Syracuse 21 Boston College 6: Observations on the Defense

Boston College dropped their fourth straight on Saturday, falling to Syracuse 21-6 in the Carrier Dome. Here are some of the takeaways from the play of the defense.

* The Syracuse rushing attack was as potent as advertised as they wore BC down as the game went on. Sean Tucker and Garrett Shrader's explosive play runs were the difference maker in this game. Tucker's run in general looked to be the product of a defense that was worn down; with poor tackling, and the inability to shed blocks

* It's hard to find a ton of blame for the defense though, because their struggles were a by-product of the offense's inability to stay on the field. Folks keep wondering why the third quarter seems to be the quarter everything falls apart. I think their issues are related, if BC could hold on to the ball longer on offense, the defense would be fresher, and these lapses and explosives would happen much less often.

* The ACC's best passing defense's numbers are going to continue to improve as BC only allowed 65 yards through the air. Syracuse was not able to move the ball at all through the air, with Shrader going 5-14 for just 65 yards. The secondary had a strong game all around, with Elijah Jones having a particularly strong game.The Eagles also added three sacks on the day. As Jeff Hafley said after the game, the defense played very well.

* A tip of the cap to Vinny DePalma who filled in for an injured Isaiah Graham Mobley. Thought he had a strong game, leading the team with eleven tackles, and one for a loss.

* Add special teams issues to this post. Grant Carlson had another issue, this time a low punt that allowed Courtney Jackson to get space and juke and move around BC defenders for a touchdown.

Join our forum to talk BC football, basketball, hockey and recruiting! Become part of our BC Bulletin message board and forum. It is a free way to comment on our posts, and interact with other Boston College fans and alumni. Make sure to sign up and become a member. Click here to join today!

You can follow us for future coverage by liking us on Facebook and following on us on Twitter.

Facebook- BostonCollegeSI

Twitter: @BulletinBC, @AJBlack_BC