CHESTNUT HILL – Boston College coach Tom O’Brien knew it when he got here from Virginia three years ago.
Speed, which that was a trademark of elite Atlantic Coast Conference teams, wasn’t anywhere to be found on the Eagles. Boston College football was smashmouth football, big strong linemen paving the way for blue-collar backs; pocket passers throwing to, what’s the political correct term these days, possession receivers.
So one of O’Brien’s first priorities was to fulfill the need for speed. O’Brien believes he’s accomplishing that, but ask Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer what he expected out of Boston College in yesterday’s Big East showdown at Alumni Stadium and he sees the Eagles of old.
“I think they’re going to try and hammer us,” said Beamer.
Certainly the Eagles (2-1) would look to establish running backs Cedric Washington and Willie Green. If a team can’t run on the Hokies, then the quarterback is in for a long day against a relentless pass rush.
One of the players who has anchored this year’s Tech defense is David Pugh, a 6-foot-3, 270-pound tackle, who runs a 4.6. He epitomizes what Tech defense is all about, speed over size.
“Heck, I think speed is better than size any day,” said Pugh. “Every since I was a little kid, I’ve always been pretty fast. I joke with some of our smaller guys, because I can run faster than some of them. I’m over there like, ‘You know, I play defensive tackle and I can run faster than you and you’re a linebacker.'”
Tech’s speed killed Boston College last season. The Hokies ran around and through the Eagles for a 38-14 win which wasn’t that close. It exemplified the difference in skill players between the two programs.
“We’re quicker than we were a year ago,” said O’Brien. “We’re faster than we were a year ago. If there’s one thing we have to improve here, it would be our speed. That’s always been a bugaboo, trying to get speed here at Boston College. It’s something we have to recruit and work towards, but it’s something we’re better off than we were three or four years ago.”
Still, the Eagles don’t have any defender who can run with Tech QB Michael Vick (who does?). Vick runs a legitimate 4.25 in the 40. He has game-breaking receivers in Andre Davis and Emmett Johnson.
The defense also is loaded with Lear jets. Rover Cory Bird is all over the field. Nick Sorenstam, the rover last season, is a linebacker this season. Tech’s defense is less experienced than last year’s but it also is quicker.
“Absolutely,” said O’Brien. “They have great speed on offense at the tailback, at the perimeter and at the quarterback position. Then they have great speed on defense at every position.”
For Boston College to beat the Hokies, ranked fourth by The Post, they would have had to neutralize Tech’s speed. Vick is the trigger on the Hokies’ speed gun.
Allowing him to get outside is a recipe for disaster. And the Eagles know it.
“Looking at him, I would say he’s the best I’ve ever seen,” said O’Brien.