Boston College Athletics
Football Fall Camp Ready to Get Underway
June 21, 1999 | Football
August 5, 1998
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Coach Tom O'Brien and the football Eagles are preparing for a busy week in which the freshmen and varsity will report and two-a-days will begin.
Freshmen are scheduled to report on Monday, Aug. 10, and begin practice on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The Eagle varsity is scheduled to report on Thursday, Aug 13. BC Football Media Day is set for Friday, Aug. 14, with two-a-day practices to begin on Saturday, Aug. 15.
BC opens its 1998 football season at Georgia Tech in a nationally televised (CBS) game on September 5.
FOUR EAGLES NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-CONFERENCE TEAM
Four Boston College Eagles are among 24 players named to the Football News 1998 Preseason All-BIG EAST team.
On the offensive team, two standouts from the BC offensive line, center Damien Woody and left guard Doug Brzezinski lead the way. Woody, a 6-4, 312-pound junior from Beaverdam, VA, captured All-BIG EAST second team honors in 1997. Brzezinski, a 6-5, 305-pound senior from Livonia, MI, returns for his fourth year as a starter on the Eagles' offensive line.
On the defensive side, BC's outstanding nose guard, Chris Hovan, is joined by defensive back Pedro Cirino on the preseason team. Hovan, a 6-3, 285-pound junior from Rocky River, OH, was a first-team All-BIG EAST selection last fall and could contend for All-America honors this season. Cirino, a 5-11, 191-pound junior from Jersey City, NJ, finished second in the BIG EAST in tackles last season.
The complete Football News Preseason All-BIG EAST team:
Offense
Pos. Player Class School QB Donovan McNabb Sr. Syracuse RB Amos Zereoue Jr. West Virginia RB Edgerrin James Jr. Miami WR Quinton Spotwood Jr. Syracuse WR Terry Murphy Sr. Pittsburgh TE Daniel Franks So. Miami OL Bryan Pukenas Sr. West Virginia OL Scott Kiernan Sr. Syracuse OL Damien Woody Jr. Boston College OL Solomon Page Jr. West Virginia OL Doug Brzezinski Sr. Boston College PK Shayne Graham Jr. Virginia Tech
Defense
Pos. Player Class School DL Michael Tripp Sr. Temple DL John Engelberger Jr. Virginia Tech DL Chris Hovan Jr. Boston College DL John Thornton Sr. West Virginia LB Aaron Brady Sr. Rutgers LB Phil Clarke Sr. Pittsburgh LB Gary Stills Sr. West Virginia DB Pierson Prioleau Sr. Virginia Tech DB Nate Terry Sr. West Virginia DB Pedro Cirino Jr. Boston College DB Leonard Myers So. Miami P Jimmy Kibble Jr. Virginia Tech
BC PICKED TO FINISH SIXTH IN BIG EAST POLL
The Boston College Eagles were picked to finish sixth in the BIG EAST in 1998 in a poll of media representatives who cover the league on a regular basis. West Virginia University was selected to win the BIG EAST championship. The Mountaineers edged out Syracuse by two points, the closest vote since the league began preseason selections.
West Virginia, which received 13 of 24 first-place votes, is led by junior running back Amos Zereoue, who led the BIG EAST in rushing with 150.5 yards per game. Junior quarterback Marc Bulger is also back for WVU after throwing for 353 yards in the 1997 Carquest Bowl. Overall, the Mountaineers return 85.5 percent of their scoring from last season.
Syracuse, the 1997 BIG EAST champion, was a close second after receiving 10 first-place votes. The Orangemen are led by senior quarterback Donovan McNabb, who ranks in the top 10 on eight BIG EAST career lists.
The 1998 Preseason BIG EAST Football Poll:
Rk. Team Points
1. West Virginia 176
2. Syracuse 174
3. Miami 146
4. Virginia Tech 118
5. Pittsburgh 88
6. Boston College 86
7. Temple 43
8. Rutgers 33
