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It Was Always a Long Day Against the BC Defense
December 17, 2015 | Football
The Eagles ranked in the top 10 nationally in eight defensive statistical categories
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. - Boston College football head coach Steve Addazio said it best during an appearance on WBZ-TV earlier in the year.
"To me, there's nothing better than when our defense takes the field and everyone knows they're in for a long day."
In actuality, it's been quite the long season for offenses tasked with the painstaking objective of trying to find a crack in the armor of the Eagles defense.
The unit soared in 2015, ranking in the top 10 nationally in eight defensive statistical categories. That includes: total defense (first - 254.3 YPG), tackles for loss (first - 114.0), opponent third-down conversions (first - 24.1 percent), rush defense (second - 83.2 YPG), opponent first downs (second - 13.8 per game), scoring defense (fourth - 15.3 PPG), pass defense (eighth - 171.2 YPG) and opponent red zone conversions (10th - 73.3 percent).
Saying the defense was dominating would be an understatement.
After shining against a pair of FCS-foes in Maine and Howard over the first two weeks of the season, the unit had the opportunity for a coming-out party when then-No. 9 Florida State paid a visit to Alumni Stadium on Sept. 18. Only two years removed from a national championship, the Seminoles came in averaging 46.5 points and 538.5 yards per game. Not to mention the team boasted the national rushing leader at the time in Dalvin Cook, who came in averaging 211 rushing yards per game while riding a five-game streak of 100-yard performances.
Although Boston College fell, 14-0, on the night, the defense stole the show, holding Florida State to what would be season lows of seven offensive points and 217 total yards of offense-the team's lowest total since 2011. Things weren't any better for Cook, who was stuffed for a season-low 54 yards on 15 carries while being held out of the end zone for what would be the only time all year.
There was no denying that the BC defense was a force to be reckoned with.
Clemson quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson was among the casualties of the Eagles defense, throwing for a season-high two interceptions against the unit. Furthermore, Boston College could even be credited for throwing a major dent into then-No. 4 Notre Dame's College Football Playoff hopes at the time, recording a season-high five takeaways (three interceptions, two fumbles-three inside the five-yard line-in a 19-16 loss at Fenway Park.
In fact, hitting a wall became somewhat of the status quo for those going against the Eagles defense, as the unit held 11 of its 12 opponents under their season average for total offense with eight suffering their lowest offensive output of the season.
Senior Mehdi Abdesmad (49 tackles, 15.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks) senior Connor Wujciak (31 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF) and sophomore Harold Landry (60 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR) controlled the defensive line for Boston College. All three were vital to a run defense that held four opponents under 35 yards of rushing, only conceded 2.39 yards per carry and allowed just six rushing scores all year.
At linebacker, senior Steven Daniels (82 tackles, 16.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks, 1 INT), junior Matt Milano (60 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 FF, 2 FR) and sophomore Connor Strachan (75 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 3 FR, 2.0 sacks, 2 INT, 1 TD) set the pace. The trio helped the Eagles rack up an NCAA-best 114.0 tackles for loss-only Clemson has recorded more in a year over the last three seasons. Milano also starred on special teams, recording two blocked kicks.
In the passing game, senior Justin Simmons (67 tackles, five INT, 3 FR, 2 FF) and junior John Johnson (63 tackles, 3 INT, 2 FF, 1 blocked kick, 0.5 sacks) patrolled the secondary. Thanks in large part to the play of the duo, the unit registered an interception in all but three games, allowed just two opposing quarterbacks to throw for more than 230 yards and held all but one to a passer rating below 125.
All in all, it was a remarkable season for the Boston College defense.
"To me, there's nothing better than when our defense takes the field and everyone knows they're in for a long day."
In actuality, it's been quite the long season for offenses tasked with the painstaking objective of trying to find a crack in the armor of the Eagles defense.
The unit soared in 2015, ranking in the top 10 nationally in eight defensive statistical categories. That includes: total defense (first - 254.3 YPG), tackles for loss (first - 114.0), opponent third-down conversions (first - 24.1 percent), rush defense (second - 83.2 YPG), opponent first downs (second - 13.8 per game), scoring defense (fourth - 15.3 PPG), pass defense (eighth - 171.2 YPG) and opponent red zone conversions (10th - 73.3 percent).
Saying the defense was dominating would be an understatement.
After shining against a pair of FCS-foes in Maine and Howard over the first two weeks of the season, the unit had the opportunity for a coming-out party when then-No. 9 Florida State paid a visit to Alumni Stadium on Sept. 18. Only two years removed from a national championship, the Seminoles came in averaging 46.5 points and 538.5 yards per game. Not to mention the team boasted the national rushing leader at the time in Dalvin Cook, who came in averaging 211 rushing yards per game while riding a five-game streak of 100-yard performances.
Although Boston College fell, 14-0, on the night, the defense stole the show, holding Florida State to what would be season lows of seven offensive points and 217 total yards of offense-the team's lowest total since 2011. Things weren't any better for Cook, who was stuffed for a season-low 54 yards on 15 carries while being held out of the end zone for what would be the only time all year.
There was no denying that the BC defense was a force to be reckoned with.
Clemson quarterback and Heisman Trophy finalist Deshaun Watson was among the casualties of the Eagles defense, throwing for a season-high two interceptions against the unit. Furthermore, Boston College could even be credited for throwing a major dent into then-No. 4 Notre Dame's College Football Playoff hopes at the time, recording a season-high five takeaways (three interceptions, two fumbles-three inside the five-yard line-in a 19-16 loss at Fenway Park.
In fact, hitting a wall became somewhat of the status quo for those going against the Eagles defense, as the unit held 11 of its 12 opponents under their season average for total offense with eight suffering their lowest offensive output of the season.
Senior Mehdi Abdesmad (49 tackles, 15.0 TFL, 5.5 sacks) senior Connor Wujciak (31 tackles, 11.0 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 1 FF) and sophomore Harold Landry (60 tackles, 14.5 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 3 FF, 1 FR) controlled the defensive line for Boston College. All three were vital to a run defense that held four opponents under 35 yards of rushing, only conceded 2.39 yards per carry and allowed just six rushing scores all year.
At linebacker, senior Steven Daniels (82 tackles, 16.0 TFL, 6.0 sacks, 1 INT), junior Matt Milano (60 tackles, 17.5 TFL, 6.5 sacks, 2 FF, 2 FR) and sophomore Connor Strachan (75 tackles, 12.5 TFL, 3 FR, 2.0 sacks, 2 INT, 1 TD) set the pace. The trio helped the Eagles rack up an NCAA-best 114.0 tackles for loss-only Clemson has recorded more in a year over the last three seasons. Milano also starred on special teams, recording two blocked kicks.
In the passing game, senior Justin Simmons (67 tackles, five INT, 3 FR, 2 FF) and junior John Johnson (63 tackles, 3 INT, 2 FF, 1 blocked kick, 0.5 sacks) patrolled the secondary. Thanks in large part to the play of the duo, the unit registered an interception in all but three games, allowed just two opposing quarterbacks to throw for more than 230 yards and held all but one to a passer rating below 125.
All in all, it was a remarkable season for the Boston College defense.
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