Eagles, Wolfpack set for defensive battle
Neither team giving up much to opposing offenses
Points could be at a premium when Boston College faces North Carolina State at 7:30 p.m. tonight at Alumni Stadium.
Both teams are coming off a bye week.
N.C. State tops the ACC in total defense, allowing 295.4 yards per game and 4.76 yards per play. The Wolfpack are second in scoring defense allowing 15.8 points per game and lead the ACC in first downs allowed with 15 per game. NC State’s opponents have converted on third down 27.6% of the time, second in the nation.
The puzzling aspect of those numbers is that the Wolfpack does not have an individual in the top 10 in the ACC in any of the significant defensive categories except interceptions.
NC State linebacker Drake Thomas and BC defensive backs Josh DeBerry and Brandon Sebastian are tied for third with two interceptions apiece. Thomas is NC State’s leading tackler with 38, tied for 12th in the ACC.
“They are really sound on defense,” said BC second year coach Jeff Hafley, who will face the Wolfpack for the first time. “They don’t give up a lot of explosive plays and they tackle really well.
“They have a really solid scheme and they keep it in front and they are coached really well. The thing that jumps off the tape for me is how hard they play. They play hard, they have a great scheme. They are really well coached and they have great players.”
Boston College (4-1, 0-1) is in the same neighborhood as NC State (4-1, 1-0) in terms of team defense and the Eagles are doing it in similar fashion. BC is fourth in total defense with 319.6 yards allowed per game and fifth allowing 5.22 yards per play.
The Eagles are third in scoring defense with 16.8 point per game and second in first downs allowed with 17 per game. BC’s opponents have converted on 16-of-58 third down situations for a 27.6% success rate, seventh in the nation.
Both NC State and BC have accomplished their respective achievements on defense without a pass rush. The Wolfpack and the Eagles are tied at the bottom of the ACC with just 1.4 sacks per game.
Like NC State, BC does not have individual leaders in the important defensive categories but they have been effective on takeaways. Linebacker Vinny DePalma has two forced fumbles. Hafley credits for defensive coordinator Tem Lukabu for the Eagles’ success on third down.
“We are top 10 in the country,” said Hafley. “Tem and his defensive staff are doing a great job and the players are executing it at a high level.
“When you look it, it is kind of strange because the sacks aren’t there. Usually when you get a lot of sacks you are really good on third down getting off the field.
But there are other ways to get it done by mixing things up, playing man, playing zone, dropping people and the corners have been really competitive on the outside.”