BC Football's Roadmap To Success: A Return To O-Line U

The hockey guy is posting about football?? Stay with me, folks.

In this morning's Big Finish, Jeff and Brian discussed former 5-star recruit Matt Patchan's possible transfer to the Heights. Patchan, an offensive tackle who has missed time on the field due to knee injury, shoulder injury, gunshot wound, pec injury, bubonic plague*, rabies*, male pattern baldness*, and dry skin* (*unconfirmed), wants to stay with one of his former coaches, Urban Meyer or Steve Addazio.

I FIRMLY believe that if Patchan is healthy, can step in, and make an impact, the scholarship absolutely needs to be his. Brian commented in the Big Finish:

I'm not sure using one of the few scholarships remaining on an OT is the best idea.

I absolutely could not disagree more. And that brings me to the point of this article.

This school's reputation was built because of O-Line U. We were successful because we had talented line play. Not by getting the flashy skill position players (though our QB success has obviously helped), but by winning at the line.

The entire game of football revolves around the line of scrimmage. You can make any running back look like a superstar with great run blockers. You can make any quarterback look like Matt Ryan (okay, maybe slightly hyperbolic) with great pass blockers. On the other hand, Montel Harris isn't going anywhere if his line is a sieve. And Matt Ryan can't show off his arm when he's on his back 2 seconds after the snap.

O-Line U was why Boston College football could win 10 games any given year for a decade. I would argue that for the Eagles, a high-upside offensive line player like Patchan is more deserving of the scholarship than almost any other position player.

Rebuild BC's reputation as O-Line U to bring the high end line players to the Heights. As a school that will never get the lion's share of 4 and 5 star skill position players, this is how we build our program into an ACC championship and even national championship contender.