5 takeaways from BC football’s smooth win over Richmond
The Eagles never let Richmond hang around, cruising 45-13 at Alumni Stadium.
COMMENTARY
After a gripping, back-and-forth battle against Virginia Tech in Week 1, Boston College’s Week 2 matchup with Richmond didn’t offer quite as much drama.
The Eagles earned a decisive, 45-13 win at Alumni Stadium on Saturday, pulling away from the Spiders early and moving to 2-0 on the season.
BC moved to 11-0 in head coach Steve Addazio’s tenure when reaching 500-plus yards of total offense. Junior running back AJ Dillon racked up two touchdowns on the ground and one in the air, but just like against the Hokies, he didn’t do it alone.
Here’s a closer look at how the afternoon unfolded:
BC never let Richmond hang around.
On a day when Army almost upset No. 7 Michigan, California knocked off No. 14 Washington, Maryland trounced No. 21 Syracuse, USC bulldozed No. 23 Stanford, and Colorado stunned No. 25 Nebraska, the Eagles never left any doubt about this one.
Richmond is a Football Championship Subdivision school, and its roster is significantly smaller than BC’s. The Eagles are the toughest opponent the Spiders will face all year, but if there’s one defining attribute of college football, it’s that no result is a guarantee.
There was no late-game drama in this one, as the Eagles burst out to a 21-0 edge after the first quarter and cruised from there. Sometimes it can be tough to stay sharp when there isn’t much to play for, but Boston College only committed two penalties for a total of 10 yards.
“I thought from that standpoint it was fairly clean,” Addazio said. “I was happy about that because, yeah, it can get sloppy, and I think we contained that.”
Interestingly, the Spiders won the possession battle every quarter, but that was more so a product of the Eagles looking to play fast than anything else. The result was never uncertain, which is exactly what BC wanted.
“Sometimes people overlook these games,” quarterback Anthony Brown said, “but it was really an emphasis and a big focus this week to not look past this game into Kansas.”
AJ Dillon is catching more passes.
After catching zero passes his freshman year and eight for 41 yards his sophomore season, Dillon already has three receptions for 63 yards in 2019.
The trend isn’t a coincidence, either. The Eagles are making a concerted effort to pass him the ball this year, and it’s paying dividends thus far.
Dillon finished with two catches for 54 yards and a receiving touchdown along with 17 carries for 87 yards and two scores on the ground. He showed his versatility throughout the game, and no more so than when he zigzagged his way to the end zone for a 42-yard score early in the second quarter.
He corralled the pass, managed to stay in bounds and make multiple defenders miss, and from there, there was no chance anyone was catching him. This was the latest example of how he’s improved his ability to catch passes out of the backfield, which makes Brown’s life a lot easier.
“Honestly, he’s been working at it every single day,” Brown said. “When I say every day, I actually mean every day. So I feel his confidence is just through the roof. He feels like he can catch anything.
Brown said Dillon is even asking for passing plays now, a concept Dillon said sprouted at the end of last season.
“I guess probably more towards Bowl prep,” Dillon said. “I realized I really needed to take the next step in my game. Less, I guess, about myself and more about becoming a leader, and that doesn’t necessarily translate to stats so much, but I mean, being involved in the pass game, whether it’s catching the ball, blocking — lately, I’ve been — like my stats haven’t been whatever, but I felt more fulfilled than I had when I got a 272-yard game, and that’s not made up.”
Dillon said it’s very important for him to garner respect from his teammates in all facets, not just running the ball.
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Nolan Borgersen illuminated a larger trend.
With Richmond deep in BC territory, the Eagles needed a stop midway through the second quarter to stay firmly ahead.
Graduate student Nolan Borgersen leaped in front of QB Joe Mancuso’s pass, contorted his body in midair, and corralled the ball at the BC 29. That set up a Dillon touchdown and kept the Spiders off the scoreboard until the second quarter.
The pick was the defensive back Borgersen’s first career interception, and Addazio went out of his way to mention the milestone before he referenced any other player in his opening statement.
“It was great to see Nolan Borgersen have that big pick,” Addazio said. “Here’s a fifth year senior who’s really paid his dues and playing his best football. He’s all about the team.”
Borgersen said the Eagles were in cover two, and he simply tracked the ball and made a play on it.
Not only did it fire up those around him, but it was also the latest example of how potent this defense is currently and can continue to be going forward. This was BC’s 10th straight game with an interception, and the Eagles are still second nationally, with 41 picks since 2017, following Tate Haynes’ interception in the second quarter.
“I think it’s really big to have a rotation and be able to stay fresh, and that’s helped the back end a lot,” Borgersen said. “We have a lot of guys playing on defense, and swarming the ball creates turnovers. So that’s been really good for us.”
Two Saturdays. Two wins.#WeAreBC🦅
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The tight ends made game-changing plays.
St. John’s Prep product Jake Burt reeled in a career-long 55-yard touchdown reception and Korab Idrizi also scored on a 7-yard dish from Brown.
While Dillon was the catalyst, Brown spread the wealth to his tight ends in Burt, Idrizi, and Chris Garrison.
“We’re just really good right now at putting different pieces of the puzzle all over,” Burt said, “keeping the ball spread out, keeping our run game proficient, and that’s been the key for us because it’s hard to game plan for one person when you play us.”
Burt admitted he was tired before his touchdown, but he said once he got to the end zone, it was all worth it. He generated some space, then checked the rearview mirror and kept the defensive player on his back toward the end of the play.
The 6-foot-3, 260-pound graduate student caught one pass in 2015 and 2017, six for one touchdown in 2018, and he already has two catches for 58 yards and a score in 2019.
“I was just elated,” Burt said. “I was so happy to be in the end zone.”
Kansas is next, this Friday night.
The Eagles made sure not to underestimate the Spiders, and they’ll do the same against the Jayhawks on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Alumni Stadium.
Kansas lost, 12-7, at home to Coastal Carolina on Saturday, but BC’s players made it clear the Jayhawks are perfectly capable of earning a win this coming week.
“Kansas is no slouch,” Brown said. “They have a great coach. They have a very talented running back on offense, and I know that defense is going to come to play. It’s a Friday night game. This is everybody’s dream.”
Brown said the excitement level will be high for this one, as the Eagles have a chance to go 3-0. He expects a large crowd, and he’s eager for the challenge.
Especially with a quick turnaround, the Eagles know time is of the essence as they prepare for another key matchup.
“There’s going to be thousands of people watching,” Brown said. “I feel like they’re definitely going to come here looking for a ‘W,’ so we’ve got to step our game up.”
