It was so different. Winning. Feeling good about Saturday, about looking at the tapes of the game to fix the things that didn’t work and marvel at those that did.
In the grand scheme of a season which has produced only 2 wins in their first 8 games, Saturday’s 20-17 win over Maryland will soon be in the rear view mirror of the Boston College football team.
Whether it will be remembered as a launching point or merely a piece of smooth highway in a rough stretch of a season filled with pot holes remains to be seen.
This much is certain, the Eagles went to their meetings on Sunday feeling good about what they had done in not only building a first-half lead against Maryland, but then regaining it when it appeared they had squandered yet another opportunity.
BC Coach Frank Spaziani, who needed the victory as much as his players, reflected only briefly on the moment in his weekly media phone conference before he talked about what lies ahead for the Eagles, starting with Saturday’s game at Wake Forest.
Wake Forest, which was crushed by Clemson last Thursday, is definitely a winnable game. After that, it becomes more problematical for the Eagles, with back-to-back home games against Notre Dame and Virginia Tech and a regular season closer against North Carolina State.
But those are problems that the Eagles will deal with when they are forced to deal with them.
For now, the Eagles will deal with the present, which includes the emergence of freshmen contributors such as running back Dave Dudeck, linebacker Kieran Borcich and free safety Justin Simmons.
All three made signficant contributions in the win over Maryland. Dudeck, scored the Eagles’ first TD on Saturdah, while Simmons and Borcich each came up with interceptions which killed Maryland drives, something that the beleaguered BC defense had done only on rare occasions through the first half of the season.
There were other contributors such as sophomore Spiffy Evans who had punt returns of 27 and 72 yards and returned three KO’s for 64 yards. All were key ingredients in helping the Eagles’ offense, which was fine at the start of the game, sputtered through much of the second half, before coming up with the final game-winning TD drive set up by quarterback Chase Rettig.
Again, all of this was good stuff for a team which has been surrounded by bad things through one of the toughest stretches in the past 20 years in BC football history.
Again, one game does not wipe out a month easily, but as Spaziani said on Sunday, it doesn’t hurt.
“”I believe if the mind is right, the body will follow,” said Spaziani.. “There was some very spontaneous excitement in the locker room. The players were starting to feel good about themselves”’
Spaziani said he also felt good. “It validates some of the things you are doing, ” he said, while acknowledging there is lots of work that must still be done.
© Copyright 2012 Mark, All rights Reserved. Written For: A Jersey Guy
GO EAGLES! GO BLAUDS!
Keep the good news coming!
Mark:
A few questions.
1. Are the kids that Grobe suspended a few weeks ago back for the BC game?
2. Isn’t Borcich playing d line? My ESPN3 stunk but I thought he was on the d line.
3. What’s the status of Kaleb Ramsey? Is he still out and when is he back?
4. Is Dillon Quinn still on the team? Is he healthy?
5. Is Harris Williams playing and is he on offense or defense?
6. What’s your sense of how the coaches feel? Euphoric? Happy but feeling like the sword of Damocles is hanging over their heads? Energized? Stressed?
7. Any injuries from Saturday?
8, How are they going to practice with Sandy coming to town?
Thanks in advance.
Good questions
1. Not sure about wake players. think they are back.
2. Ramsey is day to day, but probably not available. He has other issues.
3. Quinn is also probably not going to play. Hes had injuries and other issues–there are more than a few of those guys on the team.
4. Borcich is d line.
5. Harris williams has moved in and out as an offensive guard behind Bobby Vardardo
6. coaches are coaches, come to work, do the job and hope for the best. what else can they do
7. No major inuries announced on Sunday. Won’t really know until Wednesday
8. practice willl be as conditions allow. probably stay in alumni stadium. no indoor facility so not much of a choice.
Mark,
I am sure you’re not a liberty to get into it, but when you say “other issues” does that mean there is more going on than just physical injuries with Quinn and Ramsey?
You could say that.
I don’t know, but my guess is that yes, there are more than physical injuries involved.
BTW – You forgot to highlight Tim Joy in terms of true freshman stepping up. Thought he played really well out there. He’s going to be a good LBer down the road…
Great point, and he’s a great kid too.