Across the Field: Analysis from BC Beat
We give you an in-depth look at the Boston College Eagles, from the person that covers them on a daily basis. Today, we welcome A.J. Black, editor of our sister, Sports Illustrated site, https://www.si.com/college/bostoncollege/, to answer five questions about the Tigers and the Eagles
1: AJ Dillon has garnered a lot of praise from Dabo Swinney, but is not spoken about in the same way as many other backs today. What is it about him that makes him so special and so difficult to defend?
Dillon is a special back for a couple of reasons. At 240lbs he is a behemoth at back, which in itself doesn't necessarily make him special however adding in his elusiveness and vision does. For a back his size he is very good at shaking off tackles, and has deceptively good speed when he gets his feet moving. He is incredibly good at finding those holes that his excellent offensive line opens for him and explodes through it. Defenses have found the best way to stop him is to get him to stop moving his feet, which is easier said than done.
2: WIth Anthony Brown going down to season-ending surgery,what do Tiger fans need to know about the Eagles starting quarterback?
The starting quarterback will be redshirt sophomore Dennis Grosel, who took over for Brown after he went down against Louisville. The jury is still out on Grosel who had flashes of brilliance, completing three touchdown passes, but still looks shaky when the pressure gets to him. Last week against NC State he wasn't asked to do much of anything, he only attempted 15 passes, but even with that limited role he still had some really bright moments. He hit tight end Hunter Long with a huge play action pass for a 50 yard gain, and on one drive was able to convert three third downs running and passing the ball. He is a bigger QB in terms of size, and can move the ball well with his legs which he will do when his first and second reads aren't there, and isn't afraid to get hit. When asked to throw the ball he has shown that he can hit the short and intermediate throws, but Addazio hasn't asked him to throw it deep yet, which could happen this weekend.
3: Defensively, the Eagles are struggling this season, what are the things that they must do to slow down an offense that has scored 90 points in the last two games?
BC's defense has been a mess for most of the season, but last week against NC State we saw improvement which may just be a product of the offense they faced. On all levels BC has struggled this year, they haven't been able to get pressure on the QB, linebackers have been messing up gap assignments and been forced to cover speedy slot receivers, the secondary has been inconsistent and the biggest problem has been the third down defense which has been downright bad. Against NC State, BC changed up a few things, they started a handful of freshmen who helped jump started the pass rush, and inserted Jason Maitre at cornerback who looked very good. Bill Sheridan also used his nickelback more to help on third down. In order for this defense to pull of an upset they need to limit mistakes on defense. That means making and wrapping up tackles and limiting explosive plays. Will they do that? Probably, not.
4; What are your keys to victory for the Eagles?
Boston College is going to need to control the clock and try to bring Clemson into a "slogfest", which they did last time they were in Death Valley. If BC can control the offensive line of scrimmage and have AJ Dillon and David Bailey move the ball effectively and rack up first downs. Sustaining long drives will be a huge factor for the Eagles. If BC starts going three and out consistently they are going to be in big trouble. On defense as mentioned before they need to limit the explosive plays. Make Trevor Lawrence drive down the field and score, don't allow quick touchdowns. Winning the turnover battle sounds like a talking point cliche, but is critical for Boston College as well.
5: Who is one player for the Eagles, other than Dillon, that has to play well for the Eagles to pull off the upset?
BC needs to have a defensive player step up, like Zach Allen did against Clemson last year. This year I think it will be Max Richardson a linebacker. As the year has progressed he has become much more of a playmaker, making hits, causing QB pressures and generally becoming a disruptive force. I have mentioned it numerous times on my site that he is just been on the verge of becoming a great player, he just needs a complete game in a big moment to do that. I have to wonder if it might be this week against Clemson.
