Boston College Athletics
Four Downs: Georgia Tech
October 25, 2020 | Football, #ForBoston Files
Talk about a rebound performance!
Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley understood the shadowy cloud hanging over his team after last week's loss to Virginia Tech. The Hokies blew the doors off of the Eagles' mistakes, and it left BC licking its wounds for the better part of this week. The team went back to basics out of necessity, a required reboot at the college football season's midway point.
It sought to change BC's perspective before a game against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets likewise needed to hit the reset button after a blowout loss to Clemson last week, and the two hungry teams desperately planned to impose a tone in the game's early goings. Each fired an opening salvo intent on scoring damaging points before the end of the first quarter.
On the opening play, BC defensive end Brandon Barlow crushed quarterback Jeff Sims and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, but a 15-yard penalty immediately restarted the Yellow Jackets. The pair then exclusively led Georgia Tech downfield before a 13-yard loss ended the momentum. Eventually, a fourth down fake punt failed to convert and turned the ball over on the BC 29-yard line on downs.
The Eagles responded by rumbling downfield with David Bailey and Travis Levy. They gained 36 yards and alternated a thunder and lightning approach until quarterback Phil Jurkovec threw a corner jump ball to CJ Lewis in the end zone. It connected, and BC jumped out to a 7-0 lead.Â
Each team fired a haymaker. BC's connected. Georgia Tech's didn't. Tone: set.
By the time the dust settled, BC romped to a 48-27 win to clearly put its train back on the tracks as a date with Clemson awaits.
"The misconception in football is that you have one week of practice and how you practice that week is how you're going to play," head coach Jeff Hafley said. "It's a cumulation of all the work these guys have put in. Just because things don't go right one week...if you watch the tape, (the plays) were there last week. We had holes, they were cleanly there. (Performance) is a cumulation of all those days in all that work. It all adds up to allowing them to play like they did (on Saturday)."
The performance screamed of new twists on classic, vintage Boston College. Bailey gained 83 yards on 13 carries and averaged six yards per play with two touchdowns, and Levy added 54 yards on 19 carries. Zay Flowers returned to the jet sweep for 36 yards and a touchdown, and Jurkovec, a dual-threat under center, finally showed his leg and foot speed with a team-high 94 yards as the team piled up 264 yards against the Georgia Tech defense.
"I thought it was coming last week," Hafley said. "I saw it in practice. Like I kept telling everybody, I'd tell you the truth if I was worried about it, but I wasn't. I'm proud of the (offensive line) for not listening to the noise. I'm proud of Coach Applebaum, Coach Cignetti, David Bailey, and Travis (Levy) and the way we ran the ball. If we can run the ball like that, that's so hard to defend. We really did an excellent job. I expected it today, I expected it last week, and I expect it again next week."
Some more takeaways from BC's big win on Saturday:
*****
First Down: Boston College Offensive Line
The first half of 2020 was exceptionally unkind to BC's big uglies in the trenches. An offensive line with four returning starters lived under a microscope as it gelled under a new position coach, and the trademark power running game was a shell of itself on the team's stat sheet. Perceived breakouts turned into fleeting glimpses, and under-recognized performances fell at the grouping's feet.
That all changed against the Ramblin' Wreck. BC established the run early with a similar game plan as the Virginia Tech game, and the absence of turnovers enabled further traction to plow upfield. The Eagles moved to seven and eight men on the line and implemented multi-tight end sets, all of which set the run-to-pass mentality in play action.
"I knew it would take some time to click, but that's football," Jeff Hafley said. "We didn't have the luxury of a spring or a real training camp. I was patient, and I trusted the coaches. We rushed for 260 yards, and we only threw it 21 times. It's hard to defend. I saw it coming, and I was really proud of those guys."
Each of the individual linemen featured a signature moment. Ben Petrula and Alec Lindstrom surged forward on the interior of the line, and Zion Johnson owned Jurkovec's blind side. Christian Mahogany released a pass rusher, but Jurkovec stepped up, almost by design, and fired a strike downfield. On a throwback pass to Zay Flowers, Lindstrom led a convoy down the sideline and engaged pad level blocking in open space.
It led the Eagles to 34 points in the first half, the most points scored in the first half since a 44-point half last season against Syracuse. The offense piled up 257 yards before halftime and went over 400 yards for a second consecutive game, the first consecutive games since last season against Syracuse and Florida State.
Bailey's touchdown was a 34-yard scamper, his sixth career touchdown of 29 yards or longer, and Jurkovec gained the most rushing yards by a BC quarterback since 2016. Jurkovec's total just fell short of the century mark but marked the ninth-most yards on the ground by a QB in BC's ACC era.
"I love those guys," Jurkovec said. "They've taken a little bit of heat from the pressure some teams got on us, but they were awesome and have been awesome all season. I love playing with them. They really showed how we can run it right down on any defense."
*****
Second Down: Boston College Defense
The offensive turnovers owned headlines coming out of Virginia Tech, but the defense's tackling woes forced BC to calibrate this week with fundamental drills. The players went through standard circuit work and specifically targeted their tackling with the understanding that Georgia Tech offered an almost-identical offense to the Hokies.
The Yellow Jackets produced 362 yards of offense but faced a litany of mistakes against the teeth of the BC defense. Jeff Sims went 18-of-32 for 256 yards and two scores, but both came after the Eagles built a 24-0 lead. He scored both of those touchdowns on consecutive drives with explosive plays, but he also threw an interception to Jahmin Muse and spent most of the game under the duress of a four-sack performance.
"We got back to basics this week," Mike Palmer said. "We drilled tackling a little bit more. Georgia Tech posed the same kind of opportunities for tackling as this week, and we just trusted the drills that we did in practice. We relied on our technique and went back to fundamentals. Having that in practice was huge."
Palmer in particular found himself in paydirt when he returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown for BC's first non-offensive touchdown of the season. It was the first fumble recovery since Will Harris took one to the house in 2017 and the first touchdown of Palmer's collegiate career.
"I was running into the pile," Palmer said, "and (the ball) just came to my feet. We talk about greedy scoops because you never know, and when the ball came to me, I just scooped it up and started running. You never want to stop playing because you never want to stop playing, and that was one of those times that went my way."
*****
HAF-time Hits
-Pressley Harvin III is a 250-pound punter and is most definitely my favorite representative #ForTheBrand.
-When I grew up in Malden, Massachusetts, I lived and died by the Michigan Wolverines because of their blue and gold block "M" logo. It was the logo at Malden High School, and I remember attending one of my first Boston College home games in 1995, under the lights, against Michigan. It was a huge moment for me because my brother was a three-season athlete for Malden High even though I wound up going to Malden Catholic.
I don't know when it happened, but Malden eventually changed its logo and altered its color scheme away from Michigan in the past, oh, 15 years. The Golden Tornados departed the M and assumed Georgia Tech's "GT" logo with a transition to the Yellow Jackets' whole scheme. The M eventually returned with a new lion mascot, but my dad took that "GT" to the New England Championships with Malden's track team. As a local kid from Malden, I still carry that every day (especially when I'm golfing in one of those shirts), even though I'm a Lancer in my soul.
-This week's game time menu, courtesy of my in-laws: burrata and homemade pesto with a ciabatta bread for an appetizer, roasted lamb with potatoes and carrots for dinner, and cupcakes and pumpkin whoopie pies for dessert. I cannot understate my luck for marrying into an old world Italian family.
*****
Third Down: You got Mossed!
Because opposing defenses are doubling down on Zay Flowers and Hunter Long, Boston College offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti dipped into his creative box to open up new receivers. Last week, Jaelen Gill offered more than 100 yards and his first touchdown in the loss to Virginia Tech. This week, CJ Lewis jumped into the role with his first multi-touchdown game of his career.
"He's really stepped up," Phil Jurkovec said. "He's progressed each week, and he keeps getting better and better. We work on things in practice and after practice. Our connection is building, and he's definitely stepped it up."
Lewis had two career touchdowns entering Saturday but doubled that within a greater, four-catch, 58-yard performance. On his first touchdown, he crossed the middle of the field and jumped over defensive back Zamari Walton in the corner of the end zone. He later operated in space, and he forced himself open when he caught his second score against the Yellow Jackets.
"CJ just keeps getting better, right?" Hafley said. "He shows up every game now. He's a big target, and he goes up and gets the ball, and he blocks down the field. We'll continue to try and get the ball to him. He made some really big plays for us."
"Phil's great," Lewis said. "I just stayed patient and waited my turn. Phil and I have a great relationship, and I'm just happy we won the game today."
*****
Fourth Down: Georgia Tech Offense
I knew Boston College's easiest path past Georgia Tech involved a high-scoring track meet because goading the Yellow Jackets couldn't keep up with the fast pace. They intercepted Trevor Lawrence last week, but Clemson bulldozed the defense by sprinting Georgia Tech out of sync. BC created similar havoc on Saturday, which I hoped for, when it raced out to a 24-0 lead.
Georgia Tech showed ample spunk, though, by continuing to battle. Jeff Sims threw two deep passes past BC's defense to score twice in the second quarter, and he later punched in a 15-play, 75-yard drive over seven minutes in the third.Â
"Georgia Tech fought until the end," Jeff Hafley said. "They had energy until the end. They never gave up. I give them and their staff a lot of credit for the way they played. They did a nice job, and (Geoff Collins) is going to do a really good job there."
Collins is overhauling Georgia Tech, and I saw obvious seeds for the future on Saturday. This team is still in transition, though, and there's going to be growing pains in the conversion process out of triple option. Young players will need to play, possibly before they're fully ready, in order to pour a new foundation. It's going to be a process, but I'm excited to see how it comes to fruition.
*****
Point After: Clemson
Every season begins with untapped potential for every single football team. The lure of the unknown fills every program, every coach, every player and every fan with excitement, and everyone, from top to bottom, finds ways to believe in their team. Everyone is equal, all chasing the same goal of dethroning Clemson from its perch atop the ACC.
Clemson is once again the No. 1 team in the nation and a championship contender, but the Tigers ran into problems on Saturday against Syracuse. They opened up a 17-0 lead in the first quarter but surrendered two second quarter touchdowns to the Orange, and the game entered its fourth quarter with only three points separating the two teams.Â
A number of errors doomed Syracuse, but the scare tactic lasted long enough to drive another wedge into Death Valley. Trevor Lawrence went 27-for-43 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, but he threw another interception. Two-time ACC Player of the Year Travis Etienne only gained 86 yards on the ground, but he offset the somewhat-quiet day with three touchdowns. In total, the numbers generally held ground for the Orange until Rex Culpepper threw three interceptions.
Next week's game will be on national television on ABC and will kick off at 12 p.m.
It sought to change BC's perspective before a game against Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets likewise needed to hit the reset button after a blowout loss to Clemson last week, and the two hungry teams desperately planned to impose a tone in the game's early goings. Each fired an opening salvo intent on scoring damaging points before the end of the first quarter.
On the opening play, BC defensive end Brandon Barlow crushed quarterback Jeff Sims and running back Jahmyr Gibbs, but a 15-yard penalty immediately restarted the Yellow Jackets. The pair then exclusively led Georgia Tech downfield before a 13-yard loss ended the momentum. Eventually, a fourth down fake punt failed to convert and turned the ball over on the BC 29-yard line on downs.
The Eagles responded by rumbling downfield with David Bailey and Travis Levy. They gained 36 yards and alternated a thunder and lightning approach until quarterback Phil Jurkovec threw a corner jump ball to CJ Lewis in the end zone. It connected, and BC jumped out to a 7-0 lead.Â
Each team fired a haymaker. BC's connected. Georgia Tech's didn't. Tone: set.
By the time the dust settled, BC romped to a 48-27 win to clearly put its train back on the tracks as a date with Clemson awaits.
"The misconception in football is that you have one week of practice and how you practice that week is how you're going to play," head coach Jeff Hafley said. "It's a cumulation of all the work these guys have put in. Just because things don't go right one week...if you watch the tape, (the plays) were there last week. We had holes, they were cleanly there. (Performance) is a cumulation of all those days in all that work. It all adds up to allowing them to play like they did (on Saturday)."
The performance screamed of new twists on classic, vintage Boston College. Bailey gained 83 yards on 13 carries and averaged six yards per play with two touchdowns, and Levy added 54 yards on 19 carries. Zay Flowers returned to the jet sweep for 36 yards and a touchdown, and Jurkovec, a dual-threat under center, finally showed his leg and foot speed with a team-high 94 yards as the team piled up 264 yards against the Georgia Tech defense.
"I thought it was coming last week," Hafley said. "I saw it in practice. Like I kept telling everybody, I'd tell you the truth if I was worried about it, but I wasn't. I'm proud of the (offensive line) for not listening to the noise. I'm proud of Coach Applebaum, Coach Cignetti, David Bailey, and Travis (Levy) and the way we ran the ball. If we can run the ball like that, that's so hard to defend. We really did an excellent job. I expected it today, I expected it last week, and I expect it again next week."
Some more takeaways from BC's big win on Saturday:
*****
First Down: Boston College Offensive Line
The first half of 2020 was exceptionally unkind to BC's big uglies in the trenches. An offensive line with four returning starters lived under a microscope as it gelled under a new position coach, and the trademark power running game was a shell of itself on the team's stat sheet. Perceived breakouts turned into fleeting glimpses, and under-recognized performances fell at the grouping's feet.
That all changed against the Ramblin' Wreck. BC established the run early with a similar game plan as the Virginia Tech game, and the absence of turnovers enabled further traction to plow upfield. The Eagles moved to seven and eight men on the line and implemented multi-tight end sets, all of which set the run-to-pass mentality in play action.
"I knew it would take some time to click, but that's football," Jeff Hafley said. "We didn't have the luxury of a spring or a real training camp. I was patient, and I trusted the coaches. We rushed for 260 yards, and we only threw it 21 times. It's hard to defend. I saw it coming, and I was really proud of those guys."
Each of the individual linemen featured a signature moment. Ben Petrula and Alec Lindstrom surged forward on the interior of the line, and Zion Johnson owned Jurkovec's blind side. Christian Mahogany released a pass rusher, but Jurkovec stepped up, almost by design, and fired a strike downfield. On a throwback pass to Zay Flowers, Lindstrom led a convoy down the sideline and engaged pad level blocking in open space.
It led the Eagles to 34 points in the first half, the most points scored in the first half since a 44-point half last season against Syracuse. The offense piled up 257 yards before halftime and went over 400 yards for a second consecutive game, the first consecutive games since last season against Syracuse and Florida State.
Bailey's touchdown was a 34-yard scamper, his sixth career touchdown of 29 yards or longer, and Jurkovec gained the most rushing yards by a BC quarterback since 2016. Jurkovec's total just fell short of the century mark but marked the ninth-most yards on the ground by a QB in BC's ACC era.
"I love those guys," Jurkovec said. "They've taken a little bit of heat from the pressure some teams got on us, but they were awesome and have been awesome all season. I love playing with them. They really showed how we can run it right down on any defense."
*****
Second Down: Boston College Defense
The offensive turnovers owned headlines coming out of Virginia Tech, but the defense's tackling woes forced BC to calibrate this week with fundamental drills. The players went through standard circuit work and specifically targeted their tackling with the understanding that Georgia Tech offered an almost-identical offense to the Hokies.
The Yellow Jackets produced 362 yards of offense but faced a litany of mistakes against the teeth of the BC defense. Jeff Sims went 18-of-32 for 256 yards and two scores, but both came after the Eagles built a 24-0 lead. He scored both of those touchdowns on consecutive drives with explosive plays, but he also threw an interception to Jahmin Muse and spent most of the game under the duress of a four-sack performance.
"We got back to basics this week," Mike Palmer said. "We drilled tackling a little bit more. Georgia Tech posed the same kind of opportunities for tackling as this week, and we just trusted the drills that we did in practice. We relied on our technique and went back to fundamentals. Having that in practice was huge."
Palmer in particular found himself in paydirt when he returned a fumble 33 yards for a touchdown for BC's first non-offensive touchdown of the season. It was the first fumble recovery since Will Harris took one to the house in 2017 and the first touchdown of Palmer's collegiate career.
"I was running into the pile," Palmer said, "and (the ball) just came to my feet. We talk about greedy scoops because you never know, and when the ball came to me, I just scooped it up and started running. You never want to stop playing because you never want to stop playing, and that was one of those times that went my way."
*****
HAF-time Hits
-Pressley Harvin III is a 250-pound punter and is most definitely my favorite representative #ForTheBrand.
-When I grew up in Malden, Massachusetts, I lived and died by the Michigan Wolverines because of their blue and gold block "M" logo. It was the logo at Malden High School, and I remember attending one of my first Boston College home games in 1995, under the lights, against Michigan. It was a huge moment for me because my brother was a three-season athlete for Malden High even though I wound up going to Malden Catholic.
I don't know when it happened, but Malden eventually changed its logo and altered its color scheme away from Michigan in the past, oh, 15 years. The Golden Tornados departed the M and assumed Georgia Tech's "GT" logo with a transition to the Yellow Jackets' whole scheme. The M eventually returned with a new lion mascot, but my dad took that "GT" to the New England Championships with Malden's track team. As a local kid from Malden, I still carry that every day (especially when I'm golfing in one of those shirts), even though I'm a Lancer in my soul.
-This week's game time menu, courtesy of my in-laws: burrata and homemade pesto with a ciabatta bread for an appetizer, roasted lamb with potatoes and carrots for dinner, and cupcakes and pumpkin whoopie pies for dessert. I cannot understate my luck for marrying into an old world Italian family.
*****
Third Down: You got Mossed!
Because opposing defenses are doubling down on Zay Flowers and Hunter Long, Boston College offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti dipped into his creative box to open up new receivers. Last week, Jaelen Gill offered more than 100 yards and his first touchdown in the loss to Virginia Tech. This week, CJ Lewis jumped into the role with his first multi-touchdown game of his career.
"He's really stepped up," Phil Jurkovec said. "He's progressed each week, and he keeps getting better and better. We work on things in practice and after practice. Our connection is building, and he's definitely stepped it up."
Lewis had two career touchdowns entering Saturday but doubled that within a greater, four-catch, 58-yard performance. On his first touchdown, he crossed the middle of the field and jumped over defensive back Zamari Walton in the corner of the end zone. He later operated in space, and he forced himself open when he caught his second score against the Yellow Jackets.
"CJ just keeps getting better, right?" Hafley said. "He shows up every game now. He's a big target, and he goes up and gets the ball, and he blocks down the field. We'll continue to try and get the ball to him. He made some really big plays for us."
"Phil's great," Lewis said. "I just stayed patient and waited my turn. Phil and I have a great relationship, and I'm just happy we won the game today."
*****
Fourth Down: Georgia Tech Offense
I knew Boston College's easiest path past Georgia Tech involved a high-scoring track meet because goading the Yellow Jackets couldn't keep up with the fast pace. They intercepted Trevor Lawrence last week, but Clemson bulldozed the defense by sprinting Georgia Tech out of sync. BC created similar havoc on Saturday, which I hoped for, when it raced out to a 24-0 lead.
Georgia Tech showed ample spunk, though, by continuing to battle. Jeff Sims threw two deep passes past BC's defense to score twice in the second quarter, and he later punched in a 15-play, 75-yard drive over seven minutes in the third.Â
"Georgia Tech fought until the end," Jeff Hafley said. "They had energy until the end. They never gave up. I give them and their staff a lot of credit for the way they played. They did a nice job, and (Geoff Collins) is going to do a really good job there."
Collins is overhauling Georgia Tech, and I saw obvious seeds for the future on Saturday. This team is still in transition, though, and there's going to be growing pains in the conversion process out of triple option. Young players will need to play, possibly before they're fully ready, in order to pour a new foundation. It's going to be a process, but I'm excited to see how it comes to fruition.
*****
Point After: Clemson
Every season begins with untapped potential for every single football team. The lure of the unknown fills every program, every coach, every player and every fan with excitement, and everyone, from top to bottom, finds ways to believe in their team. Everyone is equal, all chasing the same goal of dethroning Clemson from its perch atop the ACC.
Clemson is once again the No. 1 team in the nation and a championship contender, but the Tigers ran into problems on Saturday against Syracuse. They opened up a 17-0 lead in the first quarter but surrendered two second quarter touchdowns to the Orange, and the game entered its fourth quarter with only three points separating the two teams.Â
A number of errors doomed Syracuse, but the scare tactic lasted long enough to drive another wedge into Death Valley. Trevor Lawrence went 27-for-43 for 289 yards and two touchdowns, but he threw another interception. Two-time ACC Player of the Year Travis Etienne only gained 86 yards on the ground, but he offset the somewhat-quiet day with three touchdowns. In total, the numbers generally held ground for the Orange until Rex Culpepper threw three interceptions.
Next week's game will be on national television on ABC and will kick off at 12 p.m.
Players Mentioned
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DL
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WR
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DB
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OL
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OL
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TE
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OL
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DB
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DB
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OL
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