Boston College Football: Breaking Down the Offense in 2011

After a 7-6 season which ended in the Emerald Bowl against the University of Nevada, Boston College looks to transition into 2011 and try and win the ACC.

Here I will go through position by position and grade each unit of the offense.

From the quarterback to the offensive lineman, each unit is equally important in assuring a successful 2011 campaign.

For defense: click here

Overall Offense: B

The offense returns an incredible nine starters from the 2010 team, and the unit as a whole should take a small step towards improvement. What were weaknesses last season (quarterback) may be strengths in 2011.

Led by one of the top running backs in the country, BC should again be looking like a bowl-quality team.

Quarterback: B-

To put it simply, the Eagles were horrible at quarterback in 2010.

With injuries and constant quarterback changes, a flow on offense was difficult to be found and the unit as a whole struggled.

Since the graduation of Matt Ryan, the QB position has been a mess.

Now a sophomore with a few starts under his belt, Chase Rettig will look to improve from an inconsistent 2010 and become the next great Boston College quarterback.

Running Back: A-

Montel Harris is easily a top 10 or maybe even a top five running back in the country.

Now in his senior season, Harris will “carry” even more of the load this year and be the every down back the Eagles need.

If the passing game again begins to struggle, the Eagles will go to the running game even more.

Expect up to 30 carries a game, with back-up Andre Williams seeing increasing playing time.

Wide Receivers and Tight Ends: B-

The BC receivers are, to simply put it, young.

All three starters are sophomores, and one of the youngest units in the country.

I tentatively give this unit a B- because they’re so unproven, but this group has the potential to be something special.

If not this year, the next several years will be something special to watch.

Look for tight end Chris Pantale to play a bigger role in the offense this season.

Offensive Line: B+

Besides running back, this is the strongest unit for the Boston College offense.

Four starters return for one of the most veteran lines in the ACC.

With two seniors (Mark Spinney, Nathan Richman) and two juniors (Emmett Cleary, John Wetzel) starting, the Eagles will be strong upfront.