Boston College Boasts Nation's Most Important Running Back Tandem
The back field combination of AJ Dillon and David Bailey carried Boston College back into bowl contention yesterday, combining for 496 rushing yards and four touchdowns. Their total yardage on the ground was good enough for the most the Eagles have ever recorded against a conference opponent, and brought their season average up to 255.6 rushing yards per game, tenth best in the nation.
“We’ve got two big horses and we’ve got a really good offensive line, so we were going to try to come in here and establish that part of our football game, without question,” said head coach Steve Addazio. “When you can do what we do like we did it, that’s overwhelming for a defense."
The nine teams ahead of Boston College in the national rushing totals include seven teams outside the Power Five. The other two are Ohio State at third and Oklahoma State at fifth.
Both those teams run offenses that feature mobile freshman quarterbacks that were top recruits coming out of high school. While the Eagles had a quarterback that could contribute on the ground earlier this season, the injury to quarterback Anthony Brown has proven that the Boston College running back group can make a former walk on in sophomore Dennis Grosel look like 2001 Tom Brady.
The Cowboys offense has been spearheaded by the nation's best running back in sophomore Chubba Hubbard, but other than quarterback Spencer Sanders, no other player on the roster has eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark.
The Buckeyes back field is led by 2020 NFL draft prospect J.K. Dobbins, and reinforced by freshman Master Teague III. The two, in all fairness, have combined for more total rushing yards than Dillon and Bailey, but fewer touchdowns. Ohio State has also achieved this mark behind a superior offensive line.
While the Ohio State running back group has statistically out-performed Boston College's in 2019, the No. 3 Buckeyes' backfield is one of many elite college units on an undefeated team that hasn't won a game by any less than 24 points this season.
Meanwhile, with the Eagles starting a walk-on quarterback, fighting for the life of their season and the job of their coach, the presence of Dillon and Bailey has been the difference maker on a team facing major consequences each week.
Whether it was the 232 yards and three touchdowns needed to beat a dreadful Rutgers team by only 14 points, or even on Saturday when a historic performance was needed to overcome an early deficit against a disappointing Syracuse team, Boston College's season has lived and died by its back field. But it is a role that Dillon welcomes and is glad to take on.
“A mindset that I’ve always had as long as I’ve played football is I always want to be the guy,” Dillon said. “Not in a cocky way, not in an ego way, but I feel comfortable looking at my teammates, my coaches, and knowing that if we need to score you can put the ball in my hands and I’m going to do everything I can to get that.”
Dillon, and his back field backup, will look to carry the ball in excess next week against Florida State, as the pressure of a bowl chase on potential program changes mount on the most important running back duo in college football.