Week Eight Notes: The Virginia Game
October 16, 2017 | Football
Eagles look for their second straight ACC win for the first time since 2014
Boston College (3-4, 1-3) at Virginia (5-1, 2-0)
Saturday, Oct. 21 • 12:30 p.m. • ACC Network RSN (NESN) • ESPN App
Scott Stadium (61,500) • Charlottesville, Va.
The Game
• Boston College looks for two consecutive ACC victories for the first time since 2014 Saturday at Virginia.
• Regional sports networks across ACC television markets (NESN in Boston) have broadcast coverage of the game with Wes Durham (play-by-play), James Bates (color analyst) and Rebecca Kaple (sideline reporter) on the call. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.
• Coverage on the Boston College IMG Sports Network begins at noon with Jon Meterparel, Pete Cronan and Scott Mutryn. Fans can listen to the game locally on WEEI 850 AM, nationally on TuneIn and on Sirius channel 81 and XM channel 81.
• Boston College earned a 45-42 victory on the road at Louisville last week as Colton Lichtenberg drilled a 27-yard field goal with no time remaining at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. It was the first ACC win of the year for the Eagles.
• Virginia moved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference after its 20-14 win at North Carolina last weekend.
The Series
• Boston College looks for two consecutive ACC victories for the first time since 2014 Saturday at Virginia.
• Regional sports networks across ACC television markets (NESN in Boston) have broadcast coverage of the game with Wes Durham (play-by-play), James Bates (color analyst) and Rebecca Kaple (sideline reporter) on the call. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m.
• Coverage on the Boston College IMG Sports Network begins at noon with Jon Meterparel, Pete Cronan and Scott Mutryn. Fans can listen to the game locally on WEEI 850 AM, nationally on TuneIn and on Sirius channel 81 and XM channel 81.
• Boston College earned a 45-42 victory on the road at Louisville last week as Colton Lichtenberg drilled a 27-yard field goal with no time remaining at Papa John's Cardinal Stadium. It was the first ACC win of the year for the Eagles.
• Virginia moved to 5-1 overall and 2-0 in the conference after its 20-14 win at North Carolina last weekend.
Breakout Performance
• True freshman running back AJ Dillon had one of the best performances in school history in the 45-42 victory at Louisville on Oct. 14.
• Dillon finished the day with a career-high 272 yards on 39 carries, his first career 200-yard game, along with a career-best four touchdowns.
• Dillon finished with the third-best single-game rushing total in school history and the most ever by a true freshman in Boston College history.
• He earned Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week honors for his efforts in the Louisville victory. He was the fifth Boston College player to earn Walter Camp National Player of the Week honors since 2004, and the first since running back Andre Williams (Nov. 17, 2013).
Top-Five Performance
• AJ Dillon's 272 yards rushing were the fifth-most nationally in a game this season and the most by a true freshman.
NCAA Single-Game Rushing Leaders (2017)
1. Khalil Tate, Arizona 327 at Colorado
2. Bryce Love, Stanford 301 vs. Arizona State
3. Khalil Herbert, Kansas 291 vs. West Virginia
4. Phillip Lindsay, Colorado 281 vs. Arizona
5. AJ Dillon 272 at Louisville
Second-Best Rookie Performance in ACC History
• AJ Dillon rushed for 272 yards (on 39 carries), the fifth-highest single-game rushing total in the nation this season, 11th-best total in ACC history, and second-highest ACC freshman total behind only North Carolina's Amos Lawrence, who had 286 rushing yards in 1977.
More Notes on AJ's Big Day
• The four rushing touchdowns by Dillon tied for the third-best performance in BC single-game history. Andre Williams (2013 vs. Army) and Montel Harris (2009 vs. NC State) hold the school record with five rushing touchdowns in a game.
BC Single-Game Rushing Leaders
1. Andre Williams (339 vs. NC State) 11/16/13
2. Andre Williams (295 at New Mexico State) 11/9/13
3. AJ Dillon (272 at Louisville) 10/14/17
4. Montel Harris (264 vs. NC State) 10/17/09
• It was the first 200-yard rushing game for a Boston College player since Andre Williams rushed for 295 yards at New Mexico State (Nov. 9, 2013).
• Dillon's 39 carries tied for the fifth-highest total in Boston College single-game history.
BC Single-Game Rushing Attempt Leaders
1. Andre Williams (42 vs. NC State) 11/16/13
Andre Williams (42 at Syracuse) 11/27/10
3. Montel Harris (41 vs. Maryland) 11/28/09
Fred Willis (41 vs. Pitt) 11/14/70
5. AJ Dillon (39 at Louisville) 10/14/17
Rolandan Finch (39 vs. Maryland) 10/29/11
Jim Bell (39 vs. Tennessee) 10/31/87
119th Season of Boston College Football
• The 119th season of Boston College football began with a 23-20 victory at Northern Illinois on Sept. 1. All-time, BC is 655-485-37 in 1,177 games.
• BC is 36th in NCAA history with 655 victories. The Eagles are one of eight ACC schools ranked in the top 40 all-time in victories.
500 Club
• Boston College rolled up a season-high 555 yards of total offense in the 45-42 victory at Louisville on Oct. 14.
• It marked the best day of total offense for the Eagles since rolling up 578 yards of total offense at NC State on Oct. 4, 2008.
• BC went over 500 yards of total offense for the fifth time under head coach Steve Addazio in the victory at Louisville.
500+ Yards of Total Offense During Addazio Era
1. 555 at Louisville (10/14/17)
2. 550 at New Mexico State (11/9/13)
3. 523 Army (10/5/13)
4. 511 UMass (8/30/14)
5. 506 No. 9 Southern California (9/13/14)
Pound the Rock
• For the 10th time under Steve Addazio, Boston College rushed for 300 yards or more in the Oct. 14 win at Louisville.
• Under Addazio, BC is 10-0 when rushing for 300+ yards in a game.
300+ Rushing Yards During Addazio Era
1. 452 No. 9 Southern California (9/13/14)
2. 420 NC State (11/1613)
3. 413 Maine (9/20/14)
4. 364 at Louisville (10/14/17)
5. 347 Howard (9/12/15)
6. 338 UMass (8/30/14)
7. 320 at New Mexico State (11/9/13)
7. 320 Army (10/5/13)
9. 310 at NC State (10/11/14)
10. 300 Wagner (9/24/16)
Lighting Up the Scoreboard
• Boston College's 45 points in the win at Louisville on Oct. 14 were the most points scored against a Power Five opponent since scoring 52 against NC State (52-20) on Oct. 17, 2009.
• It also marked just the second time in school history the Eagles scored 40 or more points in an ACC game.
Defending the Pass
• Boston College's starting secondary of free safety Lukas Denis, strong safety Will Harris and cornerbacks Kamrin Moore and Isaac Yiadom is off to a tremendous start in 2017. The unit has combined for seven of the team's nine interceptions.
• Opponents have had a tough time completing passes against the BC pass defense in 2017. The Eagles rank 12th nationally in passing efficiency defense as opponents have only a 106.82 pass efficiency rate. BC is third in the ACC in passing efficiency defense.
Ball Hawks in the Back End
• Boston College has nine interceptions this season, which is tied for 12th in the country. The Eagles have at least one interception in every game this season except against Wake Forest.
• BC is second in the ACC in interceptions behind only Duke (12).
Look Out for Lukas
• Junior Lukas Denis has made a flawless transition from cornerback to free safety in 2017. The Everett native is tied for the national lead with five interceptions this season.
• Denis finished with a game-high and new career-high with 13 tackles in the Clemson game. He also forced a fumble against the second-ranked Tigers and had one interception.
• In the Sept. 30 victory over Central Michigan, Denis recorded the first two-interception game of his career.
• Denis is 111th nationally with 1.6 passes defended per game.
NCAA Interception Leaders
Player, Team Interceptions
1. Lukas Denis, Boston College 5
Jalen Davis, Utah State 5
Deshon Elliott, Texas 5
Justin Reid, Stanford 5
On This Date
• Boston College is 3-10-2 all-time on October 21. The last time BC played on this date, the Eagles defeated Florida State 24-19 at Doak Campbell Stadium in 2006.
Results on Oct. 21
Year Opponent Result
2006 at Florida State W, 24-19
2000 at Pitt L, 42-26
1995 Army L, 49-7
1989 Navy L, 27-24
1972 at Pitt L, 35-20
1967 Buffalo L, 26-14
1961 Villanova W, 22-6
1955 Marquette T, 13-13
1949 Georgetown L, 10-7
1938 at Temple T, 26-26
1933 at Fordham L, 32-6
1922 at Detroit L, 10-8
1916 at Tufts L, 13-0
1911 at New Hampshire L, 12-0
1899 at New Hampshire W, 6-0
The Trifecta
• Senior Harold Landry recorded three sacks in a game for the third time in his career Oct. 7 against No. 16 Virginia Tech.
• Since 2014, only three players in college football have recorded three, three-sack games: Myles Garrett (Texas A&M), Derek Barnett (Tennessee) and Landry.
• Garrett was the first pick of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns while Barnett was taken 14th overall in the first round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
• Landry is tied for 36th nationally in 2017 with five sacks.
Boston College Single-Game Sacks Leaders
Sacks, Player Year Opponent
3.5, Mathias Kiwanuka 2005 NC State
3.5, Mike Mamula 1994 Temple
3, Harold Landry 2017 No. 16 Virginia Tech
3, Harold Landry 2016 Wake Forest
3, Harold Landry 2016 Wagner
3, B.J. Raji 2008 NC State
3, Mathias Kiwanuka 2005 Ball State
3, Mathias Kiwanuka 2003 Notre Dame
3, Mike Mamula 1994 Syracuse
3, Joe Glandorf 1974 Syracuse
The Nation's Leader Returns
• Boston College defensive end Harold Landry decided to return to Boston College for his senior season in January. The All-American led the nation in sacks in 2016 with 16.5.
• Landry led the country with seven forced fumbles en route to Walter Camp and Associated Press All-America honors.
• Landry finished with one of the best seasons of any defensive player in the country in 2016. An AP All-ACC first-team selection, Landry was also selected as the Division I Gold Helmet of the Year Award recipient, given annually to the top player in New England by the New England Football Writers' Association and the recipient of the 78th annual George "Bulger" Lowe Award, "New England's Heisman Trophy" and one of America's oldest college football accolades.
• Landry, who collected All-ACC second-team honors by the media and coaches, was one of six finalists for the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to the nation's top defensive end.
• The North Carolina native led the nation with 16.5 sacks and seven fumbles forced. Landry rewrote the Boston College single-season record for sacks in 2016, breaking the old mark of 13 held by Eric Storz (1997) and Mike Mamula (1994). Landry was fifth in the country with 22.0 tackles-for-loss, the second-best total in Boston College single-season history behind only Mathias Kiwanuka's 25.5 TFLs in 2004.
• Since 2005, only two players have led the nation in sacks and decided to return to school instead of opting for the NFL Draft: Harold Landry and Von Miller (Texas A&M).
• Landry recorded at least one sack in 10 of BC's 13 games in 2016. He set the BC single-season sack record, breaking the mark of 13 held by Erik Storz in 1997 and Mike Mamula in 1994.
• Landry finished 2016 with 22 tackles-for-loss, the second-best single-season total in BC history.
BC Career Sacks Leaders
1. Mathias Kiwanuka (2002-05) 37.5
2. Harold Landry (2014-present) 26
3. Mike Mamula (1992-94) 24
4. Chris Hovan (1996-99) 20.5
5. Erik Storz (1994-97) 19
BC Career TFL Leaders
1. Mathias Kiwanuka (2002-05) 65.5
2. Harold Landry (2014-present) 47
3. Luke Kuechly (2009-11) 44
4. Chris Hovan (1996-99) 43
5. Tim Bulman (2001-04) 38
In the ACC …
• Landry's 16.5 sacks in 2016 ranked third in ACC single-season history. Only Peter Boulware (FSU) and Charles Bowser (Duke) recorded more sacks in one season.
All-Time ACC Single-Season Sacks Leaders
1. Peter Boulware, Florida State (1996) 19.0
2. Charles Bowser, Duke (1981) 17.5
3. Harold Landry, Boston College (2016) 16.5
4. Lawrence Taylor, North Carolina (1980) 16.0
Keith Adams, Clemson (1999) 16.0
Andre Wadsworth, Florida State (1997) 16.0
Zach Attack
• Boston College junior defensive end Zach Allen has quietly become one of the top defensive ends in the ACC. The Connecticut native leads BC with 59 tackles on the season and is tied for the team lead with 8.0 tackles for loss. Allen leads BC with 5.0 sacks.
• Allen recorded a career-high 14 tackles, leading all players, in the Oct. 7 game against No. 16 Virginia Tech. He notched a career-high three tackles for loss and one sack on the night. He was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week for his efforts in the Virginia Tech game.
• Allen recorded two TFLs, one sack and his first career interception in the 28-8 win over Central Michigan on Sept. 30.
Watch Out for Walker
• Junior wide receiver Michael Walker has been all over the field for the Eagles this season. The Naples, Fla., native leads BC with 119.0 all-purpose yards per game.
• Walker leads the nation in combined kick returns with 753 yards in 2017.
• In punt returns, Walker is eighth nationally and second in the ACC with an average of 16.8 yards per return.
• Against Central Michigan, Walker registered 128 punt return yards - including 124 in the first half - the fourth-best single-game total in BC history. It was the most punt return yards in a game since Ed Rideout finished with 131 punt return yards against Holy Cross in 1970. He finished the game with 135 all-purpose yards.
Yards Name (Year) Opponent
166 Kelvin Martin (1985) Holy Cross
136 Kelvin Martin (1986) SMU
131 Ed Rideout (1970) Holy Cross
128 Michael Walker (2017) Central Michigan
109 Spiffy Evans (2012) Maryland
• Walker setup BC's first touchdown of the game with a career-long 61-yard punt return. Last week at No. 2 Clemson, Walker's previous career-long of 27 yards also set up a BC touchdown.
• Walker had the second-longest punt return of his career on his second return of the day with a 33-yard return. BC scored on the drive as true freshman running back AJ Dillon scored his second career touchdown (first at Alumni Stadium) to give BC a 14-2 lead.
• Walker's 29-yard punt return put BC in position for BC's third touchdown as BC started the drive on the CMU 17-yard line. Hilliman scored his second touchdown of the game to extend the BC lead to 21-8.
• Over two games at No. 2 Clemson and against Central Michigan, BC had four scoring drives ending in touchdowns came after Walker got things started with a punt return of 27 yards or longer.
Keeping the Flags off The Field
• Boston College ranks among the national leaders in fewest penalties, fewest penalties per game and fewest penalty yards per game.
• BC ranks second in the nation and second in the ACC with just 30.6 penalty yards per game this season.
• The Eagles are committing just 4.0 penalties per game, the eighth-best mark in the nation and third in the ACC.
• BC's 214 penalty yards this season rank sixth nationally and second in the conference while the 28 penalties committed in 2017 rank 15th in the nation and third-fewest in the ACC.
Schwab Stepping Up
• Boston College senior linebacker Ty Schwab is tied for the team lead with 55 tackles in 2017. Even more impressive, the Florida native has been the one steady force at the position with injuries to Connor Strachan and Max Richardson.
• Against defending National Champion Clemson, Schwab set career-highs in tackles (11) and sacks (1.5).
• Schwab has played in 24 consecutive games, including 20 starts, at weakside linebacker.
20 Completions, 100-Yard Rusher
• For only the second time in the Steve Addazio era, Boston College had a quarterback with 20-plus completions along with a 100-yard rusher in the same game Sept. 16 against Notre Dame.
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Brown finished 24-of-40 passing for 215 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions against the Fighting Irish while junior running back Jon Hilliman rushed for 122 yards on 22 carries.
• In Addazio's first game at BC, Chase Rettig was 23-of-30 passing for 285 yards and two touchdowns while Andre Williams rushed for 114 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown in a 24-14 win against Villanova (8/31/13).
Three-Headed Monster
• Boston College has been one of the best teams in the nation in all three phases of the kicking game so far in 2017.
• Junior place-kicker Colton Lichtenberg is 8-for-13 on field goals this season, but has two game-winning field goals, including his 27-yarder with no time remaining in the 45-42 win at Louisville on Oct. 14.
• Senior place-kicker Max Schulze-Geisthovel has 21 touchbacks on 32 kickoffs this season. The 68% rate for touchbacks is 22nd nationally. BC ranks third in the ACC allowing just 17.8 yards per kick return.
• Senior punter Mike Knoll has averaged 40.6 yards per punt, but 24 of the punts have pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line. Against Clemson, Knoll had six punts inside the 10-yard line, including three pinned inside the Tigers' six.
• ESPN.com named Knoll to its midseason All-America team.
Freshmen Combo at QB and Center
• Boston College is the only school in the country with freshmen starting at center and quarterback. True freshman Ben Petrula made his first career start at center vs. Wake Forest after senior captain Jon Baker was lost for the year with a knee injury.
• Anthony Brown has just five career starts at quarterback as the redshirt freshman made his first career start in the season opener at Northern Illinois.
Career Day for the Captain
• Boston College wide receiver and tri-captain Charlie Callinan had the best game of his career Sept. 16 vs. Notre Dame. Playing in his 41st career game including his 31st start, Callinan set career-highs in receptions (7), receiving yards (82) and receiving touchdowns (2) against the Fighting Irish.
• Callinan has been out with a foot injury since Sept. 21.
Protecting the QBs
• Boston College's offensive line has allowed just seven sacks in 2017. The Eagles have attempted 238 passes so far in 2017 and rank 13th nationally and first in the ACC with just the seven sacks allowed.
Freshman at Quarterback
• Redshirt freshman Anthony Brown was the second freshman in BC history to start a season opener under center in the Sept. 1 win at Northern Illinois. He is the only freshman quarterback in school history who started to win a season opener on the road.
• Brown was 26-for-42 with 191 passing yards and two touchdowns in the NIU win. He threw one interception. Both his attempts and completion totals are the most a BC quarterback has logged under head coach Steve Addazio.
• Redshirt freshman Justin Tuggle started the first game of 2009 against Northeastern and finished 3-of-5 passing for 56 yards with a touchdown in BC's 54-0 victory.
• Glenn Foley entered in the second quarter of his first game his redshirt freshman season and started the rest of the way. He owns BC's freshman record for most passing attempts (349) and completions (182) in 1990.
• Dave Shinskie played in all 13 games in 2009 and started the final 10 contests to set BC freshman records for passing yards (2,049) and passing touchdowns (15).
• Doug Flutie started the final seven games of his true freshman season in 1981 and ended the year with 1,652 yards passing, 10 touchdowns, eight interceptions and he completed 54.7 percent of his passes.
Comparing First Starts
• Anthony Brown did something in his first start that the top four career passing leaders in Boston College history could not do - win the game. Below is a comparison of the first career starts from Doug Flutie, Glenn Foley, Matt Ryan, Chase Rettig and Brown.
Doug Flutie (10/17/81 vs. Navy)
14-of-25, 118 yards, INT, 56.0 comp. % L, 25-10
Glenn Foley (9/15/90 vs. No. 17 Ohio State)
20-of-41, 179 yards, 48.7 comp. %) L, 31-10
Matt Ryan (11/27/04 vs. No. 17 Syracuse)
24-of-51, 200 yards, TD, 3 INT, 47.1 comp. % L, 43-17
Chase Rettig (10/16/10 at No. 16 Florida State)
9-of-24, 95 yards, 37.5 comp. % L, 24-19
Anthony Brown (9/1/17 at Northern Illinois)
26-of-42, 191 yards, 2 TD, INT, 61.9 comp. % W, 23-20
Spreading the Wealth
• Redshirt freshman quarterback Anthony Brown completed passes to eight different players in the season opening win at Northern Illinois.
• Six players finished with multiple receptions, led by junior wide receiver Michael Walker's eight receptions.
• Walker led all BC players with 12 targets, followed by Kobay White and Jeff Smith (eight targets).
• Brown was at his best throwing on first down, completing 64 percent of his attempts (9-of-14). The New Jersey native was pretty consistent no matter the down, completing 61 percent on second down (8-of-13), 57 percent on third down (8-of-14) and was a perfect 1-for-1 on fourth down.
Scouting This Week's Opponent: Virginia
• Virginia brings a perfect 2-0 ACC record and is 5-1 overall entering Saturday's game against Boston College. The Cavaliers own wins over William & Mary (28-10), UConn (38-16), at Boise State (42-23), Duke (28-21) and at North Carolina (20-14). Indiana handed UVA its only loss of the season 34-17 on Sept. 9 in Charlottesville.
• UVA quarterback Kurt Benkert has been sensational in the first half of the season. He is completing 63.7 percent of his passes and has thrown for 1,680 yards with 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions.
• The Cavaliers are 60th nationally in total offense (408.2 yards per game), 101st in rushing offense (128.2 yards per game), 31st in passing offense (280.0 yards per game) and 64th in scoring offense (28.8 points per game).
• Virginia is 18th nationally in total defense (312.8 yards per game), 30th in scoring defense (20.0 points per game), 52nd in rushing defense (143.0 yards per game) and 10th in passing yards allowed (169.8 yards per game).
Counting on Kobay
• Redshirt freshman wide receiver Kobay White had quite the debut as an Eagle at Northern Illinois. The Harrisburg, Pa., native led BC with 76 yards receiving on six receptions, including a critical 12-yard reception on 4th down to keep BC's game-winning drive alive.
• White led all BC players with 104 all-purpose yards in the NIU victory.
• White led all BC players with four 15-yard plus plays in the NIU victory, including three receptions covering 15-plus yards. Four of White's six receptions against NIU resulted in first downs.
• On the season, White leads BC with 228 yards receiving and 21 receptions. White also leads BC with eight receptions of 15-plus yards and 11 receptions for first downs.
Setting the Tempo
• Boston College ran 92 plays out of a no-huddle, up-tempo offense in the win at Northern Illinois. It was the most plays run under head coach Steve Addazio, beating the previous game-high of 86 vs. UMass in 2014.
• The 92 plays were the most by a BC team since the Eagles joined the ACC in 2005. Only three other times since 2005 has BC ran 90 plays in a game - 2007 vs. Army (90), 2005 vs. Florida State (90) and 2005 vs. Clemson (90).
• Heading into the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl, BC shifted its focus to an up-tempo, no-huddle offense. The results were immediate as the Eagles scored 29 points in the first half and 36 for the game in a 36-30 victory over Maryland.
Total Plays in a Game (since 2005)
1. Northern Illinois (9/1/17) 92
2. Army (9/22/07) 90
Florida State (9/17/05) 90
Clemson (9/24/05) 90
5. Louisville (10/14/17) 87
6. UMass (8/30/14) 86
7. Notre Dame (9/16/17) 85
Maine (9/20/14) 85
Miami (9/1/12) 85
10. Buffalo (10/1/16) 84
11. Maryland (11/10/07) 83
12. Wake Forest (9/9/17 82
Wake Forest (10/1/11) 82
Wake Forest (11/4/06) 82
Duke (11/11/06) 82
Preseason Award Watch List
• The following list of Eagles were named to various preseason award watch lists and All-America teams:
Harold Landry, Senior Defensive End
AP Preseason All-America First Team
ESPN.com Preseason All-America First Team
USA Today Preseason All-America First Team
Sports Illustrated Preseason All-America First Team
Phil Steele Preseason All-America First Team
Athlon Preseason All-America First Team
Lindy's Preseason All-America First Team
Street & Smith's Preseason All-America First Team
Preseason All-ACC First Team
Walter Camp Football Player of the Year Watch List
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List
Maxwell Award Watch List
Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List
Jon Baker, Senior Center
Rimington Trophy Watch List
Tommy Sweeney, Junior Tight End
John Mackey Award Watch List
Jeff Smith, Junior Wide Receiver
Paul Hornung Award Watch List
Darius Wade, Junior Quarterback
Golden Arm Award Watch List
Jon Hilliman, Junior Running Back
Doak Walker Award Watch List
All-ACC Linebacker Out
• Senior linebacker Connor Strachan collected All-ACC honorable mention honors in 2016 and returned as one of the top defensive players in the nation in 2017. The Wellesley native injured his knee prior to the NIU game and played in the team's first two games before the injury forced him to be out for the season.
• Strachan earned All-ACC honors for the first time after the junior led the Eagles with 80 tackles in 2016. Appearing in 12 games including 12 starts, Strachan is third on the team with 11.0 tackles-for-loss and led the Eagles with four fumble recoveries. The four fumbles recovered ranked second nationally.
• Strachan played every snap in the win at NIU and finished with a key stop on fourth down to stall a NIU drive. The senior also made his first start at strongside linebacker after playing middle linebacker during his first three years at The Heights.
Sack, Sack, Sack the Quarterback
• Under the direction of defensive coordinator Jim Reid, Boston College tied a school record and finished second in the nation with 47 sacks in 2016.
• Reid, who was also the defensive coordinator at BC in 1994, equaled the school record for single-season sacks as his 1994 BC defense also totaled 47 sacks.
• BC returned 69 percent of their sack production in 2017 led by Harold Landry (16.5 sacks in 2016). In all, the Eagles have 32.5 combined sacks returning to the field this season.
• BC snapped a streak of 14 consecutive games with at least one sack after not getting a sack in the win at NIU on Sept. 1. The last time previous to NIU when BC went without a sack was Nov. 21, 2014 vs. Notre Dame.
NCAA Team Sacks Leaders (2016)
1. Florida State (ACC) 51 (3.92 per game)
2. Boston College (ACC) 47 (3.62 per game)
3. Alabama (SEC) 54 (3.60 per game)
4. Michigan (Big Ten) 46 (3.54 per game)
5. Texas (Big 12) 41 (3.42 per game)
It All Starts on Defense
• One of head coach Steve Addazio's staples to building the Boston College football program has been to have a top-notch defense. BC finished ninth nationally in total defense in 2016, allowing just 314.2 yards per game.
• The 2016 BC defense ranked on eight top-10 lists nationally, including ninth in total defense (314.2 yards/game), second in sacks (3.62 sacks/game) and 10th in turnovers gained (27).
• In 2015, the Eagles ended the year first in total defense (254.3 yards per game).
• Addazio's 2014 squad finished the season ranked 11th nationally in total defense as the Eagles yielded just 324.2 yards per contest.
First Bowl Win Since 2007
• Boston College earned its first bowl victory since 2007 with a 36-30 victory over Maryland in the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 26.
• Boston College is 14-11 all-time in 25 bowl appearances. The last bowl victory prior to the win over Maryland was a 24-21 win over Michigan State on Dec. 28, 2007 in the Champs Sports Bowl.
• Boston College's 29 first-half points marked the third-best first half scoring in BC's bowl history.
• The defensive line was named Most Outstanding Player in the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl. Boston College finished with eight sacks and 14 tackles-for-loss.
Baker, Moore, Callinan Named 2017 Captains
• Senior center Jon Baker, senior defensive back Kamrin Moore and senior wide receiver Charlie Callinan were voted team captains by their teammates, Boston College head coach Steve Addazio announced. Baker and Moore were named captains in August while Callinan was named a captain prior to the Wake Forest game for the rest of the season.
• Baker entered 2017 with 26 consecutive starts at center, the longest current streak on the team. The Millis, Mass., native was named to the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, an award given annually to the nation's top center. A two-time ACC All-Academic team selection and three-time Athletic Director's award winner for academic achievement, Baker entered the season as one of the top centers in the ACC. Baker played in 36 consecutive games prior to having his season cut short with a knee injury in the season opener.
• Moore entered 2017 after starting all 13 games last season for the Eagles. The District Heights, Md., product recorded 43 tackles a year ago and totaled two interceptions, including the game-winning INT in the road victory at NC State. For his career, Moore has played in 36 games and has made 23 starts over the last 23 games he has played in.
• Joining Baker and Kamrin Moore as a team captain in 2017 will also be senior wide receiver Charlie Callinan. The team voted prior to the season on captains and Callinan recorded the third-highest total of votes and will represent the Eagles as a captain for the rest of the year.
Three Bowls in Four Years
• Head coach Steve Addazio joined Jack Bicknell as the only coaches in Boston College history to lead the Eagles to three bowl games in their first four seasons at The Heights. Under Addazio's leadership, BC has won seven games in three of his four seasons in Chestnut Hill and led the Eagles to their first bowl win since 2007 with the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl victory over Maryland.
• During Addazio's tenure, 11 players have been selected in the NFL Draft, including two members of last season's team (John Johnson, Third round pick of the Los Angeles Rams in the 2017 NFL Draft and Matt Milano, Fifth round pick of the Buffalo Bills).
Up/Down
• The following coaches are in the press box during the game for Boston College:
Offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler
Defensive coordinator Jim Reid
• The following coaches are on the sideline during the game:
Special teams coordinator/SLB coach Ricky Brown
Offensive line coach Justin Frye
Defensive backs coach Anthony Campanile
Tight ends coach Frank Leonard
Wide receivers coach Rich Gunnell
Defensive line coach Paul Pasqualoni
Running backs coach Brian White
Welcome to The Heights
• Martin Jarmond was named the William V. Campbell Director of Athletics on April 24, 2017, becoming the eighth athletic director in Boston College history. At 37, Jarmond became the youngest athletic director of a Power Five conference institution in Division 1 athletics.
• Jarmond, who has more than 15 years of experience in the Big Ten, came from The Ohio State University where he served as the Deputy Director of Athletics and Chief of Staff to Buckeyes' athletic director Gene Smith. Jarmond spent eight years in Columbus after spending seven at Michigan State.
• A native of Fayetteville, N.C., Jarmond graduated from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in communication studies. He was a two-time captain of the basketball team, earned All-CAA Academic honors and helped the Seahawks gain their first NCAA tournament appearance in 2000. He earned both an MBA (2002) and a master's in sports administration (2003) from Ohio University.
• Jarmond and Harold Landry are both graduates of Pine Forest High School in North Carolina.
Dillon, Lindstrom Earn ACC Honors
• The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Oct. 16 that Boston College junior Chris Lindstrom was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week while true freshman running back AJ Dillon collected ACC Co-Offensive Back of the Week honors and was named the ACC Rookie of the Week.
• It marked the first time that Lindstrom or Dillon were named the conference's player of the week at their respective positions. In addition, it marked the first time in 2017 Boston College had multiple player of the week selections after the Eagles' 45-42 victory at Louisville on Oct. 14.
• Dillon was also named the Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week for his performance at Louisville.
• He finished the day with a career-high 272 yards on 39 carries, his first career 200-yard game. It was the fifth-best single-game performance in the nation in 2017 and the most yards in a game by a true freshman this season.
• Lindstrom started at right tackle and helped pave the way for a BC offense that rushed for a season-high 364 yards and 555 yards of total offense in a 45-42 win at Louisville.
• He graded out as BC's best lineman at 88% and led the team with three pancake blocks and four knockdowns as the Eagles scored the most points in an ACC road game in the Steve Addazio era.
Allen Earns ACC Weekly Honor
• The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Oct. 9 that Boston College junior defensive end Zach Allen has been named the conference's defensive lineman of the week. It marked the first time in Allen's career he was named the ACC Defensive Lineman of the Week.
• Allen was all over the field against No. 16 Virginia Tech as he finished with a career-high 14 tackles. He also established a new personal-best with three tackles for loss against the Hokies and also tallied one sack and one quarterback hurry.
