Boston College Eagles: Experienced core to anchor defense in 2018
One of the top defenses of the ACC in 2017, the Boston College Eagles return four core players who will help the unit soar in 2018.
AJ Dillon has been the focal point of the Boston College Eagles since bursting onto the scene in 2017. Running roughshod over teams is good cause for such talk.
Don’t turn your backs on the Boston College defense, though.
The defense has been a major reason the Eagles were even in games so often the past few seasons. 2017 was no different as the Eagles ranked near the top of most categories defensively in the ACC.
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Boston College lost a couple of key players from this unit, but have four players returning who will make a huge impact, three of which who are receiving recognition on a national level.
Gone is leading tackler Ty Schwab, a linebacker who was all over the field in 2017 and posted over 100 tackles.
Schwab will be replaced by Connor Strachan. Strachan was poised to have a huge 2017 before a season-ending knee injury knocked him out in game two. Strachan received a medical redshirt and, in 2016, had a team-leading 80 tackles.
Also gone is defensive end Harold Landry, who was drafted in the second round by the Tennessee Titans. Landry didn’t put up the numbers he did as a junior, playing in only eight games. However, he still had five sacks and helped occupy space, allowing Zach Allen to thrive.
Once Allen got those wheels going, he ended up having quite the season. Now a senior, Allen had 100 tackles in 2017. He also posted 15.5 TFL and 6 sacks while garnering an All-ACC honorable mention. Allen has been named to the Ted Hendricks Award watch list which honors the nation’s top defensive end.
Boston College Eagles secondary: no-fly zone
In 2017, the Eagles only gave up 191.9 passing yards per game. This was a number that helped contribute to the 26 sacks the team accumulated. Boston College also had 18 interceptions, good for 12th-best in the nation.
Two players who were at the top of their games last season are back to anchor the back end of the defense in 2018.
Both safeties and both seniors, Lukas Denis and Will Harris are looking to capitalize on spectacular junior campaigns.
Harris has been a staple in the Boston College secondary, having started 29-straight games. He made 83 tackles in 2017 and had four fumble recoveries to go with one interception.
Denis, meanwhile, was a ball-hawk as a junior. His seven interceptions tied for second in the nation and he, too, had 83 tackles. For his efforts, Denis was rewarded as a Walter Camp All-American in 2017. He’s also been named as a preseason All-American.
Expectations are high around this Boston College team in 2018, even garnering votes in the first AP ballot of the season. The legs of Dillon will be heavily relied upon, but Allen, Strachan, Harris, Denis, and the rest of the defense will have their say as well.
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And if all goes according to plan, sneaking into the ACC title conversation will be something we’re talking about come November.