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BC football looking for a better passing game, and other things to know ahead of the season opener
It’s hard to believe, but BC’s last eight-win season came in 2009.
The wait is over, college football fans. After a long offseason, it’s finally time for some ball.
Boston College opens the season Saturday at 2 p.m., at home against Fordham.
Coach Bill O’Brien has been encouraged with the progress throughout training camp, while noting that the Eagles still have plenty of room to grow in the coming weeks.
“I think by the time the season opens up, we’ll be ready relative to the first game of the season,” O’Brien said. “We continue to strive to improve.”
Here are five things to know as the season begins:
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Complementary football
Offensive coordinator Will Lawing said he would love to have a more balanced offense this season.
Last year, the Eagles attempted the fewest passes in the Atlantic Coast Conference (330) and were more one-dimensional than they would have liked. This season, as Alabama transfer Dylan Lonergan takes over at quarterback, it appears BC will have a more potent passing attack.
With Lewis Bond, Jaedn Skeete, and Reed Harris forming one of the best wide receiver trios in the conference, and Jeremiah Franklin, Ty Lockwood, and Kaelan Chudzinski showing promise at tight end, look for more quick and intermediate throws.
“I’d certainly like to be as creative as possible with the personnel that we have,” Lawing said. “We have a lot of guys that deserve opportunities.”
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Clean football
Throughout camp, O’Brien repeatedly emphasized the importance of playing clean, fundamentally sound football.
Games against Missouri, Virginia, Louisville, and SMU last year were winnable before the Eagles hurt themselves with turnovers, miscues, and special teams blunders.
“Too much bad football last year in key games,” O’Brien said. “We were in games with very, very good teams. Those teams took advantage of our bad football.”
Up and comers
Players such as offensive linemen Jude Bowry and Logan Taylor, linebackers Daveon Crouch and Owen McGowan, and defensive backs KP Price and Cameron Martinez have established themselves as proven playmakers.
For many others, Week 1 is an audition to make a lasting impression with the coaching staff.
Players such as Eryx Daugherty (OL), Luke McLaughlin (WR), Zeke Moore (FB/TE), Favor Bate (DL), Jason Hewlett (LB), and Syair Torrence (DB) have made names for themselves. Moore is a particularly intriguing player, a 6-foot, 240-pound Florida Atlantic transfer who is a throwback bruiser.
“I don’t want to pinpoint or pigeonhole him to one thing,” Lawing said of Moore. “He can do a lot of stuff. He’s really smart, too, and that’s really helping him to be more versatile.”
True freshman Bo MacCormack, a Westford native and former Buckingham Browne & Nichols star, has impressed as a returner and running back.
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“Love that kid,” said special teams coordinator Matt Thurin. “I love how he plays, how he goes to work every day, how serious he is.”
NFL stock
This past spring, the Eagles had two players drafted in the first two rounds for the first time since 2009.
This year, Bowry, Taylor, Price, Bond, Franklin, and Quintayvious Hutchins are a few of many who could help their draft chances with a strong season. Bowry and Taylor will try to fill the void left by Ozzy Trapilo, Drew Kendall, and Jack Conley.
Hutchins, a 6-3, 246-pound defensive end, will play a critical role as the Eagles look to make up for the departure of ACC Defensive Player of the Year Donovan Ezeiruaku.
Ezeiruaku tied the program record with 16.5 sacks, accounting for more than half of BC’s total (31). The talent is there, but success in that area and stopping the run consistently could be X-factors.
“Donovan’s a great player and a great person,” Hutchins said. “He’s different. I can give you that. But as a unit, I say we can get stats and make it bigger than what it is now.”
Ongoing odyssey
It’s hard to believe, but BC’s last eight-win season came in 2009.
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The Eagles have finished with exactly seven wins in eight of the 15 seasons since, including the past two years.
Reaching eight would be a major breakthrough.
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