First Thoughts: BC Loses to UConn for First Time in Program History
Andy Backstrom (
@andybackstrom)
Publisher
Boston College lost at UConn Saturday afternoon, 13-3. It marked the first time in program history the Huskies have defeated BC. Previously, the Eagles were 12-0-2 against the New England FBS foe.
It's also important to note that the upset went down as UConn's first Power Five win since it beat Virginia in 2016.
With the loss, BC dropped to 2-6 (1-4 ACC). BC has now been held to a combined 21 points in its last three games after erupting for 34 in a once-encouraging victory over Louisville back in the beginning of October.
1. Phil Jurkovec's injury and costly two interceptions...
Before the start of the season, it was no secret that one of BC's biggest priorities was to prevent quarterback Phil Jurkovec from taking too many hits. But, as the injury-riddled Eagles have struggled to generate offense this season—in large part because of a revolving door at offensive line—that mindset has changed. As was the case toward the end of last season, Jurkovec has become a significantly more prevalent runner the last two weeks. He had nine carries against Wake Forest, and he had 14 more at UConn.
Offensive coordinator John McNulty repeatedly called Jurkovec's number on QB-designed run plays. Jurkovec, who has been facing unrelenting pressure in the pass game all season, took even more hits in the ground game versus the Huskies. And, unfortunately for Jurkovec and the Eagles, the last hit he took forced him to exit the game in the third quarter. Jurkovec went airborne, and UConn safety Malik Dixon-Williams went low, flipping Jurkovec over.
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Jurkovec didn't return to the game and had a brace on his right knee while sitting on the sideline. Prior to his injury, the embattled former Notre Dame transfer threw a pair of interceptions. The first was high and hit off the hands of wideout Jaelen Gill and into the arms of redshirt sophomore defensive back Chris Shearin.
The second was even worse, especially because it came in the red zone. Jurkovec apparently didn't see UConn's Durante Jones in front of Gill. Jones made the pick in the end zone. It rendered an impressive and improvised 45-yard completion to running back Pat Garwo III earlier that drive moot. The juxtaposition of those two plays encapsulated a roller coaster season for Jurkovec, who has gone from an early-round NFL Draft prospect to a major question mark.
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2. Emmett Morehead's chance to play hero...
Emmett Morehead was thrust into the spotlight last season when BC head coach Jeff Hafley decided to play both Dennis Grosel and Morehead, then a true freshman, against Syracuse. The experiment didn't spark the Eagles' offense as intended, but it did give a glimpse of Morehead's arm talent. This season, Morehead, now a redshirt freshman, has appeared in six of BC's eight games.
With Jurkovec's injury Saturday, though, Morehead had his first real opportunity of 2022 to deliver a signature moment. He took over more than midway through the third quarter and BC trailing, 10-3, in East Hartford.
Morehead finished 7-of-16 for 75 yards and one interception. His quick release flashed, like when he hit Joe Griffin on a slant for a 24-yard gain in the fourth quarter. But his pocket presence, a work-in-progress, also showed, like when he felt pressure off the edge and fired an errant pass intended for Zay Flowers that ended up in the hands of star UConn linebacker Jackson Mitchell.
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3. UConn LB Jackson Mitchell played like the future NFLer he is...
Mitchell entered the game ranked fourth nationally with 11 tackles per game. He also led UConn with 3.5 sacks. The junior played like he belongs at the next level Saturday.
Not only did he pick off Morehead, as shown above, but he also stripped Eagles true freshman tight end Jeremiah Franklin in the fourth quarter, setting the stage for a 43-yard Noe Ruelas field goal that effectively put the low-scoring game out of reach.
So Mitchell forced back-to-back BC turnovers, and, later in the final frame, he recovered BC wideout Zay Flowers' second muff of the game (Flowers recovered the first one).
Mitchell's final stat line: 11 total tackles, 6 solos, 1 sack, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble.
4. The Zay Flowers touchdown that could have been...
There's no question this was Zay Flowers' worst game of a record-breaking season. Flowers has had trouble all year judging which punts to return and which ones to let roll. It burned him Saturday, as he went low to field a 36-yard George Caratan punt with a bit more than five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter—Flowers was immediately met by Huskies true freshman DB D'Mon Brinson, fumbled and Mitchell hopped on it for the recovery.
But Flowers' most glaring mistake was a dropped pass down the sideline, also in the fourth quarter, that could have helped BC escape UConn with a win. Morehead put the pass right on the money for the speedy Flowers, who had a step on his man and a bunch of green in front of him. Except, the ball slipped through Flowers' hands. The senior wideout somersaulted and held his head in disbelief.
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5. A truly awful BC start...
It was reminiscent of Florida State's blitzing of BC in the first quarter of the team's Week 4 matchup. Once again, the Eagles looked like they forgot how to tackle in the early minutes of Saturday's game against UConn. The Huskies piled up 136 yards of total offense in the opening quarter.
UConn struck first blood with a 62-yard catch and run touchdown by tight end Justin Joly. The score saw BC free safety Jason Maitre whiff on a tackle near the sideline. Then, after Jurkovec was called short of the line to gain on a 4th-and-1 pile push, the Huskies extended their lead to 10-0. It could have been worse for BC, particularly after UConn got all the way to the BC 5-yard line with a statue of liberty-like handoff to wide receiver Aaron Turner.
As well as Huskies OC Nick Charlton was calling the game, his offense was haunted by procedural penalties all day—UConn committed eight false start infractions. Still, the Huskies' first quarter gut punch was all they needed to create distance between themselves and a hapless BC offense.
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