Boston College Athletics
Football Eager To Spring Ahead
March 18, 2010 | Football
March 18, 2010
With temperatures expected to hover near 70 degrees under clear skies, the Boston College football team will take to field Thursday afternoon for the first of 15 spring practices.
The spring semester marked the arrival of three new faces in QBs Josh Bordner and Chase Rettig and LB Kevin Pierre-Louis. Bordner and Rettig will get an early start and compete against Mike Marscovetra and returning starter Dave Shinskie while Pierre-Louis will gain early knowledge from one of the best linebacker corps in the ACC.
The quarterbacks will have plenty of support from the offensive line, which lost just one starter, and RB Montel Harris, who received All-ACC second-team honors in the fall. Shinskie and company, despite losing a few seniors to graduation, will have talented receivers to throw to in Colin Larmond, Jr., Billy Flutie, Chris Pantale, Lars Anderson and Clyde Lee.
The defense lost the services of five fifth-year seniors but will be able to fill the holes. Austin Giles graduated from the defensive line, but senior Brad Newman and junior Kaleb Ramsey both have experience there. The loss of two-time captain Mike McLaughlin will be softened by the possibility of Herzlich being back and Jim Noel spelled Marcellus Bowman last year at strong safety. CB Roderick Rollins is also gone, but sophomores Donnie Fletcher and Isaac Johnson have significant experience in the secondary.
The stars of the defensive side of the ball could be the linebackers. BC lost one of its most consistent performers in captain Mike McLaughlin, but the possible return of Mark Herzlich, coupled with breakout star Luke Kuechly and another returning starter in Mike Morrissey, and the Eagles could have one of the best units in the country.
Herzlich was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, in mid-May. His story touched the country and on ESPN College GameDay October 3, he announced he was cancer-free. Herzlich then had a metal rod inserted into right leg on November 23 to strengthen the bone and he will use spring ball to get back into playing shape. He will not participate in contact/hitting drills during the spring.
First-year head coach Frank Spaziani and the Eagles defied critics last fall and finished with an 8-5 record and went 5-3 in the ACC Atlantic Division, which put them in second place after being picked to finish last in the preseason.
The spring season will culminate in the annual Jay McGillis Spring Game, scheduled for April 24 in Alumni Stadium.
