Photo by: Eddie Shabomardenly
The Tailgate: Fordham
August 29, 2025 | Football, #ForBoston Files
Football is back.
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Zay Flowers is universally recognized as the pinnacle of Boston College's wide receiving legacy. He rewrote a record book steeped in the program's reputation for producing memorable collegiate running backs before leaving The Heights as the only pass catcher with 200 receptions and 3,000 career yards. For three years, he was the focal point of a revamped offense built primarily around the pass, and his decision to return to Chestnut Hill for one last season in 2022 shredded the news cycle building around more lucrative expectations within the transfer portal.
It's been three years since Flowers left BC for the NFL, but the supposedly unbreakable records set over a four-year career are within reach of Lewis Bond, a redshirt-senior receiver who opted to return to the Eagles for the 2025 season. Like Flowers, he faced the decision to leave for perceived greener pastures before ultimately deciding to play one more season with his teammates within his program, and how the offense gels around new quarterback Dylan Lonergan is likely rooted in Bond's ability to free himself from defenders both in the slot and downfield.
Bond's career arc is closely aligned with a developmental program's ability to grow and train athletes for their future. He was never settled into a relationship with a single quarterback until Thomas Castellanos took over for Emmett Morehead at the start of the 2023 season, but the complexities baked into his route-running and vision made him a continuous weapon when Bill O'Brien decided to switch to Grayson James at the end of last season.
A junior with a 100-yard game against Virginia and 11-catch stretch at the end of 2023 then burst into the 23-catch, 225-yard weapon in those final three games of last season, and his 67 overall receptions for 689 yards placed him among Brian Brennan and Pete Mitchell on BC's all-time single season receivers list. While it didn't place him on draft boards for this past offseason, he's now primed to gain momentum in a newer and more multiple offense spearheaded by a more traditional passing option in Lonergan.Â
"Our competition with each other [goes] back and forth every day," noted Luke McLaughlin during training camp. "Even in the weight room, we're comparing each other's weights. We're trying to beat each other in whatever it is. After practice, it's all love. Our defensive backs have done a great job, and I feel like they've taken a big step in the offseason. They're such a deep group, so it's great for us to go against those guys."
Lonergan's development as the starting quarterback can only deepen with more repetitions against real opponents, so placing him on Saturday's field against Fordham is an ideal scenario for Bond and a receiving unit with several different pass catchers. Letting the ball fly is critical to the offense's movement into the future and the expectations level-setting a quarterback who arrived via Alabama's transfer portal, but the true mark of how it improves over the season is in how Bond, a receiver once overlooked as a three-star prospect, climbs a record book set by his most immediate predecessor.
Here's what to watch ahead of Saturday's grand opening to the 2025 season:
****
Game Storylines (Fiorello La Guardia Edition)
Only a well-fed, well-housed, well-schooled people can enjoy the blessings of liberty.
The common thread between upset-minded championship subdivision teams relies on their ability to develop unique and intelligent schemes capable of disrupting larger and more traditional bowl conference teams. One position group is often noticeably smaller, so situational and formational deployments are laced with critical timing traits.Â
Tacklers, for example, know that taking down ball carriers requires lower points of attack, and soft coverages on receivers break up passing lanes by employing over-the-top zone coverages loaded with communication. In Fordham's case, smaller players on the defensive line means the two-deep roster includes a hybrid or "buck" linebacker that's built like a safety, but is designed to attack alongside the defensive line and the rest of the first level.
"It's just about watching film every day," said Lonergan about preparing for his first opponent's uniqueness. "We look at every opponent that we're playing, and we're just very excited to get out there and work with the guys on the field and in the film room to make sure that we're going to be on the same page on Saturday."
It makes no difference if I burn my bridges behind me - I never retreat.
Preparing for a 3-3-5 defense that's capable of playing like a 3-2-6 dime defense likely requires BC to further multiple formations laden with empty backfields, motioning receivers, 11-man personnel with more wide receivers, and 12-man and 13-man personnel that can mask the ground-and-pound offense with an ability to break out into the passing game.
"A lot of guys are going to play," said Bill O'Brien about Saturday's game. "There are definitely guys that will start the game on offense, defense and special teams, but we play with so many packages that you're going to see a guy like VJ Wilkins, who is a receiver, that won't be out there on the first play. On defense, a guy like Max Tucker might not be out there on the first play, but he'll see action. I don't really look at it like there's a delineation between the ones and twos [on the depth chart]."
Jeremiah Franklin is a natural flashpoint for any conversation about the tight end position, but the rest of the offense is loaded with fun possibilities within those multiple sets. Running back Jordan McDonald possesses hands that complement his ability to pound the rock on a six-foot, one-inch, 211-pound frame, and Turbo Richard is expected to take another step forward in his role as a smaller-sized scat back. Alex Broome constantly lurks, but even the smaller receivers have Wilkins, who's built perfectly for slot routes, and Jaedn Skeete to complement Reed Harris as a red zone threat or short-yardage, YAC-based threat.
A complete and honest and impartial survey would reveal incredible conditions.
The "buck" is an important piece of preventing BC from moving the chains, and John Scott's ability to attack or fade back into coverage is contingent on James Conway's ability to contain the pocket and serve as a complementary piece to Scott's role. The Patriot League's career tackle record holder, he holds a better field vision than most players in either subdivision, and he's coming off of a season in which he grabbed 49 total tackles across four games after missing five games due to injury.
"I think a theme in the offseason has just been being tough," noted Conway during the Patriot League's preseason media call. "It's about getting stuff done and having fun with it, so our toughness and energy and excitement [requires] us to love what we do."
Conway is the 29th player in Patriot League history to earn four-time All-League honors, and he spent last season as a Second Team Preseason All-America selection before being named to the Buchanan Award's watch list for the upcoming season. Even when limited, he still registered 17 tackles against Holy Cross and 13 against Lafayette, and his two seasons before 2024 produced 129 and 127 takedowns with 114 combined solo tackles and 17 tackles-for-loss.
*****
Question Box
How does the offensive line evolve in the aftermath of its losses?
Honestly, the offensive line might not change all that much after losing Ozzy Trapilo and Drew Kendall to the National Football League because the majority of the personnel has extensive experience within the BC system. Three players are in their fifth year, including starting center Dwayne Allick, who played multiple positions on both sides of the line, and Logan Taylor and Kevin Cline are built to protect the right side of the line with both ferocity and intensity. Erix Daugherty is the only real "new name" on the left side, but he's starting next Jude Bowry with the rest of the depth chart loaded with players who arrived at BC with pedigrees for future successes.
Can BC continue its 2024 trend of creating turnovers?
Quarterback Jack Capaldi threw at least one interception in all but two of his appearances during the 2024 season. He threw two picks in his first extended playing time against Stony Brook after CJ Montes suffered his injury, and he later went 3-for-12 for 60 yards and two picks in a 19-3 loss to Merrimack. Taking multiple sacks in seven games didn't help the situation, though he eventually found his groove for 310 yards against Bucknell and 222 yards against Georgetown.
Facing a BC defense that excelled at takeaways is therefore cause for concern among the Fordham faithful unless Capaldi improves his development or Gunnar Smith grabs the reins of the starting quarterback position - or both. Smith wasn't exactly a turnover machine in high school - he threw nine interceptions as a senior in 2021 - but limited information exists on his college career because he seldom played for both South Florida and Central Florida.
Does BC continue its August winning streak?
The Eagles are unbeaten in their last five August football games but haven't played a game ahead of September since beating Virginia Tech, 35-28, to start the 2019 season. It was Steve Addazio's third August football game after his coaching tenure at BC started with wins over Villanova and UMass. In a twist, he started a trend of head coaches alternating games in August after Jeff Jagodzinski led the 2008 team to a 21-0 win over Kent State.
He was the fifth straight head coach to coach in August after Jack Bicknell, Tom Coughlin, Dan Henning and Tom O'Brien all started at least one season with a game in August.
Of note, neither Frank Spaziani nor Jeff Hafley coached in August, though both were part of games that took place on either September 1 or September 2.
*****
BC-Fordham X Factor
Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck. -Don Shula
Bill O'Brien's decision to start Dylan Lonergan is a bit of a clean break from a cycle of annually changing quarterbacks. He won the job by competing against incumbent Grayson James but can now truly start his journey into Boston College's history books by gaining his first valuable game experience in a maroon and gold uniform.
"We've gotten better as a team relative to communication," said Bill O'Brien. "We know each other better. I think we understand schemes better. We understand how to practice better. Our younger players are better, and they've helped us a lot."
Much of the attention on Lonergan has been, to this point, relative to the rest of the BC program, so seeing him activate his skills within a scheme designed to beat an opponent is the next clear milestone in his development. He's going to make a mistake somewhere, so how he learns and processes on the fly - much of it in tandem with James, O'Brien and quarterbacks coach Jonathan DiBiaso - will dictate how he improves over his performance.
*****
Pregame Quote and Prediction
The game doesn't change. -Pedro Martinez
It's been just under 250 days since Boston College last played competitive football. Nearly 67 percent (or two-thirds for those of you who, like me, had a math teacher for a father) of the common 365-day year was spent without watching a football game involving the Eagles. Winter blew in and out, spring came through, and summer burned. National championships and Opening Days occurred, and the NBA and NHL hoisted trophies before heading into their summer slumber.
We've passed the NFL Draft and offseason signing period. Taylor Swift is engaged to Travis Kelce. Yet on Saturday at 2 p.m., none of that matters because BC and Fordham are putting time aside for a football game. For the first time, the 2025 season is underway, and that's simply perfect.
Boston College and Fordham kick off the 2025 college football season on Saturday, August 30, at 2 p.m., from Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The game can be seen on national streaming through the ACC Network Extra digital platform that's available through ESPN's family of Internet and mobile device apps. Subscription to either the ESPN direct-to-consumer platform or a cable provider with access to ACC Network is required for viewing.
It's been three years since Flowers left BC for the NFL, but the supposedly unbreakable records set over a four-year career are within reach of Lewis Bond, a redshirt-senior receiver who opted to return to the Eagles for the 2025 season. Like Flowers, he faced the decision to leave for perceived greener pastures before ultimately deciding to play one more season with his teammates within his program, and how the offense gels around new quarterback Dylan Lonergan is likely rooted in Bond's ability to free himself from defenders both in the slot and downfield.
Bond's career arc is closely aligned with a developmental program's ability to grow and train athletes for their future. He was never settled into a relationship with a single quarterback until Thomas Castellanos took over for Emmett Morehead at the start of the 2023 season, but the complexities baked into his route-running and vision made him a continuous weapon when Bill O'Brien decided to switch to Grayson James at the end of last season.
A junior with a 100-yard game against Virginia and 11-catch stretch at the end of 2023 then burst into the 23-catch, 225-yard weapon in those final three games of last season, and his 67 overall receptions for 689 yards placed him among Brian Brennan and Pete Mitchell on BC's all-time single season receivers list. While it didn't place him on draft boards for this past offseason, he's now primed to gain momentum in a newer and more multiple offense spearheaded by a more traditional passing option in Lonergan.Â
"Our competition with each other [goes] back and forth every day," noted Luke McLaughlin during training camp. "Even in the weight room, we're comparing each other's weights. We're trying to beat each other in whatever it is. After practice, it's all love. Our defensive backs have done a great job, and I feel like they've taken a big step in the offseason. They're such a deep group, so it's great for us to go against those guys."
Lonergan's development as the starting quarterback can only deepen with more repetitions against real opponents, so placing him on Saturday's field against Fordham is an ideal scenario for Bond and a receiving unit with several different pass catchers. Letting the ball fly is critical to the offense's movement into the future and the expectations level-setting a quarterback who arrived via Alabama's transfer portal, but the true mark of how it improves over the season is in how Bond, a receiver once overlooked as a three-star prospect, climbs a record book set by his most immediate predecessor.
Here's what to watch ahead of Saturday's grand opening to the 2025 season:
****
Game Storylines (Fiorello La Guardia Edition)
Only a well-fed, well-housed, well-schooled people can enjoy the blessings of liberty.
The common thread between upset-minded championship subdivision teams relies on their ability to develop unique and intelligent schemes capable of disrupting larger and more traditional bowl conference teams. One position group is often noticeably smaller, so situational and formational deployments are laced with critical timing traits.Â
Tacklers, for example, know that taking down ball carriers requires lower points of attack, and soft coverages on receivers break up passing lanes by employing over-the-top zone coverages loaded with communication. In Fordham's case, smaller players on the defensive line means the two-deep roster includes a hybrid or "buck" linebacker that's built like a safety, but is designed to attack alongside the defensive line and the rest of the first level.
"It's just about watching film every day," said Lonergan about preparing for his first opponent's uniqueness. "We look at every opponent that we're playing, and we're just very excited to get out there and work with the guys on the field and in the film room to make sure that we're going to be on the same page on Saturday."
It makes no difference if I burn my bridges behind me - I never retreat.
Preparing for a 3-3-5 defense that's capable of playing like a 3-2-6 dime defense likely requires BC to further multiple formations laden with empty backfields, motioning receivers, 11-man personnel with more wide receivers, and 12-man and 13-man personnel that can mask the ground-and-pound offense with an ability to break out into the passing game.
"A lot of guys are going to play," said Bill O'Brien about Saturday's game. "There are definitely guys that will start the game on offense, defense and special teams, but we play with so many packages that you're going to see a guy like VJ Wilkins, who is a receiver, that won't be out there on the first play. On defense, a guy like Max Tucker might not be out there on the first play, but he'll see action. I don't really look at it like there's a delineation between the ones and twos [on the depth chart]."
Jeremiah Franklin is a natural flashpoint for any conversation about the tight end position, but the rest of the offense is loaded with fun possibilities within those multiple sets. Running back Jordan McDonald possesses hands that complement his ability to pound the rock on a six-foot, one-inch, 211-pound frame, and Turbo Richard is expected to take another step forward in his role as a smaller-sized scat back. Alex Broome constantly lurks, but even the smaller receivers have Wilkins, who's built perfectly for slot routes, and Jaedn Skeete to complement Reed Harris as a red zone threat or short-yardage, YAC-based threat.
A complete and honest and impartial survey would reveal incredible conditions.
The "buck" is an important piece of preventing BC from moving the chains, and John Scott's ability to attack or fade back into coverage is contingent on James Conway's ability to contain the pocket and serve as a complementary piece to Scott's role. The Patriot League's career tackle record holder, he holds a better field vision than most players in either subdivision, and he's coming off of a season in which he grabbed 49 total tackles across four games after missing five games due to injury.
"I think a theme in the offseason has just been being tough," noted Conway during the Patriot League's preseason media call. "It's about getting stuff done and having fun with it, so our toughness and energy and excitement [requires] us to love what we do."
Conway is the 29th player in Patriot League history to earn four-time All-League honors, and he spent last season as a Second Team Preseason All-America selection before being named to the Buchanan Award's watch list for the upcoming season. Even when limited, he still registered 17 tackles against Holy Cross and 13 against Lafayette, and his two seasons before 2024 produced 129 and 127 takedowns with 114 combined solo tackles and 17 tackles-for-loss.
*****
Question Box
How does the offensive line evolve in the aftermath of its losses?
Honestly, the offensive line might not change all that much after losing Ozzy Trapilo and Drew Kendall to the National Football League because the majority of the personnel has extensive experience within the BC system. Three players are in their fifth year, including starting center Dwayne Allick, who played multiple positions on both sides of the line, and Logan Taylor and Kevin Cline are built to protect the right side of the line with both ferocity and intensity. Erix Daugherty is the only real "new name" on the left side, but he's starting next Jude Bowry with the rest of the depth chart loaded with players who arrived at BC with pedigrees for future successes.
Can BC continue its 2024 trend of creating turnovers?
Quarterback Jack Capaldi threw at least one interception in all but two of his appearances during the 2024 season. He threw two picks in his first extended playing time against Stony Brook after CJ Montes suffered his injury, and he later went 3-for-12 for 60 yards and two picks in a 19-3 loss to Merrimack. Taking multiple sacks in seven games didn't help the situation, though he eventually found his groove for 310 yards against Bucknell and 222 yards against Georgetown.
Facing a BC defense that excelled at takeaways is therefore cause for concern among the Fordham faithful unless Capaldi improves his development or Gunnar Smith grabs the reins of the starting quarterback position - or both. Smith wasn't exactly a turnover machine in high school - he threw nine interceptions as a senior in 2021 - but limited information exists on his college career because he seldom played for both South Florida and Central Florida.
Does BC continue its August winning streak?
The Eagles are unbeaten in their last five August football games but haven't played a game ahead of September since beating Virginia Tech, 35-28, to start the 2019 season. It was Steve Addazio's third August football game after his coaching tenure at BC started with wins over Villanova and UMass. In a twist, he started a trend of head coaches alternating games in August after Jeff Jagodzinski led the 2008 team to a 21-0 win over Kent State.
He was the fifth straight head coach to coach in August after Jack Bicknell, Tom Coughlin, Dan Henning and Tom O'Brien all started at least one season with a game in August.
Of note, neither Frank Spaziani nor Jeff Hafley coached in August, though both were part of games that took place on either September 1 or September 2.
*****
BC-Fordham X Factor
Sure, luck means a lot in football. Not having a good quarterback is bad luck. -Don Shula
Bill O'Brien's decision to start Dylan Lonergan is a bit of a clean break from a cycle of annually changing quarterbacks. He won the job by competing against incumbent Grayson James but can now truly start his journey into Boston College's history books by gaining his first valuable game experience in a maroon and gold uniform.
"We've gotten better as a team relative to communication," said Bill O'Brien. "We know each other better. I think we understand schemes better. We understand how to practice better. Our younger players are better, and they've helped us a lot."
Much of the attention on Lonergan has been, to this point, relative to the rest of the BC program, so seeing him activate his skills within a scheme designed to beat an opponent is the next clear milestone in his development. He's going to make a mistake somewhere, so how he learns and processes on the fly - much of it in tandem with James, O'Brien and quarterbacks coach Jonathan DiBiaso - will dictate how he improves over his performance.
*****
Pregame Quote and Prediction
The game doesn't change. -Pedro Martinez
It's been just under 250 days since Boston College last played competitive football. Nearly 67 percent (or two-thirds for those of you who, like me, had a math teacher for a father) of the common 365-day year was spent without watching a football game involving the Eagles. Winter blew in and out, spring came through, and summer burned. National championships and Opening Days occurred, and the NBA and NHL hoisted trophies before heading into their summer slumber.
We've passed the NFL Draft and offseason signing period. Taylor Swift is engaged to Travis Kelce. Yet on Saturday at 2 p.m., none of that matters because BC and Fordham are putting time aside for a football game. For the first time, the 2025 season is underway, and that's simply perfect.
Boston College and Fordham kick off the 2025 college football season on Saturday, August 30, at 2 p.m., from Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts. The game can be seen on national streaming through the ACC Network Extra digital platform that's available through ESPN's family of Internet and mobile device apps. Subscription to either the ESPN direct-to-consumer platform or a cable provider with access to ACC Network is required for viewing.
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