Boston College Athletics
Photo by: Ben Solomon
Lessons Learned: The Grand Finale
December 27, 2016 | Football, #ForBoston Files
How's everyone's nerves doing this morning?
It's very chic to criticize the college football bowl structure these days. Analysts and fans alike talk with regularity about how there are too many games and there's an emphasis on all kinds of different areas ranging from who plays in what game to attendance to what kind of gifts the players receive to something called "game watchability."
There's a fair element to the arguments and the debate isn't something that's ever really going to go away. But one look at the Quick Lane Bowl yesterday is reason enough as to why all of these games just simply matter.
On paper, Boston College and Maryland represented a cross-section of power conference teams. Alike in many ways, they defeated teams people believed they should beat, all while suffering blowout defeats against teams currently on a different level. They represent the ground covered and the ground left to go. Both did some things well and both had deficient areas over the course of the season.
Going into the game, nearly everyone thought this would be a low scoring game fought by defenses and opportunistic offenses. Someone would need to capitalize on an opportunity somewhere, then hang on and hold on for the victory. I think I even said as much in previewing the game.
Boy, were we all wrong.
The Quick Lane Bowl turned in an offensive shootout, with the Terps and Eagles combining for 66 points in a 36-30 BC victory that was really four-hour marathon.
"This game was an exciting game," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "I thought Maryland really played exceptionally hard. They had a lot of fight and obviously were playing hard like our guys were playing hard. You can tell when a team battles and plays through everything like they did, that great things are going to happen for them."
The game was a see-saw, with momentum clearly on both teams' sidelines at different points during 60 grueling minutes. It was engaging as more people tuned in and it remained compelling with every storyline on the field. Big-time players made big-time plays in big-time spots for both teams and, in many ways, exemplified so many different parts of the season in one game.
"We found a way to battle back in the end and win," Addazio said. "We started the year in Ireland and we didn't know how to find a way to win yet. We closed the year in Detroit and along the way here the last month or so of the season, we started to really develop a resolve in the players' eyes, that they aren't going to let each other down. And the most critical thing in building a program is having that."
Some more packages to unwrap and return during yesterday's game:
***The teams combined for 705 yards of offense, all while both maintained a semblance of balance. BC rushed for 177 yards and passed for 171 while Maryland threw for 229 yards and rushed for 128. At the beginning of the season, Addazio preached balance in production. While the Eagles found it at times this year, it really came to a head during Monday's game, all while debuting a new look people weren't really expecting.
"We worked hard in our bowl prep," Addazio said. "It was like a spring ball for us. We had 16 or 17 opportunities. We went to a no huddle system. It wasn't necessarily always going as fast as you could, although we had times in there where we did that as well. We had 'check me's' at the line. We had regular tempo no huddle. We had fast tempo. We're just scratching it right now, but this is where we want to be so we took the leap of faith and said, 'Let's get this done after the season and move it forward. Let's not wait for spring ball.'"
One of the things I always try to preach is looking at where a team was and how it moves forward. There are positives and items that can't be seen statistically, though ultimately that remains an argument's support system.
BC phased in different types of play over the course of the season. There are types of plays a coach wants to run, but there has to be a recognition that those plays aren't going to work if a team isn't ready. With a new quarterback and new receivers, many of whom hadn't played together before this year, it's impossible to run plays until a team is ready.
Against Maryland, we saw how BC was finally ready. The tempo game came into play, with a no-huddle offense that the Eagles want to use moving forward. Where the Eagles used option plays to Jeff Smith before, they finally were able to execute something like a double reverse pass option to the quarterback. What makes that even more exciting is the possibility to continue to develop that moving forward.
"We feel our strength on offense is going to be the municipality of our tight ends and their skill sets," Addazio said. "I thought Jon Hilliman ran well today.I thought there's just a good measure with the receivers. Pat (Towles) threw the ball well and I just thought I liked what I saw and I like where that will lead us."
***The 2015 Boston College defense was one of the best in college football history for a number of reasons. As is the case, a new season means things are going to be different, and that usually means a team shouldn't be looking to replicate what it did the year prior. New personnel means new strengths and weaknesses and while basic principles always apply, the 2016 Boston College defense was always going to have just a little bit different look than its predecessor.
Because BC lost big on multiple occasions this year; there had been criticism levied at the defensive unit in comparison to last season. But with a bowl game victory riding on the line, the Eagles posted a vintage performance that creates a fourth-quarter legend the likes of which harkened back to the echoes.
On an emotional roller coaster of a ride, BC stopped Maryland on fourth down, only to have to head back onto the field defensively after Towles threw his lone interception less than five plays later. The Terrapins started at the BC 17, critically threatening when they reached the two-yard line, before being driven back to the 27. That's where a face mask penalty set up a new set of downs.
Maryland drove again to the goal line, but a fumble on the one gave the Eagles the ball back. Three plays later, BC gave it back the other way on a fumble of its own on the own five-yard line.
Despite that, three incomplete passes resulted in a field goal. The whole exchange felt like a strange, surreal callback to failures of the past. It resembled in some ways the Wake Forest game from last year and the Georgia Tech game from this year. Instead, it exorcized those demons because of how BC stood strong. In that entire exchange, Maryland ran 19 plays to BC's six but yielded only three points.
"I thought our whole defensive front played great," Addazio said. "I saw so many guys making so many plays out there. It was really impressive. They gave the MVP to the defensive line. I thought that was very appropriate. At the end, they were relentless. That fourth quarter was a relentless quarter. It was really an impressive deal."
***It's hard not to be excited about the prospects for the future. BC scored 29 points in the first half, one point more than their previous best this season, which came against Wagner. It was the most points against a Power Five in a half of football since 2009, when BC dropped 24 on NC State.
In terms of bowl history, the Eagles won their 14th bowl game, but first since 2007. That 29-point first half now stands with the 1985 Cotton Bowl, where BC scored 31 points against Houston. It's also takes its place in Detroit lore against Toledo in 2002, where the Eagles dropped 42 points against Toledo.
The defense, as much as people wanted to compare it to history, finished with 47 sacks, matching the program record in 1994. Harold Landry contributed 16.5, including a sack and a half against Maryland, which sets a new program record. On the Quick Lane Bowl as a whole, BC had eight sacks for the second time this year (UMass) and fifth time in program history.
"I really believe that we've finally set that platform forward," Addazio said. "It was our third bowl appearance in four years and first bowl victory in nine years, and I think really sets the stage for a good finale to the season and where we're going to head as we move forward."
There's a fair element to the arguments and the debate isn't something that's ever really going to go away. But one look at the Quick Lane Bowl yesterday is reason enough as to why all of these games just simply matter.
On paper, Boston College and Maryland represented a cross-section of power conference teams. Alike in many ways, they defeated teams people believed they should beat, all while suffering blowout defeats against teams currently on a different level. They represent the ground covered and the ground left to go. Both did some things well and both had deficient areas over the course of the season.
Going into the game, nearly everyone thought this would be a low scoring game fought by defenses and opportunistic offenses. Someone would need to capitalize on an opportunity somewhere, then hang on and hold on for the victory. I think I even said as much in previewing the game.
Boy, were we all wrong.
The Quick Lane Bowl turned in an offensive shootout, with the Terps and Eagles combining for 66 points in a 36-30 BC victory that was really four-hour marathon.
"This game was an exciting game," BC head coach Steve Addazio said. "I thought Maryland really played exceptionally hard. They had a lot of fight and obviously were playing hard like our guys were playing hard. You can tell when a team battles and plays through everything like they did, that great things are going to happen for them."
The game was a see-saw, with momentum clearly on both teams' sidelines at different points during 60 grueling minutes. It was engaging as more people tuned in and it remained compelling with every storyline on the field. Big-time players made big-time plays in big-time spots for both teams and, in many ways, exemplified so many different parts of the season in one game.
"We found a way to battle back in the end and win," Addazio said. "We started the year in Ireland and we didn't know how to find a way to win yet. We closed the year in Detroit and along the way here the last month or so of the season, we started to really develop a resolve in the players' eyes, that they aren't going to let each other down. And the most critical thing in building a program is having that."
Some more packages to unwrap and return during yesterday's game:
***The teams combined for 705 yards of offense, all while both maintained a semblance of balance. BC rushed for 177 yards and passed for 171 while Maryland threw for 229 yards and rushed for 128. At the beginning of the season, Addazio preached balance in production. While the Eagles found it at times this year, it really came to a head during Monday's game, all while debuting a new look people weren't really expecting.
"We worked hard in our bowl prep," Addazio said. "It was like a spring ball for us. We had 16 or 17 opportunities. We went to a no huddle system. It wasn't necessarily always going as fast as you could, although we had times in there where we did that as well. We had 'check me's' at the line. We had regular tempo no huddle. We had fast tempo. We're just scratching it right now, but this is where we want to be so we took the leap of faith and said, 'Let's get this done after the season and move it forward. Let's not wait for spring ball.'"
One of the things I always try to preach is looking at where a team was and how it moves forward. There are positives and items that can't be seen statistically, though ultimately that remains an argument's support system.
BC phased in different types of play over the course of the season. There are types of plays a coach wants to run, but there has to be a recognition that those plays aren't going to work if a team isn't ready. With a new quarterback and new receivers, many of whom hadn't played together before this year, it's impossible to run plays until a team is ready.
Against Maryland, we saw how BC was finally ready. The tempo game came into play, with a no-huddle offense that the Eagles want to use moving forward. Where the Eagles used option plays to Jeff Smith before, they finally were able to execute something like a double reverse pass option to the quarterback. What makes that even more exciting is the possibility to continue to develop that moving forward.
"We feel our strength on offense is going to be the municipality of our tight ends and their skill sets," Addazio said. "I thought Jon Hilliman ran well today.I thought there's just a good measure with the receivers. Pat (Towles) threw the ball well and I just thought I liked what I saw and I like where that will lead us."
***The 2015 Boston College defense was one of the best in college football history for a number of reasons. As is the case, a new season means things are going to be different, and that usually means a team shouldn't be looking to replicate what it did the year prior. New personnel means new strengths and weaknesses and while basic principles always apply, the 2016 Boston College defense was always going to have just a little bit different look than its predecessor.
Because BC lost big on multiple occasions this year; there had been criticism levied at the defensive unit in comparison to last season. But with a bowl game victory riding on the line, the Eagles posted a vintage performance that creates a fourth-quarter legend the likes of which harkened back to the echoes.
On an emotional roller coaster of a ride, BC stopped Maryland on fourth down, only to have to head back onto the field defensively after Towles threw his lone interception less than five plays later. The Terrapins started at the BC 17, critically threatening when they reached the two-yard line, before being driven back to the 27. That's where a face mask penalty set up a new set of downs.
Maryland drove again to the goal line, but a fumble on the one gave the Eagles the ball back. Three plays later, BC gave it back the other way on a fumble of its own on the own five-yard line.
Despite that, three incomplete passes resulted in a field goal. The whole exchange felt like a strange, surreal callback to failures of the past. It resembled in some ways the Wake Forest game from last year and the Georgia Tech game from this year. Instead, it exorcized those demons because of how BC stood strong. In that entire exchange, Maryland ran 19 plays to BC's six but yielded only three points.
"I thought our whole defensive front played great," Addazio said. "I saw so many guys making so many plays out there. It was really impressive. They gave the MVP to the defensive line. I thought that was very appropriate. At the end, they were relentless. That fourth quarter was a relentless quarter. It was really an impressive deal."
***It's hard not to be excited about the prospects for the future. BC scored 29 points in the first half, one point more than their previous best this season, which came against Wagner. It was the most points against a Power Five in a half of football since 2009, when BC dropped 24 on NC State.
In terms of bowl history, the Eagles won their 14th bowl game, but first since 2007. That 29-point first half now stands with the 1985 Cotton Bowl, where BC scored 31 points against Houston. It's also takes its place in Detroit lore against Toledo in 2002, where the Eagles dropped 42 points against Toledo.
The defense, as much as people wanted to compare it to history, finished with 47 sacks, matching the program record in 1994. Harold Landry contributed 16.5, including a sack and a half against Maryland, which sets a new program record. On the Quick Lane Bowl as a whole, BC had eight sacks for the second time this year (UMass) and fifth time in program history.
"I really believe that we've finally set that platform forward," Addazio said. "It was our third bowl appearance in four years and first bowl victory in nine years, and I think really sets the stage for a good finale to the season and where we're going to head as we move forward."
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