Recruits responding to offensive output

It's going to take a very strong effort from here on out for Boston College to reach a bowl game, but recruits don't seem to be worried.

EagleAction.com stays in regular contact with BC's commitments and top targets from 2013 and 2014 alike, and we've noticed a common sentiment over the past couple of weeks. Yes, the recruits would like to see the number in the win column start to tick up. But there seems to be more optimism now than at this point last season, and prospects are regularly referencing BC's improved offensive output.

It's true the Eagles are just 1-3. But Boston College has also played one of the nation's toughest schedules, with games already played against two of the ACC's better teams in Miami and Clemson, and a game played on the road against one of the Big Ten's toughest squads in Northwestern.

Boston College lost those three games by just more than 10 points per contest. While the defensive numbers have been underwhelming this season, offense often generates a lot of recruiting excitement, and after last year that's what a lot of recruits are looking for.

New coordinator Doug Martin was a pivotal hire and recruits were told big things about him from the rest of the BC coaches. The fact that his offense is actually producing reinforces what they heard in the offseason.

Quarterback Chase Rettig has already passed for 1,292 yards and nine touchdowns against only three picks, and again, that's against some talented competition. Miami, Clemson and Northwestern won't rank near the top of the country in total defense, but that production, against good teams, is impossible to argue with. If here were to continue that success his end-of-season numbers would be outstanding.

So perhaps it's no surprise that some of BC's most interested targets right now are skill position players like Dionte Taylor and Rachid Ibrahim. They were told about the offensive changes, they apparently liked what they heard, and now that things are working out on that side of the ball their optimism is at an all-time high.

The common refrain we hear when we talk to recruits is, "Boston College is close. The offense is playing great. They're on the verge of being a really good team."

No doubt, the defense could use a play maker or two like Donnie White Jr. or Kevin Maurice.

But frankly, it oftentimes seems a lot easier to make a recruiting pitch when it's your offense that's carrying it's weight and you're competitive in high scoring shootouts than it is when you're struggling to move the ball and fans are sitting on their hands for 60 minutes.

With games remaining against Army, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and NC State, all teams that are struggling to some degree, there's a golden opportunity for the Eagles to surprise a lot of people and return to the postseason. If that happens the sentiment from recruits, which has been cautiously optimistic so far, will only improve.