NC State football will continue its ACC slate against an underrated opponent in Boston College at Carter-Finley Stadium this week looking to improve to 5-0. Technician caught up with Andy Backstrom, the sports editor of BC Heights, Boston College’s student newspaper, to break down the game.
Technician: How was this season gone for Boston College so far?
Andy Backstrom: Entering the season, there was more optimism surrounding head coach Steve Addazio’s Eagles than ever before, in large part due to the fact that BC finished the 2017 campaign 5-2, nearly reaching the eight-win mark for the first time since 2009. The Eagles exploded out of the gates, recording back-to-back Bay State blowouts—over the course of the opening two weeks of play, BC outscored UMass and Holy Cross, 117-36. What turned heads, though, was the Eagles’ Thursday night performance at Wake Forest.
Quarterback Anthony Brown logged a career-high 304 yards and five touchdowns through the air, guiding BC to a 3-0 start and, eventually, an spot inside the AP Top 25. To put that in perspective, the Eagles hadn’t been ranked in close to a decade. But, soon enough, the number next to BC’s name vanished and so did the national hype. In fact, that coming Saturday, Purdue shelled the Eagles, 30-13: Brown came back down to earth, running back A.J. Dillon had the worst game of his career as a starter, and the BC defense had no answers for David Blough and the Boilermakers.
Addazio and Co. reentered the win column this past weekend with a win over Temple, but the victory came at a cost: Both Dillon and Jeff Smith—the team’s leading receiver—exited the game in the second half. Smith is practicing, but Dillon, the life of the Eagles’ offense, will likely be a game-time decision at North Carolina State this Saturday. BC is 4-1 for the first time since 2009 but has yet to face the brunt of ACC play.
T: What are this team’s strengths and weaknesses?
AB: Strengths:
Offensively, this is the best Eagles team in the Addazio era. Although BC has only played two Power Five teams this season, it’s scoring output merits recognition. The Eagles are currently posting 43.2 points per game, the 19th-most in the country. Midway through last season, BC was averaging 16.3 points per game. The turnaround correlates with the rise of Dillon, as well as the diversification of the Eagles’ playbook.
After establishing the run, offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler will often keep opposing defenses on edge with the play-fake. When it works to perfection, Brown has days to throw in the pocket, and BC drives downfield with ease. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles have a pair of potential NFL defensive ends, in Zach Allen and Wyatt Ray and a duo of star-studded safeties in Will Harris and Lukas Denis. As a whole, BC’s defense has knack for making the big play: the unit is tied for the fourth-most sacks and fifth-most interceptions in the FBS.
Weaknesses:
That said, Jim Reid’s defense is also prone to conceding the big play. In back-to-back weeks, the Eagles have given up 75-yard touchdowns — one through the air and another on the ground. It all goes back to tackling and man coverage. After losing cornerbacks Isaac Yiadom and Kamrin Moore to the NFL this past offseason, it seems as if the secondary has sagged off in coverage. When it comes to wrapping up, the Eagles are no better—and that goes for defending the run too. BC ranks 81st in the nation in run defense, but has allowed 190-plus yards on the ground on three separate occasions this season. The Eagles have the talent to plug the holes. Most of the time it’s just a matter of containing and remaining disciplined.
BC’s most glaring weakness is in third phase of the game. So far this season, the Eagles have had three blocked punts returned for touchdowns, three botched snaps while in punt formation, four missed extra points, a muffed punt, and a fumble on a kickoff return that gifted the opposition six points. The Eagles will likely have starting place kicker Colton Lichtenberg back in the lineup on Saturday. But, regardless of who’s kicking the ball, there’s no guarantee BC’s special teams unit won’t cost Addazio a handful of points.
T: What makes running back AJ Dillon such a special player?
AB: In many ways, Dillon is the reason why the Eagles are where they are today. When he took over as the lead back at Louisville last season, BC’s offense—originally stagnant and predictable—morphed into one of the more watchable units in the ACC. Dillon rushed for 1,256 yards and 13 touchdowns in the back half of the season, en route to ACC Rookie of the Year honors. In the process, he opened up the offensive playbook. The Heisman Trophy candidate has a rare combination of size and speed. At 6-feet, 245 pounds, Dillon can break tackles at will and, once he builds enough momentum, beat most defensive backs down the sideline.
T: Who are some other key players for the Eagles?
AB: Receiver Jeff Smith: Smith currently leads BC in receiving, but is more than just a wideout. The Eagles use the 6-foot-1 senior as a ball carrier. In fact, Smith is often the go-to guy on jet sweeps and endarounds. That’s not all, though—he also has a pretty good arm too. Originally a quarterback, the St. Petersburg, Fla. native is occasionally called upon to engineer BC’s trick plays.
Defensive end Zach Allen: Week after week, Allen continues to rise on NFL Draft boards across the nation. After spending a few seasons opposite of Harold Landry, the defensive end has blossomed into one of the conference’s better pass rushers. Allen is quick off the edge and deceptively athletic. In five games this season, he’s already racked up 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.
Receiver Kobay White: Kobay White is easily Brown’s favorite deep ball threat. Last season, the two had trouble connecting downfield, but toward the end of the year, they developed a rapport. This fall, it’s been even more noticeable. Of the BC receivers with five or more catches, White leads the team with 19.6 yards per reception. He’s hauled in 10 passes, and three of them have been for touchdowns.
T: Who are some underrated players?
AB: Linebacker Connor Strachan: Don’t be surprised if you see Connor Strachan in the NFL. After going down with a season-ending knee injury during the Eagles’ Week Two matchup against Wake Forest last year, the fifth-year linebacker has returned to form in 2018. Quick to the ball, Strachan has already racked up 36 tackles and a pair of sacks this season.
Receiver Michael Walker: At Purdue, Michael Walker tallied 213 kick return yards, tied for the second-most in BC single-game history. Whether its on the kickoff or punt team, the senior wideout consistently finds enough running room to vault the Eagles into prime field position. It’s only a matter of time before he breaks one loose.
Defensive End Wyatt Ray: When teams try to double-team Allen, they end up getting beat by Ray. There’s no way around the pass-rushing duo. Earlier this season at Wake Forest, the senior notched four sacks, breaking a single-game program record and, ultimately, earning Walter Camp All-American Defensive Player of the Week honors.
T: How do the Eagles matchup with NC State?
AB: At the moment, it’s hard to tell if the Wolfpack defense is actually for real. On paper, Dave Huxtable’s unit looks quite menacing. N.C. State is allowing just 104.3 rushing yards per game and, perhaps even more impressive, a mere 15.3 points per contest, the 13th-fewest in the country. The success of the BC’s run game dictates its offensive production. If the Eagles fail to move the ball on the ground, they could be in for a long day at the office, especially with the way their defense has been playing of late. BC has conceded an average of 445.3 yards per game the past three weeks. The inability to cut down that number on Saturday could very well spell doom for Addazio’s crew.
T: What is your prediction for this game?
AB: 28-20 NC State
