National Signing Day: BC Exuding Optimism, Excitement
December 19, 2018 | Football, #ForBoston Files
The page is already turning to the hope of the future for BC's Class of '19
Discussing changes across the college football landscape is one of those repeat talks that happens every so often. The schools still have logos, pads, helmets and uniforms, but the game's approach is drastically different. Its presentation, background, infrastructure and overall feel is nothing like its roots, and rites of passage seem to change almost annually.
One thing that doesn't seem to change, though, is the general optimism that always surrounds National Signing Day. The timing might be earlier, but there's still an excitement resonating as high school student-athletes put pen to paper and officially commit to NCAA institutions. It's a time on unmatched excitement, both for the families and friends who will watch their sons and brothers on Saturday and for the institutions who now welcome them with open arms.
"We're real excited about the class that we've signed and moving forward here in 2019," Boston College head coach Steve Addazio said. "The highest rated class that we've had since we've been here, and I believe the highest-rated class since 2003. A lot of good football players."
Rivals.com introduced a ratings system in 2002, and Boston College immediately made an impact within its star system. The sheer amount of information available on athletes in the present day is more prevalent and readily available, though, making this year's class arguably as impressive as those two years.
"I thought we've enhanced our team in areas that we needed to enhance our team," Addazio said. "Certainly, on defense, we really did a great job and specifically in the defensive front, which is an area that we obviously (required) some replacements."
For BC, defensive recruiting became an early priority for this year's class. The starting defense will lose three of its four starters - Zach Allen, Ray Smith and Wyatt Ray - from the line and safeties Lukas Denis and Will Harris from the secondary. Those players have replacements already in the pipeline, the result of prior planning for their departure. Planning for those available roster spots in turn allowed Addazio to look at intriguing options for his defense.
"Izaiah Henderson, defensive tackle from Mater Dei (High School), (is) coming at mid-semester and (is) a really talented guy," Addazio said. "If he walked in the door right now, you'd think he was already here in college. Really looks the part. Heck of a player. Great student, great guy, played for Dino Mangiero down there (in New Jersey), a good friend of mine, and just a sensational player. Really excited about him.
"Jackson Ness, defensive end from Upper Arlington in Columbus, (Ohio)," Addazio said. "I think he's another guy that when he walks in the door now, you're going to look up and say, 'That's a high school kid?' Super bright, super great fit for BC, really good football player, really good athlete, really going to make an impact at the defensive end position. Really excited about Jackson and his family."
BC echoed that same approach on offense. The offensive line loses Aaron Monteiro, Chris Lindstrom and Jon Baker, and both Tommy Sweeney and Jeff Smith will catch their last passes for BC in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Internal development brought those players in with the intention of replacing them for the future while beginning the process of planning for future life in positions with entrenched depth charts, including both quarterback and running back.
The Eagles return no fewer than three quarterbacks and four running backs who saw time this season, but they received commitments from highly-touted recruits at both positions. Sam Johnson, for example, is a four-star quarterback and rated as the No. 12 signal caller in the nation, and Patrick Garwo is the best running back from Pennsylvania and was highly regarded by all scouting bureaus.
"I love this guy," Addazio said of Johnson. "I think he's got a tremendous arm. He's got unbelievable character. He is the kind of guy that you want, as a quarterback, leading your team with his mindset and his mentality. He'll be here early and (I'm) really looking forward to that. I think the upside with Sam is just incredible. I think we've got a special guy there.
"(Garwo is) a great leader, really explosive," he continued. "His tape is excellent. Fantastic football. Big, strong, physical running back, and we're thrilled to death to have Patrick. Bona fide player."
The roster has an emerging core that showed flashes of its potential throughout the 2018 regular season, and many of those players will return for 2019. That enables the Eagles to allow for heightened expectations in the immediate short-term while continuing to execute a plan for long-term roster health.
"It's a moving target," Addazio said of his team's needs. "You have projected numbers and then things pop up on you. Things happen all the time that don't exactly go according to plan, and you've got to adjust. But you start with roster management. You come up with basically what you want to get accomplished, and if you don't, at some point your roster is going to get out of whack."
National Signing Day is all about optimism and excitement. It's hope for every program's future as student-athletes across the nation commit to programs. It's a cause for celebration within hometowns and on campuses, and that certainly was no different at Chestnut Hill. Each year produces eternal optimism, and while there's still a bowl game left for 2018, the first build to 2019 and beyond is already underway.
"We keep in mind that we get the right guys for our program to succeed here," Addazio said. "I always look through the eyes of what's important to me, and I'm very, very cognizant of that. I'd say we've done a really good job of doing that, of recruiting to that, paying attention to that, and by the way, the actual development of these players. We've been proven to be way more right than we've been wrong."
One thing that doesn't seem to change, though, is the general optimism that always surrounds National Signing Day. The timing might be earlier, but there's still an excitement resonating as high school student-athletes put pen to paper and officially commit to NCAA institutions. It's a time on unmatched excitement, both for the families and friends who will watch their sons and brothers on Saturday and for the institutions who now welcome them with open arms.
"We're real excited about the class that we've signed and moving forward here in 2019," Boston College head coach Steve Addazio said. "The highest rated class that we've had since we've been here, and I believe the highest-rated class since 2003. A lot of good football players."
Rivals.com introduced a ratings system in 2002, and Boston College immediately made an impact within its star system. The sheer amount of information available on athletes in the present day is more prevalent and readily available, though, making this year's class arguably as impressive as those two years.
"I thought we've enhanced our team in areas that we needed to enhance our team," Addazio said. "Certainly, on defense, we really did a great job and specifically in the defensive front, which is an area that we obviously (required) some replacements."
For BC, defensive recruiting became an early priority for this year's class. The starting defense will lose three of its four starters - Zach Allen, Ray Smith and Wyatt Ray - from the line and safeties Lukas Denis and Will Harris from the secondary. Those players have replacements already in the pipeline, the result of prior planning for their departure. Planning for those available roster spots in turn allowed Addazio to look at intriguing options for his defense.
"Izaiah Henderson, defensive tackle from Mater Dei (High School), (is) coming at mid-semester and (is) a really talented guy," Addazio said. "If he walked in the door right now, you'd think he was already here in college. Really looks the part. Heck of a player. Great student, great guy, played for Dino Mangiero down there (in New Jersey), a good friend of mine, and just a sensational player. Really excited about him.
"Jackson Ness, defensive end from Upper Arlington in Columbus, (Ohio)," Addazio said. "I think he's another guy that when he walks in the door now, you're going to look up and say, 'That's a high school kid?' Super bright, super great fit for BC, really good football player, really good athlete, really going to make an impact at the defensive end position. Really excited about Jackson and his family."
BC echoed that same approach on offense. The offensive line loses Aaron Monteiro, Chris Lindstrom and Jon Baker, and both Tommy Sweeney and Jeff Smith will catch their last passes for BC in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. Internal development brought those players in with the intention of replacing them for the future while beginning the process of planning for future life in positions with entrenched depth charts, including both quarterback and running back.
The Eagles return no fewer than three quarterbacks and four running backs who saw time this season, but they received commitments from highly-touted recruits at both positions. Sam Johnson, for example, is a four-star quarterback and rated as the No. 12 signal caller in the nation, and Patrick Garwo is the best running back from Pennsylvania and was highly regarded by all scouting bureaus.
"I love this guy," Addazio said of Johnson. "I think he's got a tremendous arm. He's got unbelievable character. He is the kind of guy that you want, as a quarterback, leading your team with his mindset and his mentality. He'll be here early and (I'm) really looking forward to that. I think the upside with Sam is just incredible. I think we've got a special guy there.
"(Garwo is) a great leader, really explosive," he continued. "His tape is excellent. Fantastic football. Big, strong, physical running back, and we're thrilled to death to have Patrick. Bona fide player."
The roster has an emerging core that showed flashes of its potential throughout the 2018 regular season, and many of those players will return for 2019. That enables the Eagles to allow for heightened expectations in the immediate short-term while continuing to execute a plan for long-term roster health.
"It's a moving target," Addazio said of his team's needs. "You have projected numbers and then things pop up on you. Things happen all the time that don't exactly go according to plan, and you've got to adjust. But you start with roster management. You come up with basically what you want to get accomplished, and if you don't, at some point your roster is going to get out of whack."
National Signing Day is all about optimism and excitement. It's hope for every program's future as student-athletes across the nation commit to programs. It's a cause for celebration within hometowns and on campuses, and that certainly was no different at Chestnut Hill. Each year produces eternal optimism, and while there's still a bowl game left for 2018, the first build to 2019 and beyond is already underway.
"We keep in mind that we get the right guys for our program to succeed here," Addazio said. "I always look through the eyes of what's important to me, and I'm very, very cognizant of that. I'd say we've done a really good job of doing that, of recruiting to that, paying attention to that, and by the way, the actual development of these players. We've been proven to be way more right than we've been wrong."
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