EAGLES KNOCK HUSKIES OUT OF THE PARK
Rush game enough to rout UConn
A.J. Dillon was a spectator when Boston College lost by a field goal to No. 4-ranked Notre Dame two years ago at Fenway Park.
The tailback enjoyed a superior Fenway experience last night. The freshman rushed for 200 yards on 24 carries, including touchdown runs of 53 and 20 yards, as BC trounced UConn 39-16.
“This is an experience I’m not going to forget ever,” said Dillon, a Yankees fan from New London, Conn.
“I was actually at the Notre Dame game two years ago and I was sitting thinking this must be amazing to be on that field.
“Today I got that opportunity to soak it in and all the history that is here at this venue.”
Redshirt junior Jon Hilliman, who missed the 2015 game with a broken foot, added 107 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns. BC gained 330 of its 385 yards of total offense on the ground, allowing backup quarterback Darius Wade to manage the game in place of injured starter Anthony Brown.
In a surprise move, Addazio relieved Wade in the fourth quarter with true freshman E.J. Perry of Andover. Perry redshirted the first 10 games of the season, but obviously figures in BC’s plans for next week’s regular-season finale at Syracuse and in whatever bowl game the Eagles are assigned.
“We had an opportunity to get E.J. in the game which we desperately wanted to get done,” said Addazio. “That was critically important because he is the next man up and he is talented guy and we made a decision that was talked though.”
The Eagles (6-5) attained bowl eligibility for the fourth time in Addazio’s five seasons at The Heights, and can enhance their standing next Saturday against the longtime rival Orange.
“What we want to do is attack those goals,” said Addazio. “What we want now is go compete against Syracuse and that is going to be a tough challenge.”
BC went up 21-3 on its opening possession of the second half on five straight running plays. Dillon accounted for 22 yards on four carries before Hilliman scored on a 38-yard streak through the middle of the UConn defense.
The Eagles went up 27-3 on a defensive gem by junior cornerback Taj-Amir Torres with 9:41 to play in the third. Torres intercepted David Pindell on a flanker screen and returned the ball 65 yards, the Eagles’ second pick-6 of the season.
BC went up 33-3 on a 20-yard touchdown run by Dillon that put him at 200 for the game and extended his freshman rushing record to 1,239 yards. Hilliman made it 39-3 with his second scoring run of the game with 7:20 to play. UConn scored twice in the fourth quarter, on a 70-yard run by Kevin Mensah and a 43yard pass from Pindell to Hergy Mayala.
Also yesterday, BC announced senior cornerback Kamrin Moore will miss the remainder of the season following shoulder surgery. He injured the shoulder in the first half against N.C. State on Nov. 11.