Reflecting on Virginia Tech: What Did Hafley Say During His Sunday Presser?
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Phil Jurkovec dominated headlines this weekend. The Boston College quarterback unexpectedly returned to the field after a six-game hiatus and starred in the Eagles’ 17-3 Red Bandana Game victory.
But he wasn’t the only player who stepped in.
Redshirt freshman and former four-star BC High prospect Ozzy Trapilo made his first career start at left guard. With free safety Jason Maitre out for the year, sixth year Mike Palmer regained his starting role in the back end. For the second game in a row, JT Thompson II played in Brandon Sebastian’s place at corner. And, perhaps most notably on the defensive side of the ball, Vinny DePalma filled in for Isaiah Graham-Mobley another week at middle linebacker, once again leading the team in total tackles.
“He knows what he’s doing,” second-year BC head coach Jeff Hafley said of DePalma Sunday. “If you were to come by our meeting rooms Friday night when we’re all just kind of hanging out, he’s got his iPad out watching tape, probably more than any other player on the team. He’s staying a step ahead.
“I can’t say enough about him. And he’s probably gone unnoticed.”
The same goes for BC’s defense, which has improved in practically every major statistical category this season. The Eagles rank 18th nationally in scoring defense (18.8 points per game allowed), 29th in total defense (333.8 yards per game allowed), sixth in passing defense (162.8 yards per game allowed) and 10th in opponent third-down conversion rate (30.5%).
The Eagles’ secondary has taken a significant leap forward. When Hafley took over the program in 2019, BC was coming off an abysmal defensive season, in which the Eagles were 122nd in pass defense. Last year, they were tied for 82nd. This time around, they’re smack dab in the middle of the top 10.
Cornerback Elijah Jones has been a big reason why. He leads BC in Pro Football Focus coverage grade (79.5). Jones has given up just 10 receptions on 24 targets while piling up three pass break-ups.
“I think he’s playing as well as he’s played all year, really since we’ve been here,” Hafley said. “He’s starting to really press well. I told him today, he’s doing a great job of getting his hands on people, staying square. He’s finishing more violent.”
Hafley explained that they’ve started moving Jones around more, matching him up with specific receivers versus just keeping him on the right or left side of the field. His versatility is also seen on special teams, where he’s arguably the Eagles’ best gunner.
As far as wearing multiple hats goes, Jones gives nickelback Josh DeBerry a run for his money. DeBerry lines up everywhere and does everything. He’s first on the team with 31 solo tackles, and he had a pair of TFLs in the win over the Hokies, not to mention that he’s right behind Jones in PFF coverage grade (79.4).
“He was all over the field,” Hafley said Sunday. “He chased down a reverse, he had a PBU when they tried the trick play where the quarterback kind of came down the line and popped back. Josh knocked that one out. I think it was one of his better games. He’s been consistent, too.
“Those DBs, Coach Aazaar’s done a really nice job with them. Our guys are playing really well on the back end.”
Still, as well as the defense has been playing, the unit hasn’t been able to single-handedly win BC games—not without a serviceable offense. That’s where Jurkovec came in.
He was far from perfect but made just enough plays through the air to keep the Virginia Tech defense on its heels, ridding BC of its pitiful one-dimensional offense.
And, most importantly, his return lit a fire underneath the team.
“There’s a little bit of nastiness to them and a toughness to ’em,” Hafley said. “And I think they kind of practiced and played pissed off, for a lack of a better term. And I’d like to see ’em continue to do that, win or lose, because I think that’s what this game is all about.”
Other tid-bits:
— O-Line Update: Hafley said that he’s “very hopeful” that left tackle Tyler Vrabel will play this week at Georgia Tech. Vrabel missed the Virginia Tech game with an upper-body injury. He was out on the field during pregame warmups but ultimately couldn’t go. Instead, Trapilo was inserted at left guard, and Zion Johnson moved over to left tackle, where he played all last season. Hafley has been adamant this year about how Vrabel is the team’s left tackle, so if he’s back, it’s safe to assume Johnson would return to guard. But the Eagles could always move Vrabel to right tackle, keep Johnson at left tackle and swing Ben Petrula to left guard.
— Ben Petrula: Speaking of Petrula, Hafley discussed how steady the fifth-year veteran has been for the Eagles this year. Although he has allowed three sacks—one each of the three weeks before the Virginia Tech game—he has the second-best run blocking grade (85.2) on the team, per PFF.
“Ben’s been really consistent,” Hafley said. “He’s been really solid. It’s nice when you don’t hear about an offensive lineman because it means he’s probably not getting beat. He’s like Mr. Consistency.”
— Jurkovec’s Timeline: Hafley gave some more insight on when Jurkovec was able to start throwing again and what that process looked like. Interested? Click here.
— More Zone-Read?: Jurkovec ran the ball nine times for 65 yards, including an eight-yard touchdown, against Virginia Tech. There were a few scrambles, but most of that yardage came on designed zone-read run plays. His last full game, Week 1 versus Colgate, saw him post five carries for 61 yards, notably a long of 41. Hafley said that BC made a “big effort” to get Jurkovec involved in the run game this season. But once he went down with his Week 2 injury, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. and the staff veered away from the quarterback run with Dennis Grosel under center. Not because Grosel wasn’t capable but because they weren’t sure who was the backup at that point.
“It is something that we’ve liked,” Hafley said of the quarterback run. “And we definitely liked it against Virginia Tech and what they were trying to do. So, whether that comes out more or less this week, I’m not sure yet ’cause I haven’t studied the tape.”
