Grosel Says He’s ‘Back in Rhythm Again’ After First Start
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)
Staff Writer
Boston College quarterback Dennis Grosel didn’t play the first six games of the 2020 season. He lost an offseason position battle to Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec, who starred last fall. It wasn’t until BC’s Halloween matchup at Clemson that Grosel’s number was called.
Jurkovec’s helmet popped off with BC down, 32-28, and less than 4:30 to go. Grosel trotted in, and the veteran backup dialed up a tight-window laser to tight end Hunter Long, converting a 4th-and-3 and keeping the Eagles’ upset hopes alive.
Then Grosel jogged off the field and didn’t see it again until Senior Day when Jurkovec went down with a non-contact knee injury against Louisville. That’s the way 2020 went: sporadic appearances and one head-turning start where he tied Doug Flutie’s single-game program record for passing yards, albeit in a loss.
Last Saturday at Temple was different. Much like 2019 when he replaced an injured Anthony Brown Jr., Grosel was the Eagles’ long-term starter. He said Tuesday it was an adjustment to get back in that mode.
“I think just realizing it’s a long game,” Grosel said. “I’m not going to make every play. In the end, we won the game so that’s all that matters, but I’d like to see myself be a little more composed.”
Grosel completed just 5-of-13 passes for 34 yards, a touchdown and a pick. He never really got in a groove. He underthrew Jaden Williams on a deep ball that could have resulted in six, Zay Flowers dropped a 40-yard pass and Grosel’s best “passing play” went down in the books as a 47-yard lateral because it traveled behind the line of scrimmage.
But second-year Eagles head coach emphasized that Grosel’s 13 attempts were a byproduct of BC’s game plan to run the ball against a Temple defense that came in ranked 106th nationally against the run. It wasn’t a reflection of the staff’s trust, or lack thereof, in Grosel’s arm, Hafley explained.
“We are going to be a vertical passing team for sure, no matter who’s playing quarterback,” Hafley said. “Like I said, the scheme’s not gonna change. And we have full confidence in Dennis.”
Before last weekend, Grosel had hit on 71.6% (53-of-74) of his passes and thrown for seven touchdowns and three interceptions in offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr.’s pro-style system. He’d also averaged 11.0 yards per attempt in that span, almost double his 6.3 yards per attempt in 2019.
Although Grosel was off Saturday at Temple, he said it was good to get back in the routine of being the starter.
“It just felt like we were back in rhythm again,” Grosel said. “It felt like I was back as the starter, getting back into my rhythm, momentum, stuff like that, coming into play. It felt good, still feels good. We’re trying to keep building on that coming from here on out.”
Grosel has the trust of his teammates, including his O-Line, which consists of four guys who blocked for him during the 2019 season.
“He knows what to do,” left guard Zion Johnson said. “He knows what reads he has to make. He knows what checks he has to make at the line. And, you know, it’s great to have two quarterbacks that can do that. Because he understands the game at a high level and so does Phil, so there really isn’t a drop off.”
Grosel isn’t the Houdini Jurkovec is outside the pocket, but he can buy himself a half second inside the tackle box instinctually. He knows he needs to deliver the ball on time this week against a Missouri defense that likes to play press and man-to-man coverage.
Grosel said that he thinks the Tigers will try to overpower BC on the perimeter and that it’s up to him to let his playmakers win those 1-on-1 battles.
Last weekend’s performance wasn’t an accurate display of Grosel’s potential—or of the Eagles’ offense, for that matter.
“We still have a lot of stuff in our back pocket,” Grosel said. “Probably 75% of our stuff we haven’t even shown yet. And it’s good stuff.”
