The Observer would like to congratulate BC Eagles’ left tackle Anthony Castonzo for being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, 22nd overall.

Let’s make this clear right away: if you’re looking for a rant about Boston College’s game against the Colorado College Tigers, you’re not going to find it here. This game was just a disappointing end to an otherwise spectacular season, which saw BC win the Beanpot, Hockey East regular season title, and the Hockey East Championship. It was also the heartbreaking end of the college careers of four of the finest players to wear the maroon and gold: seniors John Muse, Joe Whitney, Brian Gibbons, and junior Cam Atkinson, who is forgoing his junior year at BC and recently signed a 2 year deal with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Without getting into too much detail—because what happened in St. Louis might as well just stay there so we can all move on and look towards what appears to be a bright future—the Eagles jumped to a quick 1-0 at the 19 second mark on the strength of a Hayes goal. It appeared that everything was just going to come easily for the Eagles, and then everything fell apart.

To spare you all the gory details (trust me on this one, I was there with the pep band and I don’t want to relive any of those moments), I’ll cut to the chase. The unheralded Tigers jumped out to a 7-2 lead after two frames. I’m sorry, as you all know by now, that’s not a typo. Unfortunately for the Eagles, they had a bad day when the stakes were high; they didn’t seem able to connect on their passes, their D was struggling to keep the puck in the offensive zone (which resulted in some devastating odd man rushes), and, overall, they just looked sloppy.

The game ended with the Eagles losing 8-4 and with Parker Milner in net. The saddest thing about this game, to this writer and avid hockey fan, was that Muse wasn’t able to finish what would have been his final game as an Eagle. It was the bitter end to an otherwise spectacular career that saw this talented goaltender backstop two championship teams.

Moving on, I think it would be far more appropriate for me to talk about this team’s accomplishments rather than their failings. In truth, they had a bad game; it’s as simple as that. It was a blemish on a season to remember. And it in no way takes away from the legacies of the three seniors who are graduating this year. Because of that, I would like to spend a moment remembering each of their careers.

Muse thrived under the pressure of big games. With a 20-2 record in post season games and an 8-0 record (coupled with 1.95 goals-against average and .930 save percentage) during BC’s two championship runs, he has been the backbone of the team and an inspiration to all the players throughout his four years here. A four-year starter who even started every game as a freshman during the 2007/2008 season, Muse has been a vital member of the team since the very beginning. Known for his knack for making the big saves, and the “Muse” cheer that always accompanied them, he will go down in history as one of the best. His leadership and talent will be missed next year, and it may prove difficult to fill his skates, but Milner, after apprenticing under this fine goaltender, will most likely be up for the challenge.

Whitney, the team’s captain, has, like Muse, had an impact since the beginning of his career. Also a four-year starter, he has played on the top line and helped to lead the team through good times and bad. With a knack for scoring during important games, he has left his mark on the record book as well as in the memory of Superfans everywhere. In fact, he led the entire NCAA tournament in scoring last year with 10 points (three goals and seven assists). A gritty player willing to do the little things, his impact has been felt by all members of the team. The Whitney mantle will be carried for the next year by younger brother, Steve, who seems to share with Joe an ability to score when it counts, as well as a capability to make highlight reel plays, as seen during the Hockey East semifinal game against Northeastern.

The sometimes-overlooked Gibbons, an assistant captain, deserves a great deal of credit for the team’s success as well. Also a four-year starter, he is the playmaker, wheeling off what look like impossible passes through traffic. A speedy player and a great leader Gibbons ranked second on the team last year with 50 points and first in assists with 34. He has played with some of the best: including current Sabers forward Nathan Gerbe, Bruins prospect and former captain Brock Bradford, Whitney and Atkinson. Being trusted to play with these top players points to Gibbon’s extraordinary hockey sense, on-ice vision, and unselfish nature; his playmaking ability will be greatly missed in the years to come.

Atkinson, a junior and the team’s sniper, has decided to forgo his senior year at Boston College to turn pro. A sniper and Hobey Baker finalist, he scored 68 goals (and had 124 points overall) in his three years with the Eagles, including 31 goals this season, which, at the end of the Hockey East final against Merrimack, caused cheers of “Hobey Baker” to rain down from the student section. Atkinson’s career in hockey is far from over: he has been assigned to play for the Springfield Falcons of the AHL. Although fans here on the Heights will miss his scoring prowess and his spectacular vision, The Observer wishes him well in his new endeavors.

Even though the season ended earlier than everyone expected and even though the team won’t be making another run this year, Superfans everywhere should celebrate the accomplishments of the 2010/2011 team, a team that had its trials and tribulations and rose to the top of the standings and won many times when it mattered. The Observer would like to thank the team for a great season, as well as to thank the seniors for all the memories.

With Spring Ball coming up for the BC football team, it’s time to look at who is going to inhabit upper campus in September. Rivals.com rates BC’s class of 2015 as the 38th best class nationally. Those rankings can be misleading as there are countless examples of “2 stars (out of 5)” becoming NFL Pro Bowlers. There are also too many instances where “4 stars” have ridden the pine at BC. The star system is not completely misguiding as Alabama has the nation’s top class and is currently the best program.

Analyzing recruiting for the upcoming class is exciting because the future of the team looks bright. I predict an ACC title in 2012. The team is young, especially at the skill positions. If Chase Rettig can continue to develop, if Andre Williams can continue to trample defenders and if the white wide-outs can continue to rack up yards, Kevin Rogers should have a lot to work with. The defense also looks promising. Kuechly and KPL lead the defense looking towards next season. Those two LBs will be the core of one of the nation’s best linebacking units.

The incoming class has addressed a few needs and added strength to already deeply talented positions. BC has lacked a dominant pass rusher since Mathias Kiwanuka. Alex Albright was an above average rusher but he was often sidelined with injuries. Max Holloway showed sparks last year as a sophomore and could break out in 2011. However, Spaziani and McGovern were able to bring in a few blue chip recruits at DE, bolstering the pass rush. The coaches tapped into their NJ pipeline and persuaded Connor Wujciak to come to the Heights. Wujciak is a 4 star DE from Seton Hall Prep in NJ. Wujciak is 6’ 3”, 250 lbs and will likely be asked to put on weight. He picked the Eagles over Notre Dame, Pittsburg, Rutgers and Michigan State. They also brought in Medhi Abdesmad a 3 star Canadian d-end who enrolled in January. Early enrollment has been beneficial to many players in the past, most recently KPL and Rettig. Recruiting analyst Mike Farrell said that Abdesmad is an intriguing prospect. He is huge, 6’ 6”, but very raw. Farrell said he has Kiwanuka upside but could take a few years to develop. They also brought in Kieran Borchich and Brian Mihalik. BC could ask a few of these players to step up and supply the much needed pressure next fall.

Spaziani was also able to lure in a few highly sought after local prospects. Albert Louis-Jean was one prospect the coaches desperately wanted. ALJ initially signed a letter of intent to play for Randy Shannon at Miami but switched his LOI once Shannon was given the boot at the U. ALJ was a jack-of-all trades at Brockton High in Mass., but the 4 star Mass player of the year is expected to play d-back at BC. Spaz also brought in Brian Miller who is the highest rated offensive player in the state of Massachusetts. The Andover high product should provide depth behind Chris Pantale at the TE position.

Massachusetts is not a hot bed for recruiting which makes it especially important to lock up the few top notch recruits. The infamous Coach Jagodzinski said that he found it vital to “lock up a fence” around New England, and Spaz has done a decent job at that.

The coaching staff utilized another important pipeline, that of St. Xavier High School in Cincinatti. St. X’s gave us Albright and Kuechly, and is giving us Steven Daniels. Daniels is another 4 star LB who will play alongside high school teammate Kuechly. The Eagles brought in Daniels’ H.S. teammate, Sean Duggan. St. X players have always been productive at BC, so if the past is any indicator, these two linebackers will be solid contributors either immediately or down the road.

College coaches have realized the importance of stock piling the QB position as there have been too many cases of “stud QB” recruits who have been total busts. They brought in Christian Suntrup from Chamindae in St. Louis to challenge Rettig. Suntrup is the 17th ranked pro-style QB and has good size. Farrell said that he could see Suntrup being a solid ACC QB. He toyed around with the idea of going to other BCS schools to get immediate playing time, but he stayed true to his commitment and will be here in the fall. The coaches got him a few targets in the class, notable Curt Evans from Hollywood, Florida. I’ll take any wide-out from the Sunshine state who had offers from Michigan, Nebraska and Oklahoma. Evans is added to the list of young, promising wide-outs on the Eagle offense.

This class started out a bit slow but steadily gained momentum throughout the winter. It closed out strong and is a solid overall class. It isn’t exceptional but figures to have a few players who will make their mark and help the Eagles get over the 8 or 9 win plateau that has plagued the Eagles.

After glancing at the newly released 2011 schedule, the Eagles should get out to a 5-0 start and be ranked in the top 25 in early October, heading into league play. I’m quite glad I’ll be studying abroad in the spring, as the fall could be a special one in Chestnut Hill.

Let me take you back 11 months ago. On March 30, 2010, Al Skinner was fired as the men’s basketball coach at Boston College after a few mediocre years. A week later, athletic director Gene DeFilippo announced that Cornell’s head coach Steve Donahue would be his successor. On the surface, this looked like a terrific move. After all, Donahue had led the Big Red to three straight Ivy League titles and had just taken them as a 12-seed to the Sweet Sixteen in the NCAA tournament, the furthest an Ivy League team had advanced in 30 years.

While Donahue’s résumé was solid, it seemed as though some of the players were less than impressed. Junior forward, team leader and defensive standout Rakim Sanders bolted for Fairfield upon the firing of Skinner. Sanders was shortly followed out the door by sophomore big man Evan Ravenel to Ohio State, highly-touted freshman Brady Heslip to Baylor, as well as heralded recruits Kevin Noreen (West Virginia) and Papa Samba Ndao (St. Joseph’s), who would’ve undoubtedly been a fan favorite based on his name alone.

With just eight players left on the active roster, many Eagle diehards could be found aggressively Googling current linemen and wide receivers to see if any of them had dabbled at power forward in high school. Others could be seen working on their twelve-footers on the Plex courts, hoping that the Eagles would have no choice but to call an open tryout. And yet, while times seemed desperate, Donahue found great talent in the unlikeliest of places.

Between lightly-recruited freshman guard Gabe Moton, walk-on-turned-starter Danny Rubin, graduated baseball reliever Chris Kowalski, and women’s practice squad stud John Cahill, Donahue hasn’t just found diamonds in the rough. He has discovered an entire mine.

The maroon and gold have navigated a very tough out-of-conference schedule, with quality wins over Texas A&M and Cal. While the Eagles have had their ups and downs in conference play, they are in a good position to make the Big Dance. Donahue has replaced Coach Skinner’s stagnant, painfully boring flex offense, and has implemented the same high-flying, three-point offense that brought great success at Cornell.

Junior Reggie Jackson has emerged as one of the most electrifying guards in the college game. Joe Trapani has been the model of consistency in his last year as an Eagle. Unlikely heroes such as Biko Paris and Corey Raji have found their touch from beyond the arc and have played a key role in BC’s success.

As the Eagles prepare to play the four enormous games left in the regular season, Donahue has proven that BC has the ability to play with anyone. And while they also have the potential to lose to any team on a given night (Yale, Harvard), the players have bought into the system. The enthusiasm on the bench following a key play is something that has been absent on Eagles teams for years.

The moment Rakim Sanders transferred last spring, Eagles fans all but dismissed this season as a rebuilding year. Donahue has changed all of that. If there’s anyone that can make a Cinderella run in this year’s NCAA tournament, it’s this Eagles team. Give Donahue a couple of years to recruit some sharpshooters, and the future of BC basketball looks bright.

Anyone who had watched the first four games of BC’s season could not have thought that the Eagles had a realistic chance to travel to Raleigh, N.C., and knock off the 5-1 NC State Wolfpack. The Eagles struggled in every game of the year and they were going on the road to face an unusually good Wolfpack squad which is led by one of the league’s best QBs, Russell Wilson.

I, and everyone else with a football pulse at BC, sighed when I found out that the Eagles were playing on Raycom Sports at noon. Besides the fact that the video quality that Mike Hogwood and crew brings its audience is equivalent to a VCR Camcorder circa 1998, BC always seems to get trounced in these games. I had violent flashbacks of the maroon and gold getting slaughtered by Clemson and Virginia Tech last season. When the unfortunate news that Chase Rettig would be unavailable on Saturday became official, I think a large groan was heard throughout Chestnut Hill.

The Wolfpack possess the conference’s most potent offense and they came out throwing under their stud field general. The always innovative Dana Bible dialed up a plethora of quick-release passes that carved the red and white through the Eagle defense. Wilson displayed accuracy and good zip on his ball. He also showed the ability to keep plays alive with his legs if one of his receivers was not open.

The Eagles bent but did not break in the opening drive. They forced NCSU to settle for three and the drive ended on a relatively positive note for the Eagles. That momentum did not carry over to the offensive side of the ball though. The Eagles line continued to struggle, and Dave Shinskie made everyone watching wish that Chase Rettig had a more durable ankle. Shinskie’s major flaw on Saturday was his accuracy. There were several instances where receivers beat their man but Uncle Dave was unable to hit the receivers in stride. Errant throws gave the Wolfpack d-backs time to recover and make a play on the ball. This was most obvious when he missed Jonathan Coleman and Ifeanyi Momah on slants in the end zone towards the end of the first half.

The Eagle defense played tough throughout the first half but eventually wore down as they were on the field for far too long. The blocked punt which resulted in a NCSU TD was rather demoralizing as well. The dreaded “double-thud” widened the deficit to ten points.

Bill McGovern’s players did not go down without a fight though. Luke Kuechly turned in a heroic 20-tackle effort. Mark Herzlich and Donnie Fletcher added interceptions and Alex Albright played as well as he has over his five years at the Heights. Herzlich broke his hand the previous Tuesday in practice and was wearing a huge Goliath-type club on his left hand. He was still able to corral the ball into his lap which turned into three Eagle points before the end of the half. The club made Herzy a target for cut blocks, as he struggled to shed the man diving at his knees, as that move requires two strong, quick hands. He still played well considering the absurd amount of injuries the young man has endured.

It was clear that the offense would be unable to consistently move the ball on Saturday from the get-go. Things looked drearier when the Wolfpack took a 17-3 lead with 12:31 left in the second quarter. NC State TE George Bryan was able to beat freshman LB Kevin Pierre-Louis down the seam of the field and haul in a 36-yard strike from Wilson. He was able to hit a wide-open Owen Spencer running a deep post. Spencer was able to pull off the miracle, he made Kuechly look human. NCSU was able to tack on another score before the half.

Frank Spaziani was unable to provide his team any magic potion at the half and things worsened in the second half. After an opening pick six by the Pack, Spaz decided to switch things up at QB. While the majority of the half was depressing there were a few nice things to take away from it. Freshman WR Alex Amidon showed an impressive ability to separate from defenders. Amidon hauled in a 30-yarder from Shinskie in the first half, and he burned down the Carter- Finley sideline in the fourth quarter to bring in a 67-yard bomb from Marscovetra. Freshman HB Andre Williams also looked like he was born to carry a football. The rookie ran with tremendous force, as he kept his pad level low and bounced off NC State tacklers. It will be interesting to see if Williams gets more carries as the season progresses.

Rivals.com lists Frank Spaziani as number five on the hot seat for head coaches on the D1 level right now. It’ll be interesting to see if he can get things together this week as his team heads down to Tallahassee and takes on 16^th ranked Florida State. The Seminoles just delivered a beating to Miami. BC opens the week as a 21.5 point underdog. Let’s hope the Eagles will be able to prove Vegas silly. One has to wonder who will take the snaps for BC? Bordner time? Who knows.

“This year could be our year”: that was the thought on every Super-fan’s mind going into the football season. We have a tough ACC schedule, but with a few upsets we can sneak into the ACC championship game and then, maybe, a BCS bowl.

Of  course, with any sport every end goal has stepping-stones to victory. Our first two games were cakewalks, and everyone knew it. Our first challenge would be Virginia Tech and Tyrod Taylor.

As our offense stepped onto the field to start the game, I felt good watching Montel Harris picking up some easy yards, but when the ball was in Dave Shinskie’s hands I was skeptical. He had not yet proven himself to be this team’s leader in more than 15 games as the starter, but today was going to be different. It was a new day and a fresh start for Uncle Dave; however, it was the same old story.

We struggled all game in getting into an offensive rhythm and the two drives that got us into the red zone ended in a crucial interception and a play stopped painfully short of the goal line. Our entire offense was in shambles, and Shinskie was not helping matters.

I know that many people look down on Shinksie for his poor performance, but there comes a point in the season where the question becomes, “why is he still starting and why are none of the coaches helping him?” For me, the blame now sits squarely on the shoulders of Gary Tranquill, the offensive coordinator. If Dave is going to be the starting quarterback then you need to call plays that are to his advantage.

Such as: in a first or second down situation, run a play with an outlet receiver or running back for Shinskie to check down. Watching him play in one game can tell you he does not have the “clock” in his head that says “hey, time’s up, get rid of the ball.”

Another good idea for Coach Tranquill would be to recognize the mismatches on the field. What I mean here is that when Momah and Coleman, wide receivers who are both well over six feet tall, are being covered by players who do not reach their shoulders when on their tip-toes, they should be running fade routes for a jump-ball; Little changes like these can be game breakers.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I still think Mike Marscovetra should be getting the nod to start every week, but I cannot make that decision. And like I said before, Shinskie does not help himself out by throwing an interception from the Tech seven yard line, fumbling on a soft hit, scrambling with no time on the clock to the one yard line, and throwing a second pick later in the game.

If we go back to my two suggestions, we can turn those bad plays into touchdowns. From the seven yard line with Momah and Coleman on the field, a fade route is practically a guarantee. Instead of Shinskie running for four yards when he needed five, have Harris pop out on a flare and let him dance into the end zone. And for the second interception…there’s no help for Dave. He threw the ball way too soft for the play.

Saturday’s game was not a pretty sight to see, especially for parents who travelled to the Heights and paid for tickets, expecting to enjoy the game. The only promising point from the game was that our defense held the high-powered Virginia Tech offense to a mere 19 points, giving up only one touchdown. Although we gave up 343 yards of offense, it was spread out over 11 drives. Luke Kuechly was a force to be reckoned with, earning team MVP honors for the game, and Herzlich is looking better than ever, flying across the field and intercepting the ball.

Saturday’s game against Virginia Tech upsets me because it was a very winnable game that we lost, but that’s not what upsets me the most. It’s not our offense. It’s not our defense. It’s not even our coaching staff. It is the “SuperFans” that do not deserve their title. These Fair Weather Fans are the hundreds of yellow-shirted students that left the game at halftime, the end of the third quarter, and any time before that clock hit triple zeroes. My respect goes out to those of us who stuck through it all; through the interceptions, the sacks, and the overall poor offensive play. It sickens me to see our stadium go from a packed student section, loud with cheers, to a silent scattering of gold, only a shadow of the glory it should be.

With Notre Dame coming to Chestnut Hill for this edition of the Holy War, I can only hope. I hope that the coaches start Marscovetra. I hope that the plays are called to our strengths and not our weaknesses. I hope that our defense never quits, even if they play every second of the game. But most of all, I hope that when the clock in Alumni stadium hits zero on Saturday, October 2, I can look around in the stands and see every Super-fan still standing, still cheering, and still proud, no matter what the scoreboard says.

This is an extended interview with Scott Wright, president of www.draftcountdown.com  The original article can be found here.

The Observer: Your site, draftcountdown.com, lists the 332 senior prospects. What process do you go through to get this list of rankings?

Scott Wright: During the college football season I take notes on all of the games I watch.  Then when I am preparing to re-launch the site for a new year of coverage I begin with a master list of all the nations senior prospects and cross-check it with my notes to pare it down from about 1,500 players to 325 or so.  Then throughout the year I am constantly tweaking and revising my rankings, adding players, etc. as I watch more games and evaluate the prospects more closely.

The Observer: What qualifications do you have that allow you to make this list and have people put stock in your choices?

Wright: Well. I think my credibility stems from two factors.  The first is longevity and I’ve been doing this for a long time.  Since 1997 actually.  The other factor is the relative accuracy of my rankings and mock drafts.  I have my hits and misses just like anybody else, including the NFL, but I think my long-term record stands up to anybodys.  I also put all of my past rankings and mock drafts on the site so people can look how I’ve done in the past and judge me for themselves.

The Observer: You’re constantly revising the rankings. Do you revise it after each game? What does it take for you to move someone up or down on the list?

Wright: If depends and there is no set schedule.  Normally I will do a mass revision at one time, every couple of weeks or so, but if I see something that needs to be amended immediately I’ll definitely go ahead and do that.  For example, if I watch a game and see a player that I had previously overrated or underrated.

The Observer: Does the team outcome, whether Boston College wins or loses, affect the rankings of Castonzo or Herzlich? Or do you base it solely on their individual play?

Wright: How many games Boston College wins and loses really won’t have much, if any, affect on the stock of their prospects.  However,  if their play, either good or bad, contributes to that record then it’s a different story.

The Observer: Would Boston College winning a bowl game add anything to Herzlich or Castonzo as a draft prospect?

Wright: Simply going to a bowl game could add to their stock as it will give them another opportunity to shine on a high-profile, national stage.  However, just like the team record whether Boston College wins the game or not won’t affect their stock, their play will.

The Observer: You have Anthony Castonzo listed as the 7^th prospect overall. What have you seen from him that puts him so high up as a draft prospect?

Wright: I am a big Anthony Castonzo fan.  He has the ideal size you look for, is a pretty good athlete, he’s extremely smart and technically sound and he also has a ton of experience against top-notch competition.  I don’t see Castonzo as the type of elite, franchise left tackle prospect who is going to be a Top 5 overall pick but he is going to be a very good player in the NFL for a very long time.

The Observer: You have Mark Herzlich listed as the 14^th prospect overall despite him sitting out all of last season due to his battle with Ewings sarcoma. What have you seen from him in the first two games this season that ranks him so high?

Wright: In all honesty I have not had the chance to see Boston College or Herzlich play yet this year so I am still basing that ranking primarily on his play from the 2008 season.  That year he was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and looked like a future Top 10 overall pick in the NFL Draft.  I really struggled with where to place Herzlich in the rankings because there is just so much uncertainty surrounding him right now.  Obviously Herzlich needs to play well on the field and show scouts that he has regained his previous form.  That is one major factor.  The other is his health and I’m not a doctor so I don’t know what the long-term prognosis is for Herzlich.  That is something that will be determined by the teams during the pre-draft process and medical checkups at the Scouting Combine.  Assuming he plays well and is cleared medically I think Herzlich is absolutely a first round talent but I wouldn’t be surprised if he slipped to round two or three due to the health issues.

The Observer: What do you need to see the rest of the season from Castonzo to remain a highly ranked draft prospect?

Wright: I think Castonzo just needs to continue doing what he has his entire career.  If he does that I think he will secure a spot in the first round.  One other thing to keep an eye on is the all-star games.  If Castonzo goes to the Senior Bowl and impresses he could go from a mid-to-late first round pick to an early first round pick.

The Observer: What do you need to see the rest of the season from Herzlich to remain a highly ranked draft prospect?

Wright: Herzlich just needs to show he’s healthy and play like he did a couple of years ago.  There will certainly be some rust early on but by the end of the season you’d like to see him making the impact plays he was known for before getting sick.

The Observer: Do you think NFL teams will have any concern about Herzlich’s health when they consider drafting him? Or will a successful season take away any doubt teams might have?

Wright: That is the $64,000 question.  I really think it may come down to each individual team and how their doctors evaluate the situation.  However, even if Herzlich is completely cleared and doctors don’t think there will be any long-term effects from the illness I could still see some teams being scared away.  It’s just a huge “X” factor right now and something that may not be sorted out until after the Scouting Combine in late-February.

The Observer: You describe Castonzo as a “steady blocker with solid physical tools and top-notch intangibles,” and you list him as the #1 offensive tackle. Can you describe that in more detail? Are there any weaknesses that he could improve on that would move him up in the rankings?

Wright: I detailed Castonzo’s strengths in Question #6.  As for his weaknesses, I think he needs to work on maintaining proper pad level.  He is so tall that he tends to get too upright at times.  Another weakness is power and Castonzo isn’t the type who is going to physically dominate and maul his opponent.  Perhaps the biggest concern is his ability to handle speed off the edge.  Last year Castonzo struggled a bit against North Carolina’s Robert Quinn, who could be a Top 5 overall pick, and those are the types of elite pass rushers he’ll have to deal with regularly as a left tackle in the pros.

The Observer: What would you say Herzlich’s biggest strength? Is there anything Herzlich can do to alleviate some of the doubt teams might have about him?

Wright: Well, he needs to show he is back to his old self.  However, based on the way he played in 2008 I don’t think anyone doubts Herzlich’s talent.  The only question about him, and it’s a big one, is the health.

The Observer: You have Herzlich listed as the #3 outside linebacker behind Von Miller of Texas A&M and Bruce Carter of North Carolina. What do you need to see from Herzlich this season to move him up to the #1 outside linebacker prospect?

Wright: If Herzlich plays like he did in 2008 and is cleared medically he has the ability to top that list by Draft Day.  Those are two major “If’s” though.

The Observer: In your mock draft, you have Castonzo going at #12 to the Chicago Bears. What makes him a good fit for the Bears?

Wright: Well, the Bears desperately need to upgrade the tackle position and the middle of round one is right about where Castonzo is expected to be picked so it’s a good fit in terms of both value and need.  Also, the Bears have a history with Boston College blockers, having used early picks on guys like Marc Colombo and Josh Beekman in the past.

The Observer: In your mock draft, you have Herzlich going at #28 to the Baltimore Ravens. Why do you think the Ravens would take Herzlich?

Wright: Well, that might be a bit optimistic at this point because with all of the unknowns Herzlich could very easily slide out of round one.  However, the Ravens are known as a team that takes advantage of premium talents that fall further than they should and, if healthy, Herzlich is a Top 10 talent.  Also, Herzlich would be an ideal fit at outside linebacker in Baltimore’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

The Observer: Are you an Eagles fan?

Wright: I am not.  I live in Minnesota so I follow the Vikings closer than most teams but I am certainly not a die-hard.  I am more a fan of the entire NFL.

The Observer: Do you think Boston College can win a bowl game this season?

Wright: I don’t see why not!  We really haven’t seen too much from BC yet this year as they started off the season with a couple of, shall we say lesser teams.  The next couple of games against Virginia Tech and Notre Dame should give us a more clear indication of just how good Boston College is this year.

There was a lot to be thankful for today, as Mark Herzlich made his much anticipated return to the football field and the Eagles beat Weber State 38-20 in the season opener. There was also a lot of room for improvement.

A 10-year-old Ewing’s Sarcoma survivor, the same cancer Herzlich battled last year that kept him from playing in the 2009 season, started things off by singing the National Anthem. After, #94, on 9/4, led his team out of the tunnel and sprinted to the student section where he removed his helmet much to the delight of the student section, packed full with anxious SuperFans, and Sister Barbara Anne from Notre Dame who sent letters to Herzlich while he was sick.

While the day held so much hope, things got off to a bad start. There was a delay of game penalty before the first play, followed by an interception thrown by Shinskie at the 20-yard line. Then Herzlich came into the game, his first game back since the 2008 Music City Bowl. The defense held and Weber managed only to get a field goal for an early 3-0 lead; that would be the only time Weber was up on the Eagles.

BC scored on its next four possessions for a 24-3 lead in the second quarter.

Shinskie found Chris Pantale for a 6-yard touchdown to start the scoring off. Next, Shinskie connected with Ifeanyi Momah for a 17-yard touchdown pass. No surprise that Montel Harris had a 4-yard touchdown run in the first game of the year. After an outstanding 2009 season, I expect even better from him this year. He had 115 yards off 19 carries in the game. Redshirt freshman Nate Freese kicked a 33-yard field goal to cap off the four consecutive scoring drives for BC.

The next score came from backup quarterback Mike Marscovetra. After he led the Eagles 63 yards down the field, he hit Sterlin Phifer for a 22-yard touchdown pass to give BC a 31-10 lead for halftime.

The game lost a little bit of its spark until DeLeon Gause caught a tipped ball and ran it back for a 66-yard touchdown, giving the SuperFans a boost of energy and the Eagles a 38-13 lead.

With only 19 seconds left in the game, the Wildcats scored to make it 38-20.

One player who picked up right where he left off was sophomore linebacker Luke Kuechly. He had a great season opener, as his name was all over the loud speaker, amassing five solo tackles and six assisted. Coach Spaz remains impressed with him, saying, “Luke is a very good player. We only hope that he can just get better and better and he will. You can’t work that hard and have that instinct and not improve week in, week out. He is a special football player.” Herzlich adding, “Luke played awesome.”

This game was about Herzlich’s triumphant return, though, and he finished his comeback game with three solo tackles and two assisted. More important, though, is how he felt, saying, “I felt good. I overran some plays and they threw a couple check downs and I was a little out of position, but that’s to be expected I guess. Not that I’m settling for that because obviously we’re going to get in the film room and work on it but it’s a step in the right direction. We’re going to have to take bigger steps in the right direction as we go on.”

Of how his team played in this season’s first game, Coach Spaz said, “We showed flashes of a couple of things that would lead you to believe that there’s a lot of potential there. There are some things that didn’t just quite look right. Once again we’re young in a lot of areas. The receivers made a couple of nice catches and Montel Harris of course ran well. So there’s a lot of positive things to build on but we certainly have a long way to go in the whole spectrum, offense, defense and kicking. The operation didn’t run very smooth. I attribute that first to myself and then the way the team is structured right now, the depth, the youth and different guys in positions. It’s not quite as smooth as we’d like.”

Overall, Coach Spaz was happy they accomplished what they set out to do, and that was to get the first win. He was glad they were able to put a win together against the “very well coached, athletic Weber team.” Although there were a lot of mistakes and he admits the Eagles have a lot of work ahead of them, he said that it was a good way to start the season and it is something they will build on as they go forward.

Next on the Eagles schedule is Kent State who will travel to Chestnut Hill, after beating Murray State 41-10 in their own home opener.

It is possible, reports Jesse Naiman at National Review Online. The article profiles Jon Runyan, a right tackle in the NFL who retired this year to run for congress in New Jersey’s 3rd congressional district.

The article goes on:

Former University of Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr remembers first meeting Jon Runyan when he was in high school. Carr, then an assistant coach, went to Carman-Ainsworth High School in Flint, Mich. “He was so tall,” Carr remembers, “that when he left class to meet me, he had to duck under the doorway.”

Runyan, a six-foot-seven offensive tackle who went on to the NFL and spent nine years with the Philadelphia Eagles, is running for Congress in New Jersey’s third district, which covers portions of the Philadelphia suburbs and the Jersey Shore. While Barack Obama carried NJ-3 by 5 percentage points in 2008, last November Republican governor Chris Christie defeated Democrat Jon Corzine by a 66–29 margin in Ocean County and a 48–46 margin in Burlington County, the two counties that make up most of the district. The seat is currently held by freshman Democrat John Adler — who won election by 4 points — though it was in GOP hands from 1993 to 2009.

Runyan decided to launch his bid for Congress after being approached by GOP state assemblywoman Dawn Addiego (their daughters are schoolmates), who thought that Runyan’s charity work would make him a compelling candidate. “I liked that, as a star athlete, he was active in giving back to the community,” Addiego says. According to his campaign website, Runyan has been involved with the New Jersey Special Olympics, the USO, the Leukemia-Lymphoma Society, the American Red Cross, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. He also sits on the Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of the Delaware Valley.

“I believe Jon Runyan will be a great congressman,” Carr adds. “He is very dependable, honest, and he has the courage of his convictions.”

Some political pundits admire how Runyan has transitioned from the gridiron to the campaign trail, which is no easy feat. “It is hard to go from sports to politics because you have to portray yourself in a serious light, but it appears that Runyan has done a good job,” says Isaac Wood, House-race editor for political analyst Larry Sabato’s Crystal Ball website. Other past NFL players who have served in Congress include Rep. Heath Shuler (D., N.C.), elected in 2006, and former Republican congressman Steve Largent, who represented Oklahoma’s first district from 1994 to 2002.

If Runyan wins, a former college teammate of his could end up joining him on Capitol Hill. Jay Riemersma, who played tight end at Michigan and now serves as a regional director for the Family Research Council, is also running for Congress as a Republican, in Michigan’s second district. (Rep. Peter Hoekstra, a Republican, is vacating the MI-2 seat in order to run for governor.) “John Runyan was a great teammate and really tough competitor,” says Riemersma. “He’ll bring that same work ethic and toughness to Congress, and I hope to call him my GOP teammate there in the near future.”

For those who are more interested in football — Heath Shuler, a former NFLer mentioned in the article, was one of the biggest busts in NFL history. Steve Largent is a hall-of-fame wide reciever.

The Observer is proud to announce that the Sports Section has won the Editor’s Cup, a semester award given to the most-improved section during the semester! For bringing exclusive interviews from prominent members in BC athletics, and for their dedication to improving their section, Kaitlin McKinley, Stephen Pope, Kenny Miller, and Chelsea Rosenbauer won this award.