Writer: Brett Korpi
Boston College Opens Up ACC Play Against Wake Forest
After escaping DeKalb, Ill., with a 23-20 victory over NIU in their first game of the season, Boston College will host Wake Forest in their Alumni Stadium season opener. It will be the first ACC contest for both teams.
When these two teams met last season, bowl eligibility was on the line for BC. The Eagles were able to come from behind in the fourth quarter and were helped by a late missed field goal to leave Winston-Salem with the 17-14 victory.
In that game, the BC defense was the star of the show. Defensive end Harold Landry was a constant terror in the backfield recording three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. In total the defense had four sacks and eight tackles for loss. The Eagles were also able to record two interceptions.
Now, the defense has been BC’s calling card for the last few years ranking in the top-15 in total defense annually. Moreover, last year the pass rush, in particular, was dangerous led Landry, the national sack leader. However, last week against NIU, despite limiting the Huskies to 2-for- 15 on third down, the formidable pass rush was held without a sack and only two tackles for loss.
I expect the Eagles ability to create havoc in the backfield as a major factor heading into the game. Landry and company will no doubt be salivating at the remembrance of the success they had last year. I foresee a hungry unit that will be looking to send a message to the rest of the ACC.
Head coach Steve Addazio wants to keep those edge guys fresh during games this season, so they are at peak performance during crunch time.
“Along the way, you are trying to pace this thing. So that we have elite pass rushers on third down and they have some juice.” Addazio said to the media following practice on Tuesday.
If the front seven can retain that energy, look for the secondary to make plays as well, one of the interceptions in last year’s game was by Lukas Denis. Against NIU the junior free safety was a part of some big plays, breaking up two passes in the end zone and snagging an interception as well.
As much as fans can expect the same dominant defense they have come to know and love, they have an offense that should be vastly different from the one that took the field against the Demon Deacons last November.
That offense struggled under former quarterback Patrick Towles. That game the Eagles only amounted just over 200 yards of total offense and just 74 yards through the air. Towles was also under much pressure like his counterpart getting sacked four times as well.
However, since then, Addazio and offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler installed an up-tempo offense that ran off 94 plays against NIU, ninth most in the country in week one.
To go along with the new fast paced offense, they also have a new weapon at quarterback, Anthony Brown. The redshirt-freshman, who will be making his Alumni Stadium debut, had an up and down game in the opener. He threw an interception early but was able to find a rhythm in the second and third quarters, and finished 26-for-41 for 191 yards, and two touchdowns.
The completion and attempt totals were the highest in each category since Addazio has been at the helm.
Another new weapon that SuperFans can look forward to is Brown’s roommate last year and fellow redshirt-freshman, wide receiver Kobay White. The duo’s chemistry translated on the field as they connected on six passes for 76 yards.
“The timing is just easy to come to us.” Brown, said of the connection between the two. White feels that their redshirt year was helpful in building their rapport.
“We stayed on top of each other, making sure we learned the play book and be ready to fight for a spot.”
Brown, White, and the rest of offense will have their work cut out for them though. They will be going against a Wake Forest defensive backfield that Addazzio holds in high regard.
“I think the secondary is a really talented and well coached one. They are well put together.” Addazio said.
If this matchup is once again a close one, the kicking game will be a major factor. Last week kicker Colton Lichtenberg delivered hitting all three attempts, including the game winner for 37 yards. Lichtenberg was named ACC Specialist of the Week for the performance.
On Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Alumni Stadium BC faithful will only hope to see that same old defense, a fresh-faced offense, and a reliable kicker, to boot.
After escaping DeKalb, Ill., with a 23-20 victory over NIU in their first game of the season, Boston College will host Wake Forest in their Alumni Stadium season opener. It will be the first ACC contest for both teams.
When these two teams met last season, bowl eligibility was on the line for BC. The Eagles were able to come from behind in the fourth quarter and were helped by a late missed field goal to leave Winston-Salem with the 17-14 victory.
In that game, the BC defense was the star of the show. Defensive end Harold Landry was a constant terror in the backfield recording three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss. In total the defense had four sacks and eight tackles for loss. The Eagles were also able to record two interceptions.
Now, the defense has been BC’s calling card for the last few years ranking in the top-15 in total defense annually. Moreover, last year the pass rush, in particular, was dangerous led Landry, the national sack leader. However, last week against NIU, despite limiting the Huskies to 2-for- 15 on third down, the formidable pass rush was held without a sack and only two tackles for loss.
I expect the Eagles ability to create havoc in the backfield as a major factor heading into the game. Landry and company will no doubt be salivating at the remembrance of the success they had last year. I foresee a hungry unit that will be looking to send a message to the rest of the ACC.
Head coach Steve Addazio wants to keep those edge guys fresh during games this season, so they are at peak performance during crunch time.
“Along the way, you are trying to pace this thing. So that we have elite pass rushers on third down and they have some juice.” Addazio said to the media following practice on Tuesday.
If the front seven can retain that energy, look for the secondary to make plays as well, one of the interceptions in last year’s game was by Lukas Denis. Against NIU the junior free safety was a part of some big plays, breaking up two passes in the end zone and snagging an interception as well.
As much as fans can expect the same dominant defense they have come to know and love, they have an offense that should be vastly different from the one that took the field against the Demon Deacons last November.
That offense struggled under former quarterback Patrick Towles. That game the Eagles only amounted just over 200 yards of total offense and just 74 yards through the air. Towles was also under much pressure like his counterpart getting sacked four times as well.
However, since then, Addazio and offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler installed an up-tempo offense that ran off 94 plays against NIU, ninth most in the country in week one.
To go along with the new fast paced offense, they also have a new weapon at quarterback, Anthony Brown. The redshirt-freshman, who will be making his Alumni Stadium debut, had an up and down game in the opener. He threw an interception early but was able to find a rhythm in the second and third quarters, and finished 26-for-41 for 191 yards, and two touchdowns.
The completion and attempt totals were the highest in each category since Addazio has been at the helm.
Another new weapon that SuperFans can look forward to is Brown’s roommate last year and fellow redshirt-freshman, wide receiver Kobay White. The duo’s chemistry translated on the field as they connected on six passes for 76 yards.
“The timing is just easy to come to us.” Brown, said of the connection between the two. White feels that their redshirt year was helpful in building their rapport.
“We stayed on top of each other, making sure we learned the play book and be ready to fight for a spot.”
Brown, White, and the rest of offense will have their work cut out for them though. They will be going against a Wake Forest defensive backfield that Addazzio holds in high regard.
“I think the secondary is a really talented and well coached one. They are well put together.” Addazio said.
If this matchup is once again a close one, the kicking game will be a major factor. Last week kicker Colton Lichtenberg delivered hitting all three attempts, including the game winner for 37 yards. Lichtenberg was named ACC Specialist of the Week for the performance.
On Saturday at 1:00 p.m. at Alumni Stadium BC faithful will only hope to see that same old defense, a fresh-faced offense, and a reliable kicker, to boot.