By John Sarianides

Boston College was picked to finish seventh in the ACC’s Atlantic Division in the pre-season conference poll. What is up with that?

I get that the Eagles have questions at quarterback, but seventh? Really? With several key starters returning at running back and wide receiver and a loaded front seven defensively, you would have thought the Eagles would have been picked to finish in the top five in the Atlantic Division.

It doesn’t make any sense to me that a team that returns two of the best defensive players in the country in linebacker Connor Strachan and defensive end Harold Landry is going to finish in the bottom third of the conference. I get not showing the Eagles offense any love but the B.C defense has been one of the best units in the country the past four years.

I am not naive enough to think that B.C belongs in the same conversation nationally as Florida State, Clemson or even Louisville. I do however think that the Eagles are just as good as N.C State, Wake Forest and Syracuse. In fact, I think they will be better than those programs this season.

Coaches are always searching far and wide for bulletin board material. Steve Addazio won’t have to look very far to find it. All he has to tell his players is that no one believes they can compete in the ACC because they picked them to finish last. That ought to ruffle the boys feathers and get them fired up.