Though the fate of Thursday’s game seemed sealed from the start, there’s still plenty to be learned from the way it played out.
Optimism is always abundant after a decisive win, and the Gators came away from their second game of the season with successes on multiple fronts. Florida started strong in the first minutes and they never let off the gas, ending up with a 90-70 win over their ACC foes. Boston College, on the other hand, seemed miscalibrated from the start and played sloppily on both ends of the court.
Though the fate of this game seemed sealed from the start, there’s still plenty to be learned from the way it played out. Florida was much more confident in their identity than Wednesday and it showed on the court. True, it’s easy to play well against an opponent who was off their game all night, but the things that put them out in front on Thursday evening will translate over the entire schedule.
Bearing that in mind, here are three takeaway’s from the Gators’ authoritative win against the BC Eagles.
John Tessitore drew Clemson offside, setting up a touchdown on the next play. ESPN commentator Joe Tessitore loved it.
Boston College came to Death Valley in Clemson as a major underdog against the top team in the country, even after Tigers starting quarterback Trevor Lawrence was ruled out due to a positive COVID-19 test, but the Eagles played a perfect first half to put Clemson on upset watch.
ESPN commentator Joe Tessitore had the call, and got to watch his son, John Tessitore, who is a holder for Boston College. With the Eagles up 21-10 late in the first half and inside the red zone, Boston College ran a fake field goal play, with Tessitore running up to play quarterback from his position waiting to catch the snap.
The Clemson defense jumped, giving Boston College a 1st-and-10, and the Eagles cashed in on the next play with a wild CJ Lewis touchdown catch.
This was so awesome. Listen to Joe Tessitore on the call while his son John – the BC holder – draws Clemson offsides on a fake field goal attempt, leading to a TD on the next play. You can hear how proud Tess is of his son. What it’s all about 🙌 pic.twitter.com/oexRgM7zzl
No one knows what’s going to happen to the 2020 college football season. We’ll take a general look at where each team stands – doing it without spring ball to go by – while crossing our fingers that we’ll all have some well-deserved fun this fall. Hoping you and yours are safe and healthy.
5. College Football News Preview 2020: Boston College Eagles Offense 3 Things To Know
– New head coach Jeff Hafley comes over as a defensive coach who worked in the NFL before helping to turn Ohio State’s D into a monster as Ryan Day’s defensive coordinator. The offensive side will be turned over to coordinator Frank Cignetti, the Green Bay Packer quarterback coach and former NFL OC with the Rams and Steelers.
He’ll want to wing the ball around and operate with a steady tempo, and he might have his quarterback in place to do it.
Anthony Brown transferred to Oregon, but Dennis Grosel is back after hitting just 48% of his passes for 983 yards and nine scores with three picks – and he ran for two scores – and five options in all are in the mix.
However, be shocked if Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec isn’t the main man right away. the 6-4, 227-pound former big-time recruit only threw 12-of-18 passes for 222 yards and two scores for the Irish, but he can run, and he’s got the arm to push the passing game deep.
CFN in 60 Video: Boston College Eagles Preview
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– The receiving corps didn’t to too much in the former run-heavy offense, but the experience and talent are there. Hunter Long is one of the ACC’s most dangerous tight ends – the 6-5, 255-pound junior led the team with 509 yards and two scores, averaging over 18 yards per catch.
Also back is top WR Kobay White after a flirtation with the transfer portal, but he only caught 29 passes for 460 yards and a team-high five scores. Sophomore Zay Flowers is the only other returning receiver who caught more than three passes.
– The offensive line should be fantastic. Three starters are back with the line working around All-ACC tackle Ben Patrula and all-star center Alec Lindstrom. The line led the conference and was fourth in the nation in fewest sacks allowed, and it was even better at blasting away for the league’s top running game. However, the main part of the puzzle is gone from the ground attack.
AJ Dillon will be blasting away for the Green Bay Packers, but 6-1, 240-pound junior David Bailey has the ability to take over after helping the cause with around ten carries per game with 844 yards and seven scores, with a 181-yard, two-score day against NC State, and with 172 yards and two touchdowns against Syracuse in tandem with Dillon.
Speedy Travis Levy will get a few carries, and he’ll be used as a receiver, and in the mix might be 6-0, 235-pound sophomore Javian Dayne – son of all-time NCAA leading rusher and Wisconsin legend, Ron Dayne.
NEXT: College Football News Preview 2020: Boston College Eagles Defense 3 Things To Know
Check out Draft Wire’s exclusive interview with Boston College running back prospect AJ Dillon
Does your favorite NFL team want a running back who can run over, through, or around any defender? If so, Boston College battering ram AJ Dillon is the man for the job.
A bruising back with impressive speed and athleticism for his frame, Dillon recently spoke exclusively with Draft Wire about his versatile skill set, his experience at the NFL Scouting Combine, and what kind of player he’ll be at the next level.
JM: How do you describe your running style?
AJD: I would say that I’m a bigger back that can do it all. I consider myself to be a three-down running back. I have the size, power and ability to wear down a defense. At the same time, I can run away from people in the open field. I can catch the ball coming out of the backfield. I’m an asset in pass protection as well. I can do it all.
JM: If you had to compare yourself to one NFL running back, who would it be and why?
AJD: That’s a tough question. I would probably say Leonard Fournette. That’s a guy who always shows up and handles his business. He’s a dependable guy. He runs with an aggressive mindset. He does a good job catching the ball. He does everything that’s asked of him at a high level.
JM: Who are some running backs that you enjoyed watching growing up?
AJD: Leonard Fournette is one of those guys for me. I would also add Derrick Henry, Saquon Barkley, Adrian Peterson and Le’Veon Bell. Those are my favorite running backs to watch.
(AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
JM: The COVID-19 outbreak has made this a unique draft process. How are you navigating these circumstances?
AJD: It’s obviously been a different process for us. It’s been different than what I was told it was going to be like (laughs). As you said, I don’t have another draft process to compare it with. This is all I know. This is my draft story. I was lucky enough to get invited to the combine. I performed well out there. I’m happy with what I did in Indianapolis. I had a great opportunity to meet with some coaches and teams out there. I gave them a chance to put a face to the name. Now, I’m going through the process of talking to some teams on the phone rather than in person. We’re just going with the flow. We’re all adapting to the situation.
JM: Speaking of the combine, you had a strong performance. You ran a 4.53 40-yard dash at 247 pounds. Your 41-inch vertical also jumps out. What was the overall experience like out there?
AJD: The experience was pretty cool. I obviously have aspirations to play in the NFL. You think you know all about the draft and it’s easy to think that you just show up to the combine and run a few drills. It’s definitely not like that (laughs). It’s really about four or five days long and each day is a process. It can be tiring but it really just depends on your mindset. I feel like I had a positive outlook out there. I just tried to be a sponge and make as many connections as possible. All in all, it was a really great experience for me. I really enjoyed it. I was lucky enough to receive an invite.
JM: Do you feel like your testing numbers turned some heads?
AJD: I knew what I was gonna do. There was a tweet that I put out a few years ago where I predicted what I would do and the results were very similar. I said I was gonna jump a 41-inch vertical two years ago. I’m confident in myself and in my abilities. I feel like people sometimes look at my weight and say this guy is 250 pounds, he must be a slow, goal line back that can only grind out three yards at a time. That’s really not my game at all. I have the ability do to that, and so much more. I feel like the combine really reflected the type of athlete that I truly am. I had 7.8% body fat at 247 pounds. I’m a big back that can do a lot more than just the big back things. I’m so much more than just a big back. I definitely think I surprised a lot of people out there.
30 reps of 225 lbs 4.47 in the 40 41” vert At 245 lbs •Save this tweet•
JM: Were you able to get in any meetings or private visits before the COVID-19 outbreak?
AJD: It’s all been phone calls and FaceTime for me. Everything I had scheduled was for after my pro day, which was supposed to be on March 18th. Of course, the pro day was canceled, and we’ve been adapting ever since. I can’t disclose which teams I’ve been in contact with, but I’ve been speaking with a fair amount of teams in one capacity or another. I’m just enjoying the process. I’m getting to know these coaches and I’m allowing them to get to know me. We’re just talking ball and having fun. There’s a few teams that I’ve been in constant contact with. It’s been fun.
JM: What do you prefer, a 75-yard touchdown, or touching the ball six or more times on a long, punishing drive?
AJD: I’d probably have to go with the 75-yard touchdown. There’s nothing like running away from everybody at full speed in the open field. That’s a great feeling. Let’s go celebrate in the end zone together.
Jamie Rhodes-USA TODAY Sports
JM: How did playing in that Boston College offense get you ready for what’s next?
AJD: If you followed me specific to my career, I probably ran against more stacked boxes than anybody in college football. It feels like I ran into a stacked box every single time I got the ball. I actually think the numbers landed around 75 percent this past year. I had 300-something carries and ran into a stacked box 252 times or something like that.
For me, my ability to deal with that and have the success that I had, my coaches taught me how to handle that type of workload. I had games where I carried the ball 38 times.
I’ve done a great job taking care of my body as well. I had one injury at Boston College, and it was a high ankle sprain that caused me to miss two games. That was it. Everybody worries about mileage but I came out as healthy as can be.
I’ve proven that I could handle the most adverse situations. We dealt with an injury to our starting quarterback in two different years. We lost him midway through the season and the offense was definitely on my shoulders. That’s where the stacked boxes came into play. The defense knew I was gonna get the ball and I was still picking up at least five or six yards. I feel like people don’t pay enough attention to that.
They just look at the yards per carry and say that I was getting the ball a lot. They don’t really look at the situation we were in as an offense. They try to discredit me. If you put the tape on, you’d see I was breaking two tackles in the backfield, spin off another guy at the line of scrimmage and carry the last defender with me for an extra three, four yards. There’s a lot that goes into it. That’s why I’m so excited for the next step. I can’t wait to show everybody what I’m capable of.
JM: What kind of impact is A.J. Dillon going to make at the next level?
AJD: I’m gonna be a dependable guy that’s gonna get the job done. I’m gonna get better on a daily basis.
Everything NFL draft fans need to know about Boston College running back prospect A.J. Dillon
A.J. Dillon | RB | Boston College
Elevator Pitch
Dillon is a handful at the running back position. He shows good contact balance and won’t go down on first contact. Physical enough to throw defenders off of him as he continues the run. Will be a good backup runner until he can add pass catching to his game. He fits best as a red zone and short yardage back at the NFL level.
Dillon is a well built back that provides power to the position. He has a thick lower half that he uses to generate power. He can power though would be tackle attempts when driving up the field. While being able to absorb contact, Dillion provides plenty punishment of his own. Built for the physical running style, especially in the redzone.
Despite his ability to get the dirty yards, has surprising burst for a man of his size. He can use that athleticism to run by defenders who are gearing up for the big pop. He has a nose for the endzone with 39 career touchdowns. High volume running back at Boston College.
In the passing game, Dillon can bring that pop to pass rushers attempting to get to the quarterback. Doesn’t have the quickness when sliding from one side to the other but he does the job effectively for the most part. Won’t be a liability in throwing blocks in the backfield.
Weaknesses
While he showed plenty on tape of him running past defenders in the run game, Dillon doesn’t possess that second gear. He will get caught from behind on longer runs. Not a home run threat in the running game. His elusiveness and short area quickness leave a lot to be desired. Not someone who will cause defenders to miss. No fluidity to his game, minimal flexibility in his hips. His start and stop ability is below average.
To be a three down back in the NFL you need to run, block and catch the football. Dillon does two of the three well. He will need to work on catching the football in the NFL so as teams can’t zone in on him either running or blocking. Needs to add that third trait to his game.
Due to his workload at Boston College, there could be concerns about his longevity at the NFL level. Especially for a position that already has a shorter shelf life than other positions in the game. Monitoring his workload will likely be a priority for teams to get the most use out of him.
Kuechly and Boston College went 0-3 in three games against Notre Dame between 2009 and 2011. However, Kuechly’s stat-line in those three games was incredibly consistent.
The biggest story in the NFL this week aside from preparation for the AFC and NFC Conference Championship games has been the sudden decision by Carolina Panthers middle linebacker Luke Kuechly to retire.
Kuechly was a terror for the Panthers, twice leading the league in tackles while averaging 136.5 per season for his eight year career, intercepting 18 passes in his career and averaging more than half a tackle-for-loss each game he suited up for.
His NFL resume includes seven Pro Bowl selections, five appearances as a first-team All-Pro, three Butkus Awards and he was the 2013 Defensive Player of the Year.
It’s easy to forget but in no way a surprise, Kuechly was a monster on an otherwise entirely-forgettable Boston College team that went 19-19 in his three seasons in Chestnut Hill (2009-11).
During his time at BC, Kuechly walked away with the 2011 ACC Defensive Player of the Year award, as well as the Bronco Nagurski, Butkus, Lombardi and Lott Trophy Awards the same season. To boot he was a two-time Consensus All-American.
Kuechly and Boston College went 0-3 in three games against Notre Dame between 2009 and 2011. However, Kuechly’s stat-line in those three games was incredibly consistent.
Previewing Thursday’s TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl betting odds and lines between the Boston College Eagles and Cincinnati Bearcats with betting picks, tips and bets.
The Boston College Eagles (6-6) and Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3) square off at the TicketSmarter Birmingham Bowl, played at Legion Field in Birmingham. Kickoff is set for Thursday at 3 p.m. ET (on ESPN). We analyze the Boston College-Cincinnati odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Boston College vs. Cincinnati: Three things you need to know
1. Boston College enters this game just 1-6 SU across its past seven games. The Eagles actually held a 7-0 lead in the first half last season in the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl in Dallas, but severe weather wiped out the rest of the game and it was not rescheduled.
2. Cincinnati is facing an ACC foe in a bowl game for the second straight year. UC topped Virginia Tech 35-31 in the Military Bowl last season, but the Bearcats are just 3-5 SU across the past eight postseason games.
3. Something’s gotta give, as Boston College is 2-7 ATS in the past nine bowl games, and Cincinnati is 0-4 ATS in its past four bowl outings.
CINCINNATI (-7.5, +100) is a good play, even with the hook. My personal preference is to buy that extra point and go Cincinnati (-6.5, -139), and even going down to (-5.5, -154) isn’t terribly costly.
Still, I expect BC to be a bit of a mess with head coach Steve Addazio fired and Richie Gunnell serving as the interim coach. Star RB AJ Dillon, who led the team with an ACC-best 1,685 rushing yards, is also sitting to protect his draft status. Oh yeah, offensive coordinator Mike Bajakian left the team to take the OC job at Northwestern, so he won’t be in Birmingham, either.
UNDER 55.5 (-106) is worth a look. Cincinnati’s offense is pretty strong, but I expect BC to be a bit of a mess. This could be a blowout early on, with UC calling off the dogs with a lower-scoring second half.
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Previewing Tuesday’s Boston College Eagles at Duke Blue Devils sports betting odds and lines, with NCAA basketball betting odds and picks.
The Boston College Eagles (8-5, 2-0 ACC) and Duke Blue Devils (11-1, 1-0 ACC) lock horns at Cameron Indoor Stadium in Durham, N.C. at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday. We analyze the Boston College-Duke odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.
Boston College at Duke: Three things you need to know
1. This will be the conference home opener for the Blue Devils. They topped Virginia Tech in Blacksburg by a 77-63 count Dec. 6.
2. The Eagles fell 80-55 at Cameron last season, just failing to cover a 24-point number. They’re in a similar spot in this one. The Blue Devils fell 89-84 Dec. 9, 2017, in the previous meeting in Chestnut Hill, though.
3. The favorite has cashed in five of the past seven meetings in this series.
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Boston College at Duke: Odds, betting lines and picks
BOSTON COLLEGE (+22.5, -110) has covered the spread in nine of its last 13 road games, while going 9-4 ATS in the past 13 on the road against teams with a winning home mark, too. Duke (-22.5, -110), who inexplicably lost at Cameron against Stephen F. Austin earlier this season, has failed to cover in five of the past six home games.
OVER 140.5 (-106) is the play in this ACC battle in the Triangle. The Under is 7-2 in the past nine for BC, but the Over is 4-1-1 in the past six road outings for the Eagles. For Duke, it’s all Over, all the time. The Over is 6-2 in its past eight, 4-1 in the past five at home and 5-1 in the previous six against teams with a winning overall mark. In fact, I plan to make the Over play as part of my pick pack in the final day of 2019.
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Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has been officially announced as the next head coach at Boston College.
Up until now, it was pure speculation and sourced rumor, but we now have confirmation from Boston College itself. Ohio State co-defensive coordinator and secondary coach Jeff Hafley will be the next head coach at Boston College.
Pretty credible sources began to come forward earlier this week that a deal was in the works and that things were a mere formality, but nothing concrete had been released. Then yesterday, we got even more credible reports that a deal was done, but we didn’t hear officially from Ohio State or Boston College.
Until today when Boston College announced the hiring of Hafley on its official Twitter account.
Hafley came to Ohio State when Ryan Day lured him from the San Francisco 49ers. He was brought in to help improve an Ohio State defense and secondary that struggled giving up the big play in 2019.
It has been a resounding success.
Ohio State is 2nd in the country in passing yards allowed, 8th in rushing defense, 3rd in scoring defense, and 2nd in scoring defense heading into the College Football Playoff.
Now, it appears Hafley will be moving on to Boston College after just one very successful season in Columbus. He’ll finish out the year and be along for whatever ride Ohio State goes on in the postseason.
