BC head coach says Tigers "may be best team" he's seen in his career

Boston College head coach Steve Addazio says Dabo Siwnney has built one of the nation's best programs

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Tue Nov 06 08:01:03 GMT-04:00 2018

Boston College head coach Steve Addazio has had coaching stops that have taken him from Syracuse to Florida to Indiana to Temple, and he told the media Monday that Clemson might be the best team he’s seen in all his years of coaching.

No. 2 Clemson plays at No. 17 Boston College Saturday night in Chestnut Hill. A Clemson win would give the Tigers the ACC Atlantic Division Championship, while Boston College would earn control of its own destiny with the upset win.

Addazio said the Tigers are going to be a challenge, then said this may be the best team he’s seen in his long career.

“We are facing an unbelievable challenge playing the No. 2 team in the country in Clemson,” Addazio said. “I will honestly and candidly tell you that this may be the best team I've seen in my career. It's certainly the best team I've seen since I've been at Boston College. They are in the top five in almost every statistical category. They are sensational on both sides of the ball. They are explosive. They have got first-rounders all over the field. They're a legitimate, legitimate big-time team. Alabama is one, they're two, and that's the elite of college football right now by a long shot.

“So it will certainly be a huge challenge for us, but we are looking forward to it and looking forward to the fact that we can play this game right here at home at Chestnut Hill.

He then said the game would be won along the lines of scrimmage and that Clemson’s defensive front is talented.

“Yeah. I mean, it's always a trench game. They are so talented across the board on defense, but certainly it starts up front, and they are as good as I've seen,” Addazio said. “When I was in the SEC, we were playing against some of these fronts. This is an outstanding front, but really can run at linebacker and the back end are extremely aggressive and athletic.

“I'd say that I think Brent Venables is one of the finest defensive coordinators in the country on top of it all. They not only have good players, but he is outstanding and goes a great job of putting together their package of pressures of things that really alter and affect you.”

Addazio said Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney has built a premier program.

“There's a reason why they are where they are, and they are scoring as many points that they are scoring. This is not by any means a fluke. This is a very well-coached and very well-recruited football team,” he said. “Dabo, I've really watched from afar, I think he's done a fabulous job of building and recruiting and creating a positive atmosphere, and really done a remarkable job with the whole football program. They’ve just got it rolling and they are attracting in there the elite, elite players in the country. You can see it on the field. It is very, very evident.

“So yeah, it is a trench game. We are going to have to play really well up front. We are going to have to have the ability to run the football. We are going to have to be smart and we are going to have do a good job and get hats on hats and move the front a little bit. Very few people have had the good fortune of being able to do that to them. No one has done it on a consistent basis, that's for sure.”

The Eagles won’t try and get too cute or outthink themselves – the coaches will play their scheme and let the players play fast and confident.

“Well, as I told our team, I want to make sure we give our kids a chance to go fight and win this football game. So, what we are not going to do is try to make this a chess match-scheme game and try to think on either side of the ball we are going to try to outdo this and outdo that,” Addazio said. “I want this game to be squarely in the hands of our players. They have earned it and deserved it. We have good schemes on both sides of the ball. I want to play fast and physical. I want to give our kids a chance to feel confident in what they are doing, so they can go toe to toe. I don't want to start doing things that we haven't done.

“Now, that doesn't mean that we won't have some wrinkles. That doesn't mean that we won't have some things prepared, just like everybody does. We certainly will. We are not going to go into this game and crawl up into the fetal position here. That's not going to happen. But that's not who we are anyways now. So we are not going to do that. We are going to play and go after Clemson with everything we have. We are going to play with great courage and on the attack. That's a mandate. We are going to play very aggressive, very hard and we are going to let it all hang out. We are not going to worry about anything.”

He then said the Eagles won’t hold anything back.

“I think from the top to the bottom of the program there is going to be one mindset here, and that's going to be the mindset,” Addazio said. “So, we are certainly not going to hold anything back. And we are going to play as fast and physical as we can. If anything, I'm going to cut practice down in its duration a little bit, keep it physical, but I want our kids to feel as great as they can feel on Saturday night.”

Addazio finished by saying he thinks freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be a top pick in the NFL one day.

“This guy is going to be a first-round draft pick. This guy is accurate. He's got size. He's got some savvy. This guy is an outstanding player. They have had some outstanding players, we all know that but this guy is certainly an elite guy on their standards. So I think he's outstanding,” Addazio said. “There is a reason why he was able to capture him, and people were talking about how could you put that guy ahead and this and that? Their staff obviously knew exactly what they were doing.

“They are playing an elite caliber player. That's not saying the other guys weren't. I'm sure they have got depth in there. They are very talented but this guy is the real deal.”