Lindstrom anchors O-Line-U
Adjusting to BC’s more passfriendly attack
Boston College redshirt junior center Alec Lindstrom loads the shotgun in the Eagles’ new offense.
First-year head coach Jeff Hafley used the first weeks of training camp converting the Eagles’ offense from his predecessor’s “12 personnel” power run schemes toward a pro-style multiple set system.
Second- and third-down snaps in a pro-style offense often operate from the shotgun, a formation that requires the center to be accurate with his delivery. The quarterback simply has more time to scan the coverage and pick up blitzes when he’s not looking for the snap.
Lindstrom earned AllACC third team honors last season. He made over 900 snaps, primarily with quarterbacks Anthony Brown and Dennis Grosel lined up under center. The quarterbacks would pivot and hand it off to All-ACC first team tailback AJ Dillon, a thirdround draft pick of the Green Bay Packers.
BC offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Frank Cignetti has been schooling his leading candidates for the starting job, Grosel and Notre Dame transfer Phil Jurkovec, how to operate the Eagles’ passing game from the shotgun.
“At first it was a little different going to shotgun and shotgun run,” said Lindstrom. “You are kind of running full speed off the ball, and at first there were a couple of struggles, but now it’s been going good.
“When we are in shotgun it looks a pass with us backing it up. Then it’s a run, which makes it a little easier on us pushing off, so it has been good.”
BC has seven quarterbacks in training camp and Lindstrom’s early inclination was to try and satisfy their personal preferences on the shotgun delivery. That proved cumbersome so Lindstrom instituted a one size fits all method to loading the gun. So far, the competing field generals are subscribing to Lindstrom’s shotgun diplomacy.
“I was always asking the quarterback ‘how do you like it?’” said Lindstrom. “But now it’s ‘I’m snapping it like this and you’ve got to figure it out.’ I can put it in one spot and let them work around it but I’ve had no problems. I’ve been with Dennis working with it on the sidelines. But I’m centering my snap one way and they can figure it out from there.”
Grosel has the most experience of the competing quarterbacks and enjoys incumbent status, but Jurkovec changed the competitive dynamic when Hafley found his name in the NCAA transfer portal.
Grosel was a walk-on from Cleveland who got the starting job when Brown suffered a season-ending knee injury at Louisville. Jurkovec was a blue-chip recruit from Pittsburgh who got lost in the numbers game at Notre Dame. Lindstrom has developed a working relationship with both and is intrigued by the growing battle taking place behind him.
“I like both of them,” said Lindstrom. “I’ve liked Phil since he’s come in and Dennis has always been a competitor and they are having a great competition right now.
“They are both making plays and the two of them are playing their asses off. It’s exciting to watch them and no matter who it is, it’s going to be great.”
Lindstrom was the point man on an offensive line that finished fourth nationally in sacks allowed (0.92).
With tailbacks Dillon and David Bailey lugging the rock a combined 466 times, BC had the seventh-ranked rushing offense that churned out 267.8 yards per game.
The Eagles lost first team All-ACC guard John Phillips to graduation and there is a fierce battle underway to secure the vacancy. BC returns four starters, all of whom received some form of post-season recognition from the ACC.
Guard Zion Johnson, a first-year transfer from Davidson, started six games but played 90% of the snaps at left guard. Johnson did not allow sack with just one quarterback hit. He was an All-ACC second-team selection.
Right tackle Ben Petrula also made the second team after starting 12 games and allowing one sack on 311 pass attempts. Both Johnson and Petrula were voted first-team All-ACC preseason selections on Friday.
Left tackle Tyler Vrabel, son of former Patriots linebacker and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, was an All-ACC honorable mention. Vrabel did not yield a sack on 314 pass blocks despite being lined up against some of the most beastly right defensive ends in college football.
BC is known in college football circles as O-Line-U, and the four returnees have
NFL potential. Lindstrom’s brother Chris set a BC record with 48 consecutive starts before being drafted in the first round by the Atlanta Falcons in 2019.
“John (Phillips) was a great player, we loved John but the guys competing for the guard spot we have now are awesome,” said Lindstrom. “We’ve had really good practices with contact and we’ve formed that chemistry, we’ve meshed well together.”