Category Archives: Football

‘Butts kicked’ by Bearcats

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David Bailey (photo by Butch Dill/AP)

New football coach Jeff Hafley watched the 2019-20 Eagles get, as interim coach Rich Gunnell termed it, their “butts kicked” by #21 Cincinnati yesterday in the Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl. Final score 38-6. Hafley likely realized he had a lot of work ahead.

Scoring only on the return of a blocked field goal attempt when already down 24-0, BC gained 164 yards total offense, lowest total of the season. The Bearcats meanwhile amassed 459 yards, including 343 yards rushing. In attempting to gain a first down on 11 third-down opportunities, BC was unsuccessful each time.

The game featured a weird sense of deja vu. Last season, BC’s bowl game against Boise State was canceled because of lightning. Yesterday, the start of the game was delayed for 30 minutes because of lightning and then suspended for the same reason after only seven minutes and five seconds of play. The suspension lasted 90 minutes and, to the later dismay of some, the game resumed.

Star BC running back AJ Dillon had announced previously he was preparing for the NFL draft and did not play in the game. 

The Eagles ran 47 plays in the game, compared to 91 for Cincinnati, and possessed the ball for 18 minutes, 31 seconds, less than half the 41:29 possession time for the Bearcats. Running back David Bailey ran eight times for 28 yards, while freshman running back Pat Garwo, playing in his third game of the season, gained 24 yards on four carries. Two Bearcats, including quarterback Desmond Ridder, each gained 105 yards on 21 carries.

BC quarterback Dennis Grosel was 8-17 for 87 yards.

The Eagles finished the season 6-7. While there may be an ACC opponent on the schedule to open the 2020 season, scheduled for September are Holy Cross (September 5), Ohio University (September 12), at Kansas (September 19), and Purdue (September 26).

January bowl game!

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BC’s bowl game is in January, the Eagles will be coached by someone other than Steve Addazio, and San Diego Eagles will convoke at a new gamewatch location.

BC will play the #21 Cincinnati Bearcats (10-3), who finished second in the American Athletic Conference, in the Birmingham (Ala.) Bowl at noon on January 2, 2020. The Bearcats had wins over UCLA, South Florida, and Houston, and their three losses were to Ohio State and twice to Memphis.

The Eagles (6-6) are coached on an interim basis by Rich Gunnell ’10, MS’14, who had served as wide receivers coach on the Addazio staff. BC had announced on December 1 that Addazio would be relieved of his duties as head coach, effective immediately. It also announced on December 14 that Jeff Hafley, co-defensive coordinator for Ohio State, would replace Addazio. Hafley will take over when the Buckeyes, competing in the national championship playoffs, finish their season.

A bowl game at midday on a weekday, the day after New Year’s Day, is not the most attractive possibility for San Diego Eagles, but those of us interested and able will gather at the Green Dragon Tavern and Museum in Carlsbad. Besides having been inspired by the Revolutionary War-era tavern of the same name in Boston and serving as a museum of artifacts of the time, the Green Dragon has an even more direct link to Boston College. The daughter of the Green Dragon’s owner is Brooke Bartlett Rodriquez ’00.

 

Panthers succumb

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Running back AJ Dillon secured the win for the Eagles.

Pitt had more first downs than BC in yesterday’s game. The Panthers also gained more yards in total. They had a higher number in another category, however, that spelled their doom — turnovers.

Pitt lost the ball four times — three fumbles and a pass interception. The mishaps thwarted Panther drives and at least once gave the Eagles a short field and three subsequent points on their way to a 26-19 victory.

Near game’s end, when Pitt had kicked a field goal to make it a one-score game, BC got the ball on its 25-yard line with 5:26 remaining on the clock. It seemed likely that Pitt could get the ball back to try to tie or win the game. Instead, the Eagles asked running back AJ Dillon to secure the win and he answered the call.

Carrying the ball on eight straight plays, gaining 48 yards, Dillon got BC four first downs and allowed the Eagles go into victory formation with QB Dennis Grosel taking a knee three times to run out the clock.

Overall, Dillon gained 178 yards on 32 carries. In the third quarter, Dillon scored on a 61-yard touchdown run, his longest of the season. It was the seventh time this season that Dillon gained more than 150 yards in a game. 

As this was the regular season finale, Dillon finished with 1,685 yards, the fourth-highest season total in Eagles history. Already BC’s all-time leading rusher, after three seasons, Dillon’s career total rose to 4,382 yards.

Here are highlights.

The win brought the BC season record to 6-6, making the Eagles eligible for a bowl game. Announcement of which bowl game will take place December 8. The bowl game will feature an interim coach. BC fired coach Steve Addazio today and wide receivers coach Rich Gunnell ’10, MS’14 will prepare the team for their next game.