Get the latest Boston sports news
Receive updates on your favorite Boston teams, straight from our newsroom to your inbox.
Hoping to shake slump, BC football gets back to work Saturday vs. Syracuse
As Boston College football enters the final third of a roller-coaster season, the Eagles are adopting a simple, all-encompassing mind-set.
“Remember November,” defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku said. “We’ve got to finish.”
With a promising start as a template, and a perplexing slump as fuel, the Eagles (4-4, 1-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) are ready to start fresh as they host Syracuse (6-2, 3-2) Saturday at noon. The next four games will dictate how coach Bill O’Brien’s first year in Chestnut Hill is viewed.
Having a seven- or eight-win season would mean their midseason struggles were only a footnote. Finishing with four or five would mean they were the start of a larger trend. Splitting the last four would mean they’re exactly where they were before, at 6-6, mired in mediocrity.
Advertisement:
While all of that is in the back of their minds, their primary focus is on a formidable Syracuse team that’s won four of five and is on the precipice of contending in the ACC.
“It’s a big game,” BC center Drew Kendall said. “We’re really excited. We look forward to it every year.”
Priority No. 1 is containing a passing offense that ranks fourth in the nation with 349 yards per game. Syracuse has attempted the most passes in the country at 387 and has the most completions at 246.
Ohio State transfer quarterback Kyle McCord has reinvigorated the Orange under first-year coach Fran Brown. McCord, a 6-foot-3-inch, 220-pound senior, has attempted 60-plus passes twice in the last four games.
Advertisement:
Trebor Pena, Jackson Meeks, and Oronde Gadsden II highlight a deep pass-catching group, and running back LeQuint Allen is a threat both in the air and on the ground.
O’Brien emphasized Syracuse’s versatility, route-running, and fundamentals as defining attributes. He knows containing the offense is a serious challenge, particularly because McCord is also a threat to take off at any moment.
“It’s very, very difficult,” O’Brien said. “They have a very, very good, efficient passing game.”
Ezeiruaku said the rush and the coverage have to complement each other to stymie McCord & Co. Open-field tackling is imperative, to ensure 5-yard gains don’t turn into 25.
“We just have to contain the quarterback, be more physical, be consistent with the edge, and keep him inside the pocket,” defensive end Quintayvious Hutchins said.
One potential area to exploit is that McCord, who has thrown an FBS-high 12 interceptions, occasionally gets greedy. The Eagles have 11 interceptions, which ranks 14th in FBS and fourth in the ACC. Compare that with eight picks in all of 2023, and it’s clear the young secondary is on the rise.
Freshmen Omar Thornton (free safety) and Ashton McShane (cornerback) have shown promise in increased roles and will likely face their stiffest test yet Saturday.
Advertisement:
While Syracuse’s offense is potent, its defense isn’t exactly a juggernaut. The Orange have allowed 27.5 points per game, including 41 to UNLV, 41 to Pittsburgh, and 31 to Virginia Tech.
The Eagles have to avoid getting into a high-scoring affair and letting the Orange dictate the pace of play. Winning the time-of-possession battle is always important for BC, and it could be critical in this game.
“They have a great quarterback and an explosive offense,” Kendall said. “We’re going to try to hold onto the ball and limit their possessions as much as they can, but it all starts with getting that run game going.”
The Eagles believe they control their own destiny if they play to their potential. They used the bye week to reflect and hammer home the importance of piecing together a complete game.
BC has looked like an ACC contender at times and a bottom-dweller at others. Opponents have outscored the Eagles, 46-0, in the fourth quarter over the last three games.
“We’re focused on consistency, playing a full game of consistent ball,” wide receiver Lewis Bond said. “We have moments or halves or quarters where we’re doing great, and then halves or quarters where it doesn’t look so good.”
Advertisement:
O’Brien said it’s all about staying on schedule, adding that he wishes he knew why the offense hasn’t sustained drives in the fourth quarter. He speculated that maybe it requires better plays, along with better execution. Whatever it is, he said, they’re working diligently to curb the trend.
He’s confident the Eagles are close, but he realizes close doesn’t count.
“It’s one play here, it’s one play there,” O’Brien said. “It’s momentum, it’s not riding the wave, and understanding we have to answer some drives. If the opposing offense goes down and scores, we need to answer that with a score. We can’t let it snowball.”
Everyone in the program understands the issue. Time will tell whether the Eagles can rectify it before it’s too late.
Saturday’s showdown serves as a clean slate — a chance to regroup and put their woes behind them.
With No. 13 SMU (8-1), North Carolina (5-4), and No. 23 Pittsburgh (7-1) on the horizon, this is close to a must-win for the Eagles.
“We’re looking to make a big mark in these last four games,” Kendall said. “It’s going to take everything we’ve got.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com