Boston College Athletics
Boston College Football Weekly Release
June 21, 1999 | Football
August 30, 1998
GAME ONE
BOSTON COLLEGE (0-0) VS. GEORGIA TECH (0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998
Time: 3:30 p.m. EDT * Site: Atlanta, Georgia
Stadium/Capacity: Bobby Dodd Stadium/Grant Field (46,000)
Television/Radio: ABC-TV; BC Radio Network (Sean Grande/Peter Cronan)
Depth Chart (Week 1)
The Coaches
Boston College's Tom O'Brien is 4-7 as head coach of the Eagles and overall...A three-year starter at defensive end from 1968-70 at the U.S. Naval Academy, O'Brien was named BC's 32nd head football coach after 15 years on the staff of the University of Virginia, the last six as coordinator of UVA's record-setting offense. O'Brien also was an assistant at Navy for seven years.
George O'Leary is in his fourth year as the head coach at Georgia Tech, where he has compiled an 18-19 record. A year ago, he led the Yellow Jackets to a 7-5 record, including a 35-31 Carquest Bowl victory over West Virginia. O'Leary first arrived at Georgia Tech in 1987 and served as the defensive coordinator and defensive line coach until 1991. After coaching the defensive line for the San Diego Chargers in 1992 and 1993, he returned for his second stint as the defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech in 1994. He was named as the 10th head coach of the Yellow Jackets following the season. Coach O'Leary's record against Boston College is 1-0, and he is 2-1 in season openers.
The Series
Saturday's season opener will mark the fifth meeting between Boston College and Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets lead the all-time series, 4-0, including a 42-14 victory last season at Alumni Stadium, in Chestnut Hill. Boston College and Georgia Tech have played three times in the last 10 years. Saturday's game will mark the Eagles' first appearance at Bobby Dodd Stadium since November 25, 1989, when Georgia Tech defeated Boston College, 13-12, on Scott Sisson's 35-yard field goal with 42 seconds remaining in the game. The Yellow Jackets won the first game ever between the two schools, 42-10, at Bobby Dodd Stadium in 1972.
Injury Update
Out: RB Greg Bartlett (torn ACL/MCL); OG Matt Knapp (fractured left foot); OG Paul LaQuerre (fractured left fibula); DB Marco Williams (osteochondral defect, right knee); OL Matthew Desmarais (herniated disk, lower back).
How They Stack Up
Statistical Comparison (1997 Final Stats)
Boston College Georgia Tech
Points 21.5 25.4
Total Yards 403.5 367.0
Rushing Attempts 39.2 40.8
Rushing Yards 181.6 151.5
Yards Per Carry 4.6 3.7
Passing Attempts 30.9 25.4
Passing Yards 221.9 215.5
Yards Per Completion 11.6 13.4
Points Allowed 28.5 24.2
Total Yards Allowed 394.5 429.0
Rushing Yards Allowed 200.1 132.7
Yards Per Carry 4.4 3.9
Passing Yards Allowed 194.4 296.3
Yards Per Completion 14.5 12.7
Eagles on the Radio
Once again this season, BC games will be broadcast on two of Boston's most powerful radio stations - WEEI (850 AM) or WRKO (680 AM), depending upon conflicts with Boston Red Sox games. BC's game with Georgia Tech will be heard on WRKO, as well as WHYN in Springfield (560 AM), WSAR in Fall River/New Bedford (1480 AM); WTAG in Worcester (580 AM); WGIR in Manchester, N.H. (610 AM), WTMN in Portsmouth, NH (1380 AM); WLPZ in Portland, Maine (1440 AM), and WNRI in Woonsocket, RI (1380 AM). BC radio broadcasts are handled by announcer Sean Grande and expert analyst Peter Cronan. The game also will be heard on BC student station WZBC (90.3 FM).
For Openers
The Eagles begin their 100th season of intercollegiate football (BC began formal football competition in 1893) with an all-time opening-day record of 52-41-6...Last year, the Eagles opened with a 28-21 loss at Temple...The Eagles have lost their season opener four of the last five years...The Eagles open away from the friendly confines of Alumni Stadium for the fifth year in a row and the seventh time in the last nine years.
A look at the Eagles
The Eagles return seven starters on defense, five on offense and a solid punter (Jason Malecki) and placekicker (John Matich) from a team that finished 4-7 a year ago but came within 10 points of a 6-5 season and possible bowl consideration.
Offense
Fifth-year senior Scott Mutryn (6-3, 212, Middleburg Heights, OH) was named starting quarterback for the Eagles by BC coach Tom O'Brien on August 14. A former Parade and SuperPrep All-America selection, Mutryn also earned the start last season vs. the Yellow Jackets. He enters his final year having completed 90-of-188 pass attempts for 901 yards in three previous seasons.
BC returns a receiver corps that accounted for 74.7% of the team's total receptions last year (1,823 yards and 9 touchdowns). Senior Dennis Harding (6-1, 178, Baltimore, MD) led the team in receptions last year (29-432-2) and enters his senior season with 99 career receptions for 1,571 yards and eight touchdowns. Also be on the lookout for big-play receiver senior Anthony DiCosmo (6-3, 209, Fair Lawn, NJ), who averaged a team-high 15.1 yards per catch.
BC returns two of its top three rushers from a year ago. Senior Mike Cloud (5-11, 201, Portsmouth, RI) leads a talented lineup of BC backs. Last year, Cloud ranked third in the BIG EAST in rushing yards per game (88.6) and fourth in the BIG EAST in all-purpose yards per game (116.5). Junior Quinton Lee (5-10, 195, Houston, TX) gained 313 yards on 49 rushes in 1997. BC's coaches moved sophomore Ryan Burch (6-3, 246, Luthersville, Md) from linebacker to fullback after Greg Bartlett was injured in pre-season camp.
There is considerable talent - but lack of depth - along the BC offensive line. The O-line is anchored by center Damien Woody (6-4, 312, Beaverdam, VA) and guard Doug Brzezinski (6-5, 305, Livonia, MI). A second-team All-BIG EAST selection a year ago, Woody was an important component of the offensive line that helped three Eagle running backs register a combined seven 100-yard rushing games. Team co-captain Brzezinski (along with Brian Maye) was a first-team All-BIG EAST selection a year ago and added 10 pounds of muscle over the winter to help further his success in the trenches. Junior Darnell Alford (6-4, 323, Fredericksburg, VA) has won back a starting spot (at left tackle) after sitting out the 1997 season for personal reasons.
Defense
Seven starters return for the Eagle defense. The defensive line should be a strength of the squad. The unit - senior Andrew Krauza, juniors Chris Hovan and Mike Willetts, and sophomore Adam Grace - returns intact from last fall, but with an added year of experience and improved strength. The unit is anchored by Hovan, a 1997 first-team All-BIG EAST selection. Moved to nose tackle in pre-season practice a year ago, Hovan went on to start all 11 games at that spot.
The Eagles' linebacking corps features plenty of new faces. Junior Frank Chamberlin made the move from fullback to inside linebacker during spring '98 drills. Senior Brian Maye returns after missing the entire 1997 season because of a neck injury. Additionally, junior Brooke Heald and redshirt freshman Nick Blevins have made transitions. Heald has moved from inside to outside linebacker, while Blevins made the opposite move. The Eagles' defensive backfield features a combination of experience and inexperience. At the safety spots, juniors Pedro Cirino and George White are two proven - and talented - starters. Sophomore RaMon Johnson and redshirt freshman Carlos Moore are less-experienced backups. Johnson missed the entire 1997 season after tearing ligaments (ACL) in his left knee in spring '97 drills. The cornerback positions are manned by young, but talented individuals. Sophomore D.J. Sutton, who worked his way into the starting lineup for the final two games of the '97 season, and redshirt freshman Jonathan Ordway are slated to be the starters. A sprinter on the Eagles' track team, Ordway has exceptional speed that should aid in his pass coverage duties.
Special Teams
BC's kicking game should be solid; junior John Matich (6-2, 203, San Diego, CA) completed 10 of 16 field goal attempts last season (62.5%), including a long of40, and 22 of 23 PATs. Senior Jason Malecki (6-2, 220, Springfield, VA) averaged 41.0 yards per punt last season.
The Buzz About the Jackets
The Yellow Jackets enter Saturday's season opener with 15 starters returning from a team that finished 25th in the final Associated Press poll a year ago. Georgia Tech finished the 1997 season with a 7-5 record, that included a 35-31 victory over West Virginia at the Carquest Bowl.
Leading the Georgia Tech offense will be junior quarterback Joe Hamilton, who passed for 2,314 yards and 12 touchdowns in 1997. Hamilton recorded 200 yards passing in seven games last fall, including the final five games, and finished the season with 115 consecutive passing attempts without an interception. Senior tailback Charles Wiley led the Yellow Jackets in rushing with 567 yards on 150 carries and scored nine touchdowns. The Yellow Jackets finished fourth in the ACC in total offense (367.0 yards), after averaging 461.6 yards in the final five games of the 1997 season.
The defense has a new coordinator, Randy Edsall, who was the defensive backs coach on Tom Coughlin's staff at Boston College for three seasons, 1991-93. Seven starters return to the defense that was fifth in the ACC in points allowed (24.2) and last in total defense (429.0). Senior defensive end Jesse Tarplin returns after leading Georgia Tech with five sacks and contributing 68 tackles. The Yellow Jackets also return strong safety Travares Tillman, who finished the 1997 season with 80 tackles and four interceptions.
Keep an Eye on These Eagles
Doug Brzezinski
The 1998 team co-captain (along with Brian Maye), BC's coaches call Brzezinski a "prototypical BC-type lineman," a blue-collar player. His knowledge, skills, work ethic and "coachability" make him one of the cornerstones of BC's offensive line. Brzezinski added 10 pounds of muscle over the winter to help further his success in the trenches.
Pedro Cirino
Making the switch to free safety last fall, the junior made his presence felt immediately. He finished the season as the BIG EAST's second-leading tackler, making 130 tackles (73 solo) in 11 games. He added two interceptions, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries. At year's end, he captured All-Conference second team accolades. A talented athlete who has great range, Cirino has improved his speed and increased his size in the off-season and he'll now be an anchor in the secondary.
Mike Cloud
If Mike Cloud were to duplicate his '97 numbers - 136 rushes for 886 yards - he would finish his career with 2,757 rushing yards on 442 carries; that total would rank him third on BC's career rushing yards list (Mike Esposito ranks second with 2,759 yards on 526 career carries). Cloud rushed for 100 yards in four games last season, pushing his 100-yard total to eight for his career.
Cloud's Top Games
GAME DATE RUSHES YDS. TDs West Virginia 9/13/97 24 211 2 Rutgers 9/20/97 35 166 3 Miami 10/18/97 19 157 1 Rutgers 11/24/95 26 122 0 Pittsburgh 11/1/97 13 117 2 Syracuse 11/18/95 10 113 1 Miami 11/11/95 12 109 0 Rutgers 10/19/96 14 104 1
Anthony DiCosmo
The senior established himself as BC's "big-play" wide receiver last year, averaging a team-high 15.1 yards per catch. An outstanding track athlete as well, DiCosmo finished sixth in the triple jump (48-feet, 9.50 inches) at the BIG EAST Outdoor Track and Field Championships in May, 1998.
Chris Hovan
The junior noseguard is the unabashed leader of the Eagles' defensive unit. With 21 career starts to his credit, the 6-3, 295-lb. Hovan brings great strength and a ferocious attitude to the front line. An All-BIG EAST and All-ECAC selection in 1997, he finished with 58 tackles, four sacks and six quarterback pressures in his 11 starts. In his true freshman season, he made 31 stops in 10 starts, becoming one of only six true freshmen to earn The Sporting News All-Rookie Team honors.
Brian Maye
When the Eagles take to Grant Field in Atlanta, there is probably very little that can happen that will take the senior inside linebacker by surprise. Brian Maye is a rare "sixth-year" senior for the Eagles. Dogged by injuries for the past three years, the NCAA granted him an extension to complete his final year of eligibility. In his first five seasons (he's seen some game action in four), Maye has played in two bowl games (1993 Carquest and 1994 Aloha) and been part of winning teams.
George White
Like his fellow safety Cirino, White returns for the 1998 season with better size and speed than last fall. One of the team's better athletes, White played in all 11 games as a sophomore and finished second on the team with 91 tackles. White is also a key member of the BC track team. In 1997-98, he placed - and scored points - in the long jump in both the New England and BIG EAST Championship meets.
Damien Woody
One of the nation's best centers, Woody is a legitimate All-America candidate. He won the starting position as a freshman, and added 30 pounds of muscle to his body in off-season conditioning. Strong and fast, Woody is a powerful blocker and an outstanding pass protector.
Class Act
Boston College's record in the classroom speaks for itself. In the past 12 years, the Boston College football team has won the American Football Coaches' Association (formerly CFA) Academic Achievement Award three times and finished as an honorable mention selection eight times, including 1998. Dr. Kevin M. Lyons, Director of Learning Resources for Student-Athletes, was this year's recipient of the Lan Hewlett Award for outstanding performance as an academic advisor for athletics. BC has one of the nation's highest graduation rates for all varsity athletes. That figure averaged 87 percent over the last 10 years.
Ever to Excel
Boston College is ranked among the top 40 national universities by U.S. News and World Report...There are some 120,000 living Boston College graduates, the largest alumni body of any Catholic university in the world...Boston College's endowment of $792 million is ranked among the 40 largest of any college or university in the world...In 1998, there were more than 16,000 applications for some 2,200 freshman seats...Noteworthy BC alumni include actor Chris O'Donnell, sportswriter Mike Lupica and ABC/ESPN's Lesley Visser.
Short Takes
Junior defensive lineman Adam Grace may have more familiarity with ACC football than most of his teammates. His older brother, Tucker, was a three-year starter at linebacker for Wake Forest. An All-ACC selection, Tucker was a member of the Demon Deacons' 1992 team that won the Independence Bowl...Four true freshmen - Dan Koppen, Scott Bradley, DuJuan Daniels and Kevin McMyler - have worked their way on to the Eagles' two-deep chart for the opening game...If defensive lineman Mike Willetts and linebacker Brian Maye "share" a tackle in the Georgia Tech game, it won't be the only thing they share. The two defensive stalwarts are also roommates in BC's Rubenstein Hall...BC offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski took time from two-a-days to be with his wife, Lisa, for the birth of the couple's fourth child, Jacquelyn, who was born August 26...BC video coordinator Bill Toof's son, Sean Toof, is a walk-on receiver for the Eagles...Since 1992, BC has appeared on regional or national television 58 times...Former BC athletes competed in the 1998 Super Bowl, NBA Championship Finals and Stanley Cup Finals.
