Boston College football finished 7-5 in the regular season and lost the Pinstripe Bowl to Nebraska. How satisfied are you with Bill O’Brien’s first season as head coach?
Niraj: I am NEVER satisfied. It’s a curse. But actually I am quite satisfied. People forget the low expectations coming into this season. Pinstripe bowl aside, BoB exceeded expectations and cleaned up a lot without players he recruited and a hastily put together coaching staff. We’ve seen some strides on the recruiting front already, so I eagerly await BoB’s vision of the program.
Kieran: I think it was a pretty satisfying season, even if it felt a little weird at the end. This team played hard in basically every game, even if they were inconsistent. BoB seems to be establishing a good culture and he won more games than I thought he would. Beating Nebraska would have been nice, but at least we got to see Grayson James throw the ball 41 times. This year seems like a solid building block for O’Brien, now it’s time to break out of the 7 win purgatory.
Curtis: Their performance in the Pinstripe Bowl left a lot to be desired. But overall I think we have to be satisfied with the season they had this year. Shaping up a brand new coaching staff very late in the cycle and then keeping most of the talent in the building was a big achievement, and then they won as many games as Jeff Hafley ever won during his tenure. It’s a great starting point and things should be going up from here.
What did BC football do well this season that has you optimistic for the future?
Niraj: They showed up at home, players and fans alike, and rallied at the end when things were looking darkest. It was representative of much of the season where they constantly showed resolve. The blowout loss to Virginia Tech, still there was a fight back. Even just last weekend in New York, a tease of hope at the end.
Kieran: Utilizing their stable of running backs the way they did was impressive. It’s not often that you see 4 RBs get meaningful touches in a season, and it was fun to watch that position group change and adapt as the season wore on. It was also nice to see how well Grayson James fit into the offense. If he does claim the starting job next season, it will be fun to see how much more explosive the offense could be with another year of his development.
Curtis: They were a well-coached, disciplined football team. The total 180-degree turn in penalties was an early indicator that Bill O’Brien and his staff was bringing a level of professionalism to this program, and that bore out during the season. The team fought in every game, avoided dumb mistakes, and the hard-working guys worked their way up the depth chart as the season progressed.
What was the highlight of this season for you?
Niraj: It’s got to be the Red Bandana game go-ahead touchdown from Lewis Bond. The grandeur of the evening matched the drama on the field. This was still maybe the apex of the season, when vibes were highest and most positive. In the rain against a reputable opponent, the Eagles delivered when it mattered most.
Kieran: I enjoyed the Michigan State and Western Kentucky games, but I think my highlight of the season was watching BC attempt 13 passes and run for 300+ yards while beating Syracuse. Anytime a game was lopsided stats like that, I love it.
Curtis: The home win over Syracuse was a crazy game that really felt like it was a turning point in the season. Grayson James came in and brought life back to the offense, Donovan Ezeiruaku had one of his most dominant performances, and BC broke their three-game losing streak.
One of the biggest story lines this season was the quarterback drama involving Thomas Castellanos and Grayson James. Are there any lessons you think we can learn from that whole saga?
Niraj: That Bill O’Brien is creating a program built on competition. He certainly understood the risks of making the change given the transfer portal era, but did what was best for the team. The decision was probably festering, but he did so only down one score just over halfway through a game. With James still in the mix, a transfer coming in, and a highly recruited freshman coming in- managing all of this is why O’Brien is “well compensated.” One bad move, and the team could be put in a perilous situation.
Kieran: I guess we could say we learned that BoB likes a certain type of quarterback, and he’ll try to get to his guy no matter what. And while this isn’t a new lesson, all this drama made it clear we’re in a new era of college football, for better or worse. (It’s worse, undoubtedly, it’s worse.)
Curtis: It’s important to recruit players who fit your system and culture. The QB drama was the most obvious example of this, but I’m sure BoB has been weeding through the entire roster all season and identifying which guys perform up to his standards. And it’s also why we should withhold judgment on BoB’s vision for this roster for another year or two
What are the biggest struggles you see coming for Boston College for next season?
Niraj: If the Pinstripe Bowl is any indication, we’re going to need some work along the offensive line. We’re losing some veteran pieces that have been here for quite some time, and it’s not easy replicating those snaps. It will take good coaching to bring everyone up to speed.
Kieran: The biggest struggle I see coming next year is one that plagued the Eagles this year: playing competent defense. There’s really nothing fancy about it. BC needs to play better defense. Because there’s nothing worse than have an offense that can reliably score 28+ and having a defense that makes every game a shootout.
Curtis: The offensive line is losing some talent once again and BC will need some guys to step up, or come through the portal. Plus the defense in general, especially with the loss of Ezeiruaku, needs an injection of talent.
2025’s schedule includes tough games against Notre Dame, Clemson, SMU, Syracuse, Louisville, and more. What would a successful season look like next year?
Niraj: Psh at Syracuse. I think we’re looking to better the record. I need 8, I cannot aim higher until that happens. It is good we have a number of these games at home, where the team mostly held serve well this season. I hope we can avoid complete stinkers against the standard ACC brass as we did against the Virginia schools this season.
Kieran: 2025 won’t be easy by any means, but BoB will have a full year under his belt and hopefully he’ll be able to use the portal to bring in more talent. I think the lowest threshold for a successful season would be winning 7 games, but I think this team needs to win at least 8. And it sure would be nice if they could beat Notre Dame or Clemson.
Curtis: Every year in the ACC brings surprise contenders and surprise pushovers (FSU). So it’s tough to get a firm grasp on what next season’s schedule really looks like, but it seems challenging. So I would be satisfied with another 7-5 regular season, but really I’m hoping for more.
If you won Pop-Tart Bowl MVP, who would you have chosen to get toasted? (Cinnamon Roll, Wild Berry, or Hot Fudge Sundae)
Niraj: This is the highest honor one can distinguish – Brown Sugar Cinnamon, thy kingdom come.
Kieran: I believe that Rocco Becht made the right call picking Cinnamon Roll. And I just have to say, in a sport built on traditions, the Pop-Tarts Bowl is becoming one of my favorite traditions in all the land.
Curtis: I keep going back and forth on this. Cinnamon Pop-Tarts are the GOATs tbh, but Hot Fudge Sundae makes a strong case. As long as you don’t pick one with fruit.
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content.
