Boston College News & Notes
NBA Draft: Potential first-round destinations for Jimmer Fredette include the Jazz, Suns and Knicks (ESPN)
Jackson has a legit injury. He had a minor procedure on his knee on May 17th (the day after school ended), a source close to Jackson tells me. Jackson is currently rehabbing and should be ready for workouts on the second week of June. Once he's cleared to workout, he'll have a pretty full schedule. A number of teams, starting with the Pacers at No. 15, the Knicks at No. 17 and the Bobcats at No. 19 are fans of Jackson. And it's hard to see him slipping past the Miami Heat at No. 31.
2011 NBA Mock Draft: Pundits Have BC's Jackson To Either C's Or Rockets In Round 1 (SB Nation Boston)
SB Nation's own Tom Ziller did some draft mockery on Tuesday and matched up a local product with the local team. Ziller has the Celts selecting Boston College point guard Reggie Jackson at 25, simply saying, "The Masshole Singularity." A move to grab Jackson would seem to make sense after backing up Rajon Rondo proved to be a problem for the C's throughout the season, even into the playoffs.
Proving ground: Atlantic Division (ESPN ACC Blog)
Boston College running back Montel Harris could potentially break a 33-year old ACC record if he stays healthy this fall. He’s got nothing to prove. BC’s offensive line? Now that’s a different story.
Predicting The All-ACC Team: Running Back (Tomahawk Nation)
Harris has made the team the last few years. He's a good back who looks even better than he is because BC had an excellent run-blocking oline in 2007 and 2008, and because the Boston College Eagles run him to death. They will do it again, meaning the only thing separating him from another All-ACC selection is health.
Conn. sophomore Isaacs already on the radar (ESPN Boston High School Blog)
ESPN's Roger Brown checks in on his recruiting blog today with Manchester (Conn.) sophomore tight end Andrew Isaacs, the lone sophomore in Connecticut with a scholarship offer from a Division 1 FBS school. Boston College offered the Class of 2013 prospect last March, and has kept in contact with him regularly.
ACC's Dream Team (ESPN ACC Blog)
The Eagles return Luke Kuechly, a unanimous All-American last season, and the top tackler in the country. Kuechly led the nation in tackles (183) and solo stops (110) a year after ranking second in those categories as a true freshman. But it’s not just Kuechly. Kevin Pierre-Louis will start alongside him on the outside. He started all 13 games as a true freshman and ranked second on the team with 93 tackles and 59 solo stops. The Eagles have to replace three-year starter Mark Herzlich, but Steele Divitto played in 11 games last season.
Around the ACC
2011 Season Preview: Risk Management And The N.C. State Wolfpack (SBNation.com)
N.C. State raised their game in 2010 due to a combination of Wilson, a stellar defensive front seven, and luck (both of the fumbles and YPP varieties). Though there are still playmakers on defense, and though O'Brien clearly has a ton of confidence in Mike Glennon, it's hard not to notice that Wilson is gone, a chunk the front seven is gone, and the luck was strong enough that it could turn around in 2011.
Five new coaches that will make an impact in 2011: Maryland’s Randy Edsall (College Gridiron 365 Blog – Orlando Sentinel)
After spurning the advances of several colleges in recent years, Edsall made the decision to jump to Maryland to replace Ralph Friedgen. He inherits a team that finished 9-4 last season and was one win away from claiming a spot in the ACC Championship game. Instead, the Terps finished tied for second with N.C. State and would up playing in the Military Bowl. This year’s squad returns 13 starters including starting quarterback Danny O’Brien, who was the ACC Rookie of the Year. They should compete with Florida State for the top spot in the Atlantic again this season.
Mandate for Change: A portrait of Miami on the cusp of the Golden age (Dr. Saturday)
Man for man, Miami still measures up against anyone in the conference, and if it doesn't show up on the field by the end of his second season, Golden will find himself quickly surrounded by the same entitled lack of patience — and swathes of empty seats — that overtook his predecessors in such short order.
ACC stronger defensively again? (ESPN ACC Blog)
A sneak preview of Phil Steele's annual college football preview magazine arrived at my office, and if his All-America selections are any indication of how the 2011 season plays out, the ACC should once again be recognized as a defensive conference.
College Football - These coaches better win ... now (Rivals.com)
Dabo on the hot seat? "After Tommy Bowden was fired five games into the 2008 season, Swinney got the job by posting a 4-3 mark the rest of the way. He then delivered Clemson's first trip to the ACC title game in 2009 but undid any goodwill he had built with a 6-7 flop last season. South Carolina's rise puts additional scrutiny on Swinney, who is banking on a revamped offense to return Clemson to the ACC elite. He better be right. Just to be safe, Clemson A.D. Terry Don Phillips may want to have Rich Rodriguez -- a former Clemson assistant -- on speed dial."
The Countdown: No. 89: Duke (Pre-Snap Read)
The offense is there. The defense is not. It’s that simple for Duke, and I could stop there when describing this season in a nutshell. Looking a little closer, however, you see a young team that is still progressing on each side of the ball – yes, even the defense.