Boston College was picked to finish sixth in the ACC’s Atlantic Division by a vote of the league’s media at the annual Football Kickoff in Greensboro, North Carolina, this weekend.
Coming off a 7-6 season that included the team’s first bowl appearance in three years, the Eagles are predicted to finish third from the bottom of the expanded 14-team ACC in 2014 -- BC (voting total of 301 points) coming in ahead of only Virginia (142) and Wake Forest (136).
The prediction, while likely disappointing to some ardent Eagles fans, isn’t surprising. Remember, the Eagles were picked to finish dead last prior to last season, coming off their 2-10 finish in 2012.
And the horses that carried them to their rebound season in Steve Addazio’s first year in Chestnut Hill -- Heisman finalist and Doak Walker winner Andre Williams, record-setting wideout Alex Amidon, four-year starting QB Chase Rettig and defensive stalwarts Kasim Edebali, Kevin Pierre-Louis and Steele Divitto -- have all galloped off to new pastures.
So though his evaluation of the Eagles’ chances might differ from the media’s, Addazio struck a reasoned tone when he told reporters that last year’s success doesn’t guarantee anything this season:
Addazio: People think because we won 7 games last year we're all set. We're not all set. We still have a lot of work to do." #ACCKickoff
— BC Football News (@BCFootballNews) July 21, 2014
And now that the Football Kickoff has come and gone, the Eagles will turn their gaze to the practice field:
Great day @theACCfootball Media Day. Proud to be a part of an elite conference @BostonCollege ready for training camp in two weeks! #WeAreBC
— Steve Addazio (@BCCoachAddazio) July 21, 2014
The Eagles’ player representatives in Greensboro, center Andy Gallik and defensive back Dominique Williams, echoed their coach’s enthusiasm for the weekend’s sessions and the start of camp:
Had a great time this weekend at the #ACCKickoff with @Mr_508 Excited for the season to start. #WeAreBC
— Andy Gallik (@kill_aG) July 21, 2014
Great experience this weekend at ACC Kickoff Media Day w. My boy @kill_aG great meeting everyone and awesome opportunity #honoryourgift
— Nique Williams (@Mr_508) July 21, 2014
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and a frequent contributor to ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter @jack_mccluskey.
