Boston College a Major Longshot to Compete for BCS National Championship in 2012-13
Nobody was expecting the Boston College Eagles to land the top recruit in the nation. As a matter of fact, nobody was expecting the Eagles to land a heralded recruiting class by any stretch of the imagination. After all, the Eagles have always prided themselves on finding under-recruited players and milking the most out of them.
Even so, fans were hoping for some kind of break in the downward momentum following the school's first losing season in the last 13 years. With plenty of changes in the offseason, a head coach on the hot seat and now a modest addition of recruits, that hasn't happened, but maybe things on Chestnut Hill aren't as dark as some might have you believe.
Odds to win the 2012-13 BCS National Championship
LSU: 9/2
Alabama: 11/2
Boston College: 150/1
Rivals.com ranked the Eagles' recruiting class 11th out of 12 ACC teams. Scout.com ranked the Eagles as having the worst recruiting class out of a dozen ACC teams and 72nd in the nation overall.
It didn't help matters that they lost commitments from players like Sam Grant, Akeel Lynch and Jaxon Hood, but that's all in the past. What has to be understood with the Eagles is that they're not going to be competing with Florida State on the recruiting trail, but rather on the field.
The Eagles were praised for pickups like linebacker Steve Daniels and tackle Win Homer. Both were four-star prospects and are expected to be foundational pieces in the coming years.
The Eagles got some great news thanks to some eligibility extensions. Running back Montel Harris, wide receiver Ifeanyi Momah and defensive lineman Kaleb Ramsey all were granted another year due to medical hardships.
The return of Harris is crucial, as he ran for 1,208 yards and eight touchdowns in 2010. He's already shown that, in good health, he can be one of the best tailbacks in the nation. As for Momah, he's an important weapon at wideout, and the way the Eagles' offense moves the ball, they'll need all hands on deck.
Like Momah and Harris, Ramsey missed most of the 2011 season due to injury. He's a key cog on the defensive line and was sorely missed.
Odds to win the 2012-13 BCS National Championship
Notre Dame: 20/1
Clemson: 25/1
Virginia Tech: 28/1
There's no question that the Eagles will miss All-American linebacker Luke Kuechly, who gave up his final year of eligibility to dash for the NFL. But otherwise, maybe the Eagles aren't in such bad shape.
They've settled on an offensive coordinator as former Kent State coach Doug Martin takes over. He's known as a quarterback guru, and that might be just what the doctor ordered for junior-to-be Chase Rettig.
With the return of Harris and Momah and the assumption that the offensive line can only get better, things might start to look up a little bit for the toothless Eagles offense.
On defense, the Eagles are always stocked at linebacker, so while Kuechly will be missed, there's talent to fill in with Steele Divitto and Kevin Pierre-Louis. And if Ramsey can give the defensive line a boost, the defense could be in better shape.
Clearly, there are a lot of "ifs" at this point, but we'll start to sort out the optimism from the reality in the coming months once the spring practices start.
