Chestnut Hill, Mass.

They call him "Shake." Shake Outlow. Catchy. And this makes Marcus Outlow grin.

"It was probably after the Maine game," Outlow was saying Saturday, alluding to his breakout game at Boston College from earlier this season. "I was out and about that night and people saw me and said 'there's Shake Outlow!'

"Then (teammate) Jon Hilliman heard it and said, '"I like that. We're calling you that now.' Even (BC) coach (Steve) Addazio came up to me one day and said 'I heard your name is Shake.' I like it. I'm not really the type to really run you over, but if I have to, I will. Especially being in college now. Sometimes, the shake isn't always going to work."

It's worked just fine for Shake Outlow, the freshman running back at BC, the former whiz kid at Norwich Free Academy, the young guy who earned one mop-up carry during the season-opener at UMass … and started for the Eagles in the regular-season finale Saturday against Syracuse at Alumni Stadium.

Quite the freshman season, as much about the "when" as the "what." Outlow has more than 200 yards rushing and nearly 100 yards receiving as the Eagles await a bowl game. But the timing? Try his first career touchdown at Virginia Tech that gave his team the lead, followed by dragging defenders with him running for first downs as the offense killed the clock late in the game.

Then last week at Florida State, leading a late-game drive that advanced the ball from the BC 8-yard line to the Florida State 25. Fourteen straight running plays for the Eagles. Five from Outlow, including gains of 20 and 13 yards. With FSU's national championship hopes teetering.

"Going into Virginia Tech, I never played in an atmosphere like that," Outlow said. "And Florida State was just crazy. I thought the NFA-New London game was the biggest atmosphere ever. I was thinking about how blessed I was be out there and for coach Addazio and coach Wash (running backs coach Al Washington) to keep believing in me."

And for Outlow to believe in himself. It hasn't necessarily been easy. Outlow has heard the whispers. He's "soft." He didn't run hard last year at NFA, gaining about 400 fewer yards than in his junior year. He'd never make it at BC.

"I've heard it," he said. "Last year, people were saying I wasn't really running hard because I knew where I was going. I wasn't giving my best effort. People who know me know I'm a competitor. It just so happened last year I was hampered by injuries and I couldn't be as effective as I wanted to be. It was hard.

"Then at the start of this year when I wasn't playing much, it started back up again. Maybe this is him getting what he deserves because he wasn't really running hard in high school."

Consider Outlow's plight. BC had recruited several other running backs. There is the matter of academics at BC, where there's no "weightlifting" major. And Addazio, a hard marker, who even after Saturday's 28-7 win that completed a solid 7-5 regular season, was quick to remind everyone, 'This is not about stats. Not about appeasing anybody. It's about winning."

Outlow: "It was a grind at the beginning. Something I was never used to. I was kind of lost with the speed and physicality of it. Nothing like high school. As the weeks went on, I wasn't playing much, but I was going hard on every rep (repetition) I could get. We have a rotation, certain guys are better at certain things. But one thing I always kept in mind: I had coaches who believed in me and coaches who really, really preach team."

Outlow is part of a Connecticut-palooza at BC this season. Rather ironic. Here is a Norwich kid with a big future. Quarterback Tyler Murphy, a graduate of Wethersfield High, set the Atlantic Coast Conference's single season rushing record for a quarterback on Saturday. Receiver Shakim Phillips (three touchdown receptions) and safety Ty-Meer Brown (picked off Jameis Winston last week) are UConn transfers.

"We have a lot of guys here from New Jersey and Florida. We hear that all the time their high school football is the best and how Connecticut doesn't have any ballers," Outlow said. "We remind them that Connecticut's not a big state and that the guys who make it out are legit. We walk around here chanting 'CT, CT' a lot. We got a lot of smirks."

Outlow, too, smirks at the whole experience. He knew he could do it. But who knew this fast? Who knew he'd fit in so well? Who knew they'd call him "Shake?" Who knew they'd call him "pretty boy," too?

"Hey," he said. "I like to stay on top of my hair."

Maybe this is why Addazio was compelled to say of him Saturday, "You see him. I think he's going to be a big time player. Marcus has made some huge plays for us. True freshman. His future is extremely bright. He's a guy who brings a lot to the table, not just on the field but off. A real, positive, upbeat guy."

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

Twitter: @BCgenius