Boston College’s roster looks thin after losing 10 players

Coaching changes often bring about changes in personnel, but new Boston College coach Steve Donahue is about to embark on an extreme case.

Second-year coach Donahue loses eight seniors from last year's 21-13 team, but this weekend, Dallas Elmore announced he also was leaving, joining fellow junior Reggie Jackson, who decided to test the NBA waters.

The additional departures leave Boston College with just three returning players, an eligible transfer and six new faces.

This is an impossible situation for Donahue, who loses all of his top scoring, rebounding and defensive prowess. When he took over the team a year ago, his predecessor Al Skinner left him no recruiting class, so Donahue knew he would be in this position for the 2011-12 season. So this past year, Donahue and his staff filled the roster with a strong recruiting class and now are hoping Jackson changes his mind and decides to return to school.

Jackson led the Eagles with 18.2 points per game and 36 steals. He would once again be the team's best player in 2011-12, but as it stands now, guard Danny Rubin, who averaged 4.1 points per game, and guard Gabe Moton, who averaged 2.5 points per game, could be the team's best bet. Junior guard Matt Humphrey, who transferred from Oregon and sat out last season, could also be the team leader. As a sophomore with the Ducks, he averaged 5.4 points and 2.5 rebounds per game before he suffered a knee injury.

The other six new players could have promise, but are untested. Forward Ryan Anderson, center Kyle Caudill and point guard Jordan Daniels are the best of the group and could be three of the five starters when the Eagles open the season in 2011.

Donahue's situation is not unlike the one Tad Boyle faces at Colorado next season. Boyle has to replace six players for his second season if guard Alec Burks decides to turn pro. If that happens, the Buffaloes lose their two best players, including senior Cory Higgins.

Boyle does have more on his roster than Donahue does, but both coaches are stuck having to make up for mistakes made by their predecessors.

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