Boston College Eagles: Quarterback Anthony Brown rewarded for big week

The Boston College Eagles won their third road game of 2017, a 41-10 rout of the Virginia Cavaliers, thanks to the impressive performance of Anthony Brown.

A week after freshman AJ Dillon ran all over the Louisville defense, quarterback Anthony Brown reminded fans of the Boston College Eagles (2-3, 4-4) there is another force in the backfield to reckon with.

Brown, a redshirt freshman quarterback who was unable to finish the Louisville game, responded with a breakout day of his own against Virginia (5-2). Three touchdowns and 275 yards later, Brown had led the Eagles to a 41-10 victory over the Cavaliers.

For his efforts, Brown was the recipient of two separate honors. He landed ACC Rookie of the Week accolades and was one of eight quarterbacks given “Star of the Week” status by The Manning Award.

The passing yards and touchdowns for Brown were career-highs. He also ran for 32 yards while completing 19 of his 24 passes.

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Locked in a quarterback battle with graduate Darius Wade in fall camp, Brown was handed the starting position in week 1. At times he has looked great in 2017 while other instances Brown has looked like the freshman he is.

Growing pains are to be expected, but Brown has often been a steady hand in first eight games. Boston College has leaned heavily on a running game, but has let Brown air it out at times.

Saturday was a brilliant example of where Brown’s talents lie. On the season, he has thrown for 1284 yards and 10 touchdowns while completing 54.1% of his passes with 8 interceptions. Brown has also ran for 208 yards.

Freshman rule (on offense)

The offense was a bit of question mark heading into 2017, but one thing was certain: Boston College was going to run the ball.

Jon Hilliman was the veteran leading the way at running back, but in recent weeks Dillon has been the workhorse. The true freshman, a week after running for 272 yards, rushed for 89 yards and led the team in carries.

Brown and Dillon both had their breakout games on the road. Boston College scored over 40 points in both games.

Brown might not always match his numbers from the Virginia game, but Boston College will be improved on offense thanks to the added passing element. Completing 60% of his passes and taking care of the ball would compliment the Eagle defense nicely.

The defense continues to shine, buoyed by a mix of star seniors and thrown-into-the-mix freshmen and sophomores.

Linebacker Ty Schwab has 65 tackles, as does Zach Allen. Allen has also totaled four sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.

The Boston College defense also have 12 interceptions, led by Lukas Denis, who has five.

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Getting both sides of the ball to produce has brought Boston College within two wins of becoming bowl-eligible. The Eagles have a chance to get one win closer on Friday when they host a struggling Florida State team.

Two freshman stars getting to a bowl game? The thought barely registered to most fans to start 2017. And now, it’s safe to say Brown and Dillon have officially arrived.