With the college football season just a few days away, ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit gets in on the preseason prognostication with the 11th annual Herbie Awards, which recognize the best college football players, coaches and teams across the nation. Two members of the Boston College football program grace this venerable list this season.
The first is new Eagles offensive coordinator Kevin Rogers, listed as one of the nation's top five impactful coordinator hires this season. Here's the full list:
1. Bryan Harsin, Texas
2. Greg Mattison, Michigan
3. Charlie Weis, Florida
4. Kevin Rogers, Boston College
5. Frank Cignetti, Rutgers
Let Heights & Lows DougBushBC explain:
"This goes to the point I made earlier today that the biggest single factor in our success this season is Kevin Rogers and how he coaches up Chase Rettig and our absolutely flat offense from last season."
I couldn't agree more. This season is going to come down to how well the offense executes under Rogers and a new offensive system (read: not Gary Tranquill's offense). There's plenty of room for improvement -- nowhere to go but up, amiright? -- and the Eagles' success in 2010 hinges on how well the offense does the little things right. Cutting down on dropped passes, success on third and short and scoring six instead of three in the red zone.
Boston College LB Luke Kuechly also earned a Herbie Award this year as one of Herbstreit's best kept secrets.
1. Robert Griffin III, Baylor
2. Luke Kuechly, Boston College
3. Chris Polk, Washington
4. Xavier Rhodes, Florida State
5. Jeremy Ebert, Northwestern
Not sure where Herbstreit has been this past year, but in my book, a consensus All-American linebacker isn't exactly a secret. Note that Northwestern WR Jeremy Ebert also makes this list. Ebert leads a talented NU receiving corps, leading the Big Ten in receiving yards with 62 receptions, 953 yards and 8 TDs in 2010. In a word: trouble.
Of course, what fun is analyzing a meaningless preseason college football awards list without also analyzing the BC snubbees? Among them, best running back (injured or not, Montel Harris says hello), best position unit (Boston College linebackers), top offensive minds (Gary Tranquill) and top defensive minds (Frank Spaziani).
Finally, what sort of model college football team -- Herbie's All-Uni Team -- has four linebackers listed that aren't Luke Kuechly? Not a very legitimate one, I would say.
Thoughts on this year's 11th Annual Herbie Awards?