New coordinator, same tough BC defense
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Boston College might have a new face leading its defense, but as far as linebacker Matt Milano is concerned the personality of the unit that allowed the fewest points in the ACC last season hasn’t changed.
“We’re going to have the same philosophy — tough, aggressive. I don’t think it matters what the previous coordinator did,” said Milano, a senior Butkus Award candidate. “We’re going to be the same outfit with the same mindset. We’ve got some new things coming in and some old things we’re going to keep, so it should be good.”
The Eagles, despite going 0-8 in the ACC and 3-9 overall in 2015, allowed only 15.2 points and 254.3 yards per game under the direction of former defensive coordinator
Don Brown. That will be a tough act to follow for his replacement
Jim Reid, who arrived from Iowa in January after Brown left to take a similar position at Michigan.
This is the second time Reid has been the defensive coordinator at BC, serving one previous year in that capacity in 1994.
Veteran Paul Pasqualoni (defensive line) and Anthony Campanile (defensive backs) have also been brought in to help bolster the coaching staff.
“People ask me all the time, are you going to be a new scheme on defense? No, we’re going to be in the Boston College defense,” head coach Steve Addazio said at the ACC’s Football Kickoff media event. “When I came to Boston College, I wanted our defense to be attack-style. It was the spearhead of our team. I wanted to be a penetrating defense that created negative yardage plays. I wanted to be as aggressive as we possibly could be. That’s not going to change.”
Strictly business
Like most of his Eagles teammates, Milano is looking forward to his team’s upcoming trip to Dublin, Ireland, for its season-opening game against Georgia Tech.
One thing he’s not looking forward to, however, is having to face the Yellow Jackets’ triple option offense, which is traditionally among the highest-scoring and most explosive in the nation.
“There’s a lot of hype behind the game, but there’s a lot of things to get ready for,” Milano said. “Going up against Georgia Tech, which has a very elusive offense, is going to be a challenge. But we’re ready for it.”
This will be the first time Milano has travelled outside of the United States and as such, he said he plans to take in and appreciate all the new sights he will see while the Eagles are abroad.
The bottom line, however, is that the team not lose sight of the fact that it still has a pivotal game to play and win.
“It’s exciting to see all the great stuff Ireland has to offer,” he said. “There are going to be a lot of distractions, but at the end of the day it’s a business trip and we’re going there to play football.”
Who’s the best?
Last week at the SEC’s media event, Ole Miss quarterback Chad
Kelly declared himself to be the nation’s best college quarterback.
That’s a bold statement, considering that Kelly transferred to the Rebels from Clemson after being beaten out for the starting job there by Deshaun Watson.
Watson went on to lead the Tigers to a 14-1 record and a spot in the national championship game while becoming a Heisman Trophy finalist last season. So it’s only natural that he was asked his opinion of his former teammate’s comment.
“Chad’s supposed to say that. He’s my boy,” Watson said. “He’d be cheating himself if he didn’t say that. Every quarterback should be saying, ‘I’m the best.’ You should never take a back seat to anyone.”
When pressed to answer the question himself, Watson never hesitated in saying that he believes he’s the best quarterback in college football.
“Of course I am,” he said.