By David Auffenberg
Boston College's Campus Correspondent
RepresentACC.com

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, the Boston College Eagles were dealing with so much adversity that a .500 record seemed almost ambitious for first-year head coach Frank Spaziani. BC's starting quarterback had transferred, ACC defensive player of the year Mark Herzlich received a devastating cancer diagnosis, and several team stalwarts, including BJ Raji and Ron Brace, had moved onto the NFL. So what did BC do? Behind their stingy defense and the steady production of running back Montel Harris, the Eagles admirably tallied an 8-4 regular season record and earned a trip to the Emerald Bowl against USC. Although it wasn't always pretty, BC once again proved their doubters wrong and grinded out another winning season.

Without so much off-the-field disappointment this summer, Spaziani was instead able to focus on his returning squad and the season that lies ahead. There is perhaps no bigger story throughout the entire ACC than the return of Mark Herzlich to the football field after a year of cancer treatments. While the team is confident in Herzlich returning to his former level of play, his emotional presence and leadership alone will provide tremendous value. The offense looks to take a big step in 2010 as the returnees will be more familiar with second year offensive coordinator Gary Tranquill's system, while the defense should remain the team's bread and butter. If the Eagles stay healthy and take advantage of their favorable schedule, they should absolutely contend for the Atlantic Division title. Let's break it down position by position, and then take a stab at the season outlook.

Offense

Tailback Montel Harris

Junior running back Montel Harris, one of five returning 1000-yard rushers in the ACC, will again be the centerpiece of the offense. Already a dangerous weapon, Harris became even more of an asset in 2009 after backup Josh Haden opted to transfer. And with last season's introduction of the Bazooka offense, BC's version of the Wildcat, Harris should see plenty of touches again this year. Rolandan Finch was solid as a fill-in last year, but it appears he is out for the season with a knee injury. Redshirt freshman Sterlin Phifer should assume the backup role. At fullback, senior James McCluskey returns from a torn Achilles and will be looking to pave the way for Harris' 2010 campaign.

Often referred to as "O-Line U", BC once again will boast one of the best offensive line units in the conference. Headlining the front five are a pair of preseason All-ACC first team members who have been named to the pre-season watch list for the Outland Trophy in left tackle Anthony Castonzo and right guard Thomas Claiborne. Castonzo, ranked among the top offensive tackles in the nation, should almost certainly be drafted in the first round of next spring's NFL draft. The Eagles did lose senior center Matt Tennant to the NFL, but experienced guard Nate Richman will slide over and start there. Rounding out the offensive line are sophomore left guard Emmett Cleary and senior right tackle Rich Lapham.

The Eagles lost their all-time receiving yards leader Rich Gunnell to graduation, along with fellow seniors Justin Jarvis and Clarence Megwa. Stepping in as starters this season will be Colin Larmond Jr., last year's primary deep threat, and Billy Flutie. Larmond Jr. hopes to establish himself as Shinskie's go-to guy, a role reserved for Gunnell in 2009. Backups Donte Elliott, Clyde Lee, and Johnathan Coleman will battle for playing time while true freshman Shakim Phillips, one of the prizes of the 2010 recruiting class, will probably avoid a redshirt season if he impresses enough people this preseason.

The tight end position wasn't utilized frequently during Shinskie's freshman season, but hopefully the sophomore QB looks to incorporate this talented bunch more often this year. Last year's starter, Chris Pantale, returns for his sophomore season primed for a breakout year. Lars Anderson, a blocking specialist, and Jordon McMichael will provide the backup duties.

Defense

If the linebackers are the backbone of a team's defense, Boston College has a pretty solid backbone. Not only is 2008 ACC defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich returning from his bout with Ewing's Sarcoma, but BC's leading tackler and last season's ACC defensive Rookie of the Year, Luke Kuechly, is another member of this crew. Mike Morrissey, a former walk-on, also returns as a starter. Should Herzlich not be able to play every down, defensive coordinator Bill McGovern has plenty of options. Nick Clancy, Will Thompson, and Darius Bagan all gained experience last year, and standout freshman Kevin Pierre-Louis is another early enrollee looking to make a name for himself.

Linebacker Luke Kuechly

Special Teams

For the first time since 2006, BC all-time points leader Steve Aponavicius will not be the team's kicker. All-ACC honorable mention punter Ryan Quigley returns, and while it is possible that he could assume both duties, redshirt freshman Nate Freese is another option at kicker. Long-snapper Sean Flaherty and holder Billy Flutie are both back, and DeLeon Gause should handle the majority of the returns.

Outlook

Although the Eagles have far fewer question marks entering this season compared to a year ago, they still have some areas to sort out if they are to contend for an ACC title. First and foremost is selecting the best quarterback to lead this team. If Dave Shinskie represents our best option then he should start, but Spaziani shouldn't let the other quarterbacks' youth be an obstacle to assuming the starting job. After all, Shinskie was a true freshman last season. Elsewhere on the offensive side of the ball, the receivers need to step up and fill the shoes of the departed seniors. It is no secret that the running game is the foundation of BC's offense, but we will need to balance that with an adequate pass attack to keep opposing defenses guessing. Defensively, finding a stable and reliable rotation on the front line will be essential to keeping us in most games.

Last season, the Eagles sometimes looked like a different team when playing on the road. With three of our four regular season losses coming away from Alumni Stadium, the Eagles frequently struggled to establish a rhythm during those games. Luckily, the home schedule shapes up nicely in 2010 as Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Notre Dame all have to travel through Chestnut Hill. Perhaps the most meaningful game of the year comes on October 16th, when the Eagles travel to Tallahassee to square off with Florida State and their Heisman-candidate quarterback Christian Ponder. An upset of the Seminoles could have serious implications for the Atlantic Division title. But as long as BC stays true to their style of hard-nosed football, look for them to be right near the top of the standings come December.