The Daily Nole

FSU Football: A First Look at Boston College

Ross Obley/FSU athletics

Florida State will face another stout defense this week as the Seminoles host Boston College. The Eagles however, have struggled to move the ball offensively. The teams will meet this week on Veteran’s Day.

Under head coach Jimbo Fisher, FSU is a perfect 6-0 against Boston College. The last three contests between the teams however, have been very competitive. Florida State took a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter last season in Chestnut Hill before a Jalen Ramsey fumble return for a touchdown put the game away in a 14-0 FSU win.

On Boston College

Record: 4-5 (1-5 ACC)
Offensive Ranks: 126th in yards per game (312), 117th in passing yards per game (154.6), 88th in rushing yards per game (157.6), 122nd in points per game (19.4).
Defensive Ranks: 15th in yards per game allowed (323), 47th in passing yards per game allowed (216), 8th in rushing yards per game allowed (106.6), 58th in points per game allowed (26.2).
Last Game: Lost at home to Louisville on Saturday, 52-7.

On Offense

Though quarterback play has been improved from last season, Kentucky transfer Patrick Towles has still struggled for the Eagles. Towles has completed just 51 percent of his passes at just more than 6.5 yards per attempt, but it is a step up from last season when Darius Wade, Troy Flutie and John Fadule shared time. Towles also has 250 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

On the ground, six different Boston College players have at least 100 yards rushing. Jon Hilliman and Myles Willis are both veterans in the backfield. Hilliman is the workhorse with a team-high 432 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Jeff Smith and Michael Walker have been the go-to guys for Towles, combining for 52 catches for 565 yards and five of the Eagles’ nine touchdown catches. Smith is a converted quarterback who is often used as a passer and a rusher as well.

The Eagles are young up front with only one redshirt senior in right tackle Jimmy Lowery and one junior in center Jon Baker. Boston College has done a decent job protecting Towles, but have gotten little push up front. The Eagles average just 3.7 yards per carry for the year. In ACC play, Boston College is averaging just 12 points per game.

On Defense

Despite losing coordinator Don Brown to Michigan in the offseason, Boston College continues to have a top 20 defense. Junior defensive end Harold Landry has put together an All-ACC type season with nine sacks and 11 tackles for loss. The Eagles rank in the top 15 nationally with 27 sacks on the season. The strength of a very good Boston College defense is a loaded corps of linebackers, headlined by senior Matt Milano. Milano ranks second on the team with 50 total tackles, five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.

Fellow linebackers Connor Strachan and Ty Schwab have combined for 92 tackles and 12.5 tackles for loss. In the secondary, John Johnson is the guy to watch. Johnson, a senior, leads the team with 51 total tackles and is tied with fellow safety William Harris for the team-lead with a pair of interceptions. Opponents have had some success through the air against the Eagles this season.

On Special Teams

In the kicking game, Mike Knoll has been dependable, going 7-for-8 on field goal attempts this season. Knoll however, does not have a big leg. Knoll also does the punting, but averages less than 38 yards per punt. Myles Willis, the kick returner, and Tyler Rouse, the punt returner, have each had exceptional seasons for the Eagles. Boston College has been very good as well when it comes to covering kicks.

Summary

Boston College as a team has made significant progress from last season when it finished just 3-9 and 0-8 in ACC play. The Eagles remain a very good team on defense and have shown improvement on offense, but Steve Addazio’s team is in danger of having a second straight losing season. That was enough to get Frank Spaziani fired and Addazio desperately needs to make a bowl game. To make a long story short, Boston College doesn’t appear to be a team good enough to make a long trip to Tallahassee on a short week and leave with a victory.

Mike Ferguson is the editor of The Daily Nole. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeWFerguson

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