BC's Crane in position

Senior QB has big shoes to fill

No, Matt Ryan is not walking through that door and making an encore appearance as Boston College's quarterback.

Everyone at BC knows it, but they will not know just how much Ryan's departure to the Atlanta Falcons will be felt at The Heights until the Chris Crane era plays itself out.

Crane is the man in the spotlight for the Eagles this season. A fifth-year senior with talent and - according to coach Jeff Jagodzinski and offensive coordinator Steve Logan - the right stuff to lead the Eagles into the postseason and their ninth straight bowl victory.

"It's his team now," said Jagodzinski, with hope.

Hope is the right word. Because no one really knows. The summer scrimmages proved only that BC will have an exceptional defense and that Crane still has to prove he can run the offense.

The first test of the regular season will come Saturday night in Cleveland when the Eagles open against Kent State. Crane will have seven returning starters on offense to make things work.

He will also have a true freshman (Josh Haden) as his primary running back and more speed than any BC offense has had in the last 10 years.

What does it all mean? "More of the same," said Jagodzinski. "Our goal every year is to go out and win the [Atlantic Coast Conference] title and get a BCS bid."

That might be a stretch, although the ACC is hardly a super conference, and other than Clemson (which has always found a way to drop the ball), no team in the ACC looks like a superpower.

For BC, too many questions on offense have yet to be answered. The primary one is at QB. Crane was Ryan's caddie for two seasons. Now he's the main act.

Crane, the redshirt senior who has thrown a total of 40 passes (one of the touchdown variety) in his collegiate career, says he is more than ready for the job.

The first opportunity will come Saturday and Crane insists he will have things in order.

The second game is against ACC rival Georgia Tech, followed by Central Florida, both at home. Realistically, the Eagles could be 3-0 by then.

The offensive line is still in transition, although new left tackle Anthony Castonzo has bulked up from his freshman season and appears ready to fill a leadership role, as well. The wide receivers - led by Rich Gunnell, Clarence Megwa, and Brandon Robinson - are solid. The running backs, Haden, Jeff Smith, and converted defensive back Razzie Smith, offer new elements with their quickness.

"We haven't had this much speed on offense in four or five years," said Jagodzinski, who says he will mix and match his backfield.

Defensively, the Eagles will be a bear.

Seven starters return, with a monster front seven that includes two veterans who sat out last season - linebacker Brian Toal (recovering from shoulder surgery) and defensive lineman B.J. Raji (academic issues). And linebacker Mark Herzlich is ready to develop into a superstar.

Kicking is another uncertainty, with sophomore Billy Bennett and Steve Aponavicius battling for the job. Freshman Ryan Quigley has beaten out Billy Flutie for the starting punter job.

Jagodzinski says he is optimistic and excited about what the Eagles will show their fans.

But until Crane proves himself, all hopes are on hold.

Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com.