Replacing Doug Flutie Is a Big Challenge Facing BC’s Bicknell

What will life be like in the year 1 A.F. (After Flutie)?

There still will be a good football team that can have success, said Boston College Coach Jack Bicknell. But there will be differences.

“I’d like to find out what it’s going to be like without Flutie,” Bicknell said, “because that’s a coaching challenge . . . and that would be fun.”

For the first time in more than three years, he has to worry about the quarterback position. Flutie, who won it in the fourth game of 1981 and started all 43 games since then, ended his Boston College career in last Tuesday’s 45-28 Cotton Bowl victory over Houston.

“We think we can always find someone to play quarterback,” Bicknell said. “We’re not going to find a Doug Flutie. We’re not necessarily looking for one. If we find one, fine, but they come in all sizes and shapes.

“You can always find a guy to fit into your style, particularly if your style is to throw the football. We have an advantage in recruiting because we’re going to get quarterbacks who want to throw. I think we have good quarterbacks in the program.”

Those potential successors to the best quarterback in Boston College history are juniors Shawn Halloran, Steve Peach and Mike Willging, sophomore Rorery Perryman and freshman Duke St. Pierre.

“We have five guys who will have a good opportunity in the spring to show what they can do,” Bicknell said. “I think we have a chance of recruiting a good quarterback. A couple of years ago we had trouble recruiting quarterbacks because Flutie was only a sophomore . . . But Flutie’s now graduating, and we don’t have an heir apparent.”

Bicknell, who emphasizes the passing attack, said he’d like Boston College to be an Eastern version of Brigham Young, which also travels mostly by air.

“BYU had (Jim) McMahon. They had (Marc) Wilson. They had (Steve) Young. They’ve got (Robbie) Bosco,” he said. “They’re not all the same style. Young was a runner. McMahon had quickness. Wilson was a pocket guy, so I think we can adjust and adapt.”

Bicknell said that 20 percent of his offense is based on Flutie’s talents and that 80 percent of it could be used with any quarterback.

“With our style, we’ll be able to get kids who can throw it and catch it,” he added.

Because of the Eagles’ success the last three years, when they went to three bowl games, “we’ve got better players in the program now than when Doug Flutie first came in, so I think we have a chance to be good,” Bicknell said.

But he’s not ready to put the team on the upper level of college football.

“There are the real top teams, and then we’re in that next group,” he said. “We’re a team that at any given time can be dangerous.”

Bicknell said he doesn’t even have an ambition to reach the top level.

“I don’t think it’s realistic and if I were to have an ambition for something that’s unrealistic then I’d be frustrated,” he added.

“I don’t expect that we will be a team in the national picture every single year,” said Bicknell. “But we could be, and our players think we will be.”