Boston College: Ted Roof Explains the 'Number One Thing' BC Football's Defense Mus…
Boston College · RutgersThat was the amount that Boston College football surrendered to Cincinnati in its season opener on Saturday, according to BC defensive coordinator Ted Roof. But it didn't exactly matter because of how often the Bearcats were able to break free of initial contact, particularly in the run game, and extend plays for much larger gains.
It wasn't just one player, either, that tantalized BC's run defense. It was virtually the Bearcats' entire backfield, as Gi'bran Payne totaled 108 yards on 14 attempts, good for an average of 7.7 yards per carry, while French added 52 yards on 10 attempts (5.2 YPC), and Cole Tabb and Zion Johnson contributed an additional 68 yards combined on 12 attempts (5.7 YPC).
On Friday, the Eagles will face a running back who led the Big 10 in rushing yards (1,241) and touchdowns (13) a season ago in Rutgers' Antwan Raymond, and Roof was pretty straightforward about where the focus needs to be defensively as the Eagles prep for game day. "We got to fix that Friday night before anything else.
But part of that is getting more guys to disengage their blocks, part of it is tackling technique. So there's a lot of things that go into it, because we're playing a great back this week."
KEY POINTS
- Ted Roof Explains the 'Number One Thing' BC Football's Defense Must Improve for Red Bandanna Game.
- Boston College will host Rutgers on Friday night for the 13th edition of the Red Bandanna Game, played in honor of 9/11 hero Welles Crowther.
- The Eagles fared much better through the air, limiting quarterback JC French IV to 85 yards and a touchdown on 11-of-15 passing.
- "I got to do a better job of coaching [tackling], to run through contact and rap and squeeze and all the fundamental parts of it," said Roof.