UVA’s Howell thinks BC’s QB is a threat to Wahoos defense

By Jerry Ratcliffe

Virginia’s banged up defense is readying for another challenge on Saturday against an opposing offense much like Louisville’s without a Malik Cunningham.

Boston College, 6-4 overall and 5-4 in the ACC, ends its regular season at Scott Stadium, in hopes of posting its best winning percentage since 2009. New Eagles head coach Jeff Hafley, former co-defensive coordinator at Ohio State, has brought a more open style of offense to Chestnut Hills with surprising results in his first year.

Formerly, BC was known for a physical style of power football and fast, muscle-bound running backs. Now, it’s a little different with quarterback Phil Jurkovec, who has reintroduced the forward pass.

Don’t let that fool you, though, because BC still honors the run game.

“I can’t say that I know them inside and out from before because I don’t,” said Virginia defensive coordinator Nick Howell on Wednesday. “There’s a strong element of run play-action. They’ve got some spread stuff to throw the ball a little bit, but the first thing they want to do is run, play-action. That’s the first thing I see on film.”

The Eagles are fairly balanced in that they’ve rushed the ball 341 times and thrown in 344.

David Bailey, who took over the running back spot from A.J. Dillon, is built similarly, but not as prolific a producer. Bailey is BC’s leading rusher with 503 yards (50.3 per game) and averaging 4.0 yards per carry.

Jurkovec has completed 61 percent of his 336 yard passing attempts for 2,558 yards and 17 touchdowns. He’s only been intercepted five times all season.

“The more I watch [Jurkovec] the more I like him,” Howell said. “He doesn’t turn the ball over, he throws the ball efficiently, on time, and he can extend plays. He’s extended some plays that are impressive in my opinion.”

Jurkovec has rushed 77 times for 150 yards, but has nearly 200 yards in lost yardage mostly due to sacks.

“I think their efficiency [is the most impressive thing about BC’s offense],” Howell said. “They have plays where there are safe runs that kind of churn yardage and play-action that complements those runs really good.”

In Howell’s opinion, BC’s offense is somewhat similar to Louisville’s, a team that Virginia defeated, 31-17 a couple of weeks ago.

“They’re similar in terms of the run game and play-actions,” Howell said. “The quarterback is obviously a different kind of guy. But schematically, there are some similarities there. They have a really good tight end and a really good receiver.”

There’s a reason that Howell doesn’t know BC inside and out from the past. Saturday’s game will be only the seventh time the Cavaliers and Eagles have met, and two of those games were before BC joined the ACC.

Howell’s defense has been depleted by a rash of injuries to starters Charles Snowden, Richard Burney (both season-ending), while defensive backs Joey Blount and Brenton Nelson haven’t played since Oct. 17. Starting nose tackle Jowon Briggs, who was having an All-ACC kind of season, left the program two weeks ago and has transferred to Cincinnati.

Still with all those issues, Howell has taken things in stride.

“It’s been fun in terms of coaching different players and watching them grow and develop,” Howell said. “It’s been a challenge, but a lot of teaching, growing, develop. It’s work, which is fun. That part has really been satisfying.”