Our series concludes today with Boston College, which is turning to several new faces who need to step up after a successful debut season under Steve Addazio.
Spotlight: QB Tyler Murphy
2013 summary: With Florida last season, Murphy played in nine games and started six, completing 60.5 percent of his passes for 1,216 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He added 61 rushing yards and three more scores on the ground.
The skinny: The Eagles say goodbye to three-year starting quarterback Chase Rettig and in comes Murphy, who enrolled at Boston College early after graduating from Florida. Murphy will be immediately eligible for the 2014 season. Murphy is a much more ideal fit for the Eagles' offense as he is a true dual-threat quarterback who can help stretch the field. He was recruited to the Gators by Addazio when he was a UF assistant under Urban Meyer.
The Eagles have a crowded field vying for the starting spot, as they brought aboard early enrollee Darius Wade, a three-star prospect from Middletown (Del.) High, and also have returnee James Walsh. (Josh Bordner, Rettig's backup the last two seasons, moved to wide receiver.)
But Murphy entered spring practice Wednesday as the only quarterback among the group with game experience, and he has plenty of it. He was just 2-4 last year as a starter on an awful Gators team, but it's not like players transfer for their fifth and final seasons without the intent of getting significant playing time. (Nor do coaches take them for any other reason.) Murphy's seniority, coupled with his familiarity with Addazio and what the coach wants, makes him the guy to keep an eye on throughout the offseason. The Eagles must replace both tackles in front of him, too, so the more veteran savvy, the better for the future leader of the BC offense. It will likely be Murphy's job to lose.
