Eagles Football: 2014 Boston College Linebackers Preview

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

The 2014 Boston College linebackers preview features the losses of two-thirds of the starters, but in a unit that has been amongst the Eagles’ most stable.

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There is no question that the corps of linebackers will look different on the field following some key losses, but the general way to approach consideration of this unit is to assume they will be fine.

Boston College’s linebackers are typically the least of the team’s problems; it seems as though someone always rises up to fill in the gaps. For example, once ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich took a year off from football to beat cancer, a freshman named Luke Kuechly came into the spotlight.

When Kuechly left as the Eagles’ best all-time tackler, Nick Clancy, who had previously had an under-the-radar college career, blew up for 145 tackles and made first-team All-ACC. Without Clancy, both Steele Divitto and Kevin Pierre-Louis had over 100 tackles in 2013.

A player or players will rise up in 2014. It may be someone the fans do not expect, but the Eagles linebackers will find a way. They almost always do.

Who will be the key faces in this group in 2014?

2014 Boston College Linebackers Preview: Losses

• Steele Divitto, graduation
• Michael Gaffney, off roster
• Connor Galligan, off roster
• Marquis Little, off roster
• Kevin Pierre-Louis, graduation

2014 Boston College Linebackers Preview: Gains

• Kevin Bletzer, freshman
• Hunter Forte, freshman
• Christian Lezzer, freshman
• Noah Penders, freshman
• Ty Schwab, freshman
• Connor Strachan, freshman