BC and GT Tasked with Filling "BIG" Shoes

With quarterback battles raging across the country folks forget that football games are won and lost in the trenches. For Boston College and Georgia Tech defensive line play has been a constant over the last couple ACC seasons however, that all changes entering 2009 as the four best defense linemen in the ACC leave campus. BJ Raji and Ron Brace from BC, Vance Walker and Darryl Richard from GT leave massive holes along their respective teams defensive fronts and plugging those holes will be no small task in the spring.

The quarterback is the sexy position. They get all the limelight, all the glory and all of the headlines. They also receive the brunt of the blame, the ridicule and the criticism. So it is no wonder that heading into spring football the quarterback is the position of note for fans and the media alike. Searches and battles at schools like Michigan, Southern Cal, Alabama and Georgia exemplify the feeding of the media’s quarterback frenzy.

Even ACC country is caught up with the battle raging at Clemson between Kyle Parker and Willie Korn. However, second most anticipated ACC battle has left fans quite disappointed. Entering spring folks in Tallahassee were expecting to see Jimbo Fisher’s handpicked recruit EJ Manuel square off against incumbent Christian Ponder but alas this position clash was over before it began with Manuel suffering a dislocated finger on his throwing hand early in spring drills.

While the nation hones in on quarterback battles and who will win the starting jobs the “meatiest” story of the ACC this offseason will be written on the campuses of Georgia Tech and Boston Colleges. Both schools are presented with the same daunting task; replacing the heart, soul and girth of their defenses. Although the hogmollies from the trenches don’t draw the attention that the pretty boys under center command they are every bit as integral to each teams’ winning formula and that is why BC and GT have the biggest shoes to fill in the ACC.

The Georgia Tech duo of Darryl Richard and Vance Walker comprised 583 pounds of man while BJ Raji and Ron Brace accounted for some 663 pounds of the BC front four. Both mammoth numbers in and of themselves the impact of these four players was felt on more than just the scales. Combined the four defensive tackles totaled 136 tackles, 45.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks during the 2008 season. Each of duos were experienced anchors that not only produced tangible statistical numbers but also served a bigger purpose to their respective squads; they freed up the linebackers to flow to ball carriers and make plays unhampered by the oppositions offensive lines.

Not only were these four players the class of their respective teams, combined they were the class of the conference. Vance Walker and BJ Raji taking the two first team All-ACC defensive tackle spots while Brace and Richard occupied the second team slots. Frank Spaziani and Paul Johnson will have to pull the proverbial rabbit out of the hat in order to replace these defensive stalwarts as neither team is particularly well stocked at the tackle position.

For the Ramblin’ Wreck the post Walker and Richard era has a positive outlook in Ben Anderson and TJ Barnes. Anderson saw plenty of action in reserve duty for both Richard and Walker during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The junior has appeared in eighteen games and brings a capable scrappy attitude to the defensive tackle position. Although a bit undersized at 6’2” and a “svelte” 271 pounds Anderson has accounted for a sack and a couple of tackles for loss. He’ll be counted on by Johnson to be a consistent and productive starter at the defensive tackle position.

While Anderson will be the model of consistency Paul Johnson’s staff stake their defensive line future on the freshman TJ Barnes. Barnes redshirted 2008 and will likely be a four year starter, should he play out all of his eligibility. The 6’7” 325 pound youngster from Enterprise, Alabama will look to take over where Vance Walker left off. He’s an athletic big man with good feet who looks to be fully capable of not only commanding but defeating routine double teams. The Jackets will need Barnes to keep their linebackers clean if they hope to return to their status among the nations top rush (24th, 120.3 ypg) and sack defenses (18th, 34 total, 2.62 per game).

The reigning Atlantic Division Champions 2009 defensive tackle prospects are not quite as clear as their Coastal Division foe. Frank Spaziani and the Eagles lose the girth that elevated his defense to 7th nationally against the run yielding 91.2 ypg and 26th in the sack department by racking up 35 total and 2.5 per game.

Damik Scafe a 6’3”, 293 pound sophomore will be the leader in replacing Brace and Raji. He has some experience including 13 tackles, 1 tackle for loss and 1 quarterback hurry in the 2008 season. Although limited his experience clearly makes him the elder statesmen as the rest of the roster has zero experience on the defensive line.

Bryan Murray and Kaleb Ramsey are the leaders in auditioning for playing time in 2009. Murray is a 6’2”, 292 pound freshman with the physical skill set to be a plug in the middle. On the other hand Ramsey is a talented athlete who played tight end and defensive end in high school. The freshman is listed at 256 pounds making him quite undersized in the ACC but at 6’3” and built wide he has the frame support the weight he needs to be a successful defensive tackle.

The Boston College trio of Scafe, Murray and Ramsey will have to grow up fast as the linebacking core of the Eagles only returns one starter after the Achilles injury to Mike McLaughlin. Inexperienced linebackers coupled with unproven defensive tackles could be a recipe for run defense disaster in Chestnut Hill.

Both the Eagles and the Yellow Jackets have their work cut out for them as they try to replace All-American, All-ACC and elite NFL draft caliber players on their defensive fronts. The fifteen spring practices are the first chance we’ll get to see what Anderson and Barnes will give the ACC’s Coastal Division for the Yellow Jackets, a team expected to be among the nations top fifteen. In the Atlantic Division new headman Frank Spaziani will have to hold open auditions to fill the holes in what once was the seventh best rush defense in the nation.

Scafe and Anderson have proven themselves capable in spots now each will get a chance to be THE MAN instead of just A GUY in the rotation. Out of the young players working to get their first minutes Barnes looks to be the most promising but Murray’s stout build could position him to be a reliable middle defender.