LOWS PREVIEW: WHAT IF IT DOESN'T GET BETTER

As we've done the last few years, we get ready to rock with two previews on the year - a Heights and a Lows preview. We're going to start with the latter because it's easier and then we get to have happy thoughts later in the week.

Outside of Chestnut Hill, this is probably the standard mindset, though. We weren't good last year. We gained some experience but still are very thin, especially when you go down the two deep. There are obvious changes in style coming, and when you think about defensive schemes, what we didn't do last year (get any pressure on any QB whatsoever) wasn't just coaching.

Thinking about the schedule, here's how it breaks down, in my mind:

Things do start easy, at least until the west coast gets involved. Even in worst case scenarios, this team isn't likely to lose to Villanova, but I could see the short turnaround (even early in the year after a light opponent) tripping up the team. That's why I keep WF in the Potential category and not in a likely scenario.

There are some predictions that involve the USC game as a win in the ultimate scenario. I just don't see how. Teams that can score worry me, especially if it's over the top and we can't get pressure on a QB. I don't think that Nova or Wake will offer a real test to see if our DLine has improved enough to get that pressure on. September ends with a beat down by Florida State, we're either 2-2 or 1-3, and October looks grim. Yes, Army comes back, but we know that the one win won't help much as we think about UNC, Clemson and an early November game with VT.

When the schedule opens back up to less challenging opponents for the last four weeks of the season, it just may take all four wins - three road games to boot - to make a bowl. In the worst case scenario, we win in Las Cruces and maybe make things close in Syracuse or Maryland. 3-9 is the bottom, and the only thing we can hang our hat on is that we did one win better than the year before and Addazio is facing a huge depth gap with the departure of the seniors from key offense positions.

Then I'm really depressed because we're talking about a still not-so-promising 2014. Which shouldn't be a year that exists anyway, let alone one I have to worry about again when it comes to BC Football.