Boston College Football

Boston College's defense is giving the 2012 NFL draft one of its truly elite prospects, but another overlooked prospect left his mark on the minds of the NFL personnel in attendance last week in Chestnut Hill.

CBS Sports Rob Rang reports that 27 teams were in attendance, and NESN's Jeff Howe passes along that one of those teams, the Philadelphia Eagles, had their LB coach, Mike Caldwell, run the drills for sure-fire first-round LB Luke Kuechly. That is interesting because many are taking Kuechly out of consideration for the No. 15 pick after the Eagles traded for former Houston Texans LB Demeco Ryans.

Kuechly stood on his outstanding combine numbers, but his LB workout focused on "pass drops, footwork and reading and reacting," according to Howe.

Kuechly explained:

"I haven't done a whole lot of man coverage, so I can't tell people I'm off the charts with it," Kuechly said. "It's a lot of technique work. We worked on it a little bit down in Florida, just kind of different techniques, but I think it's a lot of technique work and something I've just got to pick up on the fly."

According to Howe, Kuechly also passed along that he has a visit coming up with Carolina, who hold the No 9 overall pick.

CB Donnie Fletcher was passed over by the combine, but he showed that he probably won't be passed over in the draft at his pro day. Fletcher already has a formidable 6'1" 195 frame, and when you add the 4.38-4.44 40 times that Rang reported, all of a sudden, Fletcher becomes an excellent sleeper. As Rang points out, we should expect Fletcher to be one of the first non-combine invites to be drafted next month.

The offseason is the season for stupid, and Boston College's Jaryd Rudolph keeps this trend going with his recent antics. The sophomore defensive tackle for the Eagles has been suspended from the team after being arrested today. Rudolph was brought in and charged with illegally audiotaping a consensual sexual encounter, according to The Boston Globe.

Two facts surrounding this case standout: Rudolph is being charged with making an audio recording, and he was allegedly recording his roommate, not himself.

The defensive tackle allegedly made an audio recording of the sexual encounter between his roommate and a female student, and then proceeded to distribute the clip. The distribution of the clip led to the embarrassment of the female grad student and thus resulted in the arrest, once the clerk magistrate deemed there was ample evidence to warrant a criminal charge.

Rudolph plans to enter a not-guilty plea for the charge that carries up to two and half years in prison. That's right: prison.

Making recordings of parties that are unaware of the taping violates the state's wiretapping laws, and with this case sitting in court, it has become more than just boys behaving badly. However, Rudolph's lawyer has countered by saying that not only is his client innocent, but it is in serious question as to whether or not the recording actually exists.

As it stands, Rudolph is on university probation in addition to his team suspension, and is being forced to undergo educational training and counseling. The court date is set for April 17th and until then, Rudolph has been ordered to stay away from the woman involved in the recording.

This somewhat bizarre case is just a reminder to folks everywhere: Don't do dumb things.

No matter what sounds were coming out of the room next door or from under the sheets, recording them proved to be a horrible decision and spreading them to one—or 100—people on campus was an even worse choice. The offseason doesn't mean turn your brain off, guys.

The Philadelphia Eagles better hope that Luke Kuechly is still on the board by the time their 15th selection rolls around, or else they could be missing out on the best linebacker available—and someone who could help bolster up a defense in need of a dominating presence.

With the NFL scouting combine less than a week away, NFL Network analyst Mike Maycock lauded Kuechly as “the best inside linebacker in this draft by far” and someone with “great instincts," according to Jonathan Tamari of The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Eagles, who finished 8-8 in 2011 and ranked eighth in the league in net yards allowed, have very few gaping holes on the roster, other than at linebacker. Given their struggles with drafting star defensive talent, according to Philly.com, now is their chance to right that ship—and to avoid spending millions of dollars locking up a free agent somewhere down the line.

Kuechly won a slew of awards in 2011, including the Dick Butkus Award, after finishing the season with 191 solo tackles and three interceptions. He could provide Philly with stability at the position in the short-term and some much-needed longevity for years to come.

One scout told CBS Sports’ Rob Rang that Kuechly “might be the safest player in the draft” and someone who can be “the quarterback of your defense for the next 10 years because of his leadership and preparation.”

Kuechly recorded 532 total tackles throughout his career at BC—the second-most in program history, and in three seasons, no less—and he led the nation in total and solo tackles in both 2010 and 2011. He finished second in both categories as a true freshman in 2009.

Aside from Kuechly, here are some other top linebackers to have your eye on during the combine. 

Courtney Upshaw, Alabama

The senior helped lead his squad to a championship with 52 total tackles, a pick and two forced fumbles, and his pass-rushing abilities make him a potential game-changer. 

Vontaze Burfict, Arizona State

The junior had a standout year in 2010, finishing seventh in the NCAA in total tackles and ninth in solo tackles. He’s projected to be a late first-rounder, and given the Ravens’ aging linebacking corps, he could be a perfect fit for Baltimore.

Overview

This was supposed to be an improved offense under new offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers. With his experience coaching quarterbacks in the NFL, it was expected that Rogers would take sophomore QB Chase Rettig to the next level. That did not happen.

Rettig lost plenty of his main weapons to injury, and did not have the reliable ground game that was to be counted on. Speaking of the ground game, more injuries decimated this group. Andre Williams was never completely healthy it seemed, and projected starter Montel Harris was lost for the season after only appearing in two games.

Just an unlucky season for a team that already had limited amount of depth on the offensive side.

Biggest Surprise: Colin Larmond, Sophomore WR

After not playing a snap in 2010, Larmond came on strong to be the leading receiver for a group that lost starter Ifeanyi Momah to injury after the first week of the season. The junior wideout tailed off a bit towards the end of the year, but was a difference-maker for a team that lacked weapons.

Larmond finished 2011 with 528 yards and three TDs on 34 receptions. 

Biggest Disappointment: Montel Harris, Senior RB

The only real plus for Harris was with the 135 yards he put up in only two games he was able to become the all-time leading rusher in BC history. That was, unfortunately, about the only thing that went right for Harris this season.

2012 Outlook

Nearly everyone else returns, but it will be up to Rettig and the offensive line to make improvements during the offseason if this team is to progress. We’ll have to wait and see if coach Frank Spaziani returns as that could affect the type of offensive system the Golden Eagles employ in 2012.

It’s hard to imagine they will stray too far away from the pro-style set BC typically runs, which means RBs Harris, Andre Williams and Rolandan Finch could be nice fantasy options next year.

Mike Bainbridge is a contributor to CollegeFootballGeek.com, the nation's premier source for college fantasy football.

The Boston College Eagles have not exactly had their season go according to plan.  Before the season began, the team's offensive MVP, running back Montel Harris, was injured.  Harris did manage to come back mid-way through the season, but played in only two games before having his season ended by another injury.

Harris was easily the most important player on the BC offense, as they struggled mightily without him.  Neither the passing game nor the running game had any sort of success, and the Eagles finished the season 112th in the nation in scoring, better than only eight teams in all of FBS football.

The lack of offense also led to a lack of wins, as BC finished the season 4-8.

One thing that the Eagles weren't lacking, however, was a superstar on the defensive side of the ball.  Linebacker Luke Kuechly racked up 191 tackles (102 of which were solo tackles), and added three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

The most amazing thing about those stats is they aren't all that different from the stats he put up in his previous two seasons, when he registered 183 and 142 tackles as well as a combined four interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown).

Through his junior season, Kuechly is averaging over 170 tackles per season.

Those sort of mind-boggling statistics have earned Kuechly numerous accolades so far in his college career.  He was the ACC defensive rookie of the year during his first season, a unanimous All-American selection last season, and was the only unanimous selection on the all-ACC defensive team this season.

Kuechly is certainly a force to be reckoned with on the football field, and has been projected as a first-round pick in this year's NFL draft. 

However, is there any possibility that Luke Kuechly will bypass the draft and return to BC for his senior season?

While it may seem crazy for Kuechly to pass up NFL riches in order to return to a mediocre college team, there is a chance it could still happen.

The main factor that works in BC's favor here is the fact that the same fiercely competitive spirit that makes Kuechly such a great linebacker also could make him desire to return to BC in order to end his college career on a winning team.

This season's 4-8 finish can't sit well with as fierce a competitor as Kuechly.  In addition, Kuechly has never won a bowl game at BC, something that the competitor in him surely longs for.

Linebackers who possess that rare blend of physical talent and incredible determination that Kuechly has also tend to be fiercely loyal to their teams.  NFL superstar linebackers Ray Lewis and Brian Urlacher are perhaps the best examples of this, as Urlacher has spent his entire NFL career with the Chicago Bears, while Lewis has been with the Baltimore Ravens for his whole NFL career.

It is possible that Kuechly possesses that same sense of loyalty, which would make him want to return to BC for his senior season.

Boston College's main priority right now should be trying to appeal to Kuechly's competitive nature and sense of loyalty in order to get him to return for his senior season.

Stop me if you've heard this before—the Boston College offense was a fine-tuned machine on Friday afternoon in its 24-17 win over ACC rival Miami.

None of you stopped me, that's for sure.

After an entire season of frustration and failure on the offensive side of the football, sophomore quarterback Chase Rettig led his BC Eagles to an efficient and productive offensive showing against their conference rivals.

The win closed the books on Boston College's season, inking themselves a 4-8 final record. They went 3-5 in the ACC.

Miami closes its campaign at 6-6 overall, compiling a 3-5 ACC record.

For Boston College fans, it was rather encouraging to see their offense hit the offseason on such a high note. Despite taking heavy criticism throughout the season from fans and media alike, Rettig saved his best for last.

The true sophomore finished the day having completed 13-of-17 passes for 196 yards and two scores. The numbers weren't monstrous, but they were efficient and timely. Rettig made the big throws when he needed to, and most importantly, he didn't make any crucial mistakes.

Sophomore tailbacks Rolandan Finch and Andre Williams rushed for 96 and 52 yards, respectively, providing the bulk of Boston College's 153 yards on the ground.

Junior tight end Chris Pantale and sophomore wide receiver Bobby Swigert were Rettig's two favorite targets for the day, combining for eight receptions and 137 yards receiving. Pantale hauled in both of the touchdowns his quarterback tossed, bringing his season total to three.

Oh—did I mention that kid named Luke Kuechly?

After breaking the Boston College all-time tackling record on his second tackle of the game, the All-American junior linebacker proceeded to rack up nine tackles (unofficially) to help hold the Hurricanes offense to just 14 points.

If the final number of nine tackles stands, it would snap Kuechly's 33-game streak of double-digit tackles.

Kuechly also snagged one of four interceptions thrown by Jacory Harris, jumping the route after a brilliant read and returning it 45 yards for the touchdown. The defensive score gave BC a 24-14 lead that would hold until Miami's field goal with under a minute to play in the game.

If you watched today, you got a glimpse of why NFL scouts are drooling over Luke Kuechly's ability.

Overall, it was a good conclusion to what was a horrible season for the Boston College Eagles.

Several young players made key impacts on the game, and those players will look to carry that momentum into what will be a hardworking and motivated offseason.

The aforementioned tailbacks, Finch and Williams, had strong efforts and will look to build upon their accomplishments as they move into their junior season.

Freshman linebacker Sean Duggan and junior defensive back Hampton Hughes each had interceptions for the Eagles, as well. Duggan has flanked fellow star linebackers Kuechly and Kevin Pierre-Louis, and the coaching staff is very excited for what he can bring to the team in years to come.

Even if they lose Kuechly to the NFL draft, BC will bring back most of their offense and several of these young, key pieces on defense for next year and potentially beyond.

Wins like this one can hopefully serve as building blocks for the future. For Frank Spaziani's Boston College Eagles, the future may be brighter than some had once imagined.

Be sure to follow Derek Robinson on Twitter. @DRobMachine

The Boston College Eagles have had quite the disappointing football season, failing to reach the postseason for the first time this millennium.

They have a young team loaded with inexperienced and undeveloped players, and those players have had their share of struggles since the opening kickoff against Northwestern University at Alumni Stadium.

Middle linebacker Luke Kuechly is not one of those players.

As you may have heard by now, the 6'3", 237-pound junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, is an absolute tackling machine. He broke the ACC career tackles record during BC's 16-14 loss to Notre Dame last weekend, and he stands just two tackles shy of breaking the BC school record for tackles in a career. Kuechly has registered 523 tackles in his 33 games as an Eagle.

Without question, it has been the tackling stats that have garnered so much national attention for Kuechly. Some predict that he will be a top 10 selection in the NFL Draft, while others believe that he isn't built to be a top draft choice.

After all, doesn't Kuechly just rack up so many tackles because of the weak defense around him and because of the amount of time that defense spends on the field?

Whether or not his tackle numbers are inflated, Kuechly is among the very best linebackers in the country.

Does he hit as hard as Ray Lewis? Does he have the speed to match up with some of the best tight ends in the game? Will he crush quarterbacks' bones and force fumbles every week? The answers to these questions may not be what you would hope for in an NFL star, but Kuechly's intangibles and his football IQ will make up for what he lacks in some of these areas.

For a team drafting in the top 15 spots, Luke Kuechly is going to be a fantastic name to read at the podium. He is a linebacker with a nose for the ball who can play in several situations. He demands to play on special teams, and he is a born leader on the football field.

Wherever he goes, he will anchor his team's defense in much the same way that guys like Tedy Bruschi and Mike Vrabel manned the defense in New England at the turn of the century.When you watch Kuechly play the game, nothing really jumps out at you. He finds the ball and he makes the tackle. He's usually not knocking players' helmets off or making hits that appear on the Jacked Up! segment of NFL Live.

What is remarkable, though, is watching him hawk the ball carrier on each and every play. It almost seems unfair at times. Does Kuechly know our play-calling signals? How did he sniff out that bubble screen before our quarterback even threw the football? Wait...wasn't he on the far sideline just a second ago?

Kuechly is a sideline-to-sideline player, and much of that is due to his football IQ and his ability to read the way a play develops. Oftentimes, he makes that read before the development even begins.

He's an extremely studious young man, and he takes his classes very seriously. The kid you see walking around campus with his glasses and his backpack doesn't really resemble Ray Lewis in all that many ways.

He may never become a Pro Bowl linebacker. He may never lead the league in interceptions, sacks, tackles for loss or forced fumbles. How will he translate to the NFL?

Luke Kuechly will be the guy in the middle of a defensive unit who keeps everyone in check, acts responsibly as a leader, hawks the ball carrier on every play and leaves everything he has on the field.

After breaking the ACC tackling record against Notre Dame, Kuechly responded with a degree of indifference.

"I play football to win. I don’t try to set any records. If we would have won, it would have been cool. But we lost. We play to win at B.C. The record is cool, I guess, but we didn't win.’’

That sounds like a man I would want on my football team.

Be sure to follow Derek Robinson on Twitter. @DRobMachine

Boston College wide receiver Ifeanyi Momah will sit out the 2011 college football season with a torn ligament in his left knee, according to ESPN Boston.

The injury came during the Eagles' season-opener against Northwestern, and Momah was sure it wasn't serious at the end of the game.

"Honestly, even though the game just ended, we always have our heads up. We are ready for the next week and for the next challenge," Momah said after the game Saturday.

"We're disappointed that we lost this game, but it's not the end of the world. The season goes on, and we are going to be a really good team at the end of the year, so we are going to start pushing, starting tomorrow at practice."

That was before doctors told him how serious the injury actually was, and now BC is without its best receiver. 

Momah led BC with eight receptions for 171 yards in the Northwestern game, and his contribution to BC's offense will be missed. He sat out the 2009 season with a knee injury as well. Momah is a redshirt senior and will be applying to the NCAA for a sixth season of eligibility.

Boston College will head to Orlando to take on the UCF Knights this week at 8:00 p.m. EDT in a nationally-televised game on CBS College Sports. The Knights won their season-opener 62-0 against the Charleston Southern Bucs.

Coming off the loss to Northwestern, the Eagles will be looking to redeem themselves against a good opponent on the road.

With seven minutes remaining in today's game at Alumni Stadium, the Boston College football team was losing to Northwestern 24-10.

The student section had gotten very quiet, but then, with six minutes left in the game Andre Williams scored to put the Eagles down 24-17. Hope arose for Boston College fans and winning seemed like a realistic possibility.

After stopping Northwestern two more times, BC got the ball back with 1:23 remaining in the game. Chase Rettig, BC's sophomore quarterback led the Eagles down to the Northwestern 19 yard line with 18 seconds left in the game.

It is safe to say that the entire stadium was pumped and ready for a comeback touchdown to go into overtime, but victory was not in store for Boston College today.

Once the clock started up again, there must have been miscommunication on the snap count because Mark Spinney, BC's senior center, caused a false start on the line. Because there was less than a minute to go in the game, the 10 second runoff rule was put into effect and suddenly BC was on the 24 yard line with only four seconds left in the game.

Time for just one play to win the game.

Rettig took the snap and rolled out to the right and it looked as if he had a chance to hit somebody in the endzone, but the inexperienced sophomore waited too long and was sacked from behind, ending the game.

BC may have lost their first game since 2003, but they do have some things to be happy about.

First, Chase Rettig may not have had a touchdown in today's game, but he did show off his arm. The sophomore threw for 350 yards with one interception and if the play calling that the Eagles had in the fourth quarter can be utilized the rest of the season, BC fans can look forward to a decent year.

Junior linebacker Luke Kuechly had 19 tackles for BC today, which included two for a loss as well as an interception. He and fellow linebacker Kevin Pierre-Louis looked explosive and strong on the defensive end today. Hopefully, they can continue their strong play going forward.

The Eagles missed their star running back Montel Harris today though, but his replacement Andre Williams did have a 69 yard run to start the game. After the long run, he was limited to two yards per rush for the remainder of the game. BC needs Harris to return next Saturday against UCF, so they can utilize his speed and versatility.

Boston College is lucky that Northwestern's Heisman candidate, Dan Persa, wasn't playing today but that still wasn't enough for the Eagles. If BC wants to win going forward, they need to find Rettig and his receivers more on first and second down to avoid the high amount of third and longs that they experienced today. 

On a closing note, congratulations to Michael Tibbetts for a great first game on the BC cheerleading team. Thumbs up buddy!