After rain delay, BC eager to get started

By Mark Blaudschun, Globe Staff  |  August 7, 2007

And on the first day, it rained and thundered, with a touch of lightning. So much so that Boston College coach Jeff Jagodzinski's first practice of the fall had a rain delay of about 30 minutes yesterday.

The freshmen had reported Saturday and the veterans Sunday, with morning meetings yesterday followed by an afternoon practice (shorts, no pads) on the Alumni Stadium turf.

The Eagles will begin two-a-day practices Saturday, with the first of four scrimmages scheduled for Saturday night.

"Good first practice," said Jagodzinski. "Right now it's alignment and assignment. We'll do that for about five days and then we'll get into it. We'll have most of our offense in place after about five [practices]. It's all going to be about tempo. We want to do things fast."

As of July, BC was officially recognized as a full member of the Atlantic Coast Conference, which meant that its shared revenue this season will jump from $6.25 million to almost $11 million. BC also will receive a full allotment of ACC basketball tournament tickets after getting only a one-third share the first year and a two-thirds share last season . . . Although there was speculation that linebacker Kevin Akins might switch to the defensive backfield, that is unlikely to happen since the Eagles will be down a man at linebacker when the official announcement that Brian Toal is red-shirting is made. Toal was at yesterday's practice in uniform but continues to spend most of his time on the exercise bike as he rehabs his surgically repaired right shoulder . . . Defending ACC champion Wake Forest continues to get little respect in preseason chatter. The Deacons were picked to finish fourth in the Atlantic Division. The early line on BC's season opener with Wake Forest has the Eagles favored by 6 1/2 points . . . Jagodzinski said the fiercest competition of camp should be at right tackle between Pat Sheil and Cliff Ramsey, and at wide receiver, where Kevin Challenger, who missed spring drills because of an injury, will be challenged by spring star Clarence Megwa. Brandon Robinson should be secure at the other receiver slot.

Harvard was picked third in the Ivy League in the preseason media poll, behind Yale and Penn.

The Crimson return 15 starters from last year's 7-3 team, but will be without Clifton Dawson, the Ivy League's all-time leading rusher.

"Our expectations are always high," said coach Tim Murphy, whose team got one first-place vote. "I think we have a chance to have a very good defense, so most of our questions will be on the offensive side."

The Bulldogs, who shared the title last year with Princeton, received 14 of 16 first-place votes.

Coach Charlie Weis wasn't giving any hints on who Notre Dame's starting quarterback will be this season -- and doesn't plan to until the Fighting Irish take the field against Georgia Tech Sept. 1. Junior Evan Sharply, freshman Jimmy Clausen, and sophomore Demetrius Jones are competing to replace Brady Quinn . . . Duke opened preseason practice without its top tackler from the past two seasons. Linebacker Michael Tauiliili was suspended indefinitely Sunday, one day after he was arrested on gun charges, driving while impaired, failing to stop after an accident, and simple assault, Durham, N.C., police said . . . Angela Vogel, who had dated Northern Colorado backup punter Mitch Cozad, testified she lied to police at his request regarding his whereabouts at the time starter Rafael Mendoza was stabbed. Cozad is on trial in Greeley, Colo., on charges of attempted first-degree murder and second-degree assault in the Mendoza stabbing last Sept. 11.

Material from the Associated Press was used in this report.