BC soccer staff used bye week to recalibrate just a few issues for season’s second half

Throughout his staff’s bye week, Boston Faculty soccer coach Jeff Hafley and his employees took an intensive take a look at what’s labored properly by way of six video games and what wants to vary.

The Eagles discarded some ideas, included just a few new wrinkles, and catered their schematic rules to their present personnel.

Whereas Hafley is aware of his staff is much from a completed product, he additionally believes BC has proven marked enchancment in latest weeks.

With that in thoughts, because the Eagles (3-3, 1-2 Atlantic Coast Convention) journey to face Georgia Tech (3-3, 2-1) Saturday, Hafley isn’t reinventing the wheel. It’s all about putting a stability and discovering the candy spot.

“Should you maintain including, you’re going to overflow like a cup,” Hafley stated. “If you wish to add stuff, you higher dump some out.”

A few of the foremost changes stem from the truth that Thomas Castellanos is now definitively the beginning quarterback. Within the preseason, with each Castellanos and Emmett Morehead within the combine, the Eagles tailor-made their offense to each QBs.

Now that Castellanos is the man, the Eagles frolicked tinkering the offense to totally incorporate what he does finest. Castellanos, considered one of three QBs within the nation with 1,000 passing yards and 500 speeding yards, has proven versatility and explosiveness.

He threw for 300-plus yards in opposition to Florida State, plus three TDs in opposition to Louisville. He ran for 142 yards and 4 scores in opposition to Military behind a monster effort from the offensive line, as BC totaled 321 speeding yards.

Standout guard Christian Mahogany stated Castellanos’s working capacity actually makes the sport 11-on-11. With groups anticipating him to take off, and doubtlessly bringing an additional man within the field, Hafley hopes the passing assault naturally advantages.

“He will get a variety of credit score for the best way he runs the ball, which he ought to,” Hafley stated. “I feel you’re going to see him take off throwing the ball within the subsequent six weeks. As soon as he begins doing that, then you definitely’ve received to choose your poison.”

The subsequent step for Castellanos is to attenuate turnovers. He has thrown not less than one interception in 4 of the six video games, together with three within the final two.

“I really feel like our offense can do all the things there may be,” Castellanos stated. “I really feel like we’ve simply been stopping ourselves with turnovers or no matter it might be.”

On the flip aspect, the Eagles know they should improve their very own interception numbers. They nonetheless have a complete of 1 by way of six video games after registering seven in 2022 and 10 the 12 months prior.

Most interceptions are available zone protection, Hafley stated, and sprinkling that into what BC already does may pay dividends. Hafley believes that persevering with to let the defensive position play with aggression, and forcing quarterbacks into ill-advised throws will assist that quantity improve.

“We reduce the chains free,” linebacker Kam Arnold stated. “We’re going to assist our DBs out and get after them.”

One constructive is that opposing offenses are 6 of twenty-two on third down in opposition to BC during the last two video games. The Eagles additionally received the possession battle in tight wins over Virginia and Military — one other indication that each the defensive and offensive strains are largely profitable their battles.

In opposition to a Yellow Jackets offense that averages 30.8 factors per sport, and options correct QB Haynes King, the Eagles know they’ve a troublesome problem forward.

Hafley known as King one of many higher quarterbacks they’ve performed and stated he thrives on short-to-intermediate passes. King, a 6-foot-3-inch, 204-pound redshirt sophomore who transferred from Texas A&M, likes to assault groups on the perimeter. Georgia Tech is fourth within the ACC with 275.2 passing yards per sport and second with 16 landing passes.

Hafley known as the Georgia Tech extensive receivers as athletic and quick as any unit they’ve confronted and stated the Eagles must watch out to not “get too cute” after the bye week. The Yellow Jackets are coming off a bye week, too, so every staff has to check what’s labored but in addition put together for the sudden.

Most essential of all for the Eagles is to piece collectively their first full sport of the season. The loss to Northern Illinois nonetheless looms giant. BC was lucky to flee in opposition to Holy Cross. Penalties proved expensive in a near-upset of Florida State. Louisville was a nightmare.

In opposition to Virginia, a powerful second half overshadowed a sluggish begin. In opposition to Military, a sluggish second half practically negated a terrific begin.

The Eagles imagine that in the event that they put all the things collectively, and maintain it long-term, they’ve an opportunity to make the fan base proud.

Mentioned Castellanos, “We will do one thing particular this 12 months.”