Eagles searching for answers as Pitt prep begins

The season isn’t over yet just a third of the way through, but BC suddenly needs a big comeback.

After losing to Michigan State but showing quite well on national television, there was plenty of optimism heading into games against Stanford and Cal.

What happened next has been somewhat inexplicable and downright stunning. BC went from possibly being up 17 or 24-6 at halftime against Stanford to a loss as 13.5-point favorites. Last week, the offense had another hot start – even with key pieces missing – but went cold and eventually couldn’t close in a potential game-winning drive after the defense gave up a late 51-yard touchdown.

So now, the Eagles need to go at least 5-3 just to earn a bowl bid when some people (me) had them as a nine-win team to start the year. To say it’s quite an uphill climb is a massive understatement given the remaining schedule and more injuries to important contributors on both sides of the ball seemingly by the day.

Having said all of that, ultimately, all BC can do right now is focus on Pitt considering it’s still only October.

Here’s what stood out from Bill O’Brien and Logan Taylor’s media availability after practice on Tuesday.

O’Brien on if seniors & captains can do and say more to help finish games

“No doubt. Yeah, no doubt. I think it comes from the guys that have been around here for a long time. Basically, for a long time, with me it’s basically been a .500 program. So, it’s been a very competitive program. You can’t really look at many games in the last however many years and say ‘oh, they got blown out there,’ it doesn’t happen. So, what does happen? Well, in the losses…we either don’t make the play or we turn it over or we miss the tackle. In the games we win, we make that play and we don’t turn it over and we make that tackle, so we have to be more consistent.

“Right now, it’s a little bit too inconsistent and that’s where it has to change…seniors…I tell them all the time, there’s no magic pill. There’s no magic dust. We’ve got to watch the tape and correct and then we’ve got to start to get ready for the next opponent because every opponent’s really good, starting with Pitt.”

O’Brien on 1st noon kickoff & if he prefers it to 3:30 or 7:30

“Yeah, I like those. We’re going to play whenever they tell us to play, we don’t control that, but I do like getting up and getting going instead of waiting around all day for a night game or whatever. But, we’re a morning program, so I think our guys will be ready to go…I think we’ve always been ready to go. I don’t ever see an effort problem. There’s no effort problem ever. Our guys play hard. They really compete and play hard every single snap.

“The biggest challenges are the West coast travel and playing a night game out there when it’s 10:30, your body clock’s telling you it’s 10:30. With a college guy, it’s very hard to control that. But, that’s just the way it is. That’s the ACC. it used to be the Atlantic Coast Conference. Not anymore. It’s just the ACC now.”

O’Brien on if there’s anything on film offensively in the 1st half compared to the 2nd

“I don’t think so. We usually start off pretty decent, we move the football. Even on Saturday, we had the (opening) kickoff return out to the 50, but then we had the illegal (fair catch) signal, so we started at the 16. But, we drove the ball 84 yards for a touchdown against a good football team. I think the starts have been okay, that has to continue.

“It’s really just the consistency throughout the game. I don’t know if it’s broken down by quarter. I don’t really look at it that way…I just think it’s consistency across the board. When we play consistent, we’ve shown we can be really good. But, we’re not there yet and it has to turn around pretty soon here.”

O’Brien on recruiting Pitt QB Eli Holstein & if there will be a chess match

“No. I don’t think…I only recruited him. I never coached him, he went to Alabama and I went back to the Patriots. Great kid, great family. He’s from Baton Rouge, went to Zachary High School. Awesome family. Great kid. Fun to recruit…we went down there a lot. Pretty cool place to hang out on recruiting trips. He’s a good guy and look forward to seeing him and saying hello.”

Taylor on senior leadership & captains

“It’s just doing your job every single day. It really starts at the practice field. Coach harps on that every single day. Be where your feet are…but, it all starts in practice and being where your feet are at.”

Taylor on noon kickoffs and if it’s easier for teams to get up for those games rather than wait around

“It obviously is nice with an away game, you get home sooner. But, in the end, it really doesn’t matter. It’s being where your feet are at and just attacking each and every day.

“It really depends on the person. It doesn’t really matter to me. I love football, so as soon as I wake up on game day I’m ready to go. But, some people need that time and some people don’t. I think we’re really working on being where your feet are at and taking it one day at a time.”