‘D’ preparing for next challenge: BC’s Dillon

CORAL GABLES — It didn’t matter one bit that Boston College star AJ Dillon was nursing an ankle injury or that his status for Friday night’s game was uncertain as Miami began preparing for its visit to Chestnut Hill.

Hurricanes defensive coordinator Manny Diaz wanted to make sure his players understood full well the challenge that would face them if Dillon were to take the field at Alumni Stadium and so, the coach showed his defense film filled with some of Dillon’s more eye-popping plays.

Among those plays was Dillon’s 75-yard run last year against Louisville where the burly running back shed defenders as if they were no more than a temporary roadblocks on his path to the end zone.

“We actually showed them all of his long runs from a year ago … just to get an idea of who we are going against,” Diaz said. “You know, our guys are super excited to go against him. And that’s what you want to do, you want to come to Miami and play against great players.”

It appears more than likely the Hurricanes will have that chance Friday.

Dillon, the preseason ACC Player of the Year, missed two games after getting hurt in the Eagles’ 45-35 win over Temple on Sept. 29, but practiced Tuesday, with Boston College coach Steve Addazio telling reporters in Boston he thought Dillon would be “ready to roll” for Friday’s nationally televised game against the Hurricanes.

Boston College and Miami both enter Friday’s game with matching 2-1 records in ACC play and both know there is little room for error if they want to play for a conference championship, Boston College in the Atlantic Division and Miami in the Coastal.

That’s why, for the Hurricanes, containing Dillon — who led the ACC with 652 rushing yards when he got hurt — will be so critical.

“There [are] three things that make you hard to tackle, right? One is being big, one is being fast and one is being quick,” Diaz said.

“A good player should, theoretically, have one of those three attributes. If you have more than one of those attributes, then you are a problem. And obviously his size, you just look at him and [can] tell it’s like tackling a middle linebacker. Then he has the speed to go all the way and he has very good feet to make guys miss in the hole. I think that’s why all the draft people rate him so highly, and he has been a problem when he has been in there.”

Added defensive tackle Gerald Willis, “He’s a good back. He runs downhill great. If you don’t tackle him low, he can bounce off. I think this going to be the first big back we’ve faced all year. Like I said, I’m looking forward to it and I’ll make sure I hit him low.”

Containing the 6-foot, 245-pound Dillon himself will be only part of the challenge facing the Hurricanes (5-2, 2-1 ACC).

Boston College’s offensive line is widely regarded as a physical unit that can challenge defensive fronts and the group has not only helped pave the way for Dillon, but for the rest of the Eagles running backs, too.

Ahead of Friday’s game, five different Eagles are averaging at least five yards per carry, with Dillon’s primary backups — Ben Glines and David Bailey — each averaging at least 50 yards per game.

For the most part, the Hurricanes have done well against the run, allowing an average of just 2.9 yards per carry and 106 yards per game. Both those numbers rank among the top three in the ACC and top 15 nationally.

Now, Miami’s players say, it’s time to show they can handle the Eagles line and hold one of the nation’s premier running backs in check, especially with the Hurricanes needing a lift after their disappointing loss at Virginia earlier this month.

“They do what they do very well. There are no disguises. They want to run the ball,” Hurricanes linebacker Shaq Quarterman said. “The game is going to be fought in the trenches and it’s going to be fought there often, every play. We can’t get tired of playing the power or playing the stretch because they will run it back-to-back-toback until we stop it. So, that’s what we have to look forward to.”