BC Injury Bug Spreads to Running Back Room, Plus Takacs Out for Clemson
Boston College's injury bug has spread to the running back room.
ESPN's Pete Thamel reported Saturday evening that the Eagles will be without true freshmen Alex Broome and Cam Barfield as well as graduate Alec Sinkfield against No. 5 Clemson. Down three backs, the Eagles will likely lean more on RB1 Pat Garwo III than usual, and redshirt freshman Xavier Coleman could see an uptick in snaps.
Losing Broome especially hurts, as the first-year Eagle rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown on nine carries last week, giving BC a much-needed jolt in the run game versus Louisville.
Thamel's report also included that tight end George Takacs will be sidelined with injury.
Takacs left last weekend's game against Louisville in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury. The Notre Dame grad transfer has been a safety valve for quarterback Phil Jurkovec this season. Takacs is second on the team with 17 receptions. His 176 receiving yards are good for third.
Takacs recorded seven catches against Rutgers and Maine, but he's combined for only three receptions in ACC play. Since he can't go against Clemson, BC will rely on a committee at the position: likely a mix of redshirt sophomore Hans Lillis, redshirt junior Spencer Witter, true freshman Jeremiah Franklin and redshirt sophomore Charlie Gordinier.
But, aside from Takacs, Witter is the only other Eagles tight end with a reception this season. He has two grabs for 28 yards.
As expected, left guard Finn Dirstine will miss Saturday night's game. He's been dealing with an upper-body injury that kept him out last week against Louisville. Redshirt junior Jackson Ness—who switched from D-Line to O-Line this offseason—started in Dirstine's place. Ness held his own and even registered the team's best Pro Football Focus pass blocking grade (77.0) in the win over the Cardinals. What's more, BC rushed for a season-high 145 yards and averaged at least four yards per carry for the first time in 2022.
If Ness gets the start again versus Clemson, it will be the first time BC has had the same starting five up front in consecutive weeks this season.
On the other side of the ball, BC won't have sophomore cornerback CJ Burton, and redshirt freshman cornerback Jalen Cheek will dress but isn't expected to play, per Thamel. Burton left the Louisville game early, and Cheek—along with true freshman corner Amari Jackson—was sidelined with injury for the Week 5 matchup.
All three of them practiced this week. Nevertheless, the Eagles appear to be thin on that side of the field, where they had been rotating in all three young corners. Jackson's game status for Saturday night has yet to be announced.
When Burton went down against Louisville, BC had to move free safety Jason Maitre to nickel—where he spent most of 2020—and nickelback Josh DeBerry to corner.
Don't be surprised if the Eagles open against Clemson with that same formation.