Posted by Chip Patterson

Spring football is in the air, and with our Spring Practice Primers the Eye On College Football Blog gets you up to speed on what to look for on campuses around the country this spring. Today we look at Boston College.

Spring Practice Started: Saturday, February 18

Spring Game: Saturday, March 31

Three Things To Look For:

1. Replacing Luke Kuechly. Arguably one of the most dominant and decorated defensive players in recent Boston College history, Kuechly's early departure to the NFL has left a huge hole in the unit. Not only did Kuechly put up nation-leading tackle numbers for the last three seasons, but he was a swarming ball-hawk, exhibiting sideline-to-sideline speed and awareness that helped prevent the home run offensive play. That responsibility will fall now on sophomore Sean Duggan and junior Steele Vivitto - who likely will play outside linebacker. Kuechly was a leader by example for Boston College, and setting that same tone - both on the field and in the film room - is a responsibility to be claimed this spring.

2. With Montel Harris shut down, what is the identity of the offense? First-year offensive coordinator Doug Martin, formerly with New Mexico State and Kent State, has seen on film how the Eagles offense sputtered without Harris in 2011. It only took one practice for Harris to re-aggravate that left knee injury that kept him out of 10 contests last season, and questioning his availability for an entire 2012 season is a legitimate concern. Martin will have both Chase Rettig and Josh Bordner in competition for snaps at quarterback this spring, and he will have the (unfortunate) opportunity of creating his Montel Harris-less backup plan this spring.

3. Can Spaziani get back on track? Boston College may not leap off the page as an ACC power house to many, but until 2011 the Eagles had shown a constancy that that only a few of their fellow league members have displayed. The Eagles went to 12 straight bowl games from 1999-2010 before going 4-8 and missing the postseason. In recent years, bowl trips have helped cool "Frank Spaziani hot seat" talk, but now he needs results. The responsibility will eventually fall on Spaziani to get this new coaching staff on the same page this spring. The offensive staff for 2012 includes new faces at four of the five positions, including offensive coordinator Doug Martin. Improving the offense, which ranked dead last in scoring and total offense in the ACC in 2011, will be essential to getting the Eagles back to their bowling ways in 2012.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Spring football is in the air, and with our Spring Practice Primers the Eye On College Football Blog gets you up to speed on what to look for on campuses around the country this spring. Today we look at Boston College.

Spring Practice Started: Saturday, February 18

Spring Game: Saturday, March 31

Three Things To Look For:

1. Replacing Luke Kuechly. Arguably one of the most dominant and decorated defensive players in recent Boston College history, Kuechly's early departure to the NFL has left a huge hole in the unit. Not only did Kuechly put up nation-leading tackle numbers for the last three seasons, but he was a swarming ball-hawk, exhibiting sideline-to-sideline speed and awareness that helped prevent the home run offensive play. That responsibility will fall now on sophomore Sean Duggan and junior Steele Vivitto - who likely will play outside linebacker. Kuechly was a leader by example for Boston College, and setting that same tone - both on the field and in the film room - is a responsibility to be claimed this spring.

2. With Montel Harris shut down, what is the identity of the offense? First-year offensive coordinator Doug Martin, formerly with New Mexico State and Kent State, has seen on film how the Eagles offense sputtered without Harris in 2011. It only took one practice for Harris to re-aggravate that left knee injury that kept him out of 10 contests last season, and questioning his availability for an entire 2012 season is a legitimate concern. Martin will have both Chase Rettig and Josh Bordner in competition for snaps at quarterback this spring, and he will have the (unfortunate) opportunity of creating his Montel Harris-less backup plan this spring.

3. Can Spaziani get back on track? Boston College may not leap off the page as an ACC power house to many, but until 2011 the Eagles had shown a constancy that that only a few of their fellow league members have displayed. The Eagles went to 12 straight bowl games from 1999-2010 before going 4-8 and missing the postseason. In recent years, bowl trips have helped cool "Frank Spaziani hot seat" talk, but now he needs results. The responsibility will eventually fall on Spaziani to get this new coaching staff on the same page this spring. The offensive staff for 2012 includes new faces at four of the five positions, including offensive coordinator Doug Martin. Improving the offense, which ranked dead last in scoring and total offense in the ACC in 2011, will be essential to getting the Eagles back to their bowling ways in 2012.

Keep up with the latest college football news from around the country. From the opening kick of the year all the way through the offseason, CBSSports.com has you covered with this daily newsletter. View a preview.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Boston College is just one workout into spring practice, and their most valuable offensive asset has already been shut down. Head coach Frank Spaziani announced on Tuesday that senior running back Montel Harris will not participate in the rest of spring practice due to a re-aggravation of the left knee injury that held him out of all but two games in 2011.

Harris participated in Saturday's first practice, but complained of soreness afterwards. The school's all-time leader in career rushing yards (3,735) and carries (786) underwent surgery on his left knee last August, and was granted a medical hardship waiver to participate in 2012.

Harris was cleared by doctors to participate in spring practice last week, but Spaziani admitted to ESPN.com's Heather Dinich there was concern about the possibility of re-injury.  The head coach indicated the focus of Harris' spring would be getting healthy for the season opener in September.

After Harris underwent the initial procedure on his left knee, the 2011 Preseason ACC Player of the Year was thought to be sidelined for only four to six weeks. The re-aggravation after just one practice should cause major concern for Spaziani and the rest of the Eagles' coaching staff.

Harris is the ACC's active leader in rushing yards and carries.  He is just 868 yards from overtaking NC State running back Ted Brown as the league's all-time rushing leader.  At ACC Media Day last July, the popular thought was that the record would be broken in 2011.  Even with an extra year of eligibility, the focus has moved away from 100-yard games to staying 100 percent healthy.  

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Boston College running back Montel Harris has been cleared to participate in spring practice, after missing all but two games in 2011 due to a lingering knee injury.

Head coach Frank Spaziani told ESPN.com's Heather Dinich the 2011 ACC Preseason Player of the Year has been cleared by doctors, but the coaching staff is still concerned about Harris' health.

“I’d be less than honest with you if I said there wasn’t a concern,” Spaziani told ESPN.com. “When this procedure was done on him, we were looking at four to six weeks being back playing and ready to go and it’s now been a year and something. That in itself is a little bit of a red flag and a concern, but there are no indications now that that will be the case, but once again, we had hoped we weren’t at this point, so there is that lingering concern until he does it.”

Harris broke the school's all-time rushing record (currently at 3,735 yards) in one of his two appearances in 2011, is the school's all-time leader in carries (786), and is the ACC's active leader in rushing yards and carries.

Spaziani told ESPN.com the main focus of the spring will be to get Harris ready for the season opener. The lingering knee injury kept him out of the Eagles' first three contests in 2011 - losses to Northwestern, UCF, and Duke. The Eagles have not gotten off to a great start in each of the last two seasons, and having Harris 100 percent healthy in the backfield will help Spaziani attempt to reverse that trend.

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Now that the 2011 season has come to an end it's time to move on to the next phase of the college football year: recruiting. With the ACC Recruiting Reset we fill you in on what you may have missed in the ACC and what you should expect to see between now and signing day.

TOP THREE CLASSES

1. Miami - Head coach Al Golden's goal was a 30-person recruiting class, and the Hurricanes appear well on their way with 31 verbal commitments. Defensive end Jelani Hamilton will add depth to a young defensive line next season, while top-rated running back Duke Johnson should have an opportunity to wow Canes fans early with Lamar Miller on his way to the NFL. The Hurricanes already have a class that ranks in the Top 10 nationally, and still could close with a few more names before signing day.

2. Florida State - Some shaky commitments from top recruits Mario Edwards and Jameis Winston have knocked Florida State from the presumed top recruiting spot in the conference. Both elite prospects could likely end up with the Seminoles, but with only 15 commits any defects hurt the class. But with four of MaxPreps' Top 100 on board, Jimbo Fisher has assembled yet another impressive group of highly-touted recruits.

3. Clemson - Dabo Swinney's recruiting prowess was on display in 2011, winning an ACC Championship while usually playing 20+ redshirt or true freshman per game. The 2012 class is shaping up to be another strong one, highlighted by safety Travis Banks and highly-touted defensive tackle Carlos Watkins. The Tigers are still in the play for several top recruits, including Ronald Darby (below), and could see their ranking improve in the coming weeks.

TOP PLAYERS AVAILABLE

1. Ronald Darby - After de-committing from Notre Dame, one of the nation's top cornerbacks has re-opened his recruiting to several schools including Clemson, Florida State, and Maryland. In addition to being a top-ranked defensive back, Darby is also a gifted return specialist and can have an immediate impact on any team he joins.

2. Jameis Winston - One of the nation's top quarterback prospects scared Florida State fans when his supposed firm commitment softened in recent months. Many still expect Winston to end up in Tallahassee, but a late push from Alabama and a career in Major League Baseball have threatened Florida State's chances to sign the dynamic signal-caller.

WORK TO DO

1. North Carolina - The combination of a less-than-smooth coaching transition and an impending ruling from the NCAA has created a difficult recruiting environment for new head coach Larry Fedora. One unforeseen challenge in the final weeks includes signing a quarterback. Backup quarterback Braden Hanson will transfer to North Dakota and top QB prospect Patton Robbinette, scheduled to enroll for the spring semester this week, has decided to flip to Vanderbilt.

2. Boston College - Head coach Frank Spaziani felt his seat in Chestnut Hill heat up after the Eagles' 4-8 record in 2011 resulted in the program's first bowl-less postseason since 1998. The first opportunity to win back support comes in recruiting, and Boston College is currently looking at one of the least impressive classes in the conference. Both in current number (14) and caliber of commitments.

Keep up to date with all the latest recruiting news leading up to National Signing Day with our Eye On Recruiting Blog with Bryan Fischer. 

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Posted by Chip Patterson

Luke Kuechly will end one of the most impressive careers in Boston College history, foregoing his senior season to enter the 2012 NFL Draft.

The school announced Kuechly's decision on Friday evening to little shock from the Boston College community, considering his current stock for this spring's draft.

Kuechly is considered the best available inside linebacker in the 2012 draft class by NFLDraftScout.com, and Rob Rang has the junior at No. 12 on his most recent Big Board. With Manti Te'o deciding to return for another season at Notre Dame, he has quickly become one of the most prized defensive prospects in the draft.

A three-time All-American, Kuechly led the nation in tackles the last two seasons and was recently awarded the Lombardi, Nagurski, and Lott Impact Trophy after recording 191 tackles in 2011. His 532 career tackles stands second in NCAA history, especially impressive considering he accomplished the feat in just three seasons of action.

The ACC Defensive Player of the Year finished his career in style, recording nine tackles and returning an interception 45 yards for a touchdown in his final game at Miami on Nov. 26. Across his three seasons in Chestnut Hill, Kuechly exhibited an uncanny ability to read the opposition and fly to the ball in open space. NFL executives would love to get a film room rat like Kuechly in the organization, and Rang's most recent (Jan. 4) mock draft predicts that to be the Buffalo Bills.

Get caught up on the early-entry announcements HERE, and all the latest rankings, mock drafts, and breaking news check out the NFL Draft Home 

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Posted by Chip Patterson

It must be the holiday season, because Adam Aizer and I are in the giving sprit and delivering two conference wrap-up podcasts for the price of one. In this edition of the CBSSports.com College Football Podcast, Adam and I put a bow on the regular season in the ACC and the Big East and break down the best and worst of both conferences.

Pleasant surprises, biggest disappointments, conference awards and the best games of the season. What worked well for Mike London in his second year at Virginia? What didn't work well for Todd Graham at Pittsburgh and Randy Edsall at Maryland? We run down each team in the ACC and Big East and tell you what worked and what didn't in 2011.


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Posted by Chip Patterson

NOTRE DAME WON. The Irish reached the eight win mark for the second straight year, but struggled to do so in a 16-14 victory over Boston College on Senior Day. Michael Floyd capped off his impressive career at Notre Dame Stadium with a 10 catch, 92 yard performance on a bittersweet day for the senior class. Running back Jonas Gray picked up 61 yards on 11 carries, including Notre Dame's only touchdown, before suffering an apparent knee injury in the third quarter. Early reports suggest the injury could be a torn ACL, which would likely end his career with the Irish.

HOW NOTRE DAME WON: Boston College's defense and special teams helped the Eagles dominate the field position battle, and despite the strong numbers Notre Dame was only able to find the end zone on Jonas Gray's 26 yard run in the early minutes of the game. The Irish got a strong showing from their own defense, holding Boston College quarterback Chase Rettig to only 18 completions in 44 attempts. Gray's injury was a setback for the team, but Cierre Wood carried the load with strong second half running to keep the Irish in control of the game.

WHEN NOTRE DAME WON: Notre Dame forced Boston College to turn the ball over on downs with a 16-7 lead midway through the fourth quarter. But the inability to milk the clock kept the Eagles in the game, and Chase Rettig put together a seven play, 72 yard touchdown drive to cut Notre Dame's lead to two points. With less than two minutes on the clock, Boston College's onside kick attempt failed. Boston College had the opportunity to attempt a last second miracle, but the hook and ladder attempt failed as well.

WHAT NOTRE DAME WON: The Irish avoided an embarrassing home upset on Senior Day, one that would have likely knocked them from the polls and significantly hurt their bowl options. The Champs Sports Bowl is reportedly interested in replacing their Big East slot with Notre Dame, but they might have thought differently after a loss to the 3-8 Eagles.

WHAT BOSTON COLLEGE LOST: The experts had the Eagles pegged as a 20+ point underdog, so in some ways Boston College fans have to be happy with the team's refusal to quit. But it was also the fourth one-score on the season, something that speaks to the Eagles' struggle to create the big play offensively. The defense has been strong, particularly in the second half of the season, but once again the inability to produce points keeps Boston College from being able to turn that play into victories.

THAT WAS CRAZY: Jonas Gray extended his streak to eight games with a touchdown thanks to the 25 yard scoring run in the first half. But the senior's career was likely ended in the third quarter after suffering an apparent knee injury. NBC's cameras caught Gray on the sideline in tears, surrounded by his teammates. Our thoughts go out to running back and we hope he makes a full recovery, but his absence is a blow to the Irish as they look to next week's visit to Stanford.



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