With less than a week to go before kickoff of the 2013 season, Steve Addazio announced the first captains of his Boston College tenure: two fifth-year senior linemen, defensive end Kasim Edebali and right tackle Ian White.
The selections, traditionally made by a player vote, send a clear message: Success starts with hard work up front.
Edebali, a native of Hamburg, Germany, who came to BC via a program that landed him at Kimball Union in New Hampshire, has appeared in 36 games the past three seasons. The 6-foot-3, 246-pounder has 99 career tackles, with 53 solo tackles and 9.5 tackles for a loss.
White, a 6-5, 302-pounder from Conway, N.H., has played in 34 games the past three seasons, including nine starts at right guard in 2012.
Both have their degrees in hand, with Edebali earning a bachelor’s degree in communications and White earning a bachelor’s degree in human education. And both do the majority of their work in the so-called “trenches,” where the grit really gets tested and those lacking toughness need not apply.
White will be tasked with taking over at right tackle for John Wetzel, who’s moved on to the NFL with the Oakland Raiders. Edebali, meanwhile, will be encouraged (read: compelled) to attack the quarterback in new defensive coordinator Don Brown’s aggressive philosophy, in an all-out effort to erase the memory of last season’s paltry total of six sacks.
Addazio has said again and again in the buildup to the 2013 season that establishing the proper mindset -- the mindset he believes was missing in recent seasons in Chestnut Hill -- starts with him. But if it’s truly going to resonate with the Eagles going forward, that message ultimately has to come from the players, too.
As captains, Edebali and White can help set the right tone, or at least serve as examples for younger teammates to follow.
Editor's note: This post was edited after it was posted to correctly reflect the selection process of the captains.
