The two days after Boston College's 27-24 loss to Northern Illinois did little to quell the sour taste left in head coach Jeff Hafley's mouth. August's full training camp produced nothing but optimism about the Eagles' direction, and one game, the first of the 2023 season, unraveled the positive energy into cascading disappointment and bewilderment at how BC simply didn't execute a well-thought, well-planned game plan.
The necessary aftermath on Sunday revealed more of the grisly truth for a coach who prided the team on the depth and speed of its fundamental install. A lack of cohesion left the defense tired, and mindless penalties mired and stalled any hope of generating consistent momentum.