Boston College coach Dan Henning should be used to poor starts. After all, two of his previous coaching jobs were with the Detroit Lions and the Atlanta Falcons.
However, after the Eagles were dropped by Virginia Tech, 45-7, at home last weekend, Henning wasn't a jovial guy - especially with the Boston media beginning to question if this was going to be a down year for the Eagles.
"That's their job to speculate," Henning said. "They're trying to sell newspapers."
But does Henning feel it's a down year in Chestnut Hill?
"I don't comment on that," he said.
Whether Henning is willing to talk about it or not, things certainly don't seem to be looking up for Boston College.
The Eagles barely got by Hawaii in their season opener and followed up an off week with last weekend's whipping by the Hokies.
Now Boston College (0-1 Big East, 1-1 overall) has to limp into Michigan Stadium at 3:30 p.m. tomorrow and face the Wolverines (1-0 Big Ten, 2-0 overall).
And while Henning isn't saying that his team doesn't have a chance, he's not very optimistic.
"(The Wolverines) are better than we are, plain and simple," he said. "If they play at their top level, we can't beat them."
Henning's most unexpected problem this season has been at quarterback.
Last season's starter, Mark Hartsell, was expected to be a strength for the Eagles this year. He was also expected to still be on the team.
Hartsell had a change of heart, however, and after the Eagles finished spring drills, he decided to give the NFL a try, relinquishing his final year of eligibility.
"At the immediate time he decided to give the pros a chance, I was surprised," Henning said. "After that, I wasn't."
Of course, Henning could have questioned the intelligence of Hartsell leaving school to sign as a free agent with the Washington Redskins, a team he was cut from. But instead Henning had to find a signal-caller for this season.
Sophomore Scott Mutryn started against the Rainbows but was replaced midway through by junior Matt Hasselbeck, who started last Saturday's game as well.
In his two games, Hasselbeck has completed just over 60 percent of his passes for 262 yards, but he led the Boston College offense to only seven points against Virginia Tech.
The biggest problem may be on the defensive side of the ball, where the Eagles were barely able to stop Hawaii and didn't come close to slowing the Hokies.
"If you can't play defense in the I-A college level or the professional level, it doesn't matter what you do on the other side of the ball," Henning said.
Linebacker Brian Maye leads Boston College with 30 tackles, but the Eagles are giving up a 177 yards a game on the ground, 185 through the air.
Things aren't all bad for Henning, however. The Eagles brought in a talented group of freshmen, and you'd think it would be easy to chalk up this season as a rebuilding year.
Easy for everyone but Henning, that is.
"I don't consider this year or any other year at Boston College to be a transition year," he said, "because seniors don't want to hear that.
"We're not into transition, we're here to do the best we can."
Michigan update: Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said yesterday that he doesn't expect tailback Chris Howard or defensive end Glenn Steele to play tomorrow against Boston College.
Howard did not practice this week due to a rib injury suffered in the Wolverines' 20-13 victory over Colorado last weekend.
As for Steele, it's the same old story. A physical game on a tough astroturf surface aggravated his back.
While neither player is expected to play, both should be in uniform against the Eagles.