Boston College Football Head Coach Bill O’Brien Talks On Improving First-Half Play

The Eagles head coach spoke on the team's slow start the past few weeks and how he thinks it can be improved.

Sep 28, 2024; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Boston College Eagles head coach Bill O'Brien signals during the first half against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The Boston College Eagles football team has gotten off to a successful first part of the season. 

The team has secured wins over the then-No. 10 Florida State, Duquesne, Michigan State, and Western Kentucky and has seen a sole loss to the No. 9 Missouri Tigers. In the past two weeks, the Eagles have pulled out come from behind victories in the fourth quarter after starting slow and getting into a hole.

Eagles head coach Bill O’Brien spoke on the tale of two halves and emphasized how the team has to come out better to start the game. 

“It’s hard to pinpoint one thing,” said O’Brien. “I do think that these guys, the coaches and the players together, have made adjustments at halftime and have been able to go out and execute at a better level. The thing is, again, it goes back to we have to start better. We’ve been behind at the half quite a bit and I’d like to try to get off to a better start, but give the coaches and the players credit for adjusting at halftime.”

The 54-year-old also shared what he believes is the key to getting off to faster starts and as the Eagles ACC slate starts this weekend. 

“It’s a little bit of everything there, it's a little bit of everything,” said O’Brien. “I think both sides of the ball, I think even special teams, we kicked the ball out of bounds on the first play of the game last week and we got a good kicker, Liam Connor, but he kicked it out of bounds. We can’t start the game that way, it’s the first play of the game. Then, offensively and defensively, can’t come out there and dip your toe in the water. You got to come out ready to play. Schematically, we got to adjust faster. It’s everybody together. Everybody works together to try to be successful so there’s no one part of it, there’s never going to be a finger pointing situation at all. If it’s anybody's fault, it’s my fault so we’ve got to really harp on it and preach it and try to get better at starting these games.” 

Boston College takes on the Virginia Cavaliers on Saturday afternoon at noon ET on ACC Network.