Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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10. BOSTON COLLEGE NOV. 10 2011 record: 4-8 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 16, Boston College 14 (2011) Impact Player: LB Kevin Pierre-Louis — The junior linebacker made 74 tackles last year as an encore to a breakout freshman season. He has a good mix of speed and size at 6-1, 212 pounds. He'll be asked to do much more this season to help adjust to life without Luke Kuechly. Outlook: Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani appeared to be in over his head at some points last season during a 4-8 campaign that ended on a high note in the month of November. This year, he has beefed up his staff on offense by hiring Doug Martin from New Mexico State and Jim Bollman from Ohio State. That pair should allow the head coach to spend most of his time focused on his specialty, the defense. There is plenty of work to do there while trying to replace the two-time All-American Kuechly at middle linebacker. strength, led by 6-8 senior tackle John Wetzel. The team's main running back is yet to be determined, but junior Rolandan Finch has the inside track if he can hang on to the football. With no big playmakers, the Eagles offense will need to chew up clock and keep the defense fresh for this team to get back above .500 in 2012. Spring Storyline: Boston College's all-time leading rusher, Montel Harris, cut his last ties with the program this spring. Harris ran for 3,735 yards in his career before an injury slowed him last fall. It was unclear how much he had left in the tank this spring, but the question became moot when Har- ris was kicked off the team on May 1 for a violation of team rules. Pierre-Louis and fellow outside linebacker Steele Divitto will have to cover more ground to help sophomore Sean Dug- gan in the middle. As usual, the offensive line is Boston College's main Boston College head coach Frank Spaziani might be on the proverbial hot seat in his fourth season after a 4-8 campaign in 2011. PHOTO COURTESY BOSTON COLLEGE JUNE/JULY 2012 70