Parents' Weekend always means two things in the world of Boston College sports: a sold-out football game and a mediocre (at best) opponent. This year is no different, as the Eagles will take on the University of Rhode Island on Saturday afternoon.
This match-up should allow the Eagles to easily cruise to a 3-1 record before they head into the meat of their ACC schedule. Rhode Island is a Championship Football Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) team from the Colonial Athletic Association. The Rams have struggled through the beginning of their schedule and come to Chestnut Hill with a 1-3 record.
BC is coming off a 34-7 victory over the University of Central Florida. The Eagles' offense was unable to muster anything in the first half, and the Knights led 7-3 at halftime. Quarterback Chris Crane went a meager six-of-14 and gave up an interception in the first half. The Eagles defense was able to contain UCF, despite being put in some tough positions, but the offense was unable to finish its drives and reach the end zone, leaving the Alumni Stadium crowd frustrated and concerned.
BC linebacker Brian Toal was also frustrated at halftime, and he made that clear to his team in the locker room with a fiery speech. The Eagles came out of the tunnel on a mission, and the offense finally stepped things up and put 31 more points on the board.
Despite giving up two more interceptions, Crane looked much better in the
second half, completing 10 of 20 passes for 162 yards. He looks to continue to improve this week, and said, "I know I will play better, I have to play better."
Crane said that he gained much more confidence from his performance in the second half and has built on that this week during practice. He said that his performance so far has been "average at best" but is convinced that he can improve more and more each week.
Backup quarterback Dominque Davis made his debut in maroon and gold on Saturday, going 4-for-7. The coaching staff was pleased with his performance, but they acknowledge that he has a long way to go. He is expected to get at least a few snaps again on Saturday.
Freshman running back Montel Harris is also beginning to make a name for himself. He had 13 carries for 112 yards against UCF and looked very comfortable with the offense. "He's got a real good feel for our run schemes. I'm really pleased with him," said head coach Jeff Jagodzinski. Harris is still listed as third on the depth chart at half back, but should get a fair number of touches this week.
Harris' classmate and fellow running back Josh Haden is still recovering from an ankle injury he suffered during the Georgia Tech game. The coaching staff elected not to play Haden against UCF, and it is unclear how much he will play, if at all, against URI.
Senior wide receiver Brandon Robinson also gained a great deal of confidence last week. He had seven receptions for 107 yards, including a 48-yard touchdown pass from Crane. Robinson said that he really needed to have a performance like that and thinks he is finally finding his groove.
The offense has a great opportunity to shine on Saturday. The URI defense has given up an average of 28.5 points in its four games this season. The Rams have lost three straight games and have not played on nearly as big of a stage as they will this week.
The Rams defense is led by sophomore linebacker Matt Hanson, who leads the CAA in tackles and fumbles forced. He has made 39 tackles on the season and averages 9.8 per game and has recorded three sacks.
The secondary has allowed an average of 255.25 passing yards and should not pose a huge threat to Crane and his receiving corps. Despite this, the Eagles made it clear that they are not looking past URI and will prepare extensively, as they would in preparation for any opponent.
BC has a chance to gain a great deal of yardage both in the air and on the ground. The offense should be able to continue to work on its chemistry and take some pressure off the defense, which has carried the team so far this season. This would put the Eagles in a good position to prepare for the tough ACC schedule ahead of them and increase the confidence of the fan base.
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