Day 3 training camp report

I’ve never been more confident in my nine-win prediction than I will be after Saturday morning’s first practice with shoulder pads.

This time of year, there’s a fine line between too much chippiness and just the right amount. BC has seemingly found that balance.

Physicality, trash talking and most importantly – good back and forth between the offense and defense – was on display for two hours on a legitimately perfect day for some football.

While Bill O’Brien did have to raise his voice and reign it in a little bit at one point, I asked him about walking the line after practice and here’s what he said:

“First day in shoulder pads, guys were fired up and sometimes, it can go a little too far. You’d rather have it that way than trying to get them to hit people. So, we’ll fix that. But, I love the intensity, I love the energy, I love how these guys show up to practice.

“There was a little more juice (with the off day), probably a little over the top a little bit, but I like that. The fact these guys came out with that type of energy and ready to go…like I’ve always said, I love coaching these guys. They’re easy to coach. They show up every day, they want to practice hard. It was a good day.”

Alright, here’s everything I saw on Saturday…

Energy right from start

To the earlier point, it was clear as day that guys had a pep in their step and were ready to go from the first indy period and then especially going into stretch period where it was loud like a game day.

First team period

Grayson James: Swing pass to Turbo (more on him coming up…), PBU for Isaiah Farris against Jaedn Skeete (tight coverage), run for Turbo, high incompletion.

Dylan Lonergan: Screen to freshman WR Semaj Fleming, easy interception dropped by senior LB Will Straka, run for Alex Broome (looks good every day), deep crosser for freshman Dawson Pough.

Second team period

After an indy period of walkthrough, it was back to team…

James: Incompletion to junior TE Zeke Moore, hard run from Broome, combined run stuff for Bryce Steele and Josiah Griffin, crosser to Luke McLaughlin, run stuff for Daveon Crouch, short run for Turbo.

Lonergan: Sack for Quintayvious Hutchins and possibly Carter Davis as well, Omar Thornton and Sedarius McConnell, run stuff Carter Davis and Owen Stoudmire, deep ball interception for Davis (who had an outstanding day), run stuff for Ashton Cunningham and sophomore D-lineman E’lla Boykin, Turbo delivers a ridiculous stiff arm to Chris Marable Jr. and then gained about 10-15 yards after it.

It was during this period where the water began to boil in terms of the chippy play and that was the capper. The defense was playing through the whistle and then some a little bit, a good sign. The offense wasn’t backing down and Richard’s finish drew a roar from the guys in white.

7-v-7 period

James: crosser to Reed Harris, deep ball TD to Harris, deep-ish corner to Lewis Bond, crosser to Jordan McDonald in a tight window, deep sideline out for tight end Brady Clough, slant for Kalean Chudzinski. That room continues to show up every day so far.

Lonergan: Swing to Broome, hitch to McLaughlin, short completion to Clough, PBU by freshman Omarion Davis against Pough, crosser to Bond, swing to Turbo.

Third team period

James: Edwin Kolenge blows up Bo MacCormack (had head down for a second, didn’t see if it was a run or pass), deep-ish out for Chudzinski, sack for Jayzen Flint.

Lonergan: The second biggest play of the day came on the first snap during Lonergan’s series. McDonald absolutely truck-sticked Omar Thornton so hard you could hear it in Framingham, once again drawing a huge reaction from the entire offense (and probably even some defensive guys under their breath). Crosser to Harris, quick stick by Bate on a WR screen, hitch to Skeete. Thornton sort of threw Skeete down on the tackle and plenty of jaw-jacking ensued. That’s when O’Brien got things back on the right track before Lonergan finished his series…short run for Turbo, Bate bats down a screen, Bate run stuff (I told you he’s going to be a problem for other teams) and an incomplete pass (high) over the middle.

Enzo Arjona: The redshirt junior has been impressive getting some reps with Shaker Reisig currently out. Asked O’Brien about him after practice and he said he had Enzo at an Alabama camp who has kept in touch and wanted to walk-on…out to Fleming, incompletion, freshman LB Griffin Collins & classmate/LB Micah Amedee blow up MacCormack, low incompletion to Fleming.

Special teams

Still a competition between Florio and Quinn. No idea who it’s going to be. Still haven’t seen a live kicking period, although there may have been one when I missed the end earlier in the week. There’s also a plethora of guys who may be able to finally make the return game a weapon again, even though we haven’t actually seen a live return yet, there’s just a bunch of speedy options.

Final team period

James: Crosser to Bond, hitch for Harris, McConnell run stuff, Stoudmire and Crouch combo run stuff, deep ball pick for Syair Torrence (he’s going to be one of the best guys in this secondary and was part of my under the radar predictions), another hard run for McDonald, Torrence blows up a WR screen, beautifully executed play results in an easy 40-yard TD catch and walk-in for Ty Lockwood.

Lonergan: Short pass to Broome (pretty big hit from Max Tucker), hard run for Broome, back-to-back run stuffs for Steele and Ty Clemons, out to Clough, short completion to McLaughlin.

Arjona: (Missed the first snap), hard run by MacCormack, sack for freshman Bryce Lewis, run for Mekhi Dodd.

The Eagles are back at it (I think in pads?) on Sunday before another day off on Monday. If you’re a BC fan, Saturday was the most intense day of practice the team had had (at least in front of the media) in a year-plus now. So much to like, but only if the controlled intensity returns and turns into more productivity on Sunday and heading into Week 2.

We’re now just four weeks away from the Fordham opener.