Football

BC football notebook: Bill O’Brien with a great start to his Eagles career — ‘You can win at a place like this’

Published

3 years ago

February 17, 2024

On Thursday afternoon, Boston College introduced Bill O’Brien as their new head coach of the football team. Athletic Director Blake James opened with remarks detailing the search, and what the team was looking for in a new coach.

“We talked to our players, and the players gave us the input they wanted and they wanted a winner,” James said. “They wanted someone who’s passionate. They wanted a motivator.”

With previous head coach Jeff Hafley up and leaving BC so late into the offseason, it was a concern that the candidate pool would not be as robust as one would prefer. As it turned out, not only was there a high level of candidates available, but options the likes BC has not seen before in previous searches.

“I talked with Father Jack as we interview candidates in person,” James explained. “And he grabbed me and said Blake, this is the strongest pool of candidates we’ve ever had for the football head coaching positions here at Boston College. But one candidate stood out from the rest. Who’s the best fit for Boston College.”

Boston College is a unique place. The challenge that is ever present for BC is the academic standards that the university upholds. O’Brien quickly made note of the rigorous schedule his players have with early morning workouts before attending class for the day.

“I don’t know if everybody knows this about the Boston College program right now, is that this is a morning program. So these are young men who get up at 5:30 every morning, and they work out with us. They meet on football. That’s how they practice in the spring. That’s how they practice in the in the fall, and then they go to class. And as the leader of the Boston College football program, that’s something that’s one of the main reasons why I want the job, you can win at a place like this.”

The education portion of BC has always been part of the package. O’Brien embraces that.

“This is a place where young men can come and play good football, get a great education, and give back to the community. And I think that’s what Boston College is all about,” he said. “And so I just want you to know that this is an outstanding group of young men who will proudly represent Boston College both on and off the field.”

As someone who had close ties to the university, it was the values in the university mission that aligned with the new head coach, who plans to continue instilling them in the team.

“We had great discussions about the values of Boston College, faith, education, and service to others. Commitment, integrity, respect, and loyalty. Those are the things that make Boston College such an incredible place and really why I wanted the job. I will do my best every single day to instill these values in our players, our student-athletes, every day that I’m here as that football coach.

“As I already mentioned, my responsibility to this program is to instill in our student-athletes the values of Boston College, character, hard work, respect, and integrity, in everything that we do. We will strive for success on the field and in the classroom will cultivate our minds and our talents and use those in service to others.”

Along with the values of BC, O’Brien outlined what the DNA of his team will be.

“We can win with guys who want to get a great education and play good football in the ACC. In keeping with the great tradition of Boston College, we’re going to be a smart, tough physical football team. We’ve already talked about that for five days. We might not win every game, but we will not be out tough. We will not be out competed, we will be a tough, smart physical football team.” O’Brien continued, “We’ll be a good situational team. And we’ll be a team that plays complementary football in all three phases.”

O’Brien’s next remarks were directed at the school’s former players and alum, and of great value. Last spring, The Heights released a piece highlighting the disconnect between the current program and their alumnus. O’Brien made a vow, and a plan, to earn their trust and support. It’s evident that he hopes they can be actively involved with the current team.

“I want to extend a message to the BC football family for coaches, but especially with players, I have tremendous respect for the history of this program. The great admiration for your loyalty. We respectfully request the chance to earn your trust and support through communication and a tremendous work ethic. You will always be welcome in this program. And we hope you will be a big part of our program.”

The speech concluded with a nice anecdote that had a ‘homecoming’ feel to it. As a local guy who grew up in the Boston area, O’Brien touched on the fulfillment that becoming the BC head coach meant to him.

“As a lifelong BC fan, a lot of us went to Brown, but we were secret Boston College fans, I promise you. I went into coaching. In 1993, I went into coaching at Brown. I always dreamed about being the head coach at Boston College. My career has taken some twists and turns taking me down roads, I never could have imagined that as I stand here today, I couldn’t be more grateful that the road has finally taken me back home to Boston College.”

Boston College has the reputation of being a ‘stepping stone’ school. In short, being a ‘Power 5’ school in FBS makes it an attractive position alone, but the issue BC has had in the past is candidates use their success here to move onto more attractive blue blood schools. O’Brien has the resume and pedigree to follow suit.

With his extensive experience, he views this as a final destination, something Eagles fans should rejoice at the notion.

“When I had the honor of meeting Father Leahy, about being committed to this program, you know, this is a program that does that will do things the right way,” Obrien continued, “Jeff Hafley did a really good job. You know, he did he did a good job here. We need to build on that. And we also need to build on what’s been done in the past year, you know, over time, obviously, you know, having connections to coach Bucknell and Coach Coughlin and Coach O’Brien, you know, no one the success that they have here in the formula that they did, but that’s something that I really believe in. And I can’t wait to get that goal.”

Previous successful Boston College football programs all had similar characteristics. Tough, hard-nosed teams. O’Brien is not looking to change the blueprint, his vision is seemingly to get back to those roots.

“This will be a team that will that on the football field will play smart, will be tough,” he said. “We will be a physical team will be a team that does the simple things. Well, we have to we have to be the team that wins the penalty battles and wins the turnover battle that plays the best on third down and plays the best in the right area. We have to play this situational football off the field. You know, this is a place where I believe that we all in the football program have to embrace what Boston College is and you can do both.

“Boston College is a place where you can do a lot of great things. I am not into the prediction thing. What I will promise you is that we will field a very, very competitive football team with a bunch of guys that will play hard and that will be tough,” O’Brien added. “Will we win the national championship every year? Who knows? I don’t know. I’m not a predictor. I’m not a genie. I’m just telling you that we will show up every Saturday and we will play to the best of our ability.”

He then touched on NIL, and how they’ll embrace it.

“We need to work. It’s called work, you have to organize your time, you have to budget your time properly. And you got to work. And so we’re gonna put the work in. You know, some things won’t happen overnight. Some things will take time, some things will happen quicker, but it’s all about work. I think you can balance it, when you organize it. You have great people around you with great people here.”

Coaching staff

BC made a Valentine’s Day splash on Wednesday, hiring two more defensive staff members. They reportedly picked up Washington State’s DBs coach Ray Brown for the same position and Maine defensive coordinator Jeff Commissiong as the defensive line coach.

Brown spent two years with the Cougars, though before that was with Abilene Christian, Utah State, and Troy.

For Commissiong, it’s a bit different. He was with BC from 2007-2013 in the defensive line role before spending a number of years with Old Dominion and a brief stint with Cornell, which led to his coordinator role at Maine.

HC: Bill O’Brien
OC: Will Lawing
DC: Tim Lewis

QB: Jonathan DiBiaso
RB: Savon Huggins
WR: Darrell Wyatt
OL: Matt Applebaum

DL: Jeff Comissiong
ILB: Paul Rhoads**
OLB: Sean Duggan**
CB: Ray Brown

ST: Matt Thurin**

* * = not clear if O’Brien is bringing back or not

Football

Boston College erupts after halftime, runs past Georgia Tech 49-27

Mason McKenzie and Bo MacCormack III combined for 325 rushing yards and five touchdowns as the Eagles earned their first road win and second consecutive ACC victory

Published

3 days ago

October 24, 2026

Mac Hutchinson

(Photo: BC Athletics)

ATLANTA, GA. – Boston College spent the first half getting in its own way. It spent the second running through Georgia Tech.

The Eagles overcame nine first-half penalties, a missed field goal, two missed extra points and a 28-yard punt before producing their best offensive performance of the season in a 49-27 victory Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium.

Boston College scored 37 points after halftime, rushed for 399 yards and finished with exactly 500 yards of offense. Mason McKenzie ran for 170 yards and two touchdowns, while Bo MacCormack III added 155 yards and three scores.

The victory improved BC to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the ACC. After losing its first two conference games, Boston College has defeated Pittsburgh and Georgia Tech in consecutive weeks and is now two wins from bowl eligibility.

For nearly the entire first half, however, the Eagles appeared determined to make the afternoon as difficult as possible.

Georgia Tech marched 79 yards on the opening possession and scored on Alberto Mendoza’s four-yard touchdown pass to Kevin Roche Jr. The Yellow Jackets extended their lead to 10-0 with a 32-yard Aidan Birr field goal on their next drive.

Flags overwhelmed the opening quarter. BC repeatedly gave Georgia Tech extra yards and additional opportunities, while penalties disrupted its own offensive rhythm.

The special teams were even more concerning.

Luca Lombardo missed a 48-yard field goal on BC’s opening possession. Jonathan Hewitt missed the extra point after McKenzie found Nedrick Boldin Jr. for a 25-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. When MacCormack scored from seven yards out on the Eagles’ next possession, Lombardo also missed the extra point.

Bryce LaFollette later produced a 28-yard punt that gave Georgia Tech possession at midfield.

“We gotta kick the ball better. That’s one thing we have to improve,” O’Brien said.

Despite everything BC had done wrong, the Eagles entered halftime trailing only 13-12.

That was possible because McKenzie never allowed the early mistakes to change how he played.

The difference between this performance and his previous road tests at Cincinnati and SMU was clear. McKenzie remained composed in the pocket, continued looking downfield when early connections were missed and trusted his legs when Georgia Tech opened running lanes.

He completed only 9 of 17 passes for 101 yards, but he threw a touchdown without an interception and consistently made the correct decision in BC’s option game.

His confidence was evident before the offense fully took control.

Facing third-and-8 from his own 3-yard line late in the second quarter, McKenzie stood in the pocket and found Javarius Green for 30 yards. The drive did not produce points, but the throw prevented Georgia Tech from receiving the ball with excellent field position and reflected a quarterback who was no longer overwhelmed by the moment.

After halftime, that confidence spread across the entire offense.

BC opened the third quarter with a five-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. McKenzie broke free for 40 yards along the Georgia Tech sideline, then added an eight-yard run that placed the ball at the 2. MacCormack finished the drive with his second touchdown and gave the Eagles their first lasting lead at 18-13.

Charlie Comella intercepted Mendoza on Georgia Tech’s next possession and returned the ball 23 yards to the Yellow Jackets’ 39. Five plays later, McKenzie scored on a six-yard run.

The Eagles had turned a one-point halftime deficit into a 25-13 lead in fewer than eight minutes.

“We had no penalties in the second half, and that’s really who we are,” O’Brien said. “The team you saw in the second half, to me, is like, that’s our football team.”

BC’s transformation was not the result of a complicated adjustment. Its offensive line took control of the line of scrimmage, and O’Brien continued calling the plays Georgia Tech could not stop.

The Eagles scored on each of their first five offensive possessions of the second half.

Lombardo completed an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 23-yard field goal early in the fourth quarter. Georgia Tech answered immediately when Justice Haynes scored on a 15-yard run, cutting the lead to 28-20.

BC responded with another 75-yard touchdown drive.

McKenzie converted third-and-2 with a 27-yard run, then kept the ball again for a 15-yard touchdown. The drive restored the two-score lead and delivered the answer BC needed each time Georgia Tech threatened to make the game competitive.

“It goes back to those five guys up front,” McKenzie said. “They were just moving guys all day, especially in that second half. And we just kept calling the same couple plays over and over again in different ways. And it kept working. So, like they say, if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

Comella removed any remaining doubt on Georgia Tech’s next possession.

The defensive back intercepted Mendoza for the second time and returned it 47 yards for a touchdown, extending BC’s lead to 42-20. Comella finished with five solo tackles, two interceptions and the first defensive touchdown of the afternoon.

Georgia Tech scored once more when backup quarterback Grady Adamson connected with Dalen Penson for a 30-yard touchdown, but the Eagles answered again.

MacCormack carried the ball four times on the ensuing possession and completed his three-touchdown afternoon with a 19-yard run. His final score gave BC 49 points and ended any possibility of a Georgia Tech comeback.

“When they’re moving people downfield and opening up holes, it’s easy for us to do our job in the backfield,” MacCormack said.

O’Brien offered a more direct assessment of his running back.

“Bo is one of the toughest competitors that I’ve been around,” O’Brien said.

McKenzie and MacCormack combined for 325 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Nolan Ray added 36 yards on three carries, while Mekhi Dodd rushed five times for 33 yards.

Altogether, BC averaged 8.5 yards across 47 rushing attempts.

The dominance on the ground opened every part of O’Brien’s offense. Georgia Tech could not consistently defend MacCormack between the tackles while also accounting for McKenzie on the perimeter. Once the Yellow Jackets began hesitating, the Eagles controlled the game.

This was the first time all season that BC’s offense fully resembled what O’Brien envisioned when he made McKenzie his starting quarterback.

The offensive line created movement. The running backs finished carries. McKenzie punished the defense for collapsing inside. Receivers and tight ends blocked on the perimeter even when the passing game was not producing significant numbers.

BC’s defense also made the plays required to turn control into separation. The Eagles intercepted Mendoza twice, recorded three sacks and held Georgia Tech to 101 rushing yards.

The first half cannot be ignored. Nine penalties for 91 yards would have been fatal against a stronger opponent, and the special-teams failures remain an immediate concern. BC missed three kicks and briefly appeared unable to trust any part of its field-goal operation.

What followed matters just as much.

The Eagles committed no penalties after halftime. They scored on five consecutive offensive possessions. When Georgia Tech reached the end zone, BC answered. When the offense built a lead, Comella turned it into a rout.

This was Boston College’s best win of the season.

It was the Eagles’ first road victory, their second consecutive conference win and the most convincing evidence yet that this reconstructed roster is beginning to become a team.

“We recruited good guys, guys that aren’t gonna fold when things get hard,” McKenzie said. “And that’s kind of what we’ve showed the past two weeks.”

BC will remain on the road next Saturday when it faces Duke at noon on The CW. The Eagles will enter Durham seeking their third consecutive ACC victory and a fifth win that would move them within one of bowl eligibility.

O’Brien was not interested in treating two victories as an accomplishment large enough to admire for long.

“Last year was last year. This is a new year. We gotta keep it going,” O’Brien said. “That’s the key.”

Boston College is just two wins short of a bowl.

After what happened in the second half at Bobby Dodd Stadium, that possibility no longer feels theoretical.

Mac Hutchinson, a columnist in Boston, is the Director of Digital Media for Eagles Daily, co-host of Eagles Weekly Podcast, and the founder of @BCFootballFans. He

Football

DiMAURO: A 24-team playoff format would (one day) benefit BC

Published

1 week ago

October 19, 2026

Mike DiMauro

(Photo: Harrison Allain, Eagles Daily)

By MIKE DiMAURO

OK. I know what you’re thinking. You see “Boston College football” and “College Football Playoff” in the same sentence.

And you summon your inner Jim Mora. “Playoffs? Playoffs? You kiddin’ me?”

I get it. But let me humbly suggest that while the college football fan in me hates the idea of the proposed (and gaining momentum) 24-team playoff structure, the BC loyalist in me loves it.

That’s because it gives the program a chance at the postseason it does not have right now.

Some history: Fourteen times in BC football history have its teams finished in the top 25 – 11 since 1982 – thus triggering the general idea that had a 24-team structure been in place, BC would have made the playoffs in each of those seasons. (Hell, the Flutie to Phelan year, 1984, the Eagles would have had a first-round bye).

For the sake of argument, the 11 finishes since 1982 are modest compared to the blue bloods, but still a decent number. I don’t think that with more commitment to the program, particularly through more NIL opportunities for the players, that finishing in the top 24 would be considered extreme heavy lifting.

This is not a giddy overreaction to a very nice win over Pitt on Saturday at Alumni Stadium. This is simple reality. Put it this way: Of all the great things that happened Saturday – Landon Wright’s emergence and Mason McKenzie’s accurate deep throws at the top of the list – the very best thing that happened came after the game.

Father Jack was in the locker room.

That’s right. Father John T. “Jack” Butler, Boston College’s 26th President, celebrated all weekend at his inauguration, got the game ball from Bill O’Brien to the cheers of all the kids. Father Jack was even wearing an old school BC cap with the Adidas logo, meaning he’s had it for a while. To me, this is more than symbolic. This is a new era, personified. There’s a new sheriff in town and he cares about sports, namely football, for which he was once team chaplain.

When the man at the top cares about sports, the inevitable trickle down happens. This has a chance to be a magnificent trickle. And it’s tied to the premise of this column. If Father Jack cares, they all care. And when they all care, the program gets everything it needs to succeed. And maybe more.

I’m not going to suggest, as others have, that Father Leahy ignored sports. But I always got the feeling he viewed them as a nuisance, rather than their more proper function as a great campus uniter and a window into the rest of the university. Father Jack gets it.

“When I trained for Pro Day, I had to come in at 6 a.m. to use the facility before the team,” former BC receiver Dino Tomlin wrote on X after Saturday’s game. “Father Jack Butler would be getting done working out when I got there. Not a facade! Football guy! Pushed real weight, too!”

Boom.

I know last week wasn’t great for the program. Kenyatta Watson’s mysterious departure was a horrific look, later exacerbated by a dreadful start against Pitt. But then, perhaps the rest of Saturday was a microcosm of what is to come: hang in there, better days ahead.

As previously stated: The college football fan in me hates the 24-team thing. It cheapens what college football does best: perpetual regular season games with playoff implications, exactly what college basketball cannot deliver. Twenty-four teams zaps much of the drama. Example: Alabama will play LSU on Nov. 7 in what becomes a de facto 2026 elimination game. Two of the game’s heavyweights playing for their lives. It’s just the kind of theater a 24-team structure won’t deliver.

But from the BC perspective? Hey, they’ve done it 11 times since 1982. Translation: It’s doable. I know that BC football gives us all O.T.S.D. (Ongoing Traumatic Stress Disorder). But with the right coaching and support, well, if you’ve already done something 11 times, you should be able to do it a 12th.

My BC friends will tell you I’m rarely a glass half full guy. I’m more like: It’s not merely half empty, but one of those trick dribble glasses that’ll ruin your best shirt. But even at 3-3, they had Virginia Tech down in the fourth quarter and went toe to toe at SMU. And have we mentioned Mason McKenzie appears to be tougher than Clorox?

Better days are coming, folks. So root for the 24-team structure. And have faith in the new sheriff.

Mike DiMauro, a columnist in Connecticut, is a contributor to Eagles Daily and a member of BC’s Class of 1990. He may be reached at m.dimauro@theday.com or on X @BCGenius

Football

Boston College 27, Pitt 21. Eagles pick up their first conference Win

Published

1 week ago

October 18, 2026

Jack Seiberlich

(Photo: Harrison Allain, Eagles Daily)

Saturday afternoon’s matchup against Pittsburgh was shaping up to be another disappointing one for Boston College, as the Eagles found themselves trailing 12-0 midway through the first quarter. However, behind a career performance from quarterback Mason McKenzie and several timely defensive stops, the Eagles were able to overcome their early struggles, defeating the Panthers 27-21 for their first ACC victory of the season.

The afternoon could not have gotten off to a much worse start for the Eagles. On the first play from scrimmage, Pitt quarterback Corey Dailey connected with receiver Cataurus Hicks for a 75-yard touchdown, giving the Panthers a 7-0 lead just 18 seconds into the game. Things would only get worse for BC, as a safety and a 28-yard field goal from Antonio Chadha extended Pittsburgh’s lead to 12-0.

Fortunately, the Eagles were able to find some offensive rhythm late in the opening quarter. McKenzie led BC on a 14-play, 75-yard drive, highlighted by several double-digit gains and a 17-yard rush from Bo MacCormack III. MacCormack would eventually punch the ball into the endzone from one yard out, cutting the Panthers’ lead to five.

The Eagles’ defense, which had looked vulnerable early, began to settle in during the second quarter. Captain KP Price came up with a crucial interception, giving McKenzie and the offense possession near midfield with just over two minutes remaining in the half. Seven plays later, McKenzie connected with Javarius Green for an 11-yard touchdown, giving the Eagles a 14-12 lead heading into the locker room.

Coming out of halftime, McKenzie wasted little time extending that lead. On BC’s opening possession of the third quarter, the redshirt sophomore found Landon Wright for a 69-yard touchdown, the longest completion of his career. Suddenly, an Eagles team that had looked completely outmatched in the opening minutes held a 21-12 advantage.

Unfortunately, the Panthers were not going away quietly. Pittsburgh responded with consecutive field goal drives, cutting BC’s lead to just three points heading into the fourth quarter. While Ted Roof’s defense had largely kept the Panthers out of the endzone, Pitt continued to move the football with relative ease.

However, McKenzie and Wright would connect once again, this time for a 53-yard gain that set up an Evan Dickens rushing touchdown. The score gave BC a 27-18 lead, although a missed extra point left the door open for Pittsburgh.

The Panthers responded with another field goal, bringing the score to 27-21 with just over eight minutes remaining. And with BC unable to put the game away offensively, Pittsburgh would get another opportunity to steal the victory. Fortunately for the Eagles’ faithful, Charlie Comella intercepted Dailey with under two minutes remaining, allowing BC to run out the clock.

McKenzie finished the afternoon with a career-high 295 passing yards and two touchdowns, while Wright contributed 122 receiving yards. Defensively, Carter Davis and Price recorded 11 and 10 tackles, respectively, helping the Eagles overcome an otherwise shaky performance.

While Saturday’s victory was undoubtedly encouraging, it was far from perfect. BC surrendered 392 total yards, including 199 on the ground, and McKenzie’s two interceptions nearly proved costly. Still, the Eagles managed 398 yards of their own and capitalized on a Pittsburgh team that committed 133 penalty yards.

After entering the afternoon with a disappointing 2-3 record, BC now sits at .500 with its first conference victory under its belt. The Eagles will travel to Atlanta next Saturday to face Georgia Tech, where they will look to build on what was arguably their most encouraging performance of the season.