Eagles Trying to 'Embrace' Lane Stadium Atmosphere
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Jeff Hafley said after Tuesday's practice that he still had Metallica ringing through his ears. The third-year Boston College head coach is gearing up for his first real Lane Stadium experience, which, of course, usually comes with a welcoming of 65,632 fans jumping up and down to "Enter Sandman" as Virginia Tech runs out of the tunnel.
"I'll probably go to bed hearing it and tomorrow and the next day and the next day," Hafley said. "So yeah, it is definitely going to be something that goes through my mind a lot this week."
In 2020, the last time BC played at Virginia Tech, only 1,000 fans were allowed to attend because of COVID-19 precautions. Hafley remembers it being dark, eerie and cold.
But not anywhere close to deafening.
"We've got some guys on the staff who have been there [in normal times]," Hafley said. "We've researched it and listened to it a little bit. It's loud. We have to try to do our best job simulating that."
Lane Stadium is the third largest in the ACC behind Clemson's Memorial Stadium and Florida State's Doak Campbell Stadium. The fans are closer to the field than in most stadiums, and the noise is trapped in an otherwise quiet area that is Blacksburg.
Notre Dame grad transfer tight end George Takacs played in Lane Stadium last season with the Fighting Irish. The Hokies had Notre Dame, which was ranked No. 8 at the time, up against the ropes. In fact, the Irish needed a pair of two-minute drives to pull out a 32-29 victory.
"It was a big, close game down there," Takacs said. "It's an awesome environment, but I think it's definitely helped for me, having been there, not to get caught in all that."
Takacs said he's talked to his BC teammates a "little bit" about it. He noted, however, that most of them have played in loud stadiums before.
After all, last year BC went into Death Valley and hung with then-No. 25 Clemson to the very end in a sold-out Memorial Stadium.
The Eagles' 2020 meeting with Virginia Tech was spoiled by mistakes. Coming off an exciting overtime win over Pittsburgh, BC turned the ball over five times against the Hokies. Hendon Hooker, Virginia Tech's quarterback back then, rushed for a trio of touchdowns, in addition to both running and throwing for 100-plus yards.
BC had enough problems, as is, without a crowd in Blacksburg.
The Eagles' margin of error will be even thinner Saturday night during what could be a rain-filled matchup of two ACC teams that have a lot to prove following disappointing opening weekends.
"You gotta be able to handle it and embrace it," Hafley said of the atmosphere.
