Boston College Athletics
Eagles Set for 2015 after #ACCKickoff
July 22, 2015 | Football
The informal kickoff to the upcoming football season happens annually at a conference’s media day.
For the Atlantic Coast Conference, the three-day event brings representatives from every one of the league’s 14 full members together for facetime with local, regional and national media. Players have a full day in the spotlight, while the coaches follow on day two.
#ACCKickoff was held Monday and Tuesday at the famous Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Boston College was represented by senior defensive lineman Mehdi Abdesmad and senior offensive lineman Harris Williams, as well as head coach Steve Addazio and director of athletics Brad Bates.
Mehdi Abdesmad and Harris Williams will be attending #ACCKickoff as great BC representatives: http://t.co/MEdz9FB2Ll pic.twitter.com/2CJ6uQpUoS
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 8, 2015
#ACCKickoff underway in Pinehurst. @BCFootballNews represented by OL Harris Williams and DT Mehdi Abdesmad. pic.twitter.com/PmCjl13eG3
— Jon Meterparel (@meatstweets) July 20, 2015
BCs Mehdi Abdesmad sits with @WSMSonTheBuzz and talks bi-lingual abilities and Eagle football #ACCKickoff pic.twitter.com/SUD96JUMfp
— James Alverson (@JamesAlverson) July 20, 2015
Players face a lot of questions at media day. They also come up with some unique answers.
Boston College lineman just compared the offensive line to a blank canvas before a Michelangelo painting. Yeah... #acckickoff
— Mandy Mitchell (@MandyWRAL) July 20, 2015
Boston College Athletics OL Harris Williams agrees that teammate Mehdi Abdesmad has the best fashion sense. What other answers does he give in the #ACCKickoff rapid-fire question challenge?
Posted by Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday, July 20, 2015
Boston College Athletics Mehdi Abdesmad is up next, answering as many rapid-fire questions as he can. Does he think he has the best fashion sense on the team? #ACCKickoff
Posted by Atlantic Coast Conference on Monday, July 20, 2015
On day two, Steve Addazio and the other ACC coaches were in the spotlight.
Always open and honest, Addazio noted the 2015 Eagles will be physical – a trademark of the team. He also addressed other questions, namely the running game, the offensive line that saw five starters graduate last year and the upset win over USC last year.
.@BCFootballNews Coach Addazio talks about what to expect from his team this season. #ACCKickoff pic.twitter.com/HlUnGVRDDk
— ACC Football (@theACCfootball) July 21, 2015
Questions about 2014 upset over USC most frequently asked to @BCCoachAddazio at #ACCKickoff
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 21, 2015
#BC coach Steve Addazio confident Eagles will "piece together" an offensive line. "That's our shtick. That's who we are." #ACCKickoff
— David Teel (@DavidTeelatDP) July 21, 2015
Addazio: BC "probably has the best running back group in the ACC." Feels great about future of O-Line when it develops. #ACCkickoff
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 21, 2015
BC coach Steve Addazio: "we feel too much that there's some savior in CFB. I've been around it all. There is no savior." #ACCrealtalk
— Powell Latimer (@PowellLatimerNR) July 21, 2015
I need Steve Addazio to call and give me a pep talk every morning! #ACCKickoff 🏈
— Sarah Justice (@sarahlouisej24) July 21, 2015
He also trumpeted the ACC’s competitiveness, a fact that he feels over overlooked by many fans and pundits.
#BC coach Steve Addazio confident Eagles will "piece together" an offensive line. "That's our shtick. That's who we are." #ACCKickoff
— David Teel (@DavidTeelatDP) July 21, 2015
Addazio: "The facts - number of players in the NFL - show the ACC & SEC are the two most talented conferences." #ACCKickoff
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 21, 2015
Addazio knows the importance of teaching, and came out of the ACC Kickoff teaching media a few things.
Steve Addazio calls his teacher dad the greatest influence on his life. "Teaching has only grown in importance in our society." #ACCKickoff
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 21, 2015
Of all the conversations with the head coaches yesterday at #ACC Media Day, I think I learned the most about football from Steve Addazio
— ACCSports.com (@ACCSports) July 22, 2015
Media Day is also about catching up with friends and colleagues.
With my DUDE, @BCCoachAddazio @theACCfootball @ACCGridironLive #ACCkickoff 🍝🏈 pic.twitter.com/ZDiyy2tvXd
— James Bates (@jb8sy) July 21, 2015
And while media events can sometimes feel long and drawn out, the ACC found some fun ways to combat that.
How about your head coach calling a crucial play in his team’s big upset win?
(Perhaps Addazio has a post-coaching future in commentary?)
Or maybe the players calling a game that launched the Eagles to one of their highest-ever rankings and put a quarterback named Matty Ice in the Heisman Trophy conversation?
And even though the players were in North Carolina, they didn’t get out before singing “For Boston” with BC alum and ACC Digital Network host Courtney Cox.
This is what happens when @BostonCollege gets together. #ForBoston #WeAreBC #ACCKickoff pic.twitter.com/ukzUbChTxN
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 20, 2015
After all the talking and the fun, there’s always time for selfies … er, team photos.
Always a pleasure to have all our #ACCFootball coaches gathered together! #ACCKickoff pic.twitter.com/RJKUdqZkZw
— ACC Football (@theACCfootball) July 21, 2015
With the ACC Kickoff now in the books, the Eagles have just a few short weeks before reporting for preseason camp.
But before we turn our attention to the field, we have to echo media members’ sentiments about #ACCKickoff:
Can't say enough about how nice #ACCKickoff was. Well done @theACC and @PinehurstResort!
— Patrick Shuck (@pshuck) July 22, 2015
