Boston College Athletics
Eagles Prepare For Naval Attack Saturday
September 12, 1999 | Football
Sept. 12, 1999
GAME TWO
BOSTON COLLEGE (1-0, 0-0) VS. NAVY (1-1, 0-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 18, 1999
Time: Noon EDT
Site: Annapolis, Md.
Stadium/Capacity: Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (30,000)
Television/Radio: Fox SportsNet, BC Radio Network (John Rooke and Peter Cronan)
The coaches
Boston College's Tom O'Brien is 9-14 as head coach of the Eagles and overall...A three-year starter at defensive end from 1968-70 at the U.S. Naval Academy, 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.
Charlie Weatherbie is in his fifth year as the head coach at the Naval Academy, where he has compiled a 25-22 record. He is 40-41 overall in six+ years as a head coach. He led the Midshipmen to back-to-back winning seasons in 1996 and 1997, and one bowl appearance. In 1996, Weatherbie led Navy to a 9-3 record and a 42-38 victory over California in the Aloha Bowl. Following the season, he was named ECAC Coach of the Year. Prior to being named the 34th head football coach at Navy in December, 1994, Weatherbie served as the head coach at Utah State for three seasons. In 1993, he led the Aggies to a Big West Conference championship and a 42-33 victory over Ball State in the Las Vegas Bowl. Weatherbie has a 1-1 record against Boston College.
The series
The game will mark the 25th meeting between BC and Navy. The Eagles lead the all-time series 13-11. BC had won three in a row over Navy prior to last year's 32-31 loss. The Eagles are 8-3 vs. navy in Navy-Marine Memorial Stadium. The last time BC defeated (or played) Navy there was Sept. 29, 1990 (28-17).
Injury update
Out: WR Chris Barnes (torn ACL), OL Matt Knapp (headaches).
How they stack up
Statistical Comparison
BC NAVY Points 30.0 31.0 Total Yards 451.0 452.0 Rushing Attempts 59.0 57.5 Rushing Yards 354.0 292.0 Yards Per Carry 5.9 5.1 Passing Attempts 30.0 18.0 Passing Yards 101.0 160.0 Yards Per Completion 7.8 13.9 Points Allowed 29.0 38.5 Total Yards Allowed 354.0 442.5 Rushing Yards Allowed 110.0 230.0 Yards Per Carry 2.5 5.1 Passing Yards Allowed 244.0 212.5 Yards Per Completion 16.3 12.9
Eagles on the radio
BC's game vs. Navy will be heard on SportsRadio WEEI (850 AM), 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 John Rooke and expert analyst Peter Cronan.
Rested Eagles off to Annapolis
After a week off, the Eagles will be looking for their second consecutive 2-0 start when they travel to Coach Tom O'Brien's alma mater. BC is coming off an exciting season opener. Baylor's Kyle Atteberry missed an extra point in overtime and Boston College, behind Cedric Washington's 177 yards rushing and three touchdowns, beat Baylor 30-29 in Alumni Stadium. On Boston College's overtime possession, Washington scored on a 1-yard run and John Matich kicked the extra point. Baylor then scored on a 1-yard run by Jermaine Alfred. Atteberry, who missed a long extra-point attempt after Baylor was penalized for excessive celebration following a second-quarter touchdown, pulled his kick to the left.
A look at the Midshipmen
The 1999 Navy team is off to a 1-1 start following this past Saturday's 48-28 win at Kent. Junior quarterback Brian Broadwater has led the charge for Navy thus far. In the Kent game, Broadwater rushed for 137 yards on 24 carries and completed 14 of 18 passes for 187 yards and one touchdown. Broadwater leads Navy in rushing (96.5 yards per game), passing (160.0 yards per game), scoring (18 points per game) and total offense (256.5 yards per game). Navy returned 36 lettermen, including 13 starters (5 offense, 7 defense and 1 special teams), from last year's squad and have changed their look as defensive coordinator Dick Bumpas, who employed a 4-2-5 defense, left for the defensive coordinator's position at Houston and Tim DeRuyter, who had been the defensive coordinator at Ohio the past four seasons, was brought on board and installed a 3-4 defense.
Eagles in the BIG EAST
Category Statistic Rank Rushing Offense 350.0 ypg. 1st Total Offense 451.0 ypg. 1st Total Defense 354.0 ypg. 5th First Downs 28 6th Opponent First Downs 14 1st 3rd Down Conv 53.3 pct. 2nd Sacks Against 0 1st Penalties 1/7 1st Field Goals 50.0% 5th Time of Possession 35:06 1st
Cloud's gone, but Eagles still in a rush
What happens to your team when you lose your all-time leading rusher to the NFL? In Boston College's case, it went out and posted its best rushing day in two years. BC's 350 net yards rushing (177 by Cedric Washington alone) in the Baylor game represented the most rushing yards by a BC team since the Eagles racked up 360 yards on the ground vs. Miami in 1997.
At your service
BC has played at least one service academy each year since 1962. BC has met the service academies (Air Force, Army, Navy) a combined total of 63 times (36-27).
Keeping watch
Several Eagles are listed on watch lists for college football's top postseason awards. Preseason candidates include:
Dick Butkus Award (top linebacker): Frank Chamberlin
Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back): Pedro Cirino
Bronko Nagurski (best defensive player): Chris Hovan
Outland Trophy (top interior lineman): Chris Hovan
Under control
Coach Tom O'Brien was pleased with his team's ball control in its season opener vs. Baylor. Boston College was able to control the time of possession category, holding on to the ball for 35:06 to Baylor's 26:54. The Eagles, in fact, lead the BIG EAST in that category. The Eagles also ran 89 offensive plays to Baylor's 62.
What a rush!
According to a recent chart published by the Boston Globe, the 1999 BC roster boasts the top two rushers in Massachusetts high school football history. Since there are no official records in the state, the Globe compiled its list from Globe All-Scholastic pages as well as Globe stories and local football historians. The top four:
Name School Seasons Career Total Cedric Washington Holyoke 1992-95 6,688 Doug Bessette Bridgewater-Raynham 1995-98 5,034 Peter Harris Brockton 1993-96 5,000 Bernie Adell Ipswich 1985-88 4,589
Navy ties
BC head coach Tom O'Brien is a 1971 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. Following his graduation, O'Brien was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marines. He served as an assistant coach for Navy's plebe (freshman) team for one season before being assigned to the Quantico Marine Base in Virginia, where he played on the last Quantico football team. He later served tours of duty in California and Japan. He attained the rank of major in the Marine Corps reserve. When his active duty ended, O'Brien joined the football staff at Navy, where he coached the team's offensive line for seven years (1975-81). He was also the Mids' recruiting coordinator, and was responsible for All-America running back Napoleon McCallum's decision to attend the Naval Academy.
BC Director of Football Operations Phil Monahan is a 1955 Navy graduate. While at Annapolis, Monahan also had outstanding athletic career. He was starting halfback on winning Navy football teams from 1952 to 1954. As a senior, he was captain of Navy's storied 'Team Named Desire? that defeated Ole Miss 21-0 in the 1955 Sugar Bowl. Following graduation, Monahan was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. During a 35-year military career, Monahan served at all levels of command. He was promoted to major general in May of 1986 and assigned to duties as Assistant Chief of Staff with U.S. Marine Forces Korea. He was stationed in Korea until 1988, when he became commanding general of Marine Expedionary Force/1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, Calif. He was named commanding general of the U.S. Marine Corps Base at Camp Pendleton in May of 1990. 'The General? retired from active duty in October of 1990.
Catch The Tom O'Brien Show
Each Thursday from 6:00 to 6:30 p.m., BC Head Coach Tom O'Brien will be featured on 'The Tom O'Brien Show? on Sports Radio 850 WEEI. The show is hosted by Ted Sarandis and Peter Cronan.
The young and the...well, young
A look at the BC roster reveals that a young bunch of Eagles will take the field Saturday. Of note:
- Of 93 scholarship players and/or walk-ons on the most recent roster, only 29 (31.2%) are upperclassmen.
- Nearly half - 44.6% (41-93) - of the players on the roster are freshmen or true freshmen.
- Throw in the sophomore class of 23 and a full 68.8% (64-93) of this team is either a freshman or sophomore.
Xaverian connection
With the addition of freshmen J.P. Comella (6-1, 225, FB) and Derrick Knight (5-8, 190, RB) and walk-on Shaun Toof (5-11, 173, WR), the BC roster now features seven players from Westwood football power Xaverian Brothers High School. The Xaverian roster:
Tim Hasselbeck QB 6-1 212 Jr. Derrick Knight RB 5-9 185 Fr. J.P. Comella FB 6-1 215 Fr. Scott Bradley LB 6-1 219 So. Dan Murphy OL 6-6 268 So. Adam Newman DL 6-5 250 Sr. Shaun Toof WR 5-11 173 Fr.
Eagle scratches
BC Coach Tom O'Brien announced that he has offered a full scholarship to walk-on defensive back Kevin Costello (5-9, 180, Topsfield, Mass.)...Sandro Sciortino, a 5-10, 185-pound freshman placekicker from Markham, Ontario, has joined the team as a full scholarship player.
Geese buster
The latest addition to the Eagles' roster is a 9-month-old English Setter. BC purchased the pooch to perform a wild goose chase on its football practice field (She Field), a favorite resting (and restroom) spot for the geese who call the Chestnut Hill Reservoir area home. The dog - who will be named in a contest on the BC Web site - has finished preseason training (two-a-days) and has begun chasing the feathered tailgaters from She Field.
