Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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124 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW BY BRYAN DRISKELL The time has come for Boston College head coach Steve Addazio. According to EagleAc- tion.com lead football reporter Michael Sulli- van, when Addazio was hired prior to the 2013 season he touted a five-year plan to rebuild the program. He is now entering year five. Addazio has yet to finish better than 7-6. The Eagles are only 10-22 in ACC play — 2-14 the last two years — but with 14 starters returning to a team that won its final three games in 2016, improvement is expected. "Because of Addazio's five-year plan, anything less than eight wins is simply unac- ceptable," Sullivan stated. "There are plenty of winnable games on the schedule. I think anything less than a bowl win and a markedly improved performance against the best teams in the league should be seen as a disappointment." The Fremeau Efficiency Index has ranked Boston College 22nd and third in defensive ef- ficiency the last two seasons, so the Eagles have played well enough on that side of the ball to win more games. Offensive improvement is the key to Addazio finally turning fortunes around. "He and offensive coordinator Scott Loeffler seem to understand the pro-style offense that has been run will not work on its own," Sullivan said. "They've experimented with an up-tempo, spread set that utilizes four or five receivers." Boston College began implementing that system prior to its Quick Lane Bowl matchup against Maryland, which the Eagles won 36-30. Finding a quarterback between junior Darius Wade and redshirt freshman Anthony Brown will be step one in generating enough offense to improve the team's record. "Anthony Brown has better raw talent, and fans have been clamoring for him," Sullivan said. "If all goes well for Brown he certainly has a higher upside. The problem is that the game still seems to be going a little fast for him. … Wade is serviceable. He doesn't have the strongest arm, but he's accurate for shorter passes over the middle." Wade emerged as the starter in 2015 and helped BC start 2-0 before going down with a season-ending injury early in game three, but he attempted only 19 passes last year. Whoever starts at quarterback will play be- hind a line that returns three starters and adds in WVU graduate transfer Marcell Lazard. ✦ 2017 SCHEDULE Date Opponent 2016 Result Sept. 1 at Northern Illinois — Sept. 9 Wake Forest W, 17-14 Sept. 16 Notre Dame — Sept. 23 at Clemson L, 56-10 Sept. 30 Central Michigan — Oct. 7 Virginia Tech L, 49-0 Oct. 14 at Louisville L, 52-7 Oct. 21 at Virginia — Oct. 27 Florida State L, 45-7 Nov. 11 North Carolina State W, 21-14 Nov. 18 Connecticut W, 30-0 Nov. 25 at Syracuse L, 28-20 QUICK FACTS All-Time Series: Notre Dame leads 14-9 Last Meeting: Notre Dame 19, Bos- ton College 16 (Nov. 21, 2015; Boston) Head Coach: Steve Addazio, 24-27 (5th year) and 37-38 overall (7th year) 2016 Results: 7-6 overall, 2-6 ACC (T-6th in At- lantic); beat Maryland 36-30 in the Quick Lane Bowl Returning Starters: 14 (7 offense, 7 defense) 2017 Preseason Rankings: No. 70 by Athlon, No. 70 by ESPN Football Power Index and No. 84 by Lindy's Did You Know?: Notre Dame and Boston Col- lege's last meeting was part of the Shamrock Series and was played in Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox … From 2001-08, the Eagles beat the Irish in six straight matchups … Notre Dame has won the last five contests, including four during Brian Kelly's tenure … Harold Landry is a first-team All-American and All-ACC selec- tion by Lindy's, Athlon, Street & Smith's and Phil Steele's … Phil Steele's ranked Landry as the second-best draft-eligible defensive end in the country … Athlon ranked the Boston College defensive line 11th best in the country. Prediction: Notre Dame 34, Boston College 14 STRENGTH: Front Seven Senior end Harold Landry is a consensus pre- season first-team All-American after a dominant 2016 in which he registered 22 tackles for loss and 16.5 sacks. Landry isn't a one-trick pony; he is a force against the run and teams have to build their game plans around not letting him take over. Playing opposite Landry is 6-5, 272-pound junior Zach Allen, who had 10 tackles for loss and six sacks last season. Allen was part of a rotation with Kevin Kavalec, and with more opportunities will come greater production. Landry and Allen could end up as the best end combination Notre Dame faces next season, plus junior end Wyatt Ray is a key reserve that had seven stops behind the line and 4.5 sacks last season. Inside, the Eagles return nine-game starter Ray Smith, who will be joined in the rotation by senior Noa Merritt (6-0, 277), junior Kevin Cohee (6-2, 274) and senior Jack Kenny (6-3, 275). Boston Col- lege's lack of size inside is its primary concern along the front seven. Boston College has a pair of quality senior inside linebackers. Connor Strachan led the Eagles with 80 tackles and also posted 11 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four fumble recoveries. Ty Schwab was third with 61 tackles, adding 5.5 tackles for loss in Boston College's downhill defense. CONCERN: Secondary Two seasons ago the Eagles' pass defense was one of the nation's best, ranking fifth in pass effi- ciency defense and sixth in passing yards allowed. Boston College took a major step back in 2016, ranking 34th in yards allowed and 75th in pass efficiency defense. Boston College ranked 74th in yards per comple- tion allowed as most opponents had far too much success getting the ball down the field against the Eagles secondary. Considering how effective the pass rush was, that made it more troublesome. In losses to Clemson, Florida State, Louisville, Virginia Tech and Syracuse, the Eagles allowed 301.2 yards per game through the air and gave up 22 touchdowns against just three interceptions. Three starters return, but Boston College lost its best defensive back in John Johnson, a third-round NFL Draft pick of the Los Angeles Rams. Junior Will Harris is more of a run stopper at safety and he will be joined on the back end by senior Atem Ntantang, who has been a special teams player the last two seasons. On the outside Boston College has experience in senior corners Kamrin Moore and Isaac Yiadom, who have combined for 36 starts and 32 career passes broken up. Yiadom has the most raw talent and will take on a major role. BOSTON COLLEGE EAGLES SEPT. 16 • ALUMNI STADIUM • CHESTNUT HILL, MASS. RETURNING LEADERS Rushing: RB Jon Hilliman (542 yards, 6 TD) Passing: QB Darius Wade (100 yards, 0 TD) Receiving: WR Michael Walker (420 yards, 4 TD) Tackles: LB Connor Strachan (80) Sacks: DE Harold Landry (16.5) Interceptions: S Will Harris and CB Kamrin Moore (2) X-FACTOR: Notre Dame will have to find a way to contain senior defensive end Harold Landry, who led the nation with 16.5 sacks and finished fifth with 22 tackles for loss in 2016. PHOTO COURTESY BOSTON COLLEGE ATHLETICS