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2010 In Review
Coach Frank Spaziani's second year in Chestnut Hill was a tale of two seasons in one, as the Eagles became the first team in ACC history to record a five-game winning streak after suffering a five-game losing streak in the same year; finishing with a 7-6 overall record and 4-4 in the ACC, a tie for fourth place in the Atlantic Division and an invitation to the Kraft Fight Hunger Bowl, the Eagles' second straight berth in the San Francisco-based bowl game and its 12th consecutive bowl trip... With unanimous All-America linebacker Luke Kuechly leading the way, the Eagles led the nation in defense against the run, allowing just 82.77 yards per game on the ground...A finalist for the Nagurski and Butkus Awards, Kuechly led the nation in tackles, averaging 14.1 per game and keyed a defense which also ranked 13th nationally in total defense, 19th in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense... Offensively, BC relied on first-team All-ACC and third-team All-America TB Montel Harris, who led the ACC and finished 16th nationally in rushing netting 1,243 yards despite missing the final two and half games due to a knee injury...Senior T Anthony Castonzo earned first-team All-America honors and finished his career with a league-high 54 starts...2008 ACC Defensive Player of the Year LB Mark Herzlich, who missed all of 2009 while battling Ewing's Sarcoma, was named, along with NC State LB Nate Irving, the ACC's Brian Piccolo Award-winners, given annually to the Conference's most courageous football student-athlete...G Thomas Claiborne earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors and three Eagles earned Freshman All-America honors: PK Nate Freese, LB Kevin Pierre-Louis and WR Bobby Swigert.
Who's Gone
Boston College loses eight starters--four each on offense and defense--including a quartet on offense of Castonzo, Clairborne, RT Rich Lapham and FB James McCluskey who had 143 starts between them...Defensively, Herzlich will be missed as will CB DeLeon Gause, DT Damik Scafe and DE Brad Newman...Also missing will be Offensive Coordinator Gary Tranquill, who retired after a distinguished career of more than 48 years in the coaching ranks.
2011 Preview
Spaziani will welcome back 16 starters, seven on both sides of the ball, as well as PK Freese and P Ryan Quigley among 42 returning lettermen...Defensively, the Eagles will be led by the linebacker tandem of Kuechly and Pierre-Louis....The nation's leader in tackles in 2010, Kuechly will be a strong contender for national defensive player of the year...Defensive Coordinator Bill McGovern's unit will also be able to count on CB Donnie Fletcher (5) and SS Jim Noel (4), who combined for nine pass interceptions and 16 defended passes last year in the secondary, and senior DT Kaleb Ramsey and junior DE Max Holloway on the defensive line...It is on offense where the Eagles could show the most improvement...New Coordinator Kevin Rogers welcomes back sophomore QB Chase Rettig, who was force-fed as a true freshman a year ago, throwing for 1,238 yards and 6 TDs in nine starts ..Harris will again be the focal point, as he enters his final season within striking distance of the ACC's 33-year-old career rushing record (4,602) with 3,600 career yards, 15th on the all-time ACC rushing list..He will team with sophomore RB Andre Williams (481 yds) to give the Eagles a potent pair at tailback...Rettig should benefit from an improved receiver corps which includes TE Chris Pantale and WR's Colin Larmond, Jr., Ifeanyi Momah, Bobby Swigert and Clyde Lee...took over and totaled 481 yards and a 4.9 per-carry average...BC's biggest chore, though, is rebuilding its offensive line...Senior C Mark Spinney and junior T Emmett Cleary both are returning starters and are joined by senior G Nathan Richman, who started 10 games at either center or guard last fall...sophomore G Ian White, who started three games as a freshman, and junior T John Wetzel emerged from the spring as the starters.
Numbers & Notes
1 - College unanimous All-America LB Luke Kuechly led the nation in tackles in 2010, averaging 14.1 per contest. The Cincinnati, Ohio junior is also the NCAA active career leader in tackles per game, averaging 13.1 for his 26 collegiate starts.
2 - LB Kevin Pierre-Louis is one of three ACC first-year players tabbed as first-team Freshmen All-America in 2010 by the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA). Pierre-Louis ranked second nationally among all freshmen in tackles per game, averaging 7.15 hits a contest to rank ninth overall in the ACC.
21 - Senior RB Montel Harris enters his final season having rushed for 100 or more yards in a game 21 times in his career. The ACC career record is 27, set by NC State's Ted Brown during the 1975-78 seasons. Harris is tied with former FSU All-America Warrick Dunn for third place.
54 - Since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference for the 2005 season, Boston College has won 54 football games, the most in the six-year period in the ACC with the exception of Virginia Tech, which has won 63.
82.77 - Boston College led the nation in defense against the run in 2010, allowing just 82.77 yards per game. BC held Nevada, which entered the game ranked third nationally with 305 rushing yards a game to just 114 yards.
91.7 - Over the last six seasons, Boston College ranks second nationally in total defense, allowing its opponents just 91.7 yards per game over a span of 79 games.
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