CHESTNUT HILL - BC actually got kinda lucky this week.

With the QB change and apparent sudden departure of Thomas Castellanos swirling around, BC had had to have laser focus preparing for the 14th-ranked team in the country.

Grayson James will be making his second start and first on the road, but as a native Texan, you hope the comforts of familiar territory could help push aside any jitters that may be there. If the Eagles can pick off the Mustangs, they'll be bowl eligible at 6-4 and suddenly have two winnable games at home to end the year.

Bill O'Brien and Lewis Bond both spoke Wednesday on Zoom and appeared locked in on moving forward and trying to build off the shootout win against the Orange. Here's everything they both said.

It's also worth noting this took place before any of the news about Castellanos heading to the portal came out, which explains why there's nothing specific on that part of the story.

O'BRIEN

On if Castellanos had rejoined the team

"No, nope."

On if he expected Castellanos to travel with the team

"No, no I don't."

On SMU running back Brashard Smith being an every-down back

"Absolutely. He's a very dynamic player, a strong player. Obviously, a great runner. Breaks tackles and excellent out of the backfield in the passing game. He's a good protecting back and a fourth down back because he returns kicks. So, the guy can do it all. He's one of the best players we've played against. It's a big challenge for our defense."

On if every-down backs are harder to find now

"Yeah, sometimes they are. I think there's a good amount of them out there, but it is different than in the past. There's been specialization for a while now, right? you look at when I was at the Patriots and some of the guys when I first went there...we had Laurence Maroney, he was a first and second down back. Obviously,, Kevin Faulk's probably - in my opinion - one of the best third down backs in the history of the game. So, yeah, over time it's been specialized, but I think there's still a good amount of three-down backs out there."

On SMU quarterback Kevin Jennings being tough to game plan for

"He can do it all. He's a really good passer, he directs the offense. It all runs through him. And then, obviously he can run. It's definitely a tall order for our defense. This is one of the best teams we've played, just an excellent football team. No doubt about it. A lot of it is because of the quarterback Jennings."

On if he had seen things in practice from Castellanos that would lead to James being named the starter or if this is a recent development

"No, no no. He's (James) done a great job in practice. He gets half the reps pretty much every day. He's done an excellent job in practice. Very smart guy. Prepares himself to be the starter every week. So, yeah, part of it is the game, but also what he's done in practice. He's gotten better and better every week. I think a big thing is too, he was injured. I don't know if everybody knows that. He was out for like four weeks...he had surgery way back when. So, he missed a lot of time, so it took him a while to get back into it. He's a good player."

On SMU's run defense

"They're very strong up front. They do a really good job up front of moving the front. They have a really good pressure package that's hard to see. It's very well disguised. They run a lot of different coverages. They make you think it's this and then at the snap of the ball it's something else. They're one of the best teams we've played, one of the best coached-teams we've played. Coach Lashley and his staff do an unbelivable job. I just give them a lot credit. This is one of the better-coached teams we've played. No doubt about it."

On SMU's defense having 19 takeaways

"Again, they disguise you, right? So, they lead you into plays where you think it's this and then it end sup being this. You throw it to the wrong guy and they also do a good job of punching the ball out. We have to take care of the ball. They've done a great job of taking the ball away."

On if James preparing for Western Kentucky made this week's transition easier

"Yeah, I mean, Grayson's done a great job since the day we walked in here. I really don't see it as a big, dramatic thing. Other people might see it that way. We've got quarterbacks on the roster. Grayson's done a good job. He has earned the opportunity. He's a good guy. He cares about the team. He tries to do what's best for the team every day out there as a backup quarterback and now as the starter. This is where we're going. We're going with Grayson James."

On if there's anything to prepare for SMU's speed

"Absolutely. We have to do a great job of tackling this team. They do a great job with tempo. They break a lot of tackles...a lot of their yards come after the catch or after first contact. So, tackling will be a big part of this game on both sides the ball. How well do we break tackles and then how well do we tackle on defense? That's a big, big part of the game."

BOND

On how he's felt about the QB situation

"I feel like that's a better question for coach. Me, I'm just going to take whoever's out there, catch the ball that comes to me."

On if there's anything different preparation wise receiving from Castellanos and James

"Separation wise, no. The ball comes out different because they're different sizes, but separation wise, you've got to win vs. man. That don't change. Tommy or Grayson, they're not playing DB. So, you've gotta win against the defender going against you. Their job is to get the ball to you. Our job is to get open."

On if there's any rivalry with SMU after last year's Fenway Bowl

"Nah, no rivalry. I think it's going to be completely different. Last year we played them in the rain in a bowl game. You can say whatever you want want about that. This year. they're 8-1, so they're a completely different team. We're a completely different team. We've got a new scheme. I'm sure they got some new things. It's going to be a completely different game."

On if he believes SMU will be hungry after losing the game last year

"I think as a competitor, you play a team last year, you lose, you're going to be hungry. You're going to want to beat them this year. So, there is going to be a little bit of that, but besides that, I don't think it's anything."

On if he was surprised wouldn't be around the team or travel with the team

"It's a better question for coach, I feel like."