While they are projected to finish a measly fifth in the hyper-competitive ACC Atlantic Division, as voted on by the conference media, Boston College has the means to make some noise in 2015, and potentially defeat some of the more formidable opponents on their schedule.
Finishing the 2014 campaign with a respectable 7-6 record, earning themselves a berth in the Pinstripe Bowl against Penn State, the Eagles could have and should have garnered an even better mark, losing four games by four points or less. While their list of opponents this coming fall may be somewhat daunting, the team will rely on a familiar aspect of their squad, the offensive line, to lead them to yet another bowl eligible season.
Long a staple of the program, the Eagles offensive line has been dominant over the past few seasons, creating opportunites for one of the premier rushing attacks in the nation. Current New York Giants running back Andre Williams relied on the brute force of line to record an astounding 2,102 rushing yards in 2013, and Boston College ranked 15th in the country last season in rushing yards per game, finishing with an average of 254.4.
Sophomore running back John Hilliman (210 rushes, 860 yards, 13 touchdowns in 2014) and junior rusher Tyler Rouse (49 attempts, 214 yards, three touchdowns in 2014) have an intimidating (albeit young) offensive line to help carry them, lead by cornerstone right guard Harris Williams. The redshirt senior will be expected to perform a leadership role on the squad, returning from an injury which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2014 season.
At the quarterback position, sophomore Darius Wade takes over for playmaker Tyler Murphy with significant shoes to fill. While the expectation is that Wade will take some time to fully assert himself into Murphy's role, this process should be expedited by the likely success of the running game. Wade boasts an incredibly strong arm, which, as Hilliman mentioned following spring practice, should complement the running game in turn.
Hilliman told ESPN.com, “Darius’ arm is going to be able to spread the defense out a lot better, and it should open up a lot of running lanes for us."
Barring any injuries, the Eagles also feature one of the deeper defenses in the ACC. Large expectations are in order on the defensive side of the ball, as the squad yielded a measly 21.3 points per game in 2014, good for 21st in the nation. The group will be bolstered by the return of senior defensive lineman Mehdi Abdesmad from a season-ending injury last year, gaining his powerful 6'7", 286-pound frame on the line.