Boston College (2-3, 0-2 ACC) did what, it was supposed to do against inferior Central Michigan last Saturday beating the Chippewas 28-8. Using the recipe of a dominant defense and superb special teams play to go along with a potent rushing attack, The Eagles looked like their best selves. On Saturday night, Virginia Tech (4-1, 0-1) travels to Chestnut Hill to see if it is a charade.
Throughout the early part of the season head coach Steve Addazio’s team has struggled to sustain success. The Eagles had a promising opener with against Northern Illinois where it introduced redshirt-freshman quarterback Anthony Brown. From there, they have suffered three blow out losses. However, in those defeats, there have been glimpses of what this team could be.
In their 34-10 loss to Wake Forest, the Eagles shot themselves in the foot with four turnovers, including three interceptions from Brown despite the offense being able to move the ball against the Deacons.
Against Notre Dame, BC was trailing by just three points at halftime, 10-7. That was before a failed 4th-and-1 attempt seemed to turn momentum, and the Irish sprinted to a 49-20 victory racking up over 500 yards rushing.
The Eagles then traveled to Death Valley to take on defending CFP National Champions Clemson Tigers. It didn’t take an expert to predict blowout was going to occur. However, entering the fourth quarter, the game was tied 7-7. Thanks to stellar defensive performance the Eagles had the No.2 ranked team in the country on the ropes. But, the hopes of an upset were short-lived the Tigers separated themselves and finished like the powerhouse they are. With a 34-7 victory.
In each of those blowout losses, there were glimmers of a competitive football team. Those glimpses may be what drives fans mad concerning this football team, and more specifically, Addazio.
Forever the optimist Addazio has often stressed the good in those games. “I’d really rather focus on what we did into the belly of the game. We took the No.2 team in the country, we took them late into the fourth quarter, and they played their tails off.” The fifth-year head coach said after the Clemson loss.
To an outsider that is a coach who supports his players. To a Super Fan that is a coach looking for Moral victories. In those same eyes, in year five of a rebuild, there should be no such thing as a moral victory. They have seen this team compete with the powers of the ACC before. However, what they have not seen in years is a victory over a ranked team.
On Saturday night, a ranked team is what the Eagles will face in No. 16 Virginia Tech. The Hokies are coming off a loss of their own to Clemson, 31-17. Last year the Eagles were embarrassed in Blacksburg, 49-0.
The common denominator in the three losses this season for the Eagles has been a mobile quarterback. In those defeats, the quarterbacks gained 444 combined yards on the ground. When the Hokies arrive in Chestnut Hill they will have a weapon in freshman quarterback Josh Jackson who has shown he is a dual-threat and has a 100-yard rushing game under his belt. In last year’s meeting, it was then quarterback Jerrod Evans that torched the Eagles through the air and on the ground for over 300 total yards and five touchdowns.
It is well known that the Eagles a vaunted pass rush. However, due to injuries, they have a depleted linebacker group that on exacerbates the issue of containing the quarterback. Against the Hokies, they will need to find a way to provide that containment and force Jackson into being one dimensional so that the rush can get to him. That is when BC will be at their best.
Saturday Night’s game kicks off at 7:15 p.m. EST in Chestnut Hill on ESPN2.
