Here is a scouting report on Boston College (2-7 overall, 1-5 ACC), who plays at No. 16 NC State (7-2, 3-2 ACC) at 3:30 p.m. Saturday on ACC Network.
Five Boston College players to watch
Senior outside linebacker Vinny DePalma
DePalma leads Boston College with 65 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, one forced fumble and three quarterback hurries this season. He has 11 tackles in two different games. The 5-foot-11, 223-pounder had 54 tackles and three tackles for loss in 12 games last year, seven of which he started.
Sophomore defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku
The 6-2, 236-pounder is far away the best pass-rusher for Boston College. He leads the Eagles with six sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, plus three forced fumbles. He’s fourth on the squad with 48 tackles. The Williamstown, N.J., native was a Rivals.com three-star prospect played last year as a true freshman with 21 tackles and three sacks.
Senior wide receiver Zay Flowers
The 5-10, 172-pound Flowers has 60 catches for 791 yards and eight touchdowns this season. He has topped 100 yards in three games, including going for five receptions for 151 yards and two touchdowns against Louisville on Oct. 1. He also is the Eagles’ punt returner with seven returns for 43 yards. Flowers has caught 182 career passes for 2,770 yards and 25 touchdowns.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Emmett Morehead
The 6-5, 228-pound Morehead filled in last week for injured quarterback Phil Jurkovec. The California native attended Episcopal Collegiate School in Alexandria, Va., for his senior year, and committed to the Eagles. He went 27-of-45 passing for 330 yards and four touchdowns in the 38-31 loss vs. Duke last Friday. He has thrown for 555 yards and five touchdowns this season, with an interception.
Senior tight end George Takacs
Takacs played his first three years at Notre Dame, but the 6-6, 247-pounder was behind star Michael Mayer. He has 20 catches for 214 yards and a touchdown for Boston College this season. The former Rivals.com four-star prospect caught seven passes against both Rutgers and Maine for the bulk of his catches.
What to watch for from Boston College
1. Boston College has a proud tradition on the offensive line, with two first-round picks in the last four years with Chris Lindstrom and Zion Johnson.
Part of that tradition included the coaching of the well-respected and heroic Don Horton, who coached at Boston College and NC State. He passed away from Parkinson’s on May 28, 2016.
The offensive line has gone through four starters at left guard, and four starters at right tackle, which is almost unheard of in college football. The Eagles have allowed 34 sacks this season.
Redshirt junior Christian Mahogany, a right guard, and redshirt sophomore right tackle Kevin Pyne both had their seasons end before the season opener for Boston College.
Redshirt junior Jack Conley has started four games at right tackle, including the Duke game, but also has two starts at right guard and one start at left tackle this season.
Senior Finn Dirstine started the first four games at left guard and suffered a season-ending shoulder surgery. Redshirt junior Jackson Ness has started three of the last five, including against the Blue Devils. Ness and redshirt sophomore right guard Dwayne Allick are both converted defensive linemen.
2. Redshirt freshman quarterback Emmett Morehead got off to a slow start against Duke, and the Eagles fell behind 24-7 with 4:16 left in the second quarter.
As sometimes happens, with the game not on the line as much, Morehead settled in. He threw for 330 yards and four touchdowns, with zero interceptions. He throws a catchable ball, but isn’t going to throw fastballs. Instead, he throws to spots, gives his receivers a chance to make a play and tends to have a good amount of arc in dropping his passes in.
The lanky 6-5 Morehead rushed nine times for minus-six yards and he was sacked five times against Duke. He’s not a statue, but he is more apt to roll out and extend a play, while looking downfield.
Whatever happens at quarterback down the road with Morehead and Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec, who has been injured, Morehead showed he should be a solid college quarterback when his time comes.
3. Boston College was a machine in pumping out power running backs. A.J. Dillon, Andre Williams, Montel Harris and William Green were some of the top ones.
Boston College is struggling on both sides of the line in running the ball and stopping the run. Duke rushed 41 times for 232 yards and four touchdowns, with quarterback Riley Leonard running for a 60-yard score.
In turn, BC rushed 28 times for 75 yards against the Blue Devils. It’s easy to understand how Duke had a big lead with such a discrepancy.
Opposing teams have averaged 4.1 yards per carry, while the Eagles are at a paltry 2.3 yards a rush. As mentioned in point No. 2, the Eagles have allowed 34 sacks this season.
Three keys to the game for NC State football
1. Maturation of freshman MJ Morris should continue. Morris has thrown for 513 yards, six touchdowns and zero interceptions this season, and he should continue to excel against Boston College.
Boston College allowed 313 passing yards and five touchdowns against Wake Forest, for comparison. FSU threw for 350 yards and a score in its win, with Jordan Travis tossing for 321.
Another area that Morris should do well is scramble and getting some good chunks of yardage. He might want to avoid the hits and he might not be needed to do quarterback draws as much. Duke quarterback Riley Leonard took off 13 times for 96 yards and a touchdown last Friday.
2. NC State’s defense will shut down the run: The Wolfpack rank 10th in the country in allowing 102.7 rushing yards per game.
Boston College ranks No. 131 in the country with 68.3 rushing yards a contest. Redshirt junior Pat Garwo and freshman Alex Broome tag-team the running back position. Garwo is a little more physical and Broome has some solid instincts, but is 5-8 and 185 pounds.
Then combine all that with Boston College’s injury-riddled offensive line, and NC State front seven should have a field day in stuffing the run. That will eventually lead to teeing off on a non-scrambling quarterback on obvious passing downs.
3. NC State should get some running game mojo working. NC State’s rushing attack has been up-and-down this season, but should get healthy against Boston College.
The question will be which of the three running backs get the bulk of the carries. Junior Jordan Houston and freshman Michael Allen got the carries against Wake Forest last week.
Sophomore Demie Sumo-Karngbaye returned to the field last week after an ankle injury. He made a mistake against a WFU blitz, and wasn’t see much again. Getting Sumo-Karngbaye back on track with Louisville and North Carolina games looming would be an added bonus.
Houston rushed for a season-high 90 yards on 24 carries against Florida State. If there was ever a game where he could go for 100-plus yards, this would be the one.
Three numbers of note
9 Senior wide receiver Zay Flowers is nine receptions away, plus 30 yards away, from becoming Boston College’s all-time leader in both categories, passing Alex Amidon.
15 Consecutive losses by Boston College against ranked opponents. The last win over a ranked opponent was against No. 25 Miami (Fla.) in 2018, who were ranked In the coaches poll. The last win over an The Associated Press top 25 squad was against No. 9 USC in 2014.
103 Yards by true freshman wide receiver Joe Griffin against Duke, making him the first true freshman to reach 100 yards at Boston College since 1996. The 6-4, 200-pound Griffin finished with five catches for 103 yards and two scores against the Blue Devils.
Follow on Twitter:
@NCStateRivals or @JaceyZembal
Subscribe for free on YouTube:
For Jacey Zembal or The Wolfpack Central
Like on Facebook:
ATTENTION SUBSCRIBERS: Our NETWORK-WIDE, all-access pass allows you to read every premium message board in the Rivals.com network as part of a bundled add-on to your subscription!
Subscribers can add the All-Access Pass or a 3-Site Bundle in your account profile, under the Subscriptions tab: HERE
