One of the biggest positives coming out of Monday night — and there were a few — was that Tyler Boyd might be better than believed.
On the fourth play of the Panthers’ opening drive, he took off on a “jet sweep” around right end and gained 18 yards.
The drive resulted in a short-lived, 7-0 lead.
Boyd ran the play twice more for 20 and 16 yards. His 54 yards on three carries led the Panthers in rushing.
“I was very surprised,” he said. “When I got that first jet, I didn’t think I’d be as open as that. And the second one, they just kept opening it up for me. After that it was, like, totally comfort. I was ready for them to put the ball in my hands.”
After a first half with no catches, the 6-foot-2, 185-pound Boyd in the third quarter turned an apparently errant sideline pass from Tom Savage into a diving, highlight-worthy grab worth 17 yards. He later plucked a pass off his shoe tops for a 9-yard gain.
One of 12 first-year freshmen who played, Boyd also accounted for 71 yards on three kickoff returns, including one for 35 yards.
“I could have made more plays, but I made enough plays to do right, do good,” he said.
He was given kick-off return duties at the end of the 2d quarter. As a freshman receiver he had five touches. And the issue now, is that he needs to get the ball in his hands even more. Yeah, that’s a good problem.
