Vol. 6: 2022 Fall Camp Notebook
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)
Publisher
Boston College held its second scrimmage of fall camp Sunday morning in Alumni Stadium. The exhibition wasn't open to the public or the media, but we learned a bit about how it went after practice wrapped.
So let's get into some takeaways and other preseason observations.
1. Sunday's scrimmage was about creating a game-like atmosphere
Third-year head coach Jeff Hafley spent seven years in the NFL as an assistant. He knows how valuable preseason games are, particularly for developing depth. Hafley emphasized Sunday that, without a preseason game in fall camp, the second scrimmage acted as a similar tune-up. It featured a bunch of situational work, including two-minute, end-of-game scenarios. Coaches were wearing real head sets, and coordinators were in the booth."That was the big thing," Hafley said. "Trying to get a feel for [it]. We don't have a preseason game. This is it."
2. Hafley says the O-Line is 'pretty much' set
BC has been rotating its offensive linemen profusely this summer—partly because the Eagles have been missing some key pieces throughout camp and partly because they're trying to find the best combination without right guard Christian Mahogany, who tore his ACL in May. But redshirt freshman center Drew Kendall is back practicing, and Hafley likes where BC's O-Line is at right now."I think how the O-Line is right now today will pretty much be how the O-Line goes forward," Hafley said. "I like the way it's kind of gelled together the last few days."
He continued: "The nice part about missing some of those guys that we did for a short period of time, we got a lot of those younger guys a lot of reps, which is gonna help us. We're young there. We all know that."
Because the media didn't have access to the scrimmage, I don't know what that first unit looked like Sunday. I have, however, been tracking the O-Line combinations over the course of this fall camp notebook series.
Running back Alec Sinkfield noted that "it's been a struggle" for the offensive line, in terms of figuring out who's going where. That said, he's noticed progress from the group, especially of late.
"I think, as of right now, we got a good understanding of where we want people at," Sinkfield. "I think they're doing a great job. The difference between last week and this week was impressive."
3. Steve Shimko will be coaching the quarterbacks this season
This is a storyline that's flown under the radar this offseason. BC's offense underwent some significant changes the last eight months. Another was Steve Shimko, BC's tight ends coach the last two years, embracing a more involved role with the offense.Shimko, who was the Seattle Seahawks assistant quarterbacks coach before he arrived at BC, has been and will continue coaching the Eagles' signal callers this year. Shimko played quarterback at Rutgers before an injury cut his career short. He was also the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator at Garden City (Kansas) Community College, where he won the NJACC National Championship in his first of two seasons (2016-17).
Hafley called Shimko a "star in the profession" and added that he and the quarterbacks, namely Phil Jurkovec and Emmett Morehead, have an awesome relationship.
Hafley believes it's advantageous for new OC John McNulty not to have to coach a specific position group, whereas former BC offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. oversaw the team's quarterbacks.
Hafley wants McNulty in control of BC's whole offense.
"I want him freed up to go into the O-Line room, into the RB room, into the TE room, into the receiver room. John's coached a lot of different positions. I want him to oversee it and make sure everything is in line with exactly how he wants it."
4. Pass protection comes from more places than just the O-Line
Sinkfield told reporters Sunday that, during every position group meeting, there's an emphasis on pass protection. It's an area in which running backs can always improve. Last season, lead back Pat Garwo III struggled mightily in that department. In fact, he registered a meager 14.9 Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade, with four pressures, two quarterback hits and one sack allowed. Sinkfield was much better, per PFF, with an 83.4 pass blocking grade."We gotta protect Phil [Jurkovec]," Sinkfield said. "Every meeting, we make sure the pass pro is on point. I mean, as a quarterback, running the ball is what we should do. So that's second nature. Pass pro, we have to do that. If we protect 5, points are going to go up."
5. The game has slowed down for LB Jaylen Blackwell
Bryce Steele told reporters last week that they call fellow linebacker Jaylen Blackwell—Steele's classmate and roommate—"crazy man.""I see what I hit, I hit it, man," Blackwell said of his nickname. "Pretty much that stuck with me since I got here. That's just my way, my game, the way I play."
Blackwell, a redshirt freshman, flies to the ball. He had to harness that speed and aggression from Year One to Year Two, though. The game has slowed down for him, and now he's in line to play a significant role in BC's second level—if not as a starter, as a rotational force. Last year prepared him for this moment.
"I was welcomed by Zion [Johnson], [Christian] Mahogany," Blackwell said. "They showed me the pace of the game. It was faster my first year, coming in from high school. Changed game, changed speed. The game's different.
"So you gotta adapt to that. You've gotta learn how fast the plays come in. You gotta read guards, tackles. And, as I understood that, I became better and more confident in what play's coming next."
6. Some scrimmage notes...
These are from the BC press release, so take everything with a grain of salt. But it's worth noting a few things:— Phil Jurkovec drove the ball downfield to wideout Jaden Williams and then found Zay Flowers to leapfrog the Eagles into the red zone on the first unit's opening drive. But a sack forced that group to settle for a 35-yard Connor Lytton field goal.
— The second team proceeded to move the chains on third down: first with a completion to true freshman Ismael Zamor on third-and-long and then with a completion to Taji Johnson on third-and-short.
— Later on, BC's defense stood tall, turning the first-team offense over on downs. Linebacker Kam Arnold came up with a 3rd-and-1 stop, and then the D-Line stopped the run on 4th-and-inches.
— Toward the end of the scrimmage, backup quarterback Emmett Morehead connected with redshirt sophomore tight end Charlie Gordinier for a touchdown.
