Do you remember
The 21st night of September?
Love was changin’ the minds of pretenders
While chasin’ the clouds away
These lyrics in the song “September” by Earth, Wind & Fire resemble some of what Bill O’Brien’s message was to Boston College football after bumming around to a 4–4 record come late October.
Different month, but same idea.
After a three-game losing skid to Virginia, Virginia Tech, and Louisville, the Eagles decided to make its fanbase “Remember November.”
Grayson James started to change the minds of those who thought BC was a pretender. Kye Robichaux made opposing defenses chase him away like fleeting clouds in 20-mile-per-hour winds. Donovan Ezeiruaku made it a true love story between the Eagles and the BC faithful who stuck it out in freezing New England conditions, racking up 3.5 sacks to make it 16.5 on the season, which leads the nation.
They did what they said they were going to do: make “Remember November” a reality.
O’Brien, in his first season as the Eagles’ head coach, changed the perception BC fans will have of the 2024 season. After one final home win against Pittsburgh, they’ll remember it as a pretty great success.
Here are four observations from BC’s win over the Panthers on Saturday that improved the Eagles’ record to 7–5 on the year.
Da- Da- Da- Donny and the Blitz
Keeping up the music-related theme—if it’s not obvious, this title is in reference to Elton John’s “Bennie and The Jets”—the pressure BC’s defensive line and edge rushers applied in the trenches was on another level in Saturday’s game.
Ezeiruaku, aka Donny, posted a career-high 3.5 sacks in his last home contest in a BC uniform, tied for the most in a single game in program history.
Ezeiruaku solidified himself as an all-time great, with another all-time great on the defensive side of the ball, Luke Kuechly, there to watch him do so.
Ezeiruaku’s 16.5 sacks on the year tied Harold Landry III for the most in a single season by an Eagle. His career total of 30.0 is second all-time at BC, behind only Mathias Kiwanuka’s 37.5.
The rest of the defensive cast broke a leg as well. By the end of the game, you would’ve thought Nate Yarnell’s leg was going to snap off with how many hits he took.
Yarnell was sacked six times in the game—Owen Stoudmire and Joe Marinaro were the other two culprits—and BC totaled 13 tackles for loss, a single-game high this season.
The Robichaux Must Go On
Queen, everybody. “The Show Must Go On.” But this title is about Robichaux, who ran for his team-leading 10th touchdown of the season, which marked the first season of 10 or more rushing scores by a BC running back since Aj Dillon’s 14 in 2019.
What makes this feat even more monumental is the fact that the Eagles’ backfield was loaded from the start. With Robichaux, Treshaun Ward, Turbo Richard, and the late-emerger workhorse, Jordan McDonald, practically splitting carries most of the time, the lead back still manufactured 725 rushing yards this season while averaging 4.4 yards per carry.
Of course, Robichaux’s numbers could not have been achieved without the improvement of BC’s offensive line, particularly in its midsection and ability to create gaps.
Sixth-year guard Jack Conley tied the BC record for career games played at 60 with former teammates Ben Petrula (2017–2021) and Elijah Jones (2018–2023), and he played all 60 of them consecutively, sharpening his craft on every snap.
Ozzy Trapilo, Drew Kendall, Logan Taylor, and Jude Bowry made improvements that had immeasurable impact over the course of the season—after all, you can’t exactly track statistics for a lineman—as the Eagles recorded 849 total rushing yards in their last four games.
Mr. Blue Sky
A bit lazy on this one. But something in that upbeat, classic-pop tune stands out in regards to James and his play since taking the reins from Mr. bye-bye, walk-away Thomas Castellanos.
Mr. Blue Sky, please tell us why
You had to hide away for so long (so long)
Please tell us why James didn’t play sooner, O’Brien, because BC’s offense has looked like night and day since he took over.
James’ consistency is the most surprising about his recent takeover—the 6-foot-3, Duncanville, Texas, native has registered a 64.0 percent completion rate for 901 passing yards, six touchdown passes, and only two interceptions in five games played, four of which were starts.
His final performance against Pitt will force O’Brien to keep James on his radar for the starting quarterback job next season. James seems poised to remain under center until he is beaten out of the position.
James went 20-for-28 passing on Saturday for 253 yards and two touchdown passes. BC tight end Kamari Morales caught the latter of the two, which boosted his total to six on the year. He finished the game with four catches and 51 yards. His six touchdown receptions match Sean Ryan (2003) for the most by a BC tight end since 1996.
Don’t Stop Me Now
One more Queen song, because I would be remiss to not include O’Brien in this final notebook considering what he’s done this season. It is actually more remarkable than he has been given credit for, and he’s just “happy to be associated with Boston College,” which goes a long way with BC-type fans.
BC hasn’t had a seven-win season since 2018 and hasn’t gone 6–1 at Alumni Stadium since 2009. This was O’Brien’s first season at the helm, and pretty much every facet of the program looks like it has improved from the previous coaching era, most notably in the recruiting realm.
When you bring recruits to games like BC has done recently, and you match that with honoring alumni such as Doug Flutie and Kuechly, and you add in wins on home turf to that recipe—that’s what success looks like in the business of college sports nowadays. O’Brien did this terrifically, especially down the stretch.
O’Brien was hired in February. He didn’t have the opportunity to recruit in the portal and started with the slate that Jeff Hafley left him.
With a bowl game pending for the Eagles, there is a chance to make this an eight-win season.
That’s an extra win in and of itself, and it’s just the beginning. So don’t stop O’Brien now.
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