This Is Still O-Line U

Boston College already held a two-touchdown lead over Richmond when running back AJ Dillon announced his authoritative presence. Time wound down in the first quarter, and Anthony Brown put the Spiders on their heels with a 12-yard completion to tight end Korab Idrizi. A pass interference call pushed the Eagles inside the 35-yard line, creating heightened anxiety for an impending possible touchdown.

Brown handed off to Dillon on first down from the 33, and Dillon started into the line of scrimmage. He shuffled to his right before hitting an accelerator. He blasted forward for 30 yards, rumbling inside the five before just missing a leap for the pylon. Two plays later, he pushed into the end zone, giving his team a 21-0 lead, from which it never looked back.

Dillon's run was part of 140 total yards and two touchdowns, and his reputation continued to grow as an elite running back. His success, though, is directly tied to BC's collective revelation along the offensive line. The line provided him plenty of holes last week, and his leap for the end zone doesn't happen without the initial domination of the "big uglies" at the line of scrimmage.

"God gave AJ Dillon great speed," head coach Steve Addazio said. "He feels like he can beat everybody to the perimeter, and sometimes he can. But sometimes you've got to hold that gap, and then that gap opens, and you can split the defense."

It's a way for the offensive line to stick its tongue out at the doubters. It was supposed to regress this year, especially after losing players like Chris Lindstrom, Aaron Monteiro and Jon Baker. It was an impossible task, according to some, and there was no way the Eagles could develop new athletes at three or four different positions.

"I think that we're seeing a fairly multiple amount of defenses," Addazio said. "Early in the season, I think there's some gray in there sometimes. It just happens, but I think we've played pretty well up front, to be honest."

The line is a huge component in BC's fast start. The Eagles have 950 yards of total offense and averaged over 250 rushing yards over their first two games, and quarterback Anthony Brown's jersey barely has any FieldTurf marks on it. This week, guard John Phillips earned conference honors as Co-Offensive Lineman of the Week with Clemson's John Simpson.

It's largely due to a development system hardwired into the Boston College offense. The Eagles specifically train linemen for a number of different positions in an attempt to create versatility. This helps address both short term and long term needs, even as athletes specialize in individual positions.

"I'm a big 'five best on the field' guy," Addazio said. "I'm not going to worry about a shorter guy at tackle or (other positions). I just think you play your five best players. Having said that, I think you're looking for a little more length at the tackle position, and I think the center position requires a little bit more athleticism. (It) needs a little bit more 'quarterback leader' mindset at the center. Those are fair things to say, but we're trying to get the five best players on the field, and play them to their best potential positionally. That's just what I've done my whole career."

It's a big reason why BC avoided the predicted inexperience woes. Ben Petrula started every game last year at right tackle, and he earned All-ACC Honorable Mention honors at the position last season, and Phillips lined up next to him as the guard. Yet he played center during his freshman season, at six feet, five inches and over 300 pounds, having never delivering a snap in high school, and Phillips played both the left and right side of the line during his college career.

It's an intact positioning because of the acceleration of the left side of the line. Tyler Vrabel settled into the left tackle position as a redshirt freshman, and Anthony Palazzolo easily slid into the guard spot next to him. Zion Johnson transferred from Davidson and saw time along the line after receiving his eligibility waiver. Alec Lindstrom, Chris' brother, became the starting center. Because everyone showed aptitude and skill, the right side of the line could stay intact. It's the reason why Dillon's big run went through that hole; Phillips and Petrula opened it up because they played together, a direct result of the left side and center filling into the scheme without incident.

"I think you have to have versatility," Addazio said. "If you're a young lineman coming up and you want to play at the next level, your value is based on how many spots you can play. Unless you're an elite tackle, you've got to be able to play two or three positions across the board. Then your value is high because they don't keep that many offensive linemen active (in the NFL).

"I really believe in cross-training guys," he explained. "I've been on this for years. You cross-train your guys up front. Right, left, center, guard, tackle - we're all cross-trained up here. We've got a lot of versatility. We've got four guys that can snap the ball. We've got a bunch of guys that can play tackle, guard."

It keeps the machine going at offensive line. NFL franchises drafted over 40 Boston College players since 2000, and approximately half play in the trenches. It's not a pretty position, but the Eagles make it scientific. They embrace the intelligent athlete willing to learn several different areas, with the diversification becoming the bedrock of the team's offensive success. BC always faced down questions on how it would replace offensive linemen, but it always seems to churn out a next class. Marc Colombo, Dan Koppen, and Chris Snee became Jeremy Trueblood, James Marten and Gosder Cherilus. They morphed into Matt Tennant and Anthony Castonzo, who in turn became Ian Silberman and Andy Gallik. Baker and Lindstrom replaced them, and now the next class is up. It's a legacy, and it's why there's no space for doubters in the room.

"I think with (regards to) depth, you've got to be able to have it," Addazio said. "You don't want to have an injury and put a guy (on the field) that might be your ninth-best talent, but he's your third-best tackle. That doesn't make any sense. There's no secret sauce. Get the best players you can get your hands on and play them. If they're good, they're good."

Players Mentioned

Jon Baker

Anthony Brown

AJ Dillon

Korab Idrizi

Zion Johnson

Alec Lindstrom

Chris Lindstrom

Aaron Monteiro

Anthony Palazzolo

Ben Petrula

John Phillips

Tyler Vrabel

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