Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

The Boston College Eagles football recruiting roll continues, and this time, the trail to Chestnut Hill runs through Atlanta.

Early on Friday afternoon, Cameron Seward, a three-star athlete from Georgia who plays for The Westminster Schools, announced his commitment to Boston College via Twitter.

Seward becomes the tenth high school footballer to join the 2014 recruiting class, which is growing fast in both quantity and quality. National recruiting analysts widely expected Seward to choose Boston College, who were reportedly recruiting him the hardest. Defensive assistant Al Washington, who has been traversing the east coast with the other coaches in order to aggressively expand BC’s reach, was the primary recruiter.

Seward’s other BCS offers were from California, Cincinnati, Kentucky, Mississippi State, NC State, Central Florida, and West Virginia.

In high school, he has been listed as an outside linebacker, though he has also played wide receiver, and made this catch at a college football camp.

We welcome Seward to the Boston College family.

99 days from today is August 31, and on that day begins a new era in Boston College Eagles football. Today in the countdown is brought to you by the number 99 (not the steakhouse, and this article is not endorsed by Sesame Street).

Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

Who Wears 99 Now

Brian Mihalik, DE, junior

Mihalik, another Ohio defender from a fine Midwestern crop — Boston College has had a few good ones from the Buckeye State in recent years — is entering his junior season at Boston College. Last season, he backed up Kasim Edebali on the right end of the defensive line; Mihalik started twice but appeared in nine games total.

Over the course of the 2012 season, Mihalik totaled 22 tackles (10 solo), including 3.5 tackles for a loss, one sack, four passes defended, and a forced fumble. Not bad for limited playing time.

Notables Who Wore 99 In the Past

• Stalin Colinet (1993-96), DE: 1996 team captain; 3rd round draft pick of Minnesota Vikings
• Steve DeOssie (1980-93), LB: 4th round NFL draft pick; Super Bowl XXV champion; broadcaster
• Sean Guthrie (1998-2001), DE: 2001 team captain
• Jerry Willette (2004-08), DT: solid backup on excellent 2007 team

How Was BC Football in ’99?

1899 or 1999?

During the McKinley Administration’s ’99, Boston College football was quite good. They went 8-1-1, and in all nine of their non-losses, they shut out the opposition. In their loss, they got shut out. It was a simpler time when they played teams like MIT and Exeter Academy, but evidently, they couldn’t handle their own success, because they disbanded the team the next year.

As for 1999, in the middle of the Tom O’Brien years, the Eagles were again an eight-win team (8-4), but on New Year’s Eve, they got smacked around by Colorado in the Insight.com Bowl.

Eagles Drafted in ’99

• Damien Woody (New England Patriots, 1st round)
• Mike Cloud (Kansas City Chiefs, 2nd round)
• Doug Brzezinski (Philadelphia Eagles, 3rd round)

Also In ’99

Frank Chamberlin tied a Boston College record against Syracuse with 25 tackles in a single game.

99 Yards to Paydirt

In 2012, Andre Williams ran 99 yards for a touchdown against Army, breaking a 68-year old program record in so doing. Let’s not discuss the rest of the game.

99 Days from Now

You’ll be watching BC beat Villanova.

99 Days Ago

Valentine’s Day 2013, when recruits were staring to feel the love of Boston College’s family atmosphere and elite educational opportunities.

Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

According to Rivals’ Eric Hoffses, Boston College Eagles wide receiver Johnathan Coleman has declined to return to the team for a fifth and final season.

Coleman, who was academically a senior this year, redshirted in 2009, and would have had a year of eligibility remaining, completes his Boston College career with 804 receiving yards and four touchdowns. All of those came in the 2012 season when he experienced a resurgence; after a brief but productive redshirt freshman year in 2010, Coleman caught just five passes in 2011. In his final season, Coleman made 33 receptions for 482 yards, including a career-long 52-yard catch in a drive which ultimately resulted in a touchdown.

A Bronx native, Coleman overcame a number of difficulties in his personal and family life to become a productive member of a BCS-conference football team. He earned our respect and we wish him well in his future endeavors.

However, in terms of the football team as a whole, Coleman’s departure means a top receiver is not going to be available on the depth chart. This could create opportunities for younger players such as sophomores Dan Crimmins, Marcus Grant (Iowa transfer), and Harrison Jackson, or redshirt freshman Nigel Matthews, amongst others. Boston College’s 2013 recruiting class only includes two wideouts, Drew Barksdale and Charlie Callinan, and both may be redshirted. The receiving corps has gotten even younger, and will require big contributions from underclassmen in order for the offense to succeed.

Today begins the Soaring to Glory Boston College football summer series. For the last several years, we’ve done player biographies and lots of position breakdowns. The positional battles are coming later in the summer, but this time, we’re going to try something a little different.

In the summer of 2013, as we head towards a new era in Eagles football, we are going to count down each and every day until the season begins. Each day, Soaring to Glory will have some new relevant BC football facts, trivia, information, player and coach features, and more. By “relevant,” we mean that the number of the day — today’s, for example, is 100 — will feature prominently in the articles each day. You’ll see what we mean, starting tomorrow.

100 days from today, you, I, and many others will gather at Alumni Stadium for the season opener against Villanova. By all means, don’t wish your whole summer away — head to the beach, read a book, and take Grandma Tilly out for a picnic. But do check in to this site all summer for some player features, BC football knowledge, and just to watch the number above keep getting smaller and smaller.

With our season wrap-up now complete, today is the last day for Soaring to Glory to cover the 2012-13 Boston College Eagles season across all sports. Starting tomorrow is the BC football summer series as we launch the 2013-14 year on this parcel of internet real estate.

My associate editor and I wanted to fit in one more riveting discussion before the big transition to the summer. In it, we weave from Boston College football to baseball to Kyle’s forthcoming road test and sitcoms we don’t like. How can we go wrong?

Joe: My best and worst sports moments of the 2012-13 Boston College academic year are out in the open, but what were your one or two favorite moments of the year?

Kyle: I really gotta think my favorite moment was the whole hiring of new head football coach Steve Addazio and the recruiting process that followed it. There is renewed excitement on the Heights about football. The coaches are engaged in recruiting and aren’t waiting ’til the summer to do it like our previous mustache in charge. Marcus Outlow and now Connor Strachan are BC recruits who will make instant impact at RB and ILB, respectively. Plus, DE Harold Landry just picked up an FSU offer, but is solid on BC. I can’t believe it, honestly, as I REALLY wanted Bob Diaco, but Addazio is earning his paycheck in a big way.

Next best memory will be from BC basketball, and no, it is not the Olivier Hanlan game against Georgia Tech. Rather, it is the one-point loss to Duke. Despite the fact we lost, coming close is representative of the improvements the team made through the second half. The team at the end of the year is not the one that achieved embarrassment against Bryant, but instead is an ACC team on the rise with a young backcourt and a late first-round pick at the 4. Plus, the transfer from Notre Dame (Alex Dragicevich) looks like a solid prospect at the 3.

Joe: I think Addazio has gotten most BC fans on board at this point. Before we get to the next obvious area of discussion, let’s get into the recruiting for a moment because this is an important topic.

I will not say anything bad about the guys we have here now or the kids coming in this year; they wear maroon and gold so I support them. Make no mistake, however: recruiting was very difficult under Spaz, especially towards the end, because the program was getting tired and stale, and what up-and-comer would want to hitch their wagon to a meteorite burning up in the atmosphere? With years of recruiting neglect and poor player development, I would have said that it might take several years at least just for BC to return to respectability. Spaz decimated the program and it seemed like it would be a long time before we were “back.”

Now, we’ve got a 2014 class that’s tracking Top 25/30 if this keeps up, and I think there’s at least a shot BC sneaks into a bowl this year. If Addazio’s recruiting stays at around this level in upcoming seasons, BC might be respectable again sooner than expected. Your thoughts on that?

The conversation continues on the next page

For so long, all we have had to talk about here are bad things that have happened in Boston College sports in the last few years. Aside from the occasional hockey championship, it’s been football this and losing that, rebuilding here and Spaz there.

This is the time when we finally get to discuss and highlight some of the best things that have happened this past year, and there were plenty. Things seem to finally be heading in the right direction, so this list may be harder to choose one year from now, but there is more than enough to celebrate from this year.

#5
March 16, 2013: Women’s hockey makes third-straight Frozen Four

Making the Frozen Four is a big deal, whether it’s in men’s hockey or women’s hockey. Getting to three in a row is a sign that your program is in the national elite.

Boston College women’s hockey did that in March when they beat Harvard in the national quarterfinals. The Eagles had another great season, rising as high as #2 in the national polls and earning one of the top four seeds in the 2013 NCAA Tournament.

Unfortunately, BC’s season ended against Minnesota in the national semifinals, but just getting to the Frozen Four was another big accomplishment for this talented team and program on the rise.

Rob Grabowski-USA TODAY Sports

The President’s Trophy winners are in a bit of trouble now as one team with an ex-Boston College Eagle made a statement on their home ice.

The Detroit Red Wings scored a 3-1 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals, with Detroit now taking a 2-1 series lead.

Patrick Eaves finally got into the points column once again for the Wings as he assisted on Drew Miller’s first playoff goal in the second period, which ended up being the game-winner. He made the most of his 8:20 on the ice by getting the assist, taking two shots on goal, blocking a shot, and winning his only faceoff.

As expected, Jimmy Hayes and Ben Smith did not play for Chicago and likely won’t appear in the postseason for as long as the Blackhawks are around this time.

Tomorrow, Chris Kreider, Brian Boyle, and the New York Rangers will face the Boston Bruins in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals at Madison Square Garden. Rob Scuderi and his Los Angeles Kings will face the San Jose Sharks in Game 4.

Finally, in the AHL Calder Cup playoffs, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have mounted an improbable series comeback against the Providence Bruins. Down 0-3 in the series, with an overtime Game 6 win, the Penguins have forced Game 7. Brian Dumoulin scored (power play goal) on his only shot on-goal. Every ex-Eagle on either side of the ice had at least one shot in the game.

Speaking of, shots in that game were 48-17 in favor of Providence, and 33-5 in favor of the Bruins between the second and third periods.

Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports

Although there is a sense that the tide is turning in Boston College sports these days, there were still more than a few sour moments from which to choose during the 2012-13 school year.

Even some Eagles sports one would not expect to have lousy events did, but you know what they say: take the good with the bad and all that.

Dishonorable Mention
December 4, 2012: Boston College basketball loses fifth-straight game to Harvard

Being embarrassed by the Harvard Crimson on our own home court is becoming old hat around here. It is so common, in fact, that it only gets a dishonorable mention.

In early December, the Eagles lost by 16 points to the Crimson at Conte Forum, making it five losses in a row to the Ivy school from Cambridge.

One thing we know for certain is that BC will not lose another home game to Harvard in 2013-14: the game will be on the road next time.

Michael Ivins-USA TODAY Sports

Sunday was not funday for the ex-Eagles in the National Hockey League’s Stanley Cup playoffs.

The afternoon saw the Boston Bruins take a 2-0 series lead on the New York Rangers with a big 5-2 win. Chris Kreider saw about eight minutes of limited ice time and only took one shot on goal, while also being on the ice for Torey Krug’s opening goal of the game for Boston. Brian Boyle won 11 of his 21 faceoffs and also took a shot on goal while blocking two shots. A favorite of his coach, he appeared on the ice for about seventeen and a half minutes.

That series will swing to Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night for Game 3 as Kreider, Boyle, and the Rangers will be in what amounts to a pretty-much-must-win.

The real playoff drama on Sunday was north of the border in Kanata, a few kilometers from downtown Ottawa. There, the Ottawa Senators defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins, 2-1, in double overtime.

Being such a long game, Brooks Orpik played in 37 shifts, amounting to just under 36 minutes of ice time in what must have been a grueling effort. He took a beating as well: Orpik blocked six shots and laid four hits in the contest.

On Monday, the Detroit Red Wings and Patrick Eaves will host the Chicago Blackhawks in Game 3 of their series.

Five years ago today, I graduated from Boston College.

Every bit of that day, May 19, 2008, is still fresh in my mind as it if happened yesterday. I could tell you the time I got up, the time my roommate and I went to line up on Linden Lane, the number of pictures I took for other graduates during the procession (particularly with the Ignatius Loyola statue), and even the high temperature that afternoon.

Even what happened afterwards, like sitting at home, staring at a blank computer screen, and wondering what to make of my life, are clear memories.

In the past five years, I would say that I have become a greater part of the Boston College community than I was when I was an undergraduate student. To those young men and women attending the school in the present day, I sat in the same classrooms, ate the same Late Night food at Lower, and went to the same sporting events as all of you, but in spite of that, I have actively contributed more since 2008.

Starting Soaring to Glory over four years ago was a hobby, but since FanSided acquired it in January 2011, it has become much more than that. In my time since graduation with this website, I have become intimately familiar with many of our programs (and the nuances therein) and have forged a number of connections with alumni, student athletes, and fans. Sometimes we have had our disagreements, but at the end of the day, we all stand as one Boston College family.

Whether you’re graduating tomorrow, you graduated five years ago like me, you graduated fifty years ago, or you still have several years on Chestnut Hill in front of you, we are all linked. Maroon and gold runs through all of us and binds us together for the common purpose of seeing our school advance, and not just in the athletic sense. We share the objective of seeing our alma mater (or future alma mater, as the case may be) constantly soar to new heights, in the classroom, on the field, and in the community. It is this ardent support for our university on multiple levels that permeates through all of us.

Graduating from Boston College is the definitive ending of one chapter, but it is also the start of another. So long as you’re still drawing breath, it’s not too late to make an impact on the Boston College family. Join the Alumni Association chapter in your area, stay in touch with your fellow Eagles, and catch some BC games if your situation allows. Sure, once you’re about three years out, you certainly won’t be hanging around the Mods anymore (and if so, I would encourage you to pursue new hobbies with people your age), but just because you’re not in school housing doesn’t mean you’re not still part of Boston College, wherever you are.

Five years ago today, I physically left Boston College, but Boston College has never left me. It is why I come here every day, it is why I am on my way in life as a young professional and entrepreneur, and it is why I am the person I have become. Spending a lifetime giving back to the university that has shaped my adult life for the better seems entirely fair and reasonable. Even if it just means buying a hat from the Bookstore and wearing your pride wherever you go, you can, too.