Doug Flutie & AJ Dillon on BC in the NIL Era

Spoke with both guys 1-on-1 for about 5 minutes each in a wild scene on Radio Row Thursday. Flutie’s answers were particularly interesting in my opinion…

Flutie 

On how BC can turn things around in the NIL Era

“I don’t know. I don’t know the answer to that. NIL is creating the haves and have nots. I’ve said this the last couple of years…as former players or alumni, we can fire all this money towards Boston College with NIL money and all that and we’d probably get a handful of more kids, but they’re going to be gone in one year anyway. If they do well at BC, they’re going to run for more money somewhere else.

“Then, it’s not as important to the BC alumni whether you go 7-4 or 4-7. It doesn’t really change where we’re at. Don’t get me wrong. We love Boston College, we love seeing them be competitive, but it’s just a different mindset and it’s an era where we’re not going to be able to compete with Alabama, LSU, Miami, whoever is paying big money to these kids. If we do and we get a gold star kid, he’s going to leave. So, I don’t know.

“I love Bill O’Brien and this coaching staff. They’re busting their ass, but I don’t know what the answer is.”

On if BC can be the ‘5th sport’ in the region

“Well, it’s a pro town. My era, it was ridiculous. We were front page and we got big stories, that was very unique. Matt Ryan’s years, they were 7-0, ranked No. 2 in the country playing a Thursday night game and the guys from ESPN are doing the game and they’re like ‘Doug, there’s not even…you gotta go to like, page three to find a story on BC.’ We’re just not that big guy in the city.

“We are what we are. It’s big time college football and it’s an unbelievable university. I loved the experience and I love the school today, but we’re just not going to be Alabama and we don’t want to be.”

On what makes Bill O’Brien a good head coach 

“You know, I think the guys just trust him. His legacy of being with Tom Brady and the Patriots is obviously huge. He’s been at different levels. He’s got the been there, done that experience. That has to translate and I think it did in year one. That was a great jump for him. Obviously, last year was a step back because we lost some guys. But, I think they trust him and believe in him.”

On the Patriots’ magical run this season

“I love seeing both stories, really. Drake Maye and Sam Darnold is a little more my cup of tea. That’s a guy that had to fight through adversity. People gave up on him and he fights back. Drake Maye from the get-go, I don’t think a lot of people thought he’d be this caliber of quarterback. His athleticism is more than people realize. In your second year to do what he’s done is absolutely amazing and there were times he carried this team. He had a lot of third down conversions with his legs and a lot of his game from the pocket, he knows a lot of what he’s seeing at a young age. Josh McDaniels has a lot to do with that.

“I ‘m happy for him. He’s a great kid. I know the playoff run has been a little shaky, but that’s because he’s playing great defenses in nasty weather. You do whatever it takes. I’m looking to see the guy we’ve seen all year let it fly this week.”

Dillon

On how invested he still is in the BC program

“I try to talk to Billy O every now and again when I can. I definitely want to see the program turn things around for the better and am going to try and do whatever I can to help out those guys over there.”

On what made BC more relevant in his era

“I think what we do well is just sort of sticking to our identity. BC always has a good offensive line and a good running game. I think people gave (Steve) Addazio a lot of shit, but if you look at the guys that came out with him pre-NIL and all that, even those guys that were there…like, Zay Flowers, Zion (Johnson), Christian Mahogany, Zay, all those guys. Will Harris who is still playing in the league. Matt Milano, Harold Landry, Zach Allen, me, like, those were all his guys.

“I think Bill O’Brien has a lot of that same kind of old school kind of values. I’ve had the chance to speak with him a couple times now and they’re really trying to put a lot of resources towards BC football.”

On if the program can be successful despite not competing with the upper echelon programs in NIL

“Yeah. I mean, I’m not necessarily in it or know the X’s and O’s of what you need, but I think there’s an opportunity to get guys there. Obviously, it’s a really great school right outside of Boston. There’s a lot of pull to it. I just think really, it’s about building a culture and a place guys really want to go. Hopefully, I can be a part of helping them.”