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2014 Boston College Football Season Expectations

By Joe Micik

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Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Soaring to Glory’s 2014 Boston College football season expectations features our best-case scenario, worst-case scenario, and minimum tolerable expectations.

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Tomorrow, we lay it on the line and commit to actual numbers in our prediction, but today, let’s talk about what would constitute a “good” season, a “bad” season, and everything in between.

Boston College Eagles football is in a better situation than it was at this point one year ago, when we merely projected our wishes for a bowl berth but knew how difficult it would be given the struggles of the team under Frank Spaziani. Now, even though the chips are stacked against the Eagles again, hope is making a comeback.

What is realistic to expect from this season? How high or low could the 2014 Eagles go?

2014 Boston College Football Season Expectations: Minimum Expectations

• A 1-0 start. This is copied straight from last year’s expectations. Beating UMass is not just the right way to start off the year, but if you can’t beat a low-end MAC team in what is more of a home game for you than the home team, then you have issues. Boston College has to win Game 1. For the record, the second bullet point last season was “at least one road win,” but since this is technically a road game, that would be redundant.

• Coming close to maintaining same overall run game production as last season. Here’s the difference between 2013 and 2014: last year, one guy (Andre Williams) soaked up a high percentage of rushing yards in an above-average rushing offense; in 2014, it will be more evenly distributed, but with the offensive line and talent being what they are, there is no reason the Eagles cannot have respectable totals again this season. If there is a serious drop-off, be worried.

• Overall defensive improvement. Despite the fanfare surrounding new defensive coordinator Don Brown, the Eagles were 93rd nationally in total defense. That has to come up this season. With the reset at wide receiver amongst several different issues on offense, the defense is going to have to do more of the lifting in 2014. Boston College has a veteran starting secondary and it is not asking a lot for them to step up their games. Besides, in Year 2, we should generally be expecting things to get better, even if only in modest fashion.

• Contending for a bowl bid. Being out of the running by the time November comes would be a huge blow to the team’s collective psyche. Many honestly believed the program turned a corner in 2013, and this is no time to turn back the clock and revert to the old ways. Even if they fall short, Boston College must have something on the line near the end of the season for this year to be successful. They need to re-establish their typical worst-case scenario baseline at around five or six wins annually, not two or three.

Page 2: Best-case scenario

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