Boston College Football Preview, Best Players, Top Transfers, Season Prediction, Win Total 2024

Boston College Eagles Preview 2024

Really? Boston College got Bill O’Brien as its head football coach?!

The Eagles had a nice 7-6 season that could’ve been a whole lot better, but it was a winning campaign, there was a bowl victory, and head man Jeff Hafley decided he’d rather live and work in Green Bay, Wisconsin as a defensive coordinator.

O’Brien was in town as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots. It didn’t go very well - THE TEAM HAD NO RECEIVERS.

That came after he bizarrely got blamed for Alabama not winning three national titles in two seasons as the OC - apparently, it was his fault Jameson Williams got hurt in the 2021 season CFP National Championship, and the D couldn’t hold on against Tennessee or LSU in 2022.

He’s a pro coach who did the impossible as the next-coach-up after THAT at Penn State, and now he gets a Boston College program with enough upside to at least be where it was at in the 2000s when going bowling was a regular thing.

It’s harder now in an improved ACC, but there’s decent experience, many of the issues are fixable, and yeah, really, the guy knows how to coach an offense and …

Boston College Preview 2024: Offense

- You need to have something on the ball to be Bill O’Brien’s offensive coordinator. Will Lawing has been with O’Brien since Penn State, and now he gets his chance to take over an interesting attack. It got - and will once again get - a great year out of the O line and a wonderful season from the running game because …

- Thomas Castellanos was a blast. The now-junior quarterback threw too many picks, and there were some rough patches, but he also ran for 1,113 yards and 13 touchdowns. He gave Florida State fits, ripped up SMU in the bowl win, and now he should be more dangerous.

Lewis Bond is a strong returning veteran, and landing Jayden McGowan from Vanderbilt and Jerand Bradley from Texas Tech is a big deal. Lawing was a tight end coach for New England last year, and he’s got a decent one in Jeremiah Franklin along with North Carolina transfer Kamari Morales.

- It’s not just Castellanos running the ball. He might have been the leading rusher, but Kye Robichaux did his part with 780 yards and eight scores, Treshaun Ward is a factor - he started at Florida State and went through Kansas State - and UCF’s Jordan McDonald will get his share of work. They’re working behind an outstanding line.

Star OG Christian Mahogany is gone, but C Drew Kendall, OT Ozzy Trapilo, and OG Logan Taylor will likely be All-ACC performers.

Boston College Preview 2024: Defense

- Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis found a home. From the NFL, to the Alliance of American Football, to the XFL, to Boston College, he has seen plenty. Now he has to see a BC defense get into the backfield.

AWFUL at generating pressure and miserable against the run, the Eagles averaged a sack and 3.3 tackles for loss per game, but there’s a ton of experience with all four starters expected back up front. There’s lots of size to go along with the time logged in. The production has to follow.

- The linebackers have to do their part to be disruptive, too. Like the line, there’s size - led by 232-pound Kam Arnold finishing third on the team with 66 stops - and getting Bryce Steele back in the middle after missing all of last year is a huge help.

- The transfer portal is helping fill in the gaps in the secondary. S Cameron Martinez (Ohio State) and CB Bryquice Brown (Georgia State) will be statistical stars, but the best of the bunch is CB Amari Jackson. With a wee bit of help from a pass rush, there’s good upside here.

Boston College Key To The Season

Pass rush, pass rush, pass rush.
The penalties were a big deal early on with 38 in the first three games, but they slowed down. The sacks, though, were limited to two games.

In back-to-back weeks in late September the Eagles came up with two sacks against Louisville and six more against Virginia. They managed a grand total of five in the other 11 games. Going forward, it would be nice if they came up with more.

Boston College Key Player

Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE Sr.
The team’s top edge rusher showed promise as a freshman with three sacks, and he blew up as a sophomore with 8.5 sacks and 14.5 tackles for loss with 61 stops. Good last year, he made plenty of plays and was solid against the run, but he only came up with two sacks.

There’s too much experience and size on the line not give him room and chances to produce.

Boston College Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Kamari Morales, TE Sr.
Running backs Treshaun Ward and Jordan McDonald will matter, and the secondary got some nice parts, but landing a sixth-year senior like Morales from North Carolina will help change the attack a bit.

Jeremiah Franklin is already a good starter, and Morales - 67 career catches for 761 yards and ten scores - will add even more to the position.

Top Transfer Out: Joseph Griffin, WR Jr.
The Eagles are more than fine at receiver with several nice options and good tight ends, but Griffin was the season-leading pass catcher with 25 grabs for 345 yards and a score. Now he’s off trying to make the Wisconsin passing game work.

Boston College Key Game

Michigan State, Sept. 21
Overall the ACC schedule isn’t too bad - at least after the opener against Florida State.

The Eagles have to go to Missouri and should beat Duquesne, so there’s a decent chance they’re 1-2 to start, 2-1 at reasonable best.

Michigan State is when the season needs to get going. There’s still a strong shot BC can go bowling even with a 1-3 start, but it would take plenty of work. 2-2 with WKU up next would close September strong.

Boston College 10 Best Players

1. Ozzy Trapilo, OT Sr.
2. Thomas Castellanos, QB Jr.
3. Logan Taylor, OG Jr.
4. Cam Horsley, DT Sr.
5. Donovan Ezeiruaku, DE Sr.
6. Lewis Bond, WR Jr.
7. Kye Robichaux, RB Sr.
8. Amari Jackson, CB Jr.
9. Kam Arnold, LB Sr.
10. Neto Okpala, DE Sr.

Boston College 2023 Fun Stats

- Opponent 1st Quarter Points: 65, Opponent 2nd Quarter Points: 146

- Onside Kicks: Boston College 1-of-5, Opponents 1-of-1

- 4th Down Conversions: Boston College 29-of-38 (76%), Opponents (72%)

Boston College 2024 Season Prediction, Win Total, What Will Happen

How consistent can the Eagles really be?

New coach, new era, lots of the same players, but the team that had Florida State in trouble, whacked Georgia Tech, and rolled SMU in the bowl is the same one that lost to Northern Illinois and struggled against Holy Cross and UConn.

The schedule is tougher this time around - replace Northern Illinois with a trip to Missouri and Army with Michigan State. However, there’s no Clemson, Miami, or NC State to deal with. They go to SMU, but they miss the long trips to play Stanford or Cal.

It might not seem exciting - Boston College got stale winning seven games a year - but a second straight 7-6 season with a good bowl appearance would be a great start under O’Brien.

Set The Boston College Win Total At … 6

Likely Wins: Duquesne, WKU

50/50 Games: Louisville, Michigan State, North Carolina, Pitt, at SMU, Syracuse, at Virginia, at Virginia Tech

Likely Losses: at Florida State, at Missouri

- Boston College Schedule: 3 Things To Know