BC QB Thomas Castellanos out with injury, Grayson James to start

Boston College quarterback Thomas Castellanos will miss Saturday’s game against Western Kentucky because of an injury, according to a team source.

Grayson James, a Florida International transfer, will make his first start for the Eagles (3-1), per the source.

Kickoff against the Hilltoppers (3-1) is set for noon, and the game will air on the ACC Network.

Here are five things to know:

1. Castellanos appeared slightly hobbled.

Castellanos sat out part of Tuesday’s practice and appeared slightly hobbled as he watched his teammates work out. He walked around campus without crutches or any additional support afterward.

On the season, Castellanos has completed 45 of 70 passes for 729 yards, with 10 touchdowns and two interceptions. He also has 43 carries for 112 yards and a score and has steered the Eagles to a strong start.

Castellanos threw a winning 42-yard touchdown pass to Lewis Bond in BC’s 23-19 triumph over Michigan State last Saturday.

2. James has plenty of experience.

James, a 6-foot-3-inch, 226-pound righty from Duncanville, Texas, posted a 58.4 completion percentage and totaled 2,347 passing yards, 13 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in three seasons with Florida International.

For what it’s worth, James faced Western Kentucky in 2022 and finished 13 of 22 for 85 yards in a 73-0 loss.

On Sept. 4, BC coach Bill O’Brien said James was “doing OK,” but was “a ways off” in his recovery from an injury.

In April, Castellanos called James a “good competitor.” O’Brien also praised James, who was one of the Eagles’ most polished players in the spring game.

“He’s definitely a much-improved player from where we were when we started with him,” O’Brien said in April. “I’m really happy that we have Grayson. He’s a great guy. Very smart, calm in the pocket, doesn’t panic. He has some good size and also has some good athletic ability.”

3. Depth at running back is key.

As of Friday, BC running back Kye Robichaux’s status for the game against his former team was unclear.

Robichaux, a senior who spent two seasons at Western Kentucky, has 31 carries for 121 yards and a touchdown this year. He missed the majority of last Saturday’s matchup with the Spartans, but played one snap on an unsuccessful fourth-and-goal attempt from the 1.

In his absence, Treshaun Ward posted a season-high 14 carries for 102 yards and a score. Ward recovered from an early fumble and played a critical role in BC’s comeback.

Freshman Turbo Richard, a 5-foot-8-inch, 200-pound force, contributed 10 carries for 46 yards and scored his first career touchdown.

“It felt really special,” Richard said. “I was waiting until my number got called. My number got called, and I just took advantage of my opportunity.”

Richard said he models his game after Walter Payton and Barry Sanders. He said a coach gave him the nickname “Turbo” at age 9 because he won every race after practice.

He earned the trust of the coaches early in the season and appears to have done enough to carve out a role whether Robichaux is healthy or not.

“I think Turbo is very tough,” O’Brien said. “That’s what I like about him the most. He’s a very tough young guy.”

4. The defense views field goals as a win.

BC has found the end zone on 9 of 14 trips to the red zone, compared with 3 of 10 for its opponents.

O’Brien said the Eagles have found success stopping the run in the red area, which has paid dividends at crucial moments.

“That’s a big, big deal for us,” O’Brien said. “We have to continue to do that. That was a big deal in the Michigan State game, being able to hold those guys to field goals, so that has to continue.”

The Eagles have allowed four touchdowns overall, which is tied for the second-fewest in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They’ve surrendered 10 field goals, the most in the conference.

“Obviously we would like to stop them, but sometimes they end up getting in the red zone and come out with a field goal,” linebacker Kam Arnold said. “But we treat that as a win, because at all costs, we want to stop touchdowns.”

5. O’Brien believes the Eagles will be ready.

A staple of O’Brien’s tenure so far is that the Eagles have been prepared and poised regardless of the opponent.

He said there should be no trap games.

“If there’s a letdown, then shame on us,” O’Brien said. “We need to show up and be ready to play.”

The Hilltoppers lost, 63-0, to Alabama in their opener but, as O’Brien noted, a lot of teams lose by such margins to the Crimson Tide. Since then, Western Kentucky has won three straight, including a significant victory over Toledo last Saturday.

The Hilltoppers have the 20th-ranked passing offense in the nation, so the performance of BC’s secondary — which had three timely interceptions against the Spartans — could shape the outcome.

“We have a big challenge ahead of us,” O’Brien said. “This will be a very, very tough game.

“Western Kentucky’s done a great job. Like I’ve said before, and I’m not trying to be funny, FBS, FCS, CIA, NCIS, I really don’t care. I don’t know anything about the differences.”