Boston College’s second preseason scrimmage gave Bill O’Brien exactly what he wanted to see: a roster that’s been reshaped enough to start looking like one team.
Inside Alumni Stadium on Saturday morning, the Eagles spent the day testing each other in the kind of controlled setting that lets a coaching staff spot progress without pretending the job is finished. O’Brien said the offense and defense both made their share of plays, but the bigger takeaway was that the group is beginning to come together.
“Both sides made plays,” indicated O'Brien. “There are still things to clean up, but I believe we're a better football team.
I think you can see that a little bit with more athleticism and more playmakers. Of course, we have to take care of the ball.
We can't turn the ball over, but as a head coach, that's the fine line. It means we're doing a good job defensively if we're taking the ball away.
I like the way that our guys competed…I was happy with how it went.”
The scrimmage setting naturally changes the feel of the action. Coaches avoid full contact, so defenders celebrated simulated sacks and stops instead of finishing hard hits, while drives were adjusted to account for situations that depth players might not normally see in a game. Even so, the work still gave both sides a chance to uncover where they’re sharp and where they’re still sorting things out.
Second-year backs Bo MacCormack III and Mekhi Dodd carried most of the rushing load, while backup quarterbacks Grayson Wilson and Femi Babalola worked through passing reps to a group of receivers trying to carve out bigger roles. True freshman DJ Biggins turned in one of the cleaner splash plays with a 30-yard catch on a sideline route, and several other receivers found room on crossing routes in the red zone.
“We made some plays in the passing game,” said O'Brien. “I thought that certain run schemes were executed better, and I think we're playing well defensively.
I still think we need to be more consistent in stopping the run on defense and in running the football on offense. Overall offensively, we're going to get into situations where we really have to protect [the quarterback], so those two-minute situations are where we still need to see some improvement from the offensive line and pass protection.”
That balance - and the push to avoid leaning too hard on one phase - has been part of the message throughout camp. O’Brien said the Eagles have shown they can be comfortable when they establish the run, but he also wants the passing game to keep developing as a real partner to that ground attack.
“For me offensively, I have to call explosive plays,” said O'Brien. “We have to call them, and when they don't go well, we have to go into the meeting room and figure out how to coach them better, how to scheme it better, and how to execute better.
Coach Roof and I have worked together a lot, so sometimes we'll ask for a particular look. On third down, for example, we'll want certain looks, and he'll ask for more things in seven-on-seven drills or something like that.
So we'll try to work together to get the looks that we need. I believe that we're more of a balanced team.”
On the other side, the defensive confidence showed up in the way the secondary handled itself. Wide receiver Javarius Green pointed to the physical edge that group brings every day.
“Our DB room is really physical,” said Javarius Green. “I think that's a great aspect about playing because you know they're going to come downhill.
They're going to hit you in your chest. So you have to be able to have that physicality every day in practice and be able to see what's going to translate to the games within the ACC.”
Safety Marcus Upton said the communication across the defense is tightening up as the staff and players get more comfortable with each other.
“I think a lot of people are getting smarter,” said safety Marcus Upton. “Coach Roof knows a lot of football, and I know that the entire defensive staff knows a lot of football.
I think a lot of people's IQ is getting better. Our communication is getting better, and I think that we're playing as a whole.
Nobody's really selfish. We play together as a team.
We communicate where we point out things and see what's about to happen.”
O’Brien also said the roster depth is a welcome change, especially after what the program dealt with last year. He pointed to the secondary, safety, defensive line and the rotation up front as areas where the Eagles can now keep bodies fresh and cycle players with more confidence.
“We have depth,” reiterated O'Brien. “It's a good thing because we do not want to deal with what we dealt with during last year...
We have depth issues at some positions, but I think you know that you can see whether it's the secondary, at safety, the defensive line, the rotation of the defensive line, it's all really good. A lot of guys will play, and we almost have a set rotation.
We can rotate three or four plays in a row [for some of our units].”
In Other News...
Boston College Showed Something Important In A Tight Siena Test
Boston College got a useful early-season look Thursday at the Newton Soccer Complex, where the mens soccer team handled Siena 3-1 in a non-conference match that asked a few different questions along the way. Michael Asare got the Eagles going, and the offense kept finding answers with Bryan Toro and Brown adding goals, while Asare and Henze each chipped in assists to keep the pressure on throughout the night.
Andre Borak did his part at the other end with four saves, helping Boston College stay in control when Siena tried to make things uncomfortable. For a team looking to build habits against outside competition, the result offered more than a win in the standings, since it showed BC could create chances, respond to stretches of resistance and close out a match with contributions from multiple spots on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Former Boston College DB Is Turning Heads For What Miami Sees In Him
Omar Thorntons move from Boston College to Miami has already made an impression in Coral Gables, where the South Florida native is being talked up for the way he brings a physical, versatile edge to the Hurricanes defense. At Boston College, Thornton worked at both safety and nickelback, the kind of flexibility that tends to travel well when a staff is looking for help across the back end and near the line of scrimmage.
Miami has noticed that versatility at a time when it needs players to step into openings created by departures. The Hurricanes defensive coordinator and several teammates have praised Thorntons competitiveness and the way he shows up on tape and in practice, which is usually the first sign that a transfer is fit into a new locker room before the real role is fully defined. [Read more 🡒]
BCs Red Bandanna Game Just Got A Painful New Twist
Boston Colleges annual Red Bandanna Game will carry the usual weight of remembrance when Rutgers comes to campus on the evening of Sept. 11, with the Eagles honoring Welles Crowther and the 25th anniversary of the attacks. The matchup, set for an ESPN2 broadcast, has long been one of the most meaningful dates on the schedule in Chestnut Hill because of the way it ties the program to Crowthers legacy and the story behind the red bandanna.
This year, though, the game brings an extra layer of intrigue for BC because it will come against a familiar face. Dylan Lonergan, the former Boston College quarterback who transferred to Rutgers this offseason, is now in position to steer the Scarlet Knights in a spot that will feel especially personal on both sidelines. For Boston College, it turns a solemn and symbolic night into a matchup with a little more sting than anyone expected when the calendar flipped to September. [Read more 🡒]