Eagles report: Notes, quotes
 

The Sports Xchange
 
 
Notes, quotes · Strategy and personnel · Inside slant
 

--The BC defense will be bolstered by the return of LB Brian Toal, who missed last season to recover from shoulder surgery. "I feel great," Toal said after the spring game. "It's the first time in two years I've been pain free."

--Despite a lack of experienced running backs, don't look for Toal to go back to being the short-yardage back on offense. "He doesn't have to play offense," said BC coach Jeff Jagodzinski.

--QB Chris Crane said he was happy with the way things went in the spring and feels comfortable with taking over for Matt Ryan as the starter. His coach thinks Crane, who suffers from a lack of reps even though he's a fifth-year senior, "will get better every game."

SPRING MOVERS

RB Josh Haden -- The freshman-to-be arrived on campus early and showed tremendous quickness after finding himself atop the depth chart at the position. He's so small that part of his number (1) is tucked into his pants, but he really can fly.

QB Chris Crane -- He was just 18-for-35 in the spring game, but did hit seven straight at one point in a sign he can get the job done. He needs work and there will be 30 more practices in preseason camp to get him ready.

LB Brian Toal -- The defense lost key LBs Jo-Lonn Dunbar and Tyronne Pruitt, but the return of Toal should mean a powerful front seven, the real strength of this football team.

CB Razzie Smith -- He picked off a Dominique Davis pass two yards into the end zone and returned it for a touchdown in the spring game.

QUOTE TO NOTE
"He needs teamwork. He needs game-like situations. He just hasn't had those repetitions in his career. He's been playing behind Matt. I think that's what he needs and I think he's going to get better and better with every snap he takes." -- BC coach Jeff Jagodzinski on Chris Crane, set to take over for Matt Ryan running the Eagles offense in 2008.

Copyright (C) 2008 The Sports Xchange. All Rights Reserved.

 
 


CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. SportsLine is a registered service mark of SportsLine.com, Inc.