Boston College Athletics
Focus: Linebackers
August 21, 2019 | Football
The most experienced position on the BC defense, returns 30 career starts between Lamot, McDuffie and Richardson.
Returners: Thomas Hovsepian (RSo.), John Lamot (RJr.), Isaiah McDuffie (Jr.), Max Richardson (RJr.), Doug Rodier (RJr.), Paul Theobald Jr. (RSo.)
Redshirt-Freshmen: Hugh Davis (RFr.), Nick DeNucci (RFr.), Vinny DePalma (RFr.) Joe Sparacio (RFr.), Evan Stewart (RFr.), Ezechiel Tieide (RFr.)
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The most experienced position on the BC defense, the Eagles feature three linebackers that have combined for 75 games played and 30 starts. Richardson, the WILL (weakside-linebacker), has made 16 starts in the last two seasons and third on the team with 76 tackles a year ago. As quickly as Richardson is becoming a leader in the linebacker room, McDuffie is becoming a familiar name for ACC offensive coordinators. Coming off an injury during bowl prep, McDuffie, the SAM (strongside-linebacker) was second in tackles for the Eagles last season with 85, despite not starting until the sixth game of the season. Lamot, who started just one game last season, but has eight starts in his career, takes over as the MIKE (middle-linebacker) for the departed Connor Strachan. He contributed 35 tackles in 2018 and 63 in 2017 as a redshirt-freshman; starting seven games that season.
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Boston College's depth is relatively young and inexperienced, but is loaded with talent and athleticism. Sparacio gets regular first-team reps in place of McDuffie at the SAM. He enrolled early at BC in the spring of 2018 and appeared in three games as a true freshman. DePalma can play both inside and outside linebacker. He played in four games before redshirting a year ago. He made 10 tackles and was called on in a big spot against Miami; a game BC won to move to 6-2 on the season. Theobald has yet to take the field as an Eagle after redshirting 2017 and sitting out due to injury in 2018, but has fit in to the unit seamlessly throughout camp.
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"Like a lot of young guys, [Isaiah McDuffie] has talent, obviously. He's a very good player. He's definitely one of our best defensive players, and it's just a matter of time of him getting on the field and getting reps and getting comfortable with the calls. Sometimes -- and our freshmen right now are experiencing it -- you get a little paralyzed when the volume of the installation starts mounting up on you.
"But for Duff, we just need to get reps and get out there and get familiar with how to play the techniques, and his natural ability took over. Again, Ricky did a good job of giving him an opportunity to do that with Kevin, and he ended up sky rocketing out of the position."
Redshirt-Freshmen: Hugh Davis (RFr.), Nick DeNucci (RFr.), Vinny DePalma (RFr.) Joe Sparacio (RFr.), Evan Stewart (RFr.), Ezechiel Tieide (RFr.)
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The most experienced position on the BC defense, the Eagles feature three linebackers that have combined for 75 games played and 30 starts. Richardson, the WILL (weakside-linebacker), has made 16 starts in the last two seasons and third on the team with 76 tackles a year ago. As quickly as Richardson is becoming a leader in the linebacker room, McDuffie is becoming a familiar name for ACC offensive coordinators. Coming off an injury during bowl prep, McDuffie, the SAM (strongside-linebacker) was second in tackles for the Eagles last season with 85, despite not starting until the sixth game of the season. Lamot, who started just one game last season, but has eight starts in his career, takes over as the MIKE (middle-linebacker) for the departed Connor Strachan. He contributed 35 tackles in 2018 and 63 in 2017 as a redshirt-freshman; starting seven games that season.
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Boston College's depth is relatively young and inexperienced, but is loaded with talent and athleticism. Sparacio gets regular first-team reps in place of McDuffie at the SAM. He enrolled early at BC in the spring of 2018 and appeared in three games as a true freshman. DePalma can play both inside and outside linebacker. He played in four games before redshirting a year ago. He made 10 tackles and was called on in a big spot against Miami; a game BC won to move to 6-2 on the season. Theobald has yet to take the field as an Eagle after redshirting 2017 and sitting out due to injury in 2018, but has fit in to the unit seamlessly throughout camp.
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THE STATS
#14 Richardson, Max- 76 tackles (39 solo), 9.0 TFLs (32 yards), 2.5 sacks (23 yards), 2 pass breakups
- 35 tackles (21 solo), 1.0 TFLs (2 yards), 2 quarterback hurries, 1 forced fumble
- 10 tackles (4 solo), 2.0 TFLs (7 yards), 1.0 sacks (6 yards)
- 85 tackles (48 solo), 5.5 TFLs (25 yards), 3.5 sacks (22 yards), 2 pass breakups, 2 quarterback hurries
THE LINEBACKER ROOMS
Rodier, a former captain at Lawrence Academy, enters his fourth season at BC and seeks the first game action of his career… Hovsepian is in his third year and provides depth at both SAM and long snapper… Davis, DeNucci, Stewart and Tieide all redshirted as true freshmen in 2018… Stewart will likely see action as a long snapper, while Tieide is in the process of converting from defensive back to SAM linebacker.WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Bill Sheridan, Defensive Coordinator"Like a lot of young guys, [Isaiah McDuffie] has talent, obviously. He's a very good player. He's definitely one of our best defensive players, and it's just a matter of time of him getting on the field and getting reps and getting comfortable with the calls. Sometimes -- and our freshmen right now are experiencing it -- you get a little paralyzed when the volume of the installation starts mounting up on you.
"But for Duff, we just need to get reps and get out there and get familiar with how to play the techniques, and his natural ability took over. Again, Ricky did a good job of giving him an opportunity to do that with Kevin, and he ended up sky rocketing out of the position."
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