Cornering market on roles

BC's Akins up for any job available

A running back in high school, Kevin Akins was recruited by BC to play defense. And he has, at multiple positions. (Barry Chin/Globe Staff)

Finally.

After four seasons that produced only five starts, "jack-of-all-trades" Kevin Akins has a new identity: starter at cornerback.

The 6-foot-2-inch, 224-pound senior has filled that position for the last two weeks in Boston College's wins against Central Florida and Rhode Island and will fill it again tomorrow when the Eagles travel to North Carolina State.

Akins arrived in fall 2004 with the tag of "athlete." His work ethic and persistence stand out.

"He's a competitor," said BC defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani, who first saw Akins as a hotshot running back coming out of North Penn High School in Lansdale, Pa., five years ago with talent in a lot of areas.

"If you tell him to go out and play center, he'll say, 'Let's go.' "

When told about another potential position, Akins just laughed. "Sure," he said. "Just let me go against the big guys."

At North Penn, Akins was a good enough running back to attract attention from Pitt, Penn State, West Virginia, and BC, which chased him early.

Despite some gaudy numbers as a running back - 2,065 yards and 24 TDs his senior season - BC focused on Akins as a defensive player.

"They recruited me as an athlete," said Akins, who noted BC offered the combination of big-time football and big-time education. "I was just happy they had a hole in the defensive backfield."

After redshirting as a freshman, Akins began at cornerback, played a little safety, then moved to linebacker. Although he didn't start, he played.

"I've done it before," said Akins about the move to cornerback from linebacker that unofficially began the day before summer camp 2008 opened. "Safety, corner, linebacker, it's just another day at the office. My freshman season was the last time I played corner."

Former BC coach Tom O'Brien, who recruited Akins, said the athleticism was obvious. "He was a running back we put in at cornerback and then put him at linebacker and in situations where he would rush the passer," O'Brien said from his office at North Carolina State this week. "He's just a very good athlete who did a lot of things well."

Akins says he likes the challenge that playing corner brings, with its risk-reward factor if he makes a mistake. "There is more pass responsibility," he said. "But it's still football, carrying out assignments and doing your job. I'm here to play Division 1 football and help my team win."

Coach Jeff Jagodzinski says Akins is filling a need, as usual. "Kevin gives us some corner work, some linebacker work, sometime nickel back work," he said. "He's a 'jack-of-all-trades' type of player."

The move to cornerback was predicated on the Eagles staying healthy at linebacker, where they are talented but not deep.

When starting cornerback DeLeon Gause went down with an ankle injury in the first quarter of the Eagles' game against Georgia Tech Sept. 6, the secondary had to adjust. Freshman Donnie Fletcher moved into Gause's spot, but Akins - with his additional size - moved ahead of Roderick Rollins in the other cornerback slot. With Fletcher's 6-1, 186-pound frame joining Akins, the Eagles had a pair of physical cornerbacks.

Akins does not lack for confidence. "I'm usually bigger than the receiver," he said. "So I use my physical attributes."

And if teams decide to challenge the player at the new position, Akins says he is ready. "When it comes, I will be waiting for it."

The next test, of course, will be tomorrow afternoon with N.C. State and O'Brien. "It's against my old coach," said Akins. "And playing a new position. They know us, we know them.

"You can't ask for a better challenge."