PERMALINK: Dave Shinskie ready for Virginia Tech
Sept. 23, 2010
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- A lot can change in a year. Boston College quarterback Dave Shinskie hopes that a lot has changed since the last time he faced Virginia Tech.
His performance in that game, a 48-14 trouncing by the Hokies in Blacksburg, Va., wasn't pretty. Shinskie was 1-for-12 for 4 yards and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
"Well, last year I was out of my element, coming into my first start on the road in a stadium like that," Shinskie said before the Eagles' practice Wednesday. "Blacksburg's a tough place to play, even for a fourth-year or fifth-year senior."
Shinskie didn't become the full-time starter until Week 4 last season, just two weeks before the trip to Lane Stadium, and he admitted it was hard to play his first road game in front of 66,000 hostile fans.
"It's tough to play when you're, I'm not gonna say scared, but a little bit intimidated, a little bit overwhelmed by some of the stuff," the sophomore signal-caller said. "I'm just not like that anymore. I just came out last year and wasn't ready to execute the game plan, to throw to where I have to throw to, and this year I feel it's a lot different."
And while it's fair to say Shinskie's performance this season has been up and down, at the moment he's riding the swell. After struggling in the first half against Kent State and being pulled by coach Frank Spaziani, Shinskie returned in the third quarter to throw two touchdown passes and put away what had been a close game (the Eagles led 6-3 at the half).
Spaziani said he hasn't changed his approach to the quarterback position heading into Saturday's matchup with the Hokies at Alumni Stadium, the Eagles' ACC opener.
"If a guy goes out there and goes 10-for-10 and goes down the field three times, I'm certainly not going to disrupt the flow," Spaziani said.
So Shinskie will get the start, but if the former minor league pitcher struggles, fellow sophomore Mike Marscovetra will relieve him.
All the Eagles got a little early relief, as the team had a bye in Week 3. Shinskie said the break was good for the offense because it gave the Eagles a chance to focus on fundamentals: blocking assignments for the line, route running for the wideouts and timing for the quarterbacks, among other things.
"We look a heck of a lot better than we did two weeks ago," Shinskie said, "and there's still a lot of room for improvement."
They'll have to be improved against the Hokies, who just four short weeks ago were being touted by some as national title contenders. Two losses later -- one a nail-biter on opening night to No. 3 Boise State, the other a shocker to FCS contender James Madison -- and the title talk has gone away, but the Hokies remain a very dangerous team with an explosive offense and a disciplined defense.
"It's a competitive game, and they have a great defense every year," Shinskie said. "They give you different looks on different plays, different formations, and you have to pick that up as a quarterback. And if you don't, you're going to throw it into the wrong spots because they play it immaculate."
Shinskie said he's watched the tape from last year's game, but he's not fixated on it. He's moved on. Besides, he joked, there wasn't much BC offense in the teams' last meeting, so there isn't much film to watch.
Shinskie and the Eagles are spending more time analyzing the Hokies' performances this season, and the quarterback says that while not much has changed schematically for Virginia Tech, it's important to study the nuances of the defense.
"There's not many different things they run, they just do it extremely well," Shinskie said, "and it's hard to pick up in the middle of your backpedal or dropback."
A lot of water has passed under the proverbial bridge since the beating in Blacksburg. The Eagles are hoping that with the benefit of a year's experience, a week's focusing on fundamentals and the home-field advantage, Shinskie can build on his second-half performance against the Golden Flashes and start off the ACC slate on the right foot.
"I'm always encouraged by good performance," Spaziani said. "It builds confidence."
And confidence, the Eagles hope, can build consistency.
"Getting into the film room and watching what they do, and having a better idea this year, I'm excited to play them," Shinskie said.
On Saturday, the Eagles and Hokies will find out just how much has changed in a year.
Jack McCluskey is an editor for ESPN.com and contributes to ESPNBoston.com.
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