Opponent Analysis and Schematic Breakdown: Boston College Edition

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Bringing back one of my favorite series of last year, I wanted to take a deeper look at Boston College’s game against Cincinnati and what the Scarlet Knights can do to win this pivotal football game on Friday night in Chestnut Hill. Both teams are coming into this game off of highly disappointing losses and will be looking for a huge bounce-back win for bowl and season morale purposes.

This will not be a film room series with live clips embedded, but I will do my best to break down what I saw from the game highlights and carry that forward in what Rutgers needs to do on either side of the football to best counter the Eagles on both sides of the football.

Game Analysis: Boston College vs. Cincinnati

Watching the extended game highlights, the first thing I noticed is that Boston College looked to quickly establish the run and struggled in pass protection. Boston College transfer quarterback Mason McKenzie made some nice and timely throws in the short and intermediate areas of the field, but he really made a difference with his legs by picking up third and longs on the ground. He ran the ball 20 times for 78 yards, and had elite bursts of speed, not only taking what the defense gave him, but also what was not given at times.

Before the end of the first half, the Eagles appeared to score a touchdown, with the tight end appearing to catch and fumble the football before recovering it in the end zone, but it was ruled as an incomplete pass. On the next play, McKenzie attempted to zip a pass to Colgate transfer receiver Reed Swanson, but double coverage saw that pass sail incomplete. The ensuing field goal kick from Luca Lombardo was no good, leaving the Bearcats up 10-0 at halftime. UC would go on to lead 24-0 and 34-8 before a late BC touchdown closed the margin to 34-15.

On defense, Cincinnati quarterback JC French was similar to McKenzie in his limited passing and rushing ability, if not even more so, going 10-14 for 77 yards through the air while rushing for 52 yards on 10 carries. The BC defense mightily struggled against the run, with running back Gi’Bran Payne going for 108 yards off of just 14 carries, an average of 7.7 yards per carry.

Rutgers Offense vs. Boston College Defense

The big question is how will AJ Surace perform in his first collegiate start, and first for Rutgers? In the lone drive he came in last game, he instantly made solid throws, moved the chains, and had a nice deep ball down the sideline to KJ Duff before capping it off for a touchdown.

Surace seemed more willing to take shots down the field, as opposed to Lonergan’s tendency to dink and dunk, and that capability could prove to be a big difference-maker against Boston College. KJ Duff is a matchup nightmare for almost any secondary in college football with his size and ability to haul in contested catches, but the real differentiator could be in the run game.

Cincinnati ran the ball at will, and if Rutgers looks to pull out this game in Chestnut Hill, they must exploit the same formula. Antwan Raymond is one of the top backs in the Big Ten, but he struggled to get going behind a shaky offensive line that also left Lonergan vulnerable to rushed throws, sacks, and hits, eventually getting injured in the fourth quarter due to the accumulation.

If the offensive line can properly protect AJ Surace, and Rutgers can control clock by running the football, they should have enough offense to give their defense a chance. This will be paramount especially given the fresh face at quarterback; Rutgers should not immediately put it on Surace to win the game on his own.

Rutgers Defense vs. Boston College Offense

Boston College will lean on using their running backs, as well as feature Mason McKenzie as a rusher, which is probably his greatest attribute. The defense kept the Eagles in the game, put pressure on French at times, but struggled to defend open areas in the field, and mightily struggled in the run game, which is where Rutgers should take advantage. In addition, BC will be sure to feature their tight ends, as is tradition.

It appeared evident that the Eagles did not fully trust McKenzie with his arm just yet, although he was able to make timely throws when the team needed. If not for miscues, the Eagles could have gone into the locker room down 10-7 at halftime and the second half could have played out differently, but BC was challenged greatly by Cincy’s defense.

However, the Cincinnati defense is likely far better than what Rutgers showed against UMass last week. The Scarlet Knights posed no pass rushing threat, severe limitations in tackling, and lapses in coverage that led directly to Minutemen touchdowns. If the Knights repeat that defensive performance, the offense that looked incapable against the Bearcats could look very good against the Knights.

Prediction

I am not too certain on a Rutgers win, but if they execute their game plan perfectly, and AJ Surace is immediately the quarterback that was advertised, the Knights could steal one in Chestnut Hill, especially with KJ Duff looking like an NFL wide receiver. However, given how lackluster they looked and the issues at nearly every defensive position, it will be hard to imagine a complete 180 on that side of the football.

While I think the offense starts to gel, it will not be enough to overcome a new quarterback, a shaky offensive line, and a defense that struggled in every facet of defending against UMass. Boston College and Rutgers likely have the same formula to win, but the Eagles execute the run-the-ball, stop-the-run strategy better and come away with a narrow victory, possibly between three and seven points.

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