2014 Boston College Football Training Camp: Storylines to Watch

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

2014 Boston College Football Training Camp Stories: Defense

This cannot be limited simply to one position, as the defense as a whole needs to be considered.

Don Brown came to Boston College considered to be an excellent coordinator. He is, and his body of work to this point speaks to that.

Still, the Eagles’ overall defensive performance in Year 1 of the new Brown regime left much to be desired, with the team ranked 92nd in total defense and 77th in scoring defense. Neither one was markedly worse than in the year prior (2012), and the team demonstrated improvement in areas such as the pass rush, but it showed that despite the dramatic uptick in player enthusiasm, there is still a long way to go. Nobody is necessarily blaming the coach, and there does need to be some new blood in this defensive unit from a player perspective. Luckily, we are getting some new faces this year and every year.

Seeing what we have on defense is going to be hugely important over the course of camp. When all was said and done in 2013, it was below-average statistically despite having a few shining moments during the year. If they show any real signs of improvement in 2014, it could absolutely help the Eagles go farther and make this a more complete team.

Pay close attention to how the defense is progressing.