Top 10 Breakout Eagles: No. 3 Running Back David Bailey
Boston College has a new coach, Jeff Hafley, and with it comes a new offensive and defensive scheme. On top of that, having a new set of eyes on the roster could help to find novel and new ways to utilize players. Over the next few weeks BC Bulletin will unveil ten players who could be primed to have a breakout season in 2020. These players could have had solid seasons before but be on the cusp of something special, or they could be not used at all and earn a role in the new system.
In April arguably one of the greatest Boston College players of all time, AJ Dillon was drafted by the Green Bay Packers. He left a huge legacy that will be hard for anyone to follow, leading the Eagles in almost every offensive category including yards rushed (4,382 yards) and touchdowns (40). But behind him on the depth chart sat another self described "Buffalo Boy", ready to take on the role of star running back, junior David Bailey.
In just two years with Boston College, Bailey has certainly already had his moments. As a true freshman in 2018 in Dillon's absence he had an excellent game against Louisville, carrying the ball 28 times for 112 yards and one touchdown. Last season he took a giant step forward becoming the Robin to Dillon's Batman, rushing for 816 yards and eight total touchdowns. He had two mammoth games, against Syracuse (172 yards, 2 touchdowns) and NC State (181 yards, 2 touchdowns).
Bailey is a big physical back, very much cut from the same cloth as Dillon with good speed and dangerous in the open field. He can do it all too, and had an extraordinary game against Wake Forest where he threw for a touchdown and caught one as well. He has always been the backup, and had only one opportunity to start, in the Birmingham Bowl where he was not used much at all, only rushing eight times for 28 yards.
What could make Bailey dangerous is the new more balanced offense. Last year he could turn a small gain into a big gain with a little room, but many times he was running against stacked boxes. If a passing game helps spread out defenses more, Bailey will find more room and make bigger plays. On top of that, Addazio leaned extraordinarily hard on AJ Dillon. Bailey won't have to go through the wear and tear that Dillon did, as hopefully he won't be asked to run the ball 40 times a game into stacked boxes. With fresh legs, Bailey could become one of the better running backs in the ACC.
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Editor and publisher of BC Bulletin. '06 graduate of Boston College, who has followed the program as long as he can remember. Has been covering the Eagles for the past nine years, giving expert analysis, recruiting news and breakdowns. Also the host of Locked on Boston College, a daily BC podcast that is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. When he is not writing or producing content on the Eagles, he can be found running, skiing, enjoying craft beers, or spending time with his family. You can follow AJ Black on Twitter @AJBlack_BC and our official site Twitter account is @BulletinBC