Clemson Game: Quotables and Notables
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)
Staff Writer
Series note: After every game this season, Eagle Action will compile notable stats, milestones and moments from that matchup as well as the best postgame quotes.
Heartbreaking. There’s no better way to describe Boston College’s 19-13 loss at No. 25 Clemson. The Eagles were 11 yards away from snapping their 20-game losing streak to AP-ranked teams and Clemson’s 30-game home winning streak.
But a mishandled snap spoiled BC’s chances as well as the team’s undefeated record.
A lot happened in Death Valley: some good, some bad, some ugly.
QUOTABLES
Eagles quarterback Dennis Grosel dropped two snaps Saturday night, and the second bid farewell to BC’s perfect start to the year. After hitting five straight passes in the two-minute drill, the redshirt senior tossed a near pick in the end zone, and then, on the very next play, he fumbled the game away.“It was loud the whole time,” Grosel said. “It was more so the play clock ticking down. I wanted the snap quicker. Took my eyes off it to see where the play clock was at. And just so happened that that was when he snapped it.
“We were pretty efficient with the noise all night. There were a few miscues, which are going to happen, but that was just one was—took my eye off it for a half second.”
Grosel had two chances to lead BC to a game-winning touchdown, and he started both drives beautifully, completing his first three passes on the first go-around. Throughout the fourth quarter, he was mostly on the money, connecting on 12-of-16 passes. He said after the game that the Eagles practice high-stress, late-game situations all the time.
“We do that a ton,” Grosel said. “You guys wouldn’t believe how many times we do that. We do that probably two or three times a week with the team. And the quarterbacks, particularly, do that every day. Sometimes twice a day, with all the quarterbacks playing receiver, just when we have individual time.
“I’m glad it showed. And we worked at a high level. Just really unfortunate we didn’t get a chance at the end there to even put a shot in the end zone.”
BC got those chances because of its defense, which held Clemson to four field goals and routinely came up with big stops. Even when BC’s offense was turning the ball over or going backwards because of penalties, Tem Lukabu’s unit came through. Fourth-year starting cornerback Brandon Sebastian said that’s the standard for the group.
“We definitely believe we’re the best defense in the country,” Sebastian said. “So we expect to do that. And that’s our job to do that.”
It was a statement game for BC’s defensive backs. Eagles head coach Jeff Hafley said Sunday that, after last year’s loss at Clemson, he wanted to have his secondary play more aggressive this time around. Sebastian explained that meant press man coverage on practically every play. The goal was to limit the Tigers’ quick, easy access throws to their big wide receivers.
“Today, I feel like we definitely showed that we’re definitely one of the top secondaries in the country,” Sebastian said. “We basically played man the whole game, and we wanted to go up there and challenge their receivers. And that’s essentially what we did.”
Hafley emphasized that BC wins and loses as a team. He proclaimed that there won’t be any finger pointing. He conceded postgame that he was hurting after the devastating loss, but he declared that the Eagles can play with “anybody, anywhere, in any venue, at any time of the night.”
“Proud of our guys,” Hafley said. “They came out here in a tough environment: night game, Homecoming, loud. We didn’t flinch. I thought we could take it in the fourth. We had a chance to take it in the fourth.”
BC has now lost 11 straight games to Clemson, and the Eagles are still searching for their first win over an AP-ranked opponent since they knocked off then-No. 9 USC in the first-annual Red Bandana Game back in 2014. Hafley knows those droughts need to end.
“I mean we gotta beat ’em,” Hafley said. “They beat us two years in a row now. They executed better than we did at the end of the game. We gotta execute. We gotta finish. And I certainly have to coach better. So I will.”
During the week, offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. blared Guns N’ Roses and Pearl Jam to prepare BC for a packed Memorial Stadium, which can fit more than 80,000 fans. Communication was still a problem for the Eagles, though, as evidenced by the laundry on the field all game.
“It was loud,” Hafley said. “It was really loud. As much as I thought we prepared for the noise, this is the first time in two years we’ve been in an environment like this.”
NOTABLES
— Grosel passed for 311 yards in the loss. No other Eagles quarterback had thrown for more than 208 yards in BC’s previous eight games against Clemson. What’s more, Grosel became just the fourth gunslinger in the last three years to pile up more than 300 passing yards versus the Tigers. The others are Joe Burrow (LSU), Justin Fields (Ohio State) and Ian Book (Notre Dame).— Pat Garwo III averaged 4.8 yards per carry, but if you take away his 27-yard run in the first quarter, he would have had just 30 yards on 11 totes. BC finished with just 46 yards on the ground after entering the weekend ranked 19th nationally in rushing offense (220.5 yards per game).
— Sebastian and fellow cornerback Elijah Jones both had pass break-ups against Clemson. Sebastian was responsible for disrupting a pair of third-down throws from Tigers quarterback DJ Uiagalelei.
— BC linebacker Isaiah Graham-Mobley was first on the team with eight tackles, including four solos. He currently leads BC this season with 36 total tackles and has 10 more solos than any other Eagle.
— Eagles left tackle Tyler Vrabel left with a knee injury in the second half, and Jack Conley replaced him. Conley had combined for 59 total snaps at right tackle the first four weeks of the year, but Saturday was his first time protecting the blind side this fall. He struggled, registering a Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade of 22.3. Conley allowed one sack, two quarterback hits and five pressures.
— BC wasn’t great on third down (5-of-15), but Clemson fared even worse (3-of-14), thanks to the Eagles’ stout defense. BC is now tied for seventh nationally in third-down defense. Opponents are converting a mere 27.6% of the time.
— Clemson’s Kobe Pace had a night, rushing for 125 yards and a score, en route to earning ACC Running Back of the Week honors. He also caught two passes for 41 yards. His 59-yard, first-quarter touchdown opened the scoring gates.
— Tigers wide receiver Joseph Ngata had a game-high 111 receiving yards, 54 of which came on a catch and run that led to Clemson’s fourth and final field goal of the day.
— BC’s tight ends combined for nine catches and 140 receiving yards. Trae Barry was Grosel’s favorite target in Death Valley. The Jacksonville State grad transfer logged seven receptions for 82 yards.
— The Eagles committed 10 penalties, five of which were false starts and all of which were on the offensive side of the ball. Last year, BC averaged 9.7 penalties per game against AP-ranked opponents.
