Boston College thrashed Colgate, 51-0, last weekend. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec threw for more than 300 yards with three touchdowns, wide receiver Zay Flowers turned in a 100-yard receiving game and BC’s defense pitched the program’s first season-opening shutout since 2009.

Then again, the Eagles were supposed to manhandle the FCS Raiders, who were outscored, 64-18, in their two-game, abridged spring season and hadn’t defeated an ACC opponent since 1950. So there was a lot more to last weekend than just the outcome.

“We won, 51-0; we played well enough to win, 51-0; we have to play way better if we’re gonna win Saturday,” head coach Jeff Hafley told reporters Tuesday.

Hafley said that, early in the season, it’s important to establish a routine. Right now, he and his staff are fine-tuning that routine. For instance, this week he noted that he was more prepared for his team meetings, and he knew he wanted to budget time for watching third down by himself afterward. He explained that it really just comes down to organization.

Whereas last season BC played only one non-conference game, the Eagles have the usual slate of four for 2021, the first three of which are against teams that combined for one win last season. With a lower level of competition, there’s no need for BC to start showing its cards.

Hafley has often discussed how, because of the pandemic uprooting spring ball and limiting fall camp, the Eagles’ scheme was pretty “vanilla” in 2020. This time around, he assured us we’d see more creativity. But not until BC is tested.

It’s not like you can just flip a switch, though, he explained. Hafley talked about how BC is continuing to practice the new first, second, third down, red zone and special teams installs so they don’t get stale. He compared it to the NFL preseason.

“You work all training camp, and then the preseason games, you don’t really run your offense and defense,” he said. “And then by the time you get to the real season, it’s almost like, ‘Gosh, we haven’t practiced this stuff that we just spent all this time on.”

BC doesn’t technically have a preseason, but the first few games essentially act as one. Hafley mentioned how, during the Colgate game, he and his staff crossed off different calls they had game planned but didn’t end up needing or wanting to use because it would’ve put more on tape for opponents to study.

Hafley said that the biggest thing the Eagles need to fix is their communication on defense. He said the unit played hard, tackled well, took the ball away and was penalty free. But it didn’t talk enough.

“A loud, noisy defense is a confident defense,” Hafley said. “And I just didn’t hear us enough.”

Hafley acknowledged that the loss of linebackers Isaiah McDuffie and Max Richardson—who were fifth and 11th, respectively, in total tackles among all FBS players last season—is a reason why. That said, he pointed out that the Eagles’ secondary, which is coated with veterans, has been there and done that, and therefore should be held accountable. Strong safety Jahmin Muse commented that chatting in the back end sets defensive backs up for coverage success.

“Just being able to be out there and coach everybody up,” Muse said. “Make sure everyone’s lined up. Make sure we’re communicating bumps and falls and motions.”

Alignment was a point of emphasis this week on the other side of the ball, too.

Wide receiver CJ Lewis said that, after reviewing the Colgate film, the position group worked on shoring up pre-snap details.

“Our splits, our techniques, our assignments,” he explained. “Being better blockers on the perimeter. We took a look at the film, and we decided that we could take another step this week.”

That’s the way center Alec Lindstrom feels about the Eagles’ run blocking: “There’s always things to get better at.”

“Yeah, we averaged five, six yards a carry, but of course we’re looking for the chunk play,” Lindstrom said. “There’s always a lot of things you can get better [at] every week. You’re not going to be perfect every week.

“And we saw a lot of things—a little thing here with the blocking, a little thing here with the run read or a little thing here with the tight end. If we do those things, it’s a 60-yard touchdown run.”

BC recorded just eight 20-plus-yard rushes in 2020, which ranked 86th nationally. Last week against Colgate, Pat Garwo III was the lone Eagles running back with a rush of more than 10 yards. Hafley isn’t worried about it because he feels that, at this point, it’s more important to evaluate different run plays than simply finding one that hits.

As for who will line up in the backfield this weekend in Amherst, that’s largely up to offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. and running backs coach Rich Gunnell.

“Some guys we like better on third down,” Hafley said. “Some guys based on what scheme we’re gonna run—we run three to four different plays that we major in. Some are better than some at the others. So when [Cignetti] calls it, he tries to get the right guy in. We’re still trying to figure those guys out, too.”

Even the aerial attack has room for improvement. The Eagles had two bad drops against the Raiders, and Jurkovec threw the ball into traffic a couple times and got lucky Colgate didn’t create a takeaway.

“Some footwork stuff,” Jurkovec said when asked what he wanted to work on this week. “Getting the ball out a little sooner. And not forcing the ball. Taking what they give. I thought I played a good game but definitely a lot to clean up.”

That’s typically how it goes in season opener “buy games.” Prolific stats but lots of teaching moments in the film room.

Saturday will be take two for the Eagles. It could have a similar feeling as last week.

What will be more relevant than the final score, however, is how many—if any—of those Week 1 mistakes are recurring.