Q&A With Eagle Insider’s Tyler Calvaruso on FSU-Boston College

After suffering another heartbreaking home loss, Florida State (2-4) must make the trip to Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts on short rest. The Seminoles face Boston College (4-4) on a Friday night for the third straight season.

Joining The Daily Nole to preview tonight’s contest is Tyler Calvaruso, a contributor to 247Sports’ Eagle Insider. Below, we preview the game, discuss some lesser-known players and offer some predictions.

Boston College sits at 4-4 and fourth in the ACC Atlantic. What were your predictions for the Eagles in 2017?

Calvaruso: I wasn’t really sure to expect heading into the season, to be 100 percent honest with you. I knew the defense would be solid, but I wasn’t sure how the offense would fare with a redshirt freshman in Anthony Brown under center. A.J. Dillon has emerged as one of the better running backs in the country in his first year, which changed almost everything for the Boston College offense. Dillon came in as a highly-touted recruit with a lot of talent, but nobody could’ve predicted him playing the way he has so far.

BC has suddenly undergone some sort of offensive “awakening,” scoring more than 40 points in each of its last two games. What is the difference between this year’s BC offense and the offenses from previous seasons?

Calvaruso: As I said above, Dillon has been the difference. Jon Hilliman has been a steady contributor throughout his years at Boston College, but Dillon has brought a new element to the Boston College offense. He has played well and has really gotten it going over the past couple of games along with Brown, who has showed some impressive traits over the past couple of weeks. His confidence has steadily been rising with each passing game and now that offensive coordinator Scot Loeffler has allowed Brown to use his legs a bit more recently, Brown is back in his element as a threat through the air and on the ground.

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Who are some lesser-known players that fans should watch out for on Friday? Which players do you think will have the most success, whether it be on offense or defense?

Calvaruso: FSU fans should definitely watch out for redshirt freshman wide receiver Kobay White. He has developed a nice connection with Brown and has had some success separating from elite corners so far in 2017. However, I wouldn’t expect White to have too much success on Friday night. White will draw the most attention from FSU’s secondary and given the talent back there, it could be a long night for him.

In terms of players who might have some success for BC, look no further than Zach Allen. Allen has been a beast for the Eagles in 2017 and if the FSU offensive line isn’t up to the task, Cam Akers might be in some trouble.

Which match-ups do you like for the BC offense against FSU’s defense, and vice versa? Which ones concern you?

Calvaruso: I like Dillon going up against the FSU front-seven. The Boston College offensive line has been solid all year long and have been a big reason as to why Dillon as had so much success early on. If BC can win the battle in the trenches, Dillon will have room to run and make the big plays that BC fans have become so accustomed to lately.

Brown and the BC wide receivers going up against FSU’s secondary definitely worries me. Despite the record, there’s no denying the talent within the FSU secondary. Given the youth of the players in the Boston College passing attack, I think Derwin James could be in a position to have a big game.

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Friday night will also be Boston College’s annual Red Bandana Game. For the fans who don’t follow BC closely, what is the Red Bandana Game and what does the event mean to the BC community?

Calvaruso: The Red Bandana Game is an extremely important one to the BC community, as it pays honor to former Boston College lacrosse player Welles Crowther, who lost his life on 9/11. On that day, Crowther saved over a dozen lives in the South Tower during the attacks while wearing a red bandana, the same bandana that he wore during his playing days at Boston College, to protect himself from the dust and smoke.

Crowther’s family will be recognized at halftime and as a way to pay homage to Crowther, red bandanas will be distributed to the fans before the game and the team will wear special Under Armour uniforms featuring red bandana accents on their helmets, gloves, socks and cleats.

Finally, give us a prediction. Who emerges victorious on Friday night?

Calvaruso: 24-20. BC wins the game. I think Brown will have some difficulties with the FSU secondary, but with Dillon leading the way out of the backfield, the Eagles will have just enough to come away with a win.

Big thanks to Tyler Calvaruso for taking the time to help us preview Friday’s match-up. For all things Boston College, follow him on Twitter @tyler_calvaruso and catch his work at Eagle Insider.

Game Info
Florida State vs. Boston College
Time: Friday, Oct. 27, 8 p.m. EST
Location: BC Alumni Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts 

Josh Mixon covers Florida State athletics for The Daily Nole. You can find him on Twitter @JoshDMixon.