CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – In his first start, Harrison Beck did two things that have happened only one other time since Philip Rivers went to the NFL.
He threw for more than 300 yards in a football game and had five interceptions.
The team had seven total turnovers, which resulted in 23 points during Boston College’s 37-17 rout against N.C. State on Saturday afternoon at Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
The seven turnovers were the most the football team has had since 1995 in a game against Clemson.
“We have to do a better job of taking care of the football,” O’Brien said. “That’s the thing we have to do first and foremost.”
The Wolfpack started off with the ball and on the first possession, the Eagles’ Jamie Silva intercepted Beck’s fourth pass of the game.
Seven plays later, Boston College quarterback Matt Ryan found receiver Kevin Challenger, and the home team had a 7-0 advantage.
State would even the score after a 98-yard touchdown drive, which resulted in a bootleg allowing Beck to run into the end zone untouched. A field goal from senior kicker Steven Hauschka later would give the Pack its only lead at 10-7.
Boston College then started controlling the running game, and Ryan started finding his receivers. The Eagles scored 30 consecutive points while the Pack would tack on a touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
O’Brien said the team had concerns with Beck because he thought he could throw “the ball through the wall.” And O’Brien said Beck still has to plenty to learn.
“He still has to learn to play in the offense, to take what the defense gives him,” O’Brien said. “He certainly has to take better care of the football if we are going to be any good.”
Beck said he has to take better control of the ball and start working within the offense.
“I believe in my arm. I just [have] to stay within the structure of the offense,” Beck said. “Do what coach [Dana] Bible wants me to do. And I think, when I do that, and when we do that as an offense, we do what we want.”
Senior receiver Darrell Blackman said he and Beck played well together. Blackman, who set a record with 128 yards in the first quarter, had all six of his catches in that opening quarter.
“We just [have] to play our game and capitalize on the plays we have,” Blackman said.
With the team’s final possession, O’Brien put redshirt junior Daniel Evans back in the game. But O’Brien said it was too soon to say who will start next week before he looks at the film.
The game, which was only O’Brien’s second as State’s coach, marked his return to his former team’s stadium,, but he said he didn’t approach the game any different.
“It’s like a regular football game to me,” O’Brien said. “I didn’t care one way or another.”
