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BC notebook

They’re way off when away

By Mark Blaudschun
Globe Staff / October 22, 2009

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It used to be different. Much different. Play a road game at Clemson, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, even Notre Dame, and Boston College would perk up, almost strut.

And the Eagles would win. Sometimes it wouldn’t be easy, but they would find a way - as they did two years ago at Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Notre Dame and last year at Florida State.

It was part of their mystique as they won back-to-back Atlantic Coast Conference Atlantic Division titles. They were Road Warriors.

This season? Not so much. In road games against Clemson and Virginia Tech, the Eagles are 0-2. In fact, they are a bad 0-2, failing to score in the first half of the losses, both blowouts.

It is a point of concern this week as the Eagles prepare for their visit to South Bend, Ind., and Notre Dame Stadium.

Granted, the Eagles are still riding the high of a 52-20 win over North Carolina State, which did much to wipe out the doubts following a 48-14 loss at Virginia Tech the week before. And they have beaten Notre Dame six straight times, including three straight at Notre Dame Stadium.

This, however, is a different season, with a different Notre Dame team, led by quarterback Jimmy Clausen, who is having a Heisman Trophy-type year. And it is a Notre Dame team coming off a narrow loss to Southern Cal, one that cannot afford to lose two in a row at home.

“This is a must-win game for us in order to prove ourselves on the national stage,’’ said BC defensive end Alex Albright.

The Eagles say that stage fright in a young team is not the reason for the failures on the road; it might be the quality of opponents. Notre Dame is certainly at that level, but the Eagles’ confidence is high against an opponent it has been beating on a regular basis.

Weis talks Herzlich
During his weekly press conference, Irish coach Charlie Weis talked about his relationship with BC linebacker Mark Herzlich, who is recovering from cancer.

“I tell you what, you want to talk about a winner, that kid’s a winner,’’ Weis said. “And you know what I found out, I heard about him having cancer, I got a hold of Barry Gallup Sr., at Boston College, and asked him if it would be OK if I spoke with the kid. So Barry Gallup Sr., then asked his family and his family said yes. Then they gave me his cellphone number. Then I texted him, then we traded phone calls, and it has really, really grown from there. Where, you know, we communicate regularly.’’

Barry Gallup’s son, Barry Jr., is a senior kick returner for Notre Dame.

A tough stretch
The Eagles are starting to get healthy on defense, as middle linebacker Will Thompson has returned to practice after missing almost two months because of complications caused by a stretched nerve in his right shoulder. What appeared to be a simple “burner’’ in the preseason kept him sidelined for the first half of the season . . . Cornerback DeLeon Gause, who normally wears No. 9, will wear No. 6 against Notre Dame as a tribute to University of Connecticut defensive back Jasper Howard, who was stabbed to death in an on-campus fight Saturday night. Gause, who graduated from Miami Central High School, was friends with Howard, who graduated from Miami’s Edison High School. Running back Jeff Smith will also wear No. 6, his regular number.

Painful twist
Middle linebacker Mike McLaughlin explained what caused his fourth-quarter meltdown against North Carolina State, an outburst that drew a 15-yard penalty and prompted a talk on the sideline with coach Frank Spaziani. It seems that one of the linemen grabbed his right ankle - the foot in which he had the torn Achilles’ tendon - and twisted it, which sent McLaughlin over the edge . . . With an injury to returner Chris Fox, BC will use Smith and linebacker Dominick LeGrande on kickoffs.

Mark Blaudschun can be reached at blaudschun@globe.com.

© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company.