Boston College Athletics
Photo by: Frank Selden
The Boston INTea Party
October 23, 2017 | Football, #ForBoston Files
A look inside how BC's defense returned to form
When asked about Florida State on Monday, defensive back Isaac Yiadom displayed a little bit of what it means to have a Boston College chip on his shoulder. He showered well-earned respect on the Seminoles by remarking about their playmakers' skill. He remarked about FSU's annual skill and how BC had to play fast and physical in order to compete on Friday night.
But when asked a follow up question, Yiadom looked ahead and said, "We go into every game confident (and) tell each other that we can be the best in the conference or the nation."
It's that attitude and mantra once again placing the Eagles among the nation's best defenses. Maligned for tough outings at the beginning of the year, BC is now developing into "The Boston INT Party," an opportunistic unit built on the shoulders of the players who invested in the system, in their coaches and in each other.
The Clemson loss could've been devastating. BC lost a second starting linebacker to a season-ending injury and statistically wasn't the unit it grown accustomed to being.
The locker room, however, felt different. Beginning with Central Michigan, the defense committed to displaying more and more cohesion, and good performances followed. Backups became starters, execution became easier because teammates lifted each other. Four weeks after that Clemson loss, the defense is once again among the national leaders, ranking No. 8 in passing efficiency and No. 4 in interceptions.
"We come in every day, and our coaches do a great job of preparing us on what to do to lay the road map," defensive end Zach Allen said. "We've taken it on ourselves. Since I've been here, we've been about great defense, and you want to hold the standard."
Redshirt freshman John Lamot stands as Exhibit A. Thrust into the Clemson game after Max Richardson's injury, he made seven assisted tackles. The next week against Central Michigan, he recorded his first three career solo tackles en route to a 10-tackle performance. Over the next three weeks, he kept improving, reaching an apex with six solo tackles against Louisville and a pick-six against Virginia.
"(Lamot's interception) was a great play," Yiadom said with a smile. "The ball was up in the air and he just grabbed it and had green grass in front of him.
"I kind of wished it was a DB that made the play," he laughed. "But it counts to our defense, so it's all good."
Like Lamot, Kevin Bletzer started the season as a backup on the depth chart but now finds himself in a starring role. He has 4.5 tackles for losses and four pass breakups to go along with a sack and a fumble recovery.
"Guys like Lamot and Bletzer and others that stepped up thought they would (second stringers)," Yiadom said. "But at the end of the day, you don't know what happens. Bletzer's playing great football at Sam (linebacker), and Lamot is young but playing great (at Mike linebacker). They really stepped themselves up. They're now leaders on the defense that get the two's behind them ready to go."
That last point is paramount entering Friday night's game against Florida State. Though second string players are playing well in starting roles, the Eagles now need to develop new second string players capable of playing snaps.
"We're thin, and we still have to practice at a physical high level," head coach Steve Addazio said. "You have some inexperienced guys that need every real rep, and you're just hanging on saying, 'Please be healthy.' You see us at the end of the game, we start getting tired. We start missing tackles towards the ends of games. It's fatigue. We're paper thin, (and) we're in a foot race to develop Isaiah McDuffie and Davon Jones at those linebacker positions. You're just one play away from one of those guys being in that game now."
To work, a system reliant on infrastructure will keep churning. It's the same system that readied Lamot and Bletzer, and it's now readying new players for the same situation.
"For the most part, our twos prepare just like the ones," Yiadom said. "They know if something happens, they have to be the next ones up. They're here to play, so if someone goes down, it's the next man up."
"There's obviously more responsibility (with injuries), but there's a next man up mentality," Allen said. "Guys are ready to step up and do what they need to do. Guys prepare like starters, and that's the standard that we hold ourselves to. It's like a family member getting hurt, but it's a great opportunity for the next guy to step in. We expect him to perform.
"FSU has a great combo of athleticism and strength," he continued. "You can tell they're very well coached. I've been playing against them the past two years, and they've been one of the tougher groups we go against. They have great size. We're excited for the challenge, but we have to put our best foot forward."
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But when asked a follow up question, Yiadom looked ahead and said, "We go into every game confident (and) tell each other that we can be the best in the conference or the nation."
It's that attitude and mantra once again placing the Eagles among the nation's best defenses. Maligned for tough outings at the beginning of the year, BC is now developing into "The Boston INT Party," an opportunistic unit built on the shoulders of the players who invested in the system, in their coaches and in each other.
The Clemson loss could've been devastating. BC lost a second starting linebacker to a season-ending injury and statistically wasn't the unit it grown accustomed to being.
The locker room, however, felt different. Beginning with Central Michigan, the defense committed to displaying more and more cohesion, and good performances followed. Backups became starters, execution became easier because teammates lifted each other. Four weeks after that Clemson loss, the defense is once again among the national leaders, ranking No. 8 in passing efficiency and No. 4 in interceptions.
"We come in every day, and our coaches do a great job of preparing us on what to do to lay the road map," defensive end Zach Allen said. "We've taken it on ourselves. Since I've been here, we've been about great defense, and you want to hold the standard."
Redshirt freshman John Lamot stands as Exhibit A. Thrust into the Clemson game after Max Richardson's injury, he made seven assisted tackles. The next week against Central Michigan, he recorded his first three career solo tackles en route to a 10-tackle performance. Over the next three weeks, he kept improving, reaching an apex with six solo tackles against Louisville and a pick-six against Virginia.
"(Lamot's interception) was a great play," Yiadom said with a smile. "The ball was up in the air and he just grabbed it and had green grass in front of him.
"I kind of wished it was a DB that made the play," he laughed. "But it counts to our defense, so it's all good."
Like Lamot, Kevin Bletzer started the season as a backup on the depth chart but now finds himself in a starring role. He has 4.5 tackles for losses and four pass breakups to go along with a sack and a fumble recovery.
"Guys like Lamot and Bletzer and others that stepped up thought they would (second stringers)," Yiadom said. "But at the end of the day, you don't know what happens. Bletzer's playing great football at Sam (linebacker), and Lamot is young but playing great (at Mike linebacker). They really stepped themselves up. They're now leaders on the defense that get the two's behind them ready to go."
That last point is paramount entering Friday night's game against Florida State. Though second string players are playing well in starting roles, the Eagles now need to develop new second string players capable of playing snaps.
"We're thin, and we still have to practice at a physical high level," head coach Steve Addazio said. "You have some inexperienced guys that need every real rep, and you're just hanging on saying, 'Please be healthy.' You see us at the end of the game, we start getting tired. We start missing tackles towards the ends of games. It's fatigue. We're paper thin, (and) we're in a foot race to develop Isaiah McDuffie and Davon Jones at those linebacker positions. You're just one play away from one of those guys being in that game now."
To work, a system reliant on infrastructure will keep churning. It's the same system that readied Lamot and Bletzer, and it's now readying new players for the same situation.
"For the most part, our twos prepare just like the ones," Yiadom said. "They know if something happens, they have to be the next ones up. They're here to play, so if someone goes down, it's the next man up."
"There's obviously more responsibility (with injuries), but there's a next man up mentality," Allen said. "Guys are ready to step up and do what they need to do. Guys prepare like starters, and that's the standard that we hold ourselves to. It's like a family member getting hurt, but it's a great opportunity for the next guy to step in. We expect him to perform.
"FSU has a great combo of athleticism and strength," he continued. "You can tell they're very well coached. I've been playing against them the past two years, and they've been one of the tougher groups we go against. They have great size. We're excited for the challenge, but we have to put our best foot forward."
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