Boston College Eagles: Spotlight on Anthony Brown for Clemson showdown
Quarterback Anthony Brown of the Boston College Eagles has rebounded well from 2017’s injury but will have a tall task ahead of him Saturday night against Clemson.
In order for the Boston College Eagles to knock off the second-ranked Clemson Tigers on Saturday night, a near-perfect team effort across the board will be needed.
Specifically, a lot of the success might be predicated on the arm of Boston College quarterback Anthony Brown.
The butting heads of Boston College’s top-notch running game and Clemson’s run defense take center stage on Saturday night. Sophomore AJ Dillon, despite missing two games, is rolling with 897 yards and 8 touchdowns as Boston College averages 225 rushing yards per game.
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Clemson, meanwhile, holds opponents to 90.4 yards per game.
A great performance by Brown in this game could keep Boston College in line for the Atlantic division title in the ACC.
Accomplishing this will be a hazardous undertaking as Clemson’s pass defense is just as good. The Tigers allow 178.8 passing yards per game.
Earlier this season they held N.C. State’s Ryan Finley, who threw for 308 yards against Boston College, to a 21-34, 156-yard performance.
The Tigers do have only seven interceptions in 2018, but their 32 sacks rank third in the nation.
All of this means Brown will have to deliver the finest outing of his college career if the Eagles are to leave Alumni Stadium victorious on Saturday night.
The Boston College Eagles air attack
Brown, a redshirt sophomore, has had somewhat of an up-and-down — if not efficient — season. His accuracy has slipped at times but has remained steadfast while aiding the Eagles in their 7-2 start.
Brown has completed 57.9 percent of his passes while throwing for 1567 yards and 16 touchdowns against 5 interceptions.
After a stellar start, including a 304-yard, 5-touchdown performance against Wake Forest, Brown hit a brick wall against Purdue. He threw for only 96 yards and tossed 4 interceptions in that game.
The Purdue game started a streak, now sitting at six games, in which Brown failed to throw for 200 yards. Incidentally, Brown has thrown for only one pick since that game as well.
An offensive line that has allowed 14 sacks in 2018 will have their hands full with a seasoned, talented Clemson defensive line. Handling that pressure will be a must, with a lot of that also falling on Brown’s shoulders.
The deep ball was a major part of the offense early in the season but has taken a back seat against the more talented secondaries of the ACC. Brown might find little opportunity for this on Saturday and will need to connect when given the chance.
Still, he has shown reliability in a short passing game, especially with tight ends Tommy Sweeney and Korab Idrizi. Sweeney and Idrizi were two standouts in last week’s victory over Virginia Tech and will again be integral against Clemson.
Next. Boston College Eagles: 3 standouts in victory over Virginia Tech. dark
Boston College revolves around the running game. And that likely won’t change on Saturday. But if they are to win, it will be Brown on who’s shoulders might have the most significant load.