College Sports

10 things to watch as Boston College football kicks off its season

Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec passes during a game against Texas State. Michael Dwyer/AP File Photo

By Trevor Hass, The Boston Globe

5 minutes to read

As the Boston College football team begins a new season, expectations are the highest they’ve been in several years.

The Eagles return 20 starters from last year’s squad, which finished 6-5 in coach Jeff Hafley’s first year. BC has not reached eight wins since 2009.

The Eagles open the season Saturday at noon at home against Colgate as 46½-point favorites. Here are 10 story lines to keep tabs on as the season unfolds.

Eight wins are within reach

The Eagles have a favorable schedule, particularly to start the season. They’ll be heavy favorites against Colgate, UMass, and Temple the first three weeks, and anything short of a 3-0 start would be a disappointment.

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Then comes one of their most pivotal games of the season, at home against Missouri Sept. 25, followed by a trip to perennial power Clemson the following Saturday. There will be quite a bit of hype around that one, particularly if both teams are undefeated.

Games against North Carolina State, Louisville, Syracuse, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Florida State, and Wake Forest will follow.

BC also has a chance to be ranked for the first time since 2018, when it rose to No. 17 in the country and finished 7-5.

“I think we’re going to break through that ceiling that BC tends to have,” linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley said.

Fans are back at Alumni Stadium

Hafley has never coached a game in front of fans at Alumni Stadium. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec has never played in front of the BC faithful. The Eagles’ last home game with fans was Nov. 9, 2019, against Florida State

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“You want to say it’s not different, but it is different playing in an empty stadium,” defensive back Jason Maitre said. “It’s going to be nice to have fans again.”

Fans will be required to provide proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test within the previous 72 hours. The school said the entire team, as well as 99 percent of BC undergraduates and 99 percent of faculty, is vaccinated.

The offensive line has a chance to dominate

The offensive line, which features Tyler Vrabel (left tackle), Zion Johnson (left guard), Alec Lindstrom (center), Christian Mahogany (right guard), and Ben Petrula (right tackle), is one of the most experienced in college football.

Johnson and Lindstrom are preseason All-Americans, and the group has a combined 125 starts.

“It’s going to be exciting to watch us,” Lindstrom said. “We pride ourselves on being the best unit in the country this year.”

Jurkovec has a year of experience behind him

The Notre Dame transfer, who established himself as a premier passer in the ACC last year, is back for a second season with the Eagles. He has prioritized improving his footwork, decision-making, and accuracy this offseason and believes that the game has slowed down for him.

“Whenever you’re trying every day to get better and keep progressing, looking at your faults and trying to improve them, you don’t reflect as much about how much you’ve gotten better, the strides you’ve taken,” Jurkovec said. “I definitely have, looking back a year ago to today.”

They have no shortage of pass-catchers

It will be interesting to see who leads the Eagles in receptions this year. There are plenty of candidates, including favorite Zay Flowers, Kobay White, Jaelen Gill, CJ Lewis, Jaden Williams, and Trae Barry.

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Hafley said to expect less “vanilla” play-calling in Year 2. Flowers is one of the ACC’s most explosive receivers, and Joey Luchetti and Barry should be heavily involved as tight ends.

“There’s only one ball,” wide receivers coach Joe Dailey said. “You can’t be concerned about getting a million touches, but when you do get your touches, you make the most of it. One hand washes the other.”

Time will tell on the run game

Fans accustomed to seeing BC run the ball should expect more carries this season than last. The Eagles finished 14th in the ACC last year with 101.7 rushing yards per game and averaged a conference-low 3.1 yards per carry.

Travis Levy, Alec Sinkfield, Xavier Coleman, and Pat Garwo are all in the mix for the Eagles, who were 3-0 last season when rushing for 100-plus yards.

“We have more of an identity of who we are in the run game, and that’s going to show up,” Hafley said. “We’re going to run the ball. I know people think we throw it 50 times a game. I think you’ll see more balance, but we still want to throw the ball down the field.”

Filling the void at linebacker

With Max Richardson and Isaiah McDuffie gone, the Eagles will turn to a committee of linebackers. Kam Arnold, Nick DeNucci, Graham-Mobley, Vinny DePalma, and Bryce Steele will play a role, and Hafley said to expect to see all of them Saturday.

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“I think all of them look at it as their opportunity to step up on the field and show how much time and effort they’ve put into getting better,” linebackers coach Sean Duggan said.

The Eagles finished sixth in run defense last year, allowing 171.4 yards per game.

The DBs have plenty of potential

Hafley is known for his ability to mentor and develop defensive backs, and the Eagles have a host of them ready to contribute.

Elijah Jones (cornerback), Jaiden Woodbey and Jahmin Muse (strong safety), Jason Maitre and Mike Palmer (free safety), and Brandon Sebastian (cornerback) are names to know.

BC is 11-4 in the last two seasons when it finishes even or ahead in turnover margin and 1-8 when it loses the turnover battle.

Several Eagles could be drafted

Jurkovec could potentially end up as a first- or second-round NFL selection if he continues his upward trajectory.

The Eagles haven’t had a wide receiver drafted since 1987, and it’s possible Flowers could change that. Johnson is likely to be drafted, and Lindstrom, Vrabel, Woodbey, and Marcus Valdez are a few others who could hear their names called.

Keep the mojo going

The Eagles have momentum on their side, and their recruiting class is ranked 24th on Rivals. Hafley & Co. laid the foundation in Year 1, and now the goal is to keep it rolling.

“I thought we built our camaraderie really well last year,” Hafley said. “I thought our culture was formed last year in a very adverse situation, which is one of the reasons I think we were who we were. We stuck together, played hard, and didn’t flinch. Now it’s about getting better and continuing to build the culture.”

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