Eagles Look Forward After Strong Start

Eagles Look Forward After Strong Start

September 22, 2020 · by · in Football

By Andrew Kynes and Richard Joyce

Andrew Kynes:

It took a mere three quarters for Jeff Hafley and the Boston College Eagles to display their new identity to the college football world. The dominant 26-6 win at Duke on Saturday ushers in a new era on the Heights. The game featured a dynamic passing game and an aggressive defense, which are among the many positive storylines for BC on the day.

Offensively, redshirt sophomore QB Phil Jurkovec spread the ball to seven different receivers going for 300 yards and two TDs. Jurkovec, who was starting his first game since he was a senior in high school, had some jitters in the first half and looked overwhelmed at times. Then, in the second half, first year OC Frank Cignetti gave Jurkovec some freedom to let it rip, and it paid off as Jurkovec threw for over 150 yards in the third quarter alone. Jurkovec’s top target of the day was fellow sophomore Zay Flowers, who racked up five catches for 162 yards and a TD. Flowers, who who had 22 receptions for 341 yards as a freshman, was obviously the focal point of the offense as he was given the opportunity to get vertical and use his elite speed along with his much-improved route running to take the top off the defense. His day included a multitude of chunk plays, highlighted by a long TD pass from Jurkovec.

Hunter Long also had a solid day, as he looks to establish himself as one of the premiere tight ends in the nation. The junior was rated the top tight end of the week by Pro Football Focus. Long had one of the two touchdowns as well as an early catch-of-the-year candidate.

On the defensive side of the Ball, BC was able to force five turnovers, wreaking havoc on the Duke offense all day long. Outside of the one touchdown, the BC defense was able to bend not break and cause turnovers at key points in Duke drives. Duke QB Chase Brice was never able to get in a rhythm as the BC secondary was able to put the clamps on Blue Devil receivers all day. Josh DeBerry had the play of the day, when he was able to rip the ball out of a receiver’s hand in midair to pick the ball off early in the second half.

All in all, it was a very productive opening game for the Eagles, as they were able to showcase their new weapons and send a message to the rest of the ACC. The Eags look to ride this momentum as they square off with 1-2 Texas State at 6pm in Alumni Stadium this Saturday. BC would love to put away Bobcats early and rest the starters in preparation for the Oct. 3rd showdown vs No. 12 UNC.

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Richard Joyce:

It was a great start to the Hafley Era at Boston College with a 26-6 stomping of the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium on Saturday. The biggest surprise had to be Hafley’s defensive unit, which forced five turnovers, most of which were in key moments of the game. The defense came out strong with a quick three and out, setting the tone for the game.

Especially impressive was linebacker Isaiah Mcduffie, who had a timely interception early and always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. In addition, DB Josh DeBerry may have had the most impressive defensive play of the game, snatching the ball right out of Duke receiver Damond Philyaw-Johnson’s hands.

The first half started out strong, with a 81 yard, 10 play opening drive to put the Eagles up 7-0. The offense was very flat for the remainder of the half. QB Phil Jurkovec looked a tad rusty in the first half; Hafley said after the game, “The kid hasn’t started a football game since his state championship in high school.”

Hafley showed confidence in Jurkovec and told him after his first quarter pick, “Hey, no problem. Just go play.”  It also didn’t help the cause that “O-Line U” was somewhat non-existent. The offensive line looked to be struggling to keep up with what is one of the best D-Lines in the ACC. At halftime, it was a miracle that the Eagles held onto a 7-6 lead. It sure did not feel like they had a lead.

Halftime adjustments were clearly made as Hafley’s squad looked like a completely different team in the second half. Offensive Coordinator Frank Cignetti finally let Jurkovec air it out, with an array of short, medium, and long pass plays. He looked to gain more and more confidence as the game progressed. Living up to the pregame hype, Jurkovec threw for 210 yards, with 2 touchdowns and no interceptions in a near perfect half. Duke’s coach David Cutcliffe said after the game that Jurkovec made some throws that “you don’t have answers for”. There were highlight reel plays all over the place, with Zay Flowers, who was recently named ACC Receiver of the Week for his performance, along with Hunter Long, who appears to be forming a good connection on the field with Jurkovec.

This game was a nice change for a BC football program which has not given up less than 7 points on the road since early 2008. Overall, BC fans should be excited after what Hafley’s squad displayed on the field Saturday. There will be mistakes along the way this season no doubt, but this team has grit and most importantly, a coach who cares about his players. Buckle up, it’s going to be a fun year.