Post-Spring Break BC Football Notes
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Spring break is part of spring ball. And, although it arrived just three practices into the Eagles' spring season this year, it was a much-needed break, redshirt senior linebacker Vinny DePalma said.
"I think it was good to get away," DePalma said Tuesday. "We had six, seven weeks of workouts. Six, seven weeks of football and meetings. We're up here in the Boston snow and sub-freezing temperatures, and I think it was definitely good for everyone's mental, maybe to get away, get some warm weather, get with your family, get with your friends."
It was time for BC's coaching staff to refresh, too.
Head coach Jeff Hafley noted that, as coaches, if you don't take time away from the office when you can, you will burn out. And, in turn, not have the excitement necessary to lead a group of players.
"I wanted them to get away," Hafley said. "I would have been mad if any of them came in the office. Their families deserve to see 'em. ... And that's very important to me. I have a ton of respect for their family time."
So, after 11 days off, BC returned to Fish Field House Tuesday and Thursday for its fourth and fifth practices of spring ball.
The addition of George Takacs is the kind of fit Hafley looks for
The former Notre Dame tight end is now enrolled at BC and participating in spring practice. Takacs, a former four-star signee in the Fighting Irish's 2018 recruiting class—the same as quarterback Phil Jurkovec—recorded eight catches for 78 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 29 games with Notre Dame.He played 407 offensive snaps last year and ran 135 receiving routes, according to Pro Football Focus, but was targeted just four times and logged three receptions for 36 yards and one score, which came against Stanford. It's important to note, though, that sophomore All-American Michael Mayer gobbled up most of the targets at the position for the Irish last year. Mayer finished 2021 with the third-most receptions among FBS tight ends, in addition to 840 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
But BC sees a bigger role for Takacs, and his ties to the program are intriguing, given that he arrived in South Bend with Jurkovec and was most recently coached by Eagles offensive coordinator John McNulty (former Notre Dame tight ends coach).
"Once he entered the portal," Hafley said, "that was a guy that Coach McNulty had coached and had been around and had spoken really highly of as a person, which, you know with me and the portal, character—is he going to fit in here? Is he gonna fit the locker room? And he can he help us? He answered yes to all those questions."
Hafley continued: "I know Phil's excited, too. Familiarity with your quarterback and offensive coordinator, that checks a lot of boxes for us. And we're really excited to work with him."
Takacs will wear No. 80. He was working with the second-team offense (in 11-personnel) at the start of Tuesday's practice. But, considering that BC could very well run most of McNulty's scheme out of 12-personnel, Takacs figures to be the 1A/B option at the position alongside Joey Luchetti.
Vinny DePalma: "one of the most well-respected kids on the team"
DePalma was sidelined the entire 2020 season with injury. After playing in all 13 games as a redshirt freshman in 2019, the Wayne, New Jersey, native wasn't on the field for the first year of the Hafley era. That was challenging, especially when, the following season, he came back and needed to step up vocally.DePalma talked about how it's tough to lead when you can't play and alluded to the saying that "the best leaders are the best players."
"As soon as I got back in the 2021 offseason, it was my goal just to lead by example every day, and that will speak more volumes than anything I could possibly say," DePalma said. "That would be the most important thing I could do is just lead by example."
Versatile enough to play MIKE or WILL, DePalma earned a rotational spot in BC's base package and made an impact on both defense and special teams. DePalma finished last season as the team's third-leading tackler. He piled up 54 total tackles, including 35 solos, and registered the best PFF coverage grade (69.7) of his career.
"He's the veteran leader right now in the linebacker room," Hafley said. "He's someone we can trust. He's a guy that's on our leadership council that I go to all the time because of all those intangibles that he has. He's a special kid, and he's a great kid. He's one of the hardest workers on the team. He's one of the most well-respected kids on the team."
DePalma, who Hafley noted has been a bit banged up of late, emphasized that spring is a great time to re-establish BC's defensive culture and fundamentals, particularly as the Eagles' offense familiarizes itself with a new scheme and staff members.
"At the end of the day, the principles of your team and your culture and identity are the most important thing," DePalma said. "I think that's what we're establishing right now."
Now in his third year at BC, Jaelen Gill is embracing mentor role
Jaelen Gill thought about it. He was only at Ohio State for two years. This is going to be his third year on the Heights.“Definitely does feel like home," the Westerville, Ohio, native said.
After logging just seven total catches in Columbus, Gill quadrupled that total with the Eagles in 2020, notching a pair of 100-yard receiving games in the process. A foot injury kept him out the first three games of last season, but he returned to pile up 24 catches for 269 yards and a score, even with the Eagles' many offensive deficiencies.
Hafley was planning to roll out a new slew of plays for Gill in the Military Bowl before it was canceled because of BC COVID-19 complications and opt outs.
“I was really excited for him," Hafley said. "We had a ton of different things for him to do in the bowl game. That we had practiced that obviously none of us got to see, which is kind of a good thing now because we didn't show 'em.
"I think it's his time, and he's gotta go take it.”
Gill has the same mindset, and he likes what he sees from McNulty's offense so far, especially how playmakers are given the ball in space.
Gill discussed the jump that redshirt freshmen wide receivers Dante Reynolds and Lewis Bond—both from Kenwood Academy in Chicago—have made over the last year. He said that wide receivers coach Darrell Wyatt has already played a role in their maturation. But he added that he and Zay Flowers have served as mentors, too.
It's just another thing that Gill and Flowers do together. Gill said that Flowers was the first player to introduce himself when Gill transferred in two years ago. Gill calls the speedy wideout his best friend on the team. Whether it's leading the position group or working on releases, they're always competing and helping each other.
"Whatever it is, me and Zay always lean on each other," Gill said. "That's my dog.”
Competition is heating up along the offensive line
It's the position group with the most question marks and, consequently, attention. From the open portion of practice I saw on Tuesday, here were the O-Line lineups:First team:
LT Jack Conley
LG Finn Dirstine
C Drew Kendall
RG Christian Mahogany
*RT Kevin Cline
*Ozzy Trapilo wasn't practicing Tuesday.
Second team:
LT - Jude Bowry
LG - Otto Hess
C - Blerim Rustemi
RG - Jackson Ness
RT - Kevin Pyne
"It seems like they're getting tight with 'Coach Guge' and each other," Hafley said. "There's some good competition right now. I'm excited about 'em. I think we have a lot of really good young players."
Amari Jackson was taking part in punt return drills
Jackson has been impressing in spring ball. Big time. The mid-year enrollee had another highlight-reel interception during Tuesday's practice. And, earlier on, he took part in punt return drills.Keep in mind, Hafley said that Jackson, a highly-touted corner, could end up playing some offense during his time at BC.
Before that, we might just see him on special teams. His ball skills are that good.
