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Right about now, the Boston College football team could probably use a break.
The Eagles have been blasted in the three straight games for the first time in a dozen years and, with the exception of freshman Chase Rettig possibly being able to play next Saturday, there's no cavalry on the way to help them.
But the Eagles have already exhausted their bye week, and not only must they trudge on in the schedule, their next foe - Florida State - suddenly looks a lot more scary. The Seminoles thrashed Miami in South Florida on Saturday night.
The biggest question mark heading forward is the same one that's dogged the team since it started its backslide against Virginia Tech: quarterback. Rettig, the true freshman who suffered a sprained left ankle against Notre Dame on Oct. 2, was expected to practice yesterday and coach Frank Spaziani said he's day-to-day.
If Rettig's healthy enough to play next Saturday at FSU, then the quarterback situation will be settled, if not necessarily fixed just yet.
No matter who is under center, however, the Eagles need better play there and in other areas to compete against the likes of Florida State.
Dave Shinskie, who was benched in the Virginia Tech game, could not produce the comeback story everyone in maroon and gold was hoping for Saturday against North Carolina State in Raleigh. He went 7-for-24 for 89 yards and two interceptions, one of which the Wolfpack returned for a touchdown.
''The quarterback is one of the (focal points) on offense, and certainly better execution at that position would have put us in better circumstances in the last game and in previous games,'' Spaziani said. ''Having said (that), there are still some other problems that need to be addressed.''
Asked what his Plan B would be if Rettig were not healthy enough to play against the 'Noles, Spaziani said it again would be Shinskie or Mike Marscovetra or ''other options.''
He didn't go into specifics on what those other options would be, but true freshman Josh Bordner would be another one available to him, though a desperate one it may be, considering Bordner's worked on the scout team all season.
''We've analyzed everything and gone through every area that we could possibly go through to move forward,'' said Spaziani.
The good news on the horizon is that, after Florida State, the competition comes down a notch or two. After the 'Noles, they'll host Maryland and then have another tough game at home versus Clemson before going on the road again to face struggling Wake Forest and Duke teams before the home finale against Virginia and the season finale at Syracuse.
But who knows what kind of state the Eagles will be in physically and mentally after they're done with the supposed difficult stretch of their schedule? Can they expect to win any of those remaining games with major improvements to their game, not just at quarterback but on the offensive line, in the receiving corps, and in their third-down defense?
Those questions can only be answered in time. But Spaziani said that, despite the 44-17 loss to the Wolfpack, he saw a certain spark in players who were fighting to the end that bodes well for the future.
''When a guy is working hard and his attitude is good,'' said Spaziani, ''that's a recipe for improvement.''
- sconroy@bostonherald.com
