Very much up in the air

The first-year Boston College head coach had been asked about the quarterback situation.

Again.

And, again, Spaziani shrugged, looked to the sky, and said, “You tell me. It is what it is. You can call it murky. You can call it muddled. Who knows? Maybe we will play two. Maybe we will play three.’’

Then Spaziani paused and looked to the other side of the practice field, where the defense was working out. Spaziani is a defensive guy. Although he started out as a quarterback in his playing days at Penn State, he has been linked to defense for almost 30 years. Other than a one-year stint as a running backs coach in his first season at BC under Tom O’Brien, the 61-year-old Spaziani has had a defensive mind-set.

“You know,’’ he said, “everyone is talking about the quarterbacks. But I’m a defensive guy and we’ve got a lot of things going on at linebacker. That may be more muddled than quarterback.’’

On Saturday, Spaziani knows the picture will come into focus when BC opens its season against Northeastern at Alumni Stadium. He knows he will have to have the answers.

The bottom line is this: The 2009 BC football team is a work in progress. The two-time defending Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division champions have more questions than answers right now. They may, as ACC writers predicted this summer, finish last in the Atlantic Division.

But then, they might do better than that. With a veteran offensive line, a pair of talented running backs, veteran wide receivers, and a solid defensive backfield, the Eagles might surprise some people. With Spaziani overseeing things and newly promoted defensive coordinator Billy McGovern pushing the buttons, the defense has enough bite to keep the Eagles in contention each week. With an offensive line led by left tackle Anthony Castonzo and center Matt Tennant, the Eagles might also run the ball well enough to keep them in games.

“The senior leadership has to take over,’’ said kicker Steve Aponavicius, who is back for a fifth season. “We seniors got together over the summer and we just said that we’re not willing to relinquish what we had built over the last few years.’’

It won’t be easy.

Quarterback, obviously, is a key issue. After Dominique Davis left school last spring because of academic issues, the quarterback depth chart consisted of Justin Tuggle, Codi Boek, and Michael Marscovetra, none of whom had taken a snap at this level. David Shinskie arrived in June, a 25-year-old freshman who had spent the last seven years playing minor league baseball.

A month of camp did not produce a clear-cut leader, although Tuggle, a redshirt freshman, emerged in the last week after Shinskie was sidelined with a cracked rib. Shinskie returned to practice Tuesday and should play against Northeastern, although Tuggle will start.

“Still a fluid situation,’’ said Spaziani.

Then there is linebacker. At the end of last season, the Eagles looked solid and deep there. Then defensive cocaptain and middle linebacker Mike McLaughlin tore an Achilles’ tendon in an offseason workout and ACC Defensive Player of the Year Mark Herzlich was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer.

Herzlich will watch from the sidelines this season as he battles Ewing’s sarcoma. McLaughlin hopes to be back by midseason.

Which leaves the Eagles in a tough spot, as true freshman Luke Kuechly fills one void and redshirt freshman Nick Clancy and sophomore Dominick LeGrande will have to step up in a group light on experience.

And that doesn’t factor in the changes at defensive line, where B.J. Raji and Ron Brace, now in the NFL, must be replaced. The talent is there, with Austin Giles, Alex Albright (returning from neck surgery), and Damik Scafe trying to elevate their profiles.

If there is a comfort zone, it is in the secondary, where senior safeties Wes Davis and Marcellus Bowman will be joined by veteran cornerbacks Roderick Rollins, DeLeon Gause, and Donnie Fletcher.

Offensively, whoever is at quarterback will use the combination of Josh Haden and Montel Harris at running back and will have veteran wide receivers Rich Gunnell, Justin Jarvis, and Billy Flutie to make plays.

Does any of this guarantee anything?

“Of course not,’’ said Spaziani. “But it should be interesting.’’