Boston College Football (1-0) Week 1: The Good, The Great, and Areas to Improve

I hope everyone is still riding a high after Monday Night RAW.

We’re forcing ourselves to limit these to just three picks. Yes, I can drag on as I love to do because the BC lads did an incredible job all around, but let’s highlight a few standouts.

The Good

A season ago, this was a two point game, largely courtesy of some Tommy Touchdowns magic. The starkest contrast? The penalties. In that near upset bid, BC committed boneheaded penalty after boneheaded penalty — 18 for 131 yards to be precise. While some were certainly questionable, majority were strictly on coaching and discipline. False starts, delay of games, lineman down the field — these are things we can control. On Monday, Bill O’Brien’s team committed a single penalty, a kick-catch interference — which did at least lead to this now iconic moment.

In fact, it was BC who was goading FSU into foolish penalties. This was discipline at it’s finest.

The Great

Trench warfare

All the kudos to the offensive line and entire rushing attack all around Up front, the offensive line excelled, despite Logan Taylor’s absence and Jude Bowry battling through injury. Returning starters Drew Kendall and Ozzy Trapilo stayed to form, but new entrants Dwayne Allick Jr., Jack Conley, and Bowry, in his first start at LT came together beautifully. Bowry didn’t allow a single pressure and Allick and Conley held their own. Together they neutralized FSU’s ‘vaunted’ defensive line and provided runners multiple lanes of attack. The team averaged 5.1 yards a clip and gave Castellanos time to make a few throws here and there (though it wasn’t needed in the end). They limited pressures and allowed three sacks though two came on Tommy scrambles. Imposing their will and controlling possession, this was flat out domination by the BC offensive line.

Of course, it all starts with Thomas Castellanos. FSU was terrified of his speed, but it didn’t matter. He ran for 81 yards and it could have been much more. He chose his spots brilliantly, luring the Seminoles into a false sense of security only to gash their hearts.

Critically in the fourth quarter final drive of the game, Castellanos twice kept the ball for 15+ yards to keep the chains moving and take care of business. Kye Robichaux led the way with 85 yards and iced the game on a powerful 35 yard run. Treshaun Ward made up for an early drop and then some with 138 total yards pummeling his way through his former team. Even the true freshman Turbo Richard got in the mix and averaged 7 yards a carry. Eagles on the warpath indeed.

Room for Improvement

Hydration?

There were few too many cramps on the team, but overall that exposed a few concerns in the secondary’s depth and a few defensive lapses. Against a better team, BC’s defensive backs might have been punished a few more times. DJ Uiagalelei missed multiple wide open receivers. A prime example was this miss late in the first half.

Now BC was down a strong depth piece at nickel and safety in OSU transfer Cameron Martinez, but you could sense some confusion a number of times. When Amari Jackson went out of the game, FSU immediately targeted sub Bryquise Brown. Later when Jackson came back in, BC was forced to call a timeout as he wasn’t lined up right.

In the second half Kentron Poitier and Ja’khi Douglas made some nice plays and snagged 101 of their 145 yards in the second half. Poitier made some nifty moves to score as well. Overall though, it’s hard to complain. Max Tucker snatched his first interception on a huge fourth down play to start the third quarter, and the team got their hands on a lot of passes.

There was so much good and great in this game. I’m sure we’ll have more opportunity to talk about this defensive line’s effort and the massive improvement in tackling. Get excited folks. It’s just getting started.