In our stead, be sure to check out Dr. Saturday's ACC Week. All excellent reads, starting with ...
Debriefing: Boston College hangs on to the good times (Dr. Saturday)
"Unfortunately, the front-loaded schedule that lent itself to a stark midseason turnaround after a 2-5 start last year is reversed: A stretch run that features trips to Virginia Tech, Notre Dame and Miami, a visit from Florida State and dates with Atlantic Division equals Maryland and N.C. State in between is a recipe for coming up short of a bowl game."
I lot of readers have commented on the lack of optimism surrounding the season. It's not so much a reflection of the program or the direction it is headed so much as it is one of the schedule. BC has one of the toughest schedules in the country this season, and the good Doctor sees us falling short of a bowl for the first time in over a decade as a result.
Tough Questions: Can BC Grab More Headlines? (ACC Sports Journal)
Today, we ask: what will it take for the Eagles to get more attention in the Boston area? The most common reason given for why BC doesn’t get much attention is that Boston is a pro sports town where people just don’t care enough about college sports. While that certainly is true to a great extent, another appropriate explanation is that Boston is a front-runner town above anything else.
NY2LA Under Armour Summer Jam recap (ESPN)
[Buddy] Hield is a true shooting guard with a scoring mentality and the offensive package to fill it up. He can knock down open 3s on the break or in the half-court set by spacing or coming off screens. Hield has a nice midrange pull-up jumper and has a great feel for where the basket is when he catches the ball on cuts. He slashes with a quick first step and can finish above the rim when the opportunity presents itself. Hield crashes the offensive glass as well. He will need to hone his ballhandling skills and improve his on-ball defense to take his game to the next level. Oklahoma, Nebraska, Utah, Wichita State, Texas A&M, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Colorado, Clemson, Boston College, Marquette and DePaul are all on his list at this time.
Plenty of defense will be found in ACC (The Post and Courier)
Is Luke Kuechly just the third best defender in the ACC? "How do you follow up a freshman All-American campaign while playing in the shadow of Mark Herzlich? You go out and lead the country in tackles (183) and that's exactly what Kuechly did last season for the Eagles."
Colin Murphy To Play For New Zealand In U-20 World Cup (BCEagles.com)
Boston College sophomore D/MF Colin Murphy, who led New Zealand to the Oceania Football Confederation (OFC) Under-20 Championship in April, will play for his country in the upcoming FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Opponents / ACC
Debriefing: All eyes on Clemson OC Chad Morris (Dr. Saturday)
Even though Swinney took the Tigers to the Meineke Car Care Bowl last year, they lost to South Florida and finished with the program's first losing record since 1998. Another losing campaign won't be acceptable, especially with 14 returning starters, a new hotshot offensive coordinator and a running back duo that should rival any tandem in the country.
State of the ACC: Still the Hokies after all these years (Dr. Saturday)
On the other hand, Florida State has dwelt on the fringes as a perennial disappointment for so long that its return to serious contention is beginning to sound like an urban legend. In the meantime, Virginia Tech is circling a few wagons of its own around new starting quarterback Logan Thomas, who has impressed coaches so much that they reshuffled the offensive staff this spring to better suit his talents as a pocket passer.
B1G 2011//Four And Out: Looking At The B1G Non-Conference Schedule, Week 1 (Off Tackle Empire)
If Northwestern wants to be considered a legitimate player for the Legends Division, they need to win tough non-conference games like this. Dan Persa should be ready, and that will be a tremendous help, but Boston College is a pretty good team. BC struggled offensively in 2010, but they have a stout defense that has seven returning starters. RB Montel Harris could give the Wildcats fits, and the Northwestern defense must show improvement if they are to take the next step. This will be a good first test for the Wildcats, and if BC puts a lot of points on the board, it could portend another season of good offense/bad defense/7 or 8 win ceiling.
2011 ACC Blogger Football Preview Pt. 2, – Wake Forest (ACC Blogger)
It looks to be another long season for Wake Forest in 2011. The team may not necessarily be worse this year, but the competition in the ACC will be superior. Offensively I expect another dismal year, although I think the Demon Deacons have some pieces defensively. The point is, anyway you spin it, 2011 will be a rebuilding year for Wake Forest.
Duke Football travels to Boston College in week 3 (Blue Devil Nation)
BCHysteria sits down with Blue Devil Nation to talk BC-Duke 2011.
Texas A&M to the SEC...Again? Please Stop. (Cowboys Ride For Free)
Replace A&M with Clemson and this is pretty much how I feel. "First, can somebody even tell me why A&M wants to leave for the SEC? Are 6-6 records in the Big 12 not good enough? Do they have ambitions to go 3-9 every year to prove a point that they belong with "the big boys?" This is like some nerd joining a fraternity for the title even though his membership means 24 hour beatings and constant humiliation."
Pay-for-play: Mixed views in the ACC (ESPN ACC Blog)
There is no general consensus on the topic in the ACC, as some, like Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, called the notion of paying players "ludicrous," and others, like Johnson, expressed interest in it if it could help their players. Regardless of the coaches’ personal feelings on the matter, ACC commissioner John Swofford has said this offseason that it’s a concept worth looking into.
Finally, more on commit Akeel Lynch via The Buffalo News: