Takeaways from BC’s Second Scrimmage of Fall Camp
Andy Backstrom
Staff Writer
There is a bunch of buzz surrounding Boston College. The Eagles were picked as high as third in the Atlantic Division in the ACC Preseason Poll, and they’re one of five teams in the conference to appear in the AP Preseason Poll, albeit in the receiving votes section.
But second-year head coach Jeff Hafley is going about this season like he approached last year’s when BC was expected to bottom out the ACC with a rigorous 10-game conference slate. He isn’t thinking about the opener right now or the 12 opponents that are on tap. He’s trying to make sure the Eagles don’t beat themselves.
“It’s still about us and probably will be at least halfway through this week,” Hafley told reporters during the team’s media day this week. “And that’s just philosophically, even during game week, I make it as much about us as probably anybody else.”
BC held its second scrimmage Sunday in the Fish Field House because of Tropical Storm Henri. The exhibition consisted of thud contact and featured the ones against the ones and the twos against the twos. Just the way Hafley likes it in camp, where intrasquad competition is at an all-time high.
“There’s nothing better than going good on good,” Hafley said.
Here are some notes and takeaways from the scrimmage:
The first-team offense couldn’t have gotten off to a better start: Quarterbacked by second-year starter Phil Jurkovec, the unit marched downfield on a 75-yard scoring drive. Jurkovec connected with Jacksonville State transfer tight end Trae Barry for a 20-yard reception, and graduate running back Travis Levy capped the series with a 14-yard touchdown run. During that same drive, West Virginia transfer Alec Sinkfield flashed his wheels, too.
Jason Maitre continues to carve a new role for himself in the secondary: The redshirt junior started six games at nickel last season. He played 513 snaps—the fourth-most of any BC defensive back in 2020—lining up 93.6% of the time in the slot, according to Pro Football Focus. But he’s been playing a ton of free safety in camp. It is worth noting that Deon Jones is still working his way back to full strength after recovering from a knee injury that he suffered in the Eagles’ regular season finale at Virginia last December. But, on Sunday, Maitre was playing safety with the first-team defense. He’s arguably the Eagles’ most versatile defensive back. The 5-foot-10, 188-pound Maitre logged five TFLs in 2020 and brought down the quarterback twice on 12 blitzes. He also lined up in the box for 21 snaps and on the D-Line for four, per PFF.
DE Donovan Ezeiruaku is getting time with the ones: The three-star true freshman from Williamstown, New Jersey, impressed during the spring game with four tackles and a sack, and he’s carried over that success to camp. Ezeiruaku spent the majority of his snaps in Sunday’s scrimmage with the first-team defense. He’s competing for time at the defensive end position with last year’s starters Marcus Valdez and Brandon Barlow as well as Shitta Sillah and classmate Neto Okpala. Fellow true freshman and defensive lineman Ty Clemons, who has been getting a good bit of run on the interior lately, recorded a sack Sunday.
The defense had its moments in coverage: BC ranked 74th nationally in coverage grade last year, according to PFF. The Eagles allowed 40 fewer passing yards per game than they did in 2019 but still were tied for 82 in the FBS against the pass. In the second year of the Hafley era, a more experienced secondary is expected to take another step in the right direction. Sunday was promising. Strong safety Jahmin Muse broke up a pass intended for Barry. Redshirt freshman defensive back Jason Scott nabbed an interception. And even linebacker Vinny DePalma, who had two TFLs in the scrimmage, recorded a pass break-up.
Xavier Coleman and Jaden Williams did their thing...again: Coleman was dynamic in the pass and run game and scored a 15-yard touchdown on the ground. Williams was the beneficiary of a few chunk passing plays, courtesy of Jurkovec and backup Dennis Grosel. BC has a lot of offensive weapons, but Coleman and Jaden Williams are performing so well in camp, Frank Cignetti Jr. probably won’t have a choice but to get them on the field. Also of note, BC's other Williams wide receiver, Ethon, caught a pair of Grosel passes during the exhibition.
