Regarded by NFL scouts as the premier nose tackle prospect to enter this years NFL Draft, former Boston College Eagle, BJ Raji, is quickly moving up NFL Mock Drafts everywhere. And deservedly so. 

After abusing opposing centers and tackles at the Senior Bowl, and a strong showing at the NFL combine, BJ Raji is showing the world what Boston College Eagles fans have known all along.

After four years of football and two years of basketball at Westwood Regional High School in New Jersey, Raji was labeled as just a two star prospect by recruiting sites such as Scouts Inc. & Rivals. However he received offers from not only Boston College, but Rutgers as well as Wisconsin. 

Ultimately Raji chose the Eagles, and proved to everyone that recruiting ratings don’t always mean much. You simply cannot measure the heart of a player on a five star ratings system.

In a somewhat unorthodox decision for the Eagles given their past, Raji made the team as a true freshman. He saw limited playing time, racking up just 13 tackles while playing behind starter Tim Bulman. 

However even in that limited time, the flashes of what could be a great defensive player were definitely there. And the hype surrounding Raji at the heights only grew as he entered his sophomore season.

Starting in all 12 games as a sophomore, Raji continued to improve. Showing no signs of a sophomore slump, Raiji finished off the year with 27 tackles, 6.5 of them being tackles for loss, and recording his first sack as an Eagle. 

However when things were beginning to look great for Raji, due to academic reasons, he was forced to sit out the 2007 season.

In his return to the Eagles, Raji looked like a completely different player and was well on his way to establishing himself as one of the top defensive tackles in college football.

As a junior Raji saw his best year at the college level with 16.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a total of 67 tackles on the year.  Starting in the Meineke Car Care Bowl against Navy for the Eagles, Raji totaled three solo tackles, two of which where tackles for loss. 

He was a key piece to what was one of the top defense’s in the country, earning himself All-ACC second team honors and had officially cemented himself as the top 3-4 DT in the country.  Along with Mark Herzlich, Raji helped to form what I consider to be one of the most potent Eagles run defense’s I’ve seen in the last decade.

Now with the draft right around the corner, BJ Raji will be joining a club that includes Matt Ryan & Gosder Cherilus as Eagles who have been selected in the first round of the NFL Draft over the last couple of years.

Some mock drafts have Raji going as high as fifth overall to the Cleveland Browns. But regardless of where Raji ends up on draft day, you can count on one thing—You will be hearing his name called during the first round. Likely within the top 10 selections of the 2009 NFL Draft.

Fun Facts:

- BJ Raji’s younger brother Corey is a shooting guard for the Boston College Eagles, and a projected second round pick in the 2010-2011 NBA Draft.

- BJ Raji himself played two years of high school basketball.

- During his high school playing days, Raji earned All-State, All-Conference, and All-County honors as a senior. Raji was also a two-time All-Bergen County Scholastic League choice.

- Raji received full offers to attend Rutgers, as well as Wisconsin, and was also highly recruited by Michigan State, as well as Iowa.

Join in the discussion at www.nes247.com/forums

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The quarterback is the sexy position. They get all the limelight, all the glory and all of the headlines. 

They also receive the brunt of the blame, the ridicule and the criticism. So it is no wonder that heading into spring football the quarterback is the position of note for fans and the media alike. 

Searches and battles at schools like Michigan, Southern Cal, Alabama and Georgia exemplify the feeding of the media’s quarterback frenzy. 

Even ACC country is caught up with the battle raging at Clemson between Kyle Parker and Willie Korn. 

However, second most anticipated ACC battle has left fans quite disappointed.

Entering spring folks in Tallahasseewere expecting to see Jimbo Fisher’s handpicked recruit EJ Manuel square off against incumbent Christian Ponder but alas this position clash was over before it began with Manuel suffering a dislocated finger on his throwing hand early in spring drills. 

While the nation hones in on quarterback battles and who will win the starting jobs the “meatiest” story of the ACC this off-season will be written on the campuses of Georgia Tech and Boston Colleges. 

Both schools are presented with the same daunting task; replacing the heart, soul and girth of their defenses. 

Although the hog-mollies from the trenches don’t draw the attention that the pretty boys under center command they are every bit as integral to each teams’ winning formula and that is why BC and GT have the biggest shoes to fill in the ACC.

The Georgia Tech duo of Darryl Richard and Vance Walker comprised 583 pounds of man while BJ Raji and Ron Brace accounted for some 663 pounds of the BC front four. 

Both mammoth numbers in and of themselves the impact of these four players was felt on more than just the scales.  Combined the four defensive tackles totaled 136 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks during the 2008 season. 

Each of duos were experienced anchors that not only produced tangible statistical numbers but also served a bigger purpose to their respective squads; they freed up the linebackers to flow to ball carriers and make plays unhampered by the oppositions offensive lines.

Not only were these four players the class of their respective teams, combined they were the class of the conference. 

Vance Walker and BJ Raji taking the two first team All-ACC defensive tackle spots while Brace and Richard occupied the second team slots. 

Frank Spaziani and Paul Johnson will have to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat in order to replace these defensive stalwarts as neither team is particularly well stocked at the tackle position.

For the Ramblin’ Wreck the post Walker and Richard era has a positive outlook in Ben Anderson and TJ Barnes. Anderson saw plenty of action in reserve duty for both Richard and Walker during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. 

The junior has appeared in eighteen games and brings a capable scrappy attitude to the defensive tackle position. Although a bit undersized at 6’2” and a “svelte” 271 pounds Anderson has accounted for a sack and a couple of tackles for loss.

He’ll be counted on by Johnson to be a consistent and productive starter at the defensive tackle position.

While Anderson should be the model of consistency Paul Johnson’s staff stake their defensive line future on the freshman TJ Barnes. Barnes redshirted 2008 and will likely be a four year starter, should he play out all of his eligibility. 

The 6’7” 325 pound youngster from Enterprise, Alabama will look to take over where Vance Walker left off.  He’s an athletic big man with good feet who looks to be fully capable of not only commanding but defeating routine double teams. 

The Jackets will need Barnes to keep their linebackers clean if they hope to return to their status among the nations top rush (24th, 120.3 ypg) and sack defenses (18th, 34 total, 2.62 per game).

The reigning Atlantic Division Champions 2009 defensive tackle replacement prospects are not quite as clear as their Coastal Division foe. 

Frank Spaziani and the Eagles lose the girth that elevated his defense to 7th nationally against the run yielding 91.2 ypg and 26th in the sack department by racking up 35 total and 2.5 per game. 

Damik Scafe a 6’3”, 293 pound sophomore will be the leader in replacing Brace and Raji.  He has some experience including 13 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 1 quarterback hurry in the 2008 season. 

Although limited his experience clearly makes him the elder statesmen as the rest of the roster has zero experience on the defensive line.

Bryan Murray and Kaleb Ramsey are the leaders in auditioning for playing time in 2009.  Murray is a 6’2”, 292 pound freshman with the physical skill set to be a plug in the middle. 

On the other hand Ramsey is a talented athlete who played tight end and defensive end in high school. The freshman is listed at 256 pounds making him quite undersized in the ACC but at 6’3” and built wide he has the frame support the weight he needs to be a successful defensive tackle.

The Boston College trio of Scafe, Murray and Ramsey will have to grow up fast as the linebacking core of the Eagles only returns one starter after the Achilles injury to Mike McLaughlin. Inexperienced linebackers coupled with unproven defensive tackles could be a recipe for run defense disaster in Chestnut Hill.

Both the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets have their work cut out for them as they try to replace All-American, All-ACC and elite NFL draft caliber players on their defensive fronts. 

The fifteen spring practices are the first chance we’ll get to see what Anderson and Barnes will give the ACC’s Coastal Division for the Yellow Jackets, a team expected to be among the nations top fifteen. 

In the Atlantic Division new headman Frank Spaziani will have to hold open auditions to fill the holes in what once was the seventh best rush defense in the nation. 

Scafe and Anderson have proven themselves capable in spots now each will get a chance to be THE MAN instead of just A GUY in the rotation. 

Out of the young players working to get their first minutes Barnes looks to be the most promising but Murray’s stout build could position him to be a reliable middle defender. 

B.J. Raji,    Boston College,   DT/NT,    6'2",    337lbs

B.J. Raji stood outside the Boston College Sports Complex and cried. Just two days before the end of training camp in 2007, he had just been told he was academically ineligible to play football in the 2007 season.

It wasn't because of his grades.  An academic advisor had miscalculated his credits, and through no fault of his own, he was three credits short of the NCAA's requirements. It would become a test of his character, and one that he would pass with an A+.

B.J. Raji grew up in Washington Township, NJ, the oldest of three children. His father had immigrated to the USA from Nigeria and both parents are Pentecostal ministers. B.J., whose real name is Busari, was active in his church, playing drums and tutoring children.

He attended Westwood Regional High School in Bergen County NJ, where besides football, he played basketball for two years. He gave up basketball when he realized "I wasn't going to get any taller, and I wasn't going to be Allen Iverson."

While in high school, he was a three-year starter on both offense and defense, and received some personal tutoring from former NJ Giant J.T. Turner.

He really blossomed in his senior year, recording 75 tackles, 7.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Raji earned NJ All-State honors and was selected to play in the Governor's Bowl, where top HS seniors from New Jersey and New York compete before their college careers begin.

B.J. received offers from several Division I colleges, including Wisconsin and Rutgers. He chose Boston College because he liked the campus, and they have a strong recruiting presence in North Jersey.

As a freshman with the Eagles, Raji cracked the DL rotation and played in eight games.

His sophomore year, he started all 12 contests at right defensive tackle, registering 27 tackles (20 solos), 1.5 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss and one pass breakup.

As junior year rolled around, Raji's weight had ballooned to 350 pounds.  Head coach Jeff Jagodzinski insisted he get down to the 320-330 range by the season's start, and B.J. did just that.

He went on to have a solid, if unspectacular season, earning second team All-ACC honors. He finished the season having started 12 games, with 23 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks.

Raji was primed for his senior season, working incredibly hard in the offseason and reporting to training camp 20 pounds lighter than the previous year. As training camp drew to a close, he got the horrible news about his academic ineligibility.

"The first week or two, I said to myself, "Man, this is going to be tough," Raji told The Boston Globe before the 2008 season. "But then I decided that I could use this for better or worse, depending on what I did. I made the decision to make things better by turning my attention to my schoolwork and trying to make the best of it."

He also decided to help out however he could. He participated in every practice, playing for the scout team and handing out pointers to the guys actually playing in games.

"There wasn't any sulking about it," his defensive-line coach, Jeff Comissiong, said. "It helped him to understand that he needed to prioritize things in his life. It helped him mature quite a bit. And his teammates had more respect for him because of it. He was doing everything he can to help out. It was fun having him around because it was like having another coach around."

Raji got through that difficult year and came back stronger and more motivated than ever. Projected as a third round draft choice before his final season, he moved up into first round territory with a fantastic senior year.

For much of 2008, Raji was unblockable and showed what a truly dominant force he can be when in shape and motivated. He played in 13 games and recorded 42 tackles, 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks from the defensive tackle position.

Raji was invited to, and played in, the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama. He had a superb week of practice and game play. He often outworked, and was practically unblockable against some of the best guard and center prospects in the draft. That showing safely moved Raji into the top half of the first round.

Next, at the NFL Scouting Combine, Raji bench pressed 225 lbs., 33 times, which was fifth best amongst all 53 defensive lineman, and ran the 40-yard dash in 5.13 seconds, not bad for someone who weighs 337 pounds. He raised some eyebrows when he displayed more quickness than expected.

Raji seems to be a favorite of Green Bay Packers fans for their first selection with the ninth pick of the draft. I think he brings back memories of Gilbert Brown (The Gravedigger). Do the Packers' GM and coaches feel the same way? We'll know on April 26th.


SCOUTING Report from NFLDraftScout.com

Analysis

Positives: Flashes rare burst off the snap for a man his size and can penetrate into the backfield and disrupt the play without necessarily making the tackle. ... Good strength and mass at the point of attack to create a pile. ... Good short-area lateral quickness. ... Experienced. Missed the 2007 season due to academics, but leaves BC with 38 career starts. ... Locates the ball quickly and works to make the play. ... At his best lining up at the nose, though he flashes the initial burst off the snap to be effective as the under-tackle in the 4-3 alignment. ... Strong enough to pull down ballcarriers with just his arms. ... Arguably the single-most dominant player during the week of practice at the Senior Bowl.

Negatives: Marginal height for the position. ... Only adequate to shed blocks due to his short arms and lack of sustained quickness. ... Rare quickness in confined space, but lacks the speed to sustain and struggles to make an impact outside of the guard box. ... Flashes the burst off the snap for the three-technique (under tackle in the 4-3 alignment), but is only a marginal pass rusher. ... Relies on his initial burst off the snap and an occasional spin move to pressure. ... Reliable tackler, but lacks the balance and lateral quickness to break down and make the tackle in space. ... Most effective when operating as part of a rotation. ... Maturity is a concern. ... Has struggled with his weight, playing in 2006 at more than 350 pounds. ... Was suspended for the first half of the Clemson game in 2006 for throwing a punch at a Central Michigan player. ... Missed the entire 2007 season due to academics.


Videos:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UQ2YGE9SLM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pj2X92O3OVQ

Road block, space eater, and run stuffer are all phrases used to describe the best two-gap defensive tackles in the NFL. All week at the Under Amour North-South Senior Bowl, they have been the terms used to describe B.J. Raji.

The 6'1" 323-to-344 pound defensive tackle from Boston College has been impressing coaches and scouts since day one of practice with his explosive get-off and quick steps. 

As long as he doesn’t end-up on his back all day during January 24ths Senior Bowl, Raji has done everything in his power to become a top-10 draft pick.

Practices at the Senior Bowl are equally as, if not more important, than the actual game.  The North and South teams are coached by NFL coaching staffs.  This year, Cincinnati is coaching the North, while Jacksonville is coaching the south. 

The Bengals have the sixth pick in the draft, and it has been suspected that they may take Raji because of his disruptive demeanor on the field. The Senior Bowl is a great opportunity for players to increase their draft stock, by performing in front of NFL coaches and personnel.

In 2007, Patrick Willis used the game to impress then-49ers and Senior Bowl coach Mike Nolan, and was he was selected 11th overall in the draft.

In 2008, D-1AA quarterback Joe Flacco proved he could play with the big-boys, and elevated his draft status from the third Round to eventually being chosen as the 18th overall pick. 

Accompanying Raji to the game is his Boston College linemate, 6'3" 329 pound defensive tackle Ron Brace.  Like Raji, Brace is impressing coaches despite having more negatives such as a sloppy build and average quickness.

Raji isn't perfect either; he is shorter than the prototype DT, so although he can get under blockers, it's harder from him to generate ideal power.  On the other hand he is roughly the same size as the Patriots' disruptive force Vince Wilfork, and he has a very similar playing style.

He has a mean streak that he displayed in 2006 by punching a Central Michigan player.  He also has a lazy streak displayed by his academic issues.

As a senior Raji recorded seven sacks, but his height limits his ability to deflect passes at the line of scrimmage. Despite non-ideal size, Raji is the only elite defensive tackle prospect in this year's draft.

Cincinnati is lacking d-line play and could land him at six, although that may be a reach.  San Francisco could continue to sure-up their defense with the 10th pick.  Many suspect Raji will land to Denver with the 12th pick, however.

If Raji falls below 12 don't be surprised to see a team trade-up to get him.  Since losing Shaun Rogers the Lions have been lacking an inside presence.  The Raiders, Jaguars, Packers, and Bills also had trouble stopping the run and could all benefit from Raji.  If for some reason Raji slips, he won't go past the Colts at 27.

NFL Draft Big Board

For anyone who’s never lived in New England, the winters tend to make days long, cold, and dreary.

Since the calendar turned, the Boston College athletic department must feel like they’ve been caught in a Nor’easter.

On the morning of Dec. 31, life was good for BC.

The football team was preparing to play Vanderbilt that afternoon in the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl in Nashville. And while the Commodores, playing 15 minutes from their campus, surely would have a home-field advantage of sorts, why should that matter to the Eagles?

After all, Boston College was riding an eight-game bowl win streak, longest in the nation.

Vanderbilt, a team that struggled to score points, entered the game with a 6-6 record. To make the task at hand even more difficult, Vandy would have to play against a B.C. defense that not only was one of the best in the country but also led the nation in interceptions.

The stars seemed to be aligning just right for the Eagles to extend their bowl win streak.

The Commodores apparently never received that memo.

Vandy used a stifling defense of its own to thwart the BC offense and escape with a 16-14 victory. To add insult to injury, Vanderbilt’s lone touchdown was scored on a fumble recovery in the end-zone.

Boston College’s defense kept their opponent out of the end zone but it wasn’t enough. For the first time since New Year’s Eve 1999, BC would head home from their bowl game after tasting defeat.

This was just the beginning of a 12-day stretch that resulted in the high of highs and the low of lows reverberating throughout the campus.

Fast-forward to Sunday Jan. 4.

The men’s basketball ACC slate opened with a trip to Chapel Hill, NC for a showdown with the No. 1 ranked Tar Heels.

Talk about drawing the short straw.

Heading into the season, Carolina was by far and away the choice to be the last team standing when the dust of March Madness settles.

On the other hand, Boston College didn’t have nearly the expectations that the Heels did. In fact, the only expectations for the Eagles were another lousy year similar to last season.

At least that’s what the ACC media thought when they picked B.C. to finish 11th, just one spot out of the cellar and ahead of Virginia.

To some extent, a lack of expectations for the Eagles was warranted.

Saying this team is young (10 total freshmen and sophomores) is like saying Florida gets hot in the summer. No kidding.

But a lack of expectations didn’t mean there wasn’t hope. All-ACC first teamer Tyrese Rice still plays for B.C. And the experience that sophomores Rakim Sanders, Josh Southern, Biko Paris, and Corey Raji obtained during last year’s 14-17 campaign should translate into more wins this time around.

Did it ever.

The young Eagles weren’t intimidated by the crowd, the Dean Dome, the magnitude of the game, and most of all, the Tar Heels.

And when it was all said and done, behind a combined 64 points from Rice, Sanders, and freshman Reggie Jackson, B.C. had ruined the Heels ACC coming out party.

David had slain mighty Goliath. And in doing so, thrust themselves right into the lead sports story all across the country.

For any fan of the program, while the bowl loss to Vanderbilt was still stinging for some, this certainly would help heal the wound.

The excitement and euphoria generated an immediate buzz about the basketball team. How good are these guys? Can they make the NCAA’s?

But the thrill of the victory would soon be overshadowed by shocking news about the football team.

The same night as the basketball team defeated North Carolina, word started to circulate that Eagles’ football coach Jeff Jagodzinski intended to interview with the New York Jets for their vacant head coaching position.

Jagodzinski came to BC at the conclusion of the 2006 season after former coach Tom O’Brien opted for the same position at conference rival North Carolina State.

Coach Jags signed a five-year contract.

The Eagles had immediate success under their new coach.

In his first two seasons, BC won a total of 20 games and played in the ACC championship twice, although they lost to Virginia Tech each time.

Immediately, Boston College Athletic Director Gene DeFilippo let it be known that should Jagodzinski follow through with that interview, the second-year coach would be terminated.

So, as quickly as the men’s basketball team had become the toast of the college hoops world, they were just as quickly pushed to the back page.

Jagodzinski, knowing the price he could pay, eventually did meet and interview with the Jets on Tuesday.

Upon returning to Boston, Jagodzinski met with DeFilippo on Wednesday morning.

That afternoon, the AD followed through on his promise and fired Jagodzinski.

The shine from the upset of North Carolina just three days prior was gone and BC was now in a position they never dreamed they’d occupy.

DeFilippo now had to search for a new football coach.

A day that started out poorly for BC was about to become much, much worse.

The Eagles later that evening took the court at the Silvio O. Conte forum for a contest with cross-town Ivy Leaguers, the Harvard Crimson.

Thanks to their win at UNC, the Eagles were now ranked. And their opponent that evening had never in their program’s history bested a ranked opponent. Makes for a good combination, right?

What’s more, Harvard would play the game without two starters and two key reserves. All four players were shelved with injuries.

All the Eagles had to do was show up with the same focus and intensity they’d displayed at Chapel Hill and surely their outmanned opponent would go quietly into the night.

But instead, the unthinkable happened.

Boston College was now the hunted and Harvard became the hunter.

The Crimson led at the half 33-27 and never looked back.

And with a 16-point lead with 5:01 to play, this one was salted away.

Harvard had finally notched their first win over a ranked opponent while the Eagles were left to wonder what had just happened.

All the adulation their win over North Carolina earned them had just been relinquished with 40 minutes of uninspired basketball and lack-luster defense.

The evening had ended the same way the day began. With a stunning result that no one would’ve predicted merely a week prior.

While the Eagles don’t yet know who their next coach will be, they do know the identity of their best linebacker.

Mark Herzlich, the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, announced his intentions to return to school for his senior year as opposed to tossing his name into the NFL Draft.

Herzlich, who tied for the team lead in interceptions (six) as a linebacker, was the leading tackler the Eagles and will surely provide strength and leadership for a defense that loses tackles B.J. Raji and Ron Brace.

Who will be coaching Herzlich and the rest of his teammates?

While that has yet to be determined, the front-runner is believed to be current Eagles defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani.

As DeFilippo sorts through his coaching candidates list, the men’s basketball team returned to the court this evening for their second conference game of the season against the visiting Miami Hurricanes.

While winning every league game is important, perhaps the first order of business this evening was to wash away the taste left in their mouths from the humiliating loss to Harvard.

Alas, it wasn’t to be.

After leading by five at the half, Miami held on to win 77-71, thus dropping the Eagles to 1-1 in conference play.

What started as a week full of promise for the Eagles ended up going horribly wrong.

And the schedule isn’t going to get any easier as BC as the play host to undefeated and No. 4 ranked Wake Forest next Wednesday.

For all the turmoil the football and basketball teams have endured over almost the past two weeks, Eagles fans can take solace in their No. 9 ranked men’s hockey team.

Come to think of it, they lost at Vermont tonight, 4-2. When’s spring break?

...but you can never leave?

Here at Today's ACC Headlines, we enjoy Sally Jenkins’ take on the world of sports. The daughter of famous sportswriter Dan Jenkins, we find her view from the distaff side of the aisle interesting, although we do frequently disagree with her opinions.

Jenkins’ column in Wednesday’s Washington Post was no different for T.A.H., as she applauded Boston College’s firing of their head football coach, saying, among other things:

“More than one morally supple sham has noisily demanded commitments from his players, while failing to live up to his own, and Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski is hardly the first coach to treat a signed contract like a disposable tissue. But Boston College athletic director Gene DeFilippo, rigid conventionalist that he is, thinks a signature on paper ought to be binding.”

She goes on to deride Jagodzinski for a variety of reasons, including his not telling his friend DeFilippo that he was going to interview with the Jets (hmmm...maybe he knew his old buddy would fire him!). In addition, she applauds DeFilippo’s position and notes how in firing Jagodzinski for violating the “spirit” of his contract, he has “made the spine of every other athletic director and college president around the country a little stiffer.”

"We will find somebody who really wants to be at Boston College and will be here for the length of their contract," DeFilippo said.

While we won’t contest anything Jenkins said, and we remain fully aware of the hypocrisy that is college sports on so many levels, Jenkins, and others who share her view, are telling just one side of the story.

Let’s rewind. Apparently—and clearly, according to DeFilippo—Jagodzinski should be the coach of the Eagles through the term of his contract. Correct us if we’re wrong, but is that a two-way street?

Is DeFilippo going to be waving the “signature on paper ought to be binding” flag when Jagodzinski loses too many games (for any number of reason within or beyond his control), and he fires him just ahead of a pack of screaming and drooling fans, alums, and boosters crying out for the coach’s head? We think not.

Do the names Mike Shanahan and Phil Fulmer mean anything to the folks who deride Jagodzinski? Both reached the pinnacle of their professions, winning Super Bowls and College National Championships, and both were removed involuntarily prior to the date on the piece of paper DeFilippo trumpets so proudly.

Nobody in the system—not coaches, one-and-done players, athletic directors, presidents, chancellors, board of visitors, the NCAA, and yes, everybody’s favorite whipping boy, the BCS—has cornered the market on “what’s in it for me?”

College football is a business. It's part of the multi-billion dollar entertainment industry with many business components that are similar to the television and movie industries.

In spite of the affiliation with institutions of higher learning and the education of our children, we all should be realistic about the business aspect of the games we love. If NCAA schools are going to make millions on football, don’t get all high and mighty when the CEO of the team is acting like a capitalist with the same agenda as the corporate sponsors, universities, and television networks that profit from the games.

If you can fire a coach for going 5-9, shouldn’t he be able to interview for a job when he’s 9-5?

Oh, by the way, Darrius Heyward-Bey of Maryland, Kevin Ogletree of Virginia, and Everette Brown of FSU announced this week that they will be leaving those schools (where they signed a four-year commitment) early to pursue economic opportunities in professional football.

Sound familiar?

(Getty Images and Reuters Images)

A poll on FOXSPORTS.com shows that 75 percent of respondents (over 130,000 votes cast) believe that Boston College football head coach Jeff Jagodzinski should not be fired, the reasoning being that "Coaches interview for other jobs all the time."

(For the record, Jagodzinski was indeed fired after interviewing for the New York Jets' head coaching job without discussing it first with his current employers.)

Let's stop here for a second and review the reasoning why Jagodzinski should not be fired: "Coaches interview for other jobs all the time."

Come again?

Look, I don't begrudge Jagodzinski looking to move up the ladder into a pro coaching job with the New York Jets, but the amount of movement in college and pro football of coaches is getting ridiculous.

A contract means nothing anymore. In baseball, a contract is a contract. You don't see Joe Torre bolting from the New York Yankees in midseason to coach USC, like you saw Bobby Petrino bolt on the Atlanta Falcons to return to college.

In fact, it's so rare to see a manager in baseball move to another team in the middle of a contract that the manager has to be part of a trade, much like when the Tampa Bay then-Devil Rays acquired manager Lou Piniella from the Seattle Mariners for Randy Winn.

In football? Coaches move around with relative ease. Want out of your job? No problem. Interview somewhere else, accept the job, and leave.

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe expounded on this situation on Wednesday:

...So many coaches and ballplayers see contracts as security without obligation.

No. It's supposed to be both. When you sign a guaranteed contract, you forfeit some independence and chances to better your position for the duration of the deal. You take security over potential opportunity. If you don't produce, the company still pays you. In exchange, the company knows you are bound to work for it until the deal expires. Pretty simple, right?

Not if you're coach of a big-time college program. In that case, you tell your AD and all of your recruits that you are going to be there. You lie. And then you bail when there's a chance of a better gig. You make a date for the prom, then stand up your date after the corsage has been purchased—just because somebody better-looking offered to go with you.

This situation is especially untenable in football when athletes regularly sit out, demanding better contracts. To an extent, this makes sense. They don't have the financial security that basketball and baseball players do. What you sign for, you make, period, so you can understand them demanding restructuring of contracts.

Not so on the coach's end. Their salaries are mostly guaranteed money and represent a commitment by an organization to a head coach—and supposedly, vice versa.

Not to say that it's solely Jagodzinski's fault, or Bobby Petrino, or even Nick Saban. Organizations are guilty of this as well, firing head coaches as soon as they see a more palatable option on the horizon.

Everyone knew the Cleveland Browns were going to dump Romeo Crennel after the season because they thought they would get Bill Cowher. After not getting him, they had egg on their face and moved on.

However, these incidents with organizations are few and far between (and to be fair, the firing of Crennel was defensible despite him being handicapped without his two top quarterbacks; had he made the playoffs, I doubt he'd be out of a job right now) while they occur with startling regularity in college and pro football with head coaches.

How can this be fixed? It's going to take an innovative organization willing to pony up extra years and dollars to make this happen.

But one day, a head coach will sign a contract (most likely with a college football team, as college football head coaches are the ones making the headlines...need I mention Jagodzinski, Petrino, and Saban again?) stipulating that he may not interview for any other job with any other organization except without prior written permission from a club.

The coach shall have no recourse to escape his contract should the organization deny that coach the opportunity to interview unless an organization at the professional level offers said coach the head coaching job, with no formal interview.

One day, it will happen. A contract these days signing a head coach to a job in college football (and to a lesser extent, professional football) doesn't mean a thing. It might as well be a year-to-year commitment.

That needs to change, and until it does, we will continually see people jump ship for better jobs in better organizations.

The argument from the other side does hold some water in that people can negotiate contracts with competing companies in just about any profession. However, for the most part, those that jump ship do so as "free agents" and generally operate under a no-competition clause that prevents them from starting their new job for a period of time. (Rick Reilly, anyone?)

Not so in college football. Petrino's was the nuttiest situation, when he left a cushy college football head coaching job to become the coach of the Atlanta Falcons. He then bailed midseason back to a different college program.

I wish I could say that I can't envision the day a college football head coach signs a contract with one college football team then the very next day bails to a professional franchise, only to bail again the day after to a different college football team. But it's scarcely feasible.

From Saban to Petrino (the worst offender of all) to Jagodzinski, there is a culture being bred that a contract is not worth the paper it's being written on. And that's simply not good business.

Originally published here.

I am taking this post in two different directions; but in the interest of brevity I will make sure that both directions are short and both lead to the same conclusion…

The New York Jets should not hire Jeff Jagodzinski.

Direction 1: Why did BC Fire him?

Jagodzinski was fired after two years as the head coach of BC. In those two years he made it to the ACC championship game twice and also made Matt Ryan the most sought after QB in the 2008 rookie class.

I guess what I’m trying to say is; Jagodzinski did nothing but succeed at BC. There is absolutely no way that meeting the Jets caused this firing.

I call it the Jermaine O’Neal rule. Jermaine O’Neal destroyed his knee by awkwardly sliding as he punched a Detroit Pistons fan in the face. The Pacers however didn’t want that to be his defining image, so they swiftly changed the cause of injury to “playing basketball.”

There is absolutely no way that a head coach who won 20 games in the last 2 years would just be dismissed for interviewing for another job…I don’t even care if it’s a Catholic school. For this to have happened, Jagodzinski must have been a world class prick.

His most recent actions would indicate that as well. Jagodzinski, who was apparently very close with Boston College AD Gene DeFilippo, did not even call him to let him know when he would be interviewing with the Jets.

There has to be some other reason why he was fired. There is no way a job interview led to his canning, or else 90% of America would not be employed. Which leads me to…

Direction 2: Nobody enjoys sympathy play.

So we’ve all been there. There is a girl (or guy) sitting across from you telling you how miserable they are and how their romantic lives are in the crapper. You know what needs to happen, even if you don’t want to do it. You put your arm around this individual and then proceed to have dumb emotionless sympathy play.

Here’s the problem. The Jets might be the only team dumb enough to turn this situation into Jeff Jagodzinski mercy play. The Jets need more than a successful college coach right now. This rings especially true for a Jets team that in the past has experimented with college coaches, and failed miserably.

I don’t know very much about the history of Jagodzinski, but I really don’t need to. I know that he is nowhere near being the most qualified candidate for the Jets job.

If the Jets do end up hiring him, I can’t help but think that it will be very similar to the case in Direction 1. There is more than appears on the surface.

It’s the same thing that you tell yourself the next morning when you wake up next to them, hitting yourself in the face over what you just did. It’s okay to feel bad for them. But once you screw them, you screw yourself too. Because then you are in for years of emotional strain.

Don't hang your head, Jags. I know it seems like a raw deal you lost your job at B.C. for interviewing for the head coach position with the New York Jets, a job you probably won't get. But don't fret. This situation ends with Boston College losing out on a fantastic coach and with Coach Jags getting to move on to bigger and better things, even if it isn't the NFL.

Jagodzinski just completed his second season with the Golden Eagles, finishing up 9-5 after back-to-back losses in the ACC Championship game to Virginia Tech, and then in the Music City Bowl to Vanderbilt. In his first season, the rookie coach rode the success and stellar arm of Matt Ryan to an 11-3 season and a 24-21 victory in the Champs Sports Bowl.

Let's examine this thoroughly though. Jags was contacted by the Jets, who are interested in Bill Cowher, Bill Callahan, Steve Spagnuolo, and now Russ Grimm. He decided to take the interview with them, refusing to let the Boston College athletic department know of his intentions. Hmmm...does anyone REALLY think Jags is going to get this job over the other candidates. So what the heck is he thinking?

Well, for starters, he could be thinking he is/was the head coach at Boston College. For the past two years, BC has had very good seasons, won the ACC Coastal division twice. But, what do they have to show for it? A trophy from the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl. I guarantee you this isn't what Jags envisioned when he left Green Bay in 2007. I mean, come on, even the runner up from the Pac 10 (Oregon in Holiday Bowl) played in a higher profile bowl game. Same for the fifth best team in the SEC (LSU in Capital One Bowl).

This isn't just two years we're talking about here, though. This is what BC has to look forward to as long as they don't reel in top flight recruits, something they don't and can't do. I mean come on, sunny Gainseville...or frigid Chestnut Hill.

On top of that, look at the talent that Jags would have returning at BC. Better yet, look at the talent that is NOT. Senior QB Chris Crane, who filled in admirably as a game-manager. Top wideout Brandon Robinson, who was the team's best receiver and most explosive play maker. Of course, there is always Dominique Davis. The freshman QB took over towards the end of the season and preceded to complete less than 50 percent of his passes.

If I were Jags, I'm pretty sure I would take the same risk and try for my dream job, a head coaching spot in the NFL, despite the fact it might cost me the opportunity to go 4-8 next year at B.C., potentially putting me on the hot seat going in to 2010.

That's just me.

Like I said, this whole thing is Boston College's loss, and Jags has really nothing to lose, and potentially everything to gain.

This storyline is all too similar to an onion.  Not only does it reek and make sports fans cry, but there are also many layers—layers which will most likely never be revealed to the public. 

As first reported by Chris Mortensen on ESPN, promptly followed by an appearance on the Bottom Line and used as a lead-in to Boston College's men's basketball team's amazing victory over then-No. 1 UNC, Boston College AD Gene DeFilippo issued an ultimatum to his football coach.  According to Mortensen, if Jeffrey Jagodzinski interviewed for the Jets opening as head coach, he would be fired.

Boston College fans ran to their computers to spit out rumors, accusations, and "I told you so's" on the message boards.  Sports reporters began to dig into the story, and at the same time, the collective opinionist in every person who heard the story came out.

Who was GDF to issue such an ultimatum?  Who leaked the story?  Who was in the wrong?  What did the contract really stipulate?  Did Jags or DeFilippo lie to the press Saturday and Sunday?

There is an old adage, "There are three sides to every story: One party's, the other party's, and the truth."  We may never truly know the answer to all of those questions, but one thing is for sure: Unless it comes out that the ultimatum was a media fabrication, which all signs point toward that not being the case, Jagodzinski can never return to BC as a coach.

When hired by the school, Jags pledged to bring in "the very best possible staff," along with "difference-makers" on the recruiting trail.  He added that he would reach a level of success unseen by his predecessor.  The jury is out on his staff, though Frank Spaziana, a holdover, is heralded for his defense and Steve Logan has an impressive résumé. 

The recruits, however, have not come, despite two appearances in the ACC Championship Game and the success of Matt Ryan in the NFL.  Thus far, Boston College only has 10 commitments in this year's class; only one is rated four stars or above, and five are not rated at all.

Though the recruiting sites have been wrong before, and Jags has shown he can find "diamonds in the rough" with stars like Montel Harris and Anthony Costanzo, the results have not been stellar on the recruiting trail, which apparently has not pleased DeFilippo and made Jags question his place in the college game.

Now, with an already questionable recruiting class, Jagodzinski has jeopardized it even further by adding in the possibility of a coaching change.  The few stars may disappear with the uncertainty of the program, and those players who have the possibility to go pro may do so once a new coach is picked.

Jagodzinski's ego and desire to chase the elusive American dream, coupled with DeFilippo's ego and comprehension of an unwritten agreement, may throw the program into a tailspin for years to come.

IF Coach Jagodzinski lied to the AD about the Jets' interest, and if he truly did have enough of the recruiting game, the school should get rid of him regardless of the interview results.  Boston College may never be a destination for a coach, though Frank Spaziana may disagree, it should not be a two-year layover.  That is not good for the school, for the program, or for the players who commit to you and your system.

No matter who leaked this story to the media, the situation was handled poorly by my alma mater.  Much like the betting scandals of basketball teams in the past, or transgressions of expelled football players, the school has cast a dark, dark cloud over itself in the media.  It is a PR nightmare that could affect the hiring of coaches, teachers, and administrators down the line, as well as recruiting. 

It now must act quickly, smoothly, and properly in cleaning it up.  GDF and Jags must appear in public together to patch things up, the coach must quit, or the school must fire him with more substantial reasons than just the interview itself.

It must also find an appropriate coach to follow up Jags—one that will tolerate a politician AD, that can commit to at least four years at the school, and one that can keep the players, recruits, and fans as passionate as they have grown the last few years.

Boston College may never be a powerhouse in football.  It already does a great job graduating student-athletes and being consistently ranked in football, men's and women's basketball, men's and women's hockey, and sailing.  Fan support has grown tremendously, if not exponentially, over the last few years.

If the team goes into a tailspin, it will all go away, and the success and marketing of teams past will be all for naught. 

BC does two things well: educate and remain consistent.  A new coach, found internally or externally, must continue that next year, or ramifications will be felt via fan support, donations, and recruiting for years to come.

Is a 62-year-old, an OC who's said he does not want to HC anymore, or a man with a losing record at LaTech right for the job?  Is a friend of the AD or a passed over candidate two years ago the choice now?  Gene DeFilippo had successfully handled transitions and transgressions in the past, but he has never botched something as publicly as this.  The pressure is on him now to prove his worth, or lose his job.

Jeffrey Jagodzinski, the man who pledged his commitment to the school for "years to come" in his first presser, has jeopardized the program, and so has Gene DeFilippo.  It is hard to imagine one head not rolling as a result, but don't be surprised if a year later, after a new coach is transitioned in, a second head rolls and you have the ability to chase your dream of becoming an Athletic Director. 

If you were a recruit, though, would you commit to a coach that has publicly shown interest in taking off so quickly and shown so little commitment to a program, especially if that coach teaches an offensive scheme not perfected by many others and that could require you to completely change the game? 

I will not hide my opinion.  I love Boston College, and I loved Jags as a coach.  He has, however, jeopardized a program I follow passionately, and for that he should be fired. Someone, even if it is someone at the tail end of his career who will use it as a "stepping down" stone, should be brought in.

Gene DeFilippo, for all the good he has done, has just put the first taps on a nail in his coffin with this debaucherous situation.  That coffin, however, is made of balsa wood, and one little thing can drive that nail home.

There is another old adage that this story brings to mind: "Only time will tell."