off the line faster

Development:

Swigert could see time on the field for BC as a WR, CB, S, or a kick returner. His versatility most likely means he'll be able to play as an underclassman. I wouldn't be surprised to see him redshirted next year but he should see the field soon.

Other Offers:

Akron
Ball State
Bowling Green
Central Michigan
Cincinnati
Colorado
Eastern Michigan
Indiana
Miami (OH)
Michigan
Nebraska
Ohio
Pittsburgh
Stanford
Syracuse
Toledo
Western Michigan
Wisconsin

2010 Football Recruiting Class Rankings | #10. Jarrett Darmstatter

2010-04-21T10:30:00.000-04:00

Jarrett Darmstatter TE 6'4" 240 lbs.

Barnegat, NJ-- Barnegat

Strengths:

Good size and frame to build on
Possesses solid hands and is a good receiving TE
Already a solid blocker at the TE position

Weaknesses:

Won't be the most athletic TE in the ACC
Not a downfield receiving threat, better suited for intermediate routes

Development:

Darmstatter is a unique TE prospect in that he is coming into college with both receiving and blocking skills in his repertoire. He will just need to get stronger and quicker and develop a little more physically but he should be ready to contribute at the TE spot early in his career.

Other Offers:

East Carolina
Florida State
Iowa
Louisville
Michigan State
Purdue
Rutgers
Syracuse
Tulane
UCF
West Virginia

2010 Football Recruiting Class Rankings | #11. Jimmy McCaffrey

2010-04-20T15:17:00.003-04:00

Jim McCaffrey WR/DB 5'10" 185 lbs.

Cambridge, MA-- Buckingham Browne and Nichols

Strengths:

Very versatile player, played anywhere from WR to scat back in HS
Very shifty and quick, ideal player for slot receiver
Skilled kick returner
Overall a gifted athlete with good speed on the outside

Weaknesses:

A little undersized at 5'10" and could afford to gain strength
Not a serious deep ball threat

Development:

McCaffrey strikes me as a more polished, but not as fast version of Clyde Lee. McCaffrey will most likely redshirt his freshman year but should see time at either slot receiver or returnman early on in his career.

Other Offers:

Stanford

Boston College spring football game

2010-04-20T11:07:00.003-04:00

Boston College's annual spring game will be held this Saturday at 1pm. I always encourage everyone to attend the game because it is a great chance to see how some of the younger players are developing.

I've heard that Dave Shinskie looks much improved this spring with a year of experience under his belt. The younger QBs are stills struggling to learn the intricacies of the offense.

The spring game also marks the conclusion of spring practices for the football team. Practice will not resume until August.

Boston College Basketball exodus

2010-04-18T18:10:00.002-04:00

The most recent loss is incoming freshman Kevin Noreen. Noreen had signed his letter of intent but now he will be looking elsewhere. Noreen and Heslip are already gone, and it seems unlikely the new staff will retain Papa Samba Ndao.

This often happens when a new regime takes over and really shouldn't be too much of a concern. The staff does need to add a few players immediately. The team is currently way too thin and they must add some bodies immediately. If the assistants are as good recruiters as some have indicated, they should be able to bring in some guys before the summer.

Rakim Sanders to transfer

2010-04-15T12:27:00.004-04:00

Jeff Goodman is reporting that Rakim Sanders will transfer from BC. Sanders just completed an injury-plagued junior season and will have one year of eligibility (after sitting out a year as a transfer) remaining wherever he ends up.

I'm not sure how Sanders would have fit in Donahue's scheme but this kind of caught me by surprise. Sanders is arguably the most talented local product BC has had in some time. It will be tough to see him leave but I'm sure the Eagles will manage. My guess is that Rakim stays somewhere local as his Dad was very visible at every BC home game the past few seasons.

UPDATE

Andy Katz is reporting that Sanders may end up at Fairfield under former BC assistant Ed Cooley.

Boston College Basketball coaching staff

2010-04-12T12:23:00.004-04:00

Steve Donahue's new staff is quickly coming in to place now. His assistants all come from Ivy League schools, but new associate coach Joe Jones used to be a top assistant at Villanova under Jay Wright. He comes to BC after spending the last 7 years as Columbia's head coach and his very highly thought of as a recruiter and coach.

Also coming to BC are former Cornell assistant Nat Graham and Penn coach John Gallagher. Gallagher has ties to BC as one of his sisters played basketball here. Still to be determined is the director of basketball operations.

Boston College wins NCAA Championship

2010-04-11T12:38:00.004-04:00

The Boston College Eagles claimed their 4th national title in hockey with a 5-0 win over Wisconsin. The Eagles won for the 2nd time in 3 years and 3rd time this decade.

BC led 1-0 into the third period but scored 4 times to pull away with the victory. Muse was sensational in net and the offense was led by Cam Atkinson with 2 goals and Joe Whitney with 3 assists.

The Eagles will be celebrating their victory with an on campus celebration beginning Monday at 5pm.

BC advances to NCAA Title game

2010-04-09T09:22:00.002-04:00

Boston College hockey dominated Miami Ohio en route to a 7-1 win over the top seed advancing them to their fourth title game in the the last five seasons.

The Eagles will play Wisconsin Saturday for another shot at an NCAA Hockey Championship

Steve Donahue press conference

2010-04-07T20:59:00.003-04:00

Just a few quick hitters from Donahue's press conference:

Style of play

Talked about his exciting brand of basketball
Emphasized fast pace, diving for loose balls, and playing before the defense is set
Hopes to score 75-80 points a game
His teams share the ball as well as anyone in the country

Recruiting

He is aware of the negative media spin about his recruiting abilities but doesn't believe it
Has made hundreds of connections with high school and AAU coaches over his 20 years
Said he has already received calls from coaches talking about sending athletes to BC

Personality

Seems like a very excited, passionate guy
Definitely a coach who is willing to be the face of the program
Met with students and shook hands during the student rally

Overall

I came away impressed by what Donahue said and his visions for the program. The student body is certainly excited about his arrival and I think his up-tempo style of play will be fun to watch. I'm not sure how our current players will fit in. I think Jackson, Trapani and incoming frosh Kevin Noreen could thrive as they will push the ball and create open looks.