Pasqualoni, Gunnell Added to Staff

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College head football coach Steve Addazio announced that 43-year coaching veteran Paul Pasqualoni and former BC great Rich Gunnell are joining the Eagles' coaching staff. Pasqualoni will coach the defensive line and Gunnell the wide receivers.

In more coaching news, tight ends coach Frank Leonard was elevated to assistant head coach. He will remain with the tight ends core. Al Washington, who made the transition to special teams coordinator during the 2015-16 offseason will also coach the defensive line. Another BC great Ricky Brown, was hired as the recruiting specialist/quality control.

"It is a great thrill for me to announce the addition of Paul Pasqualoni as the defensive line coach at Boston College. We welcome his family, wife Jill, and children Dante, Tito and Cami, to BC," Addazio said. "Coach Pasqualoni brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from both the collegiate and professional level to our program. He is one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Big East Conference, a highly successful coordinator in the NFL and has coached some of the most prolific players in league history at every position. His experience, passion for the game, high integrity and knowledge of Boston College and of New England football will be a tremendous asset to our program and to this university."

Pasqualoni brings 23 years of collegiate head coaching experience to The Heights. His wealth of knowledge also extends to eight years in the NFL. He was most recently in Houston with the Texans, coaching the defensive line in 2015. Pasqualoni was the head coach at the Connecticut (2011-13), Syracuse (1991-2004) and Western Connecticut State (1982-86). As a collegiate head coach, he compiled a 151-94-1 record, posted 15 winning seasons, won five conference titles and led his teams to a 6-3 bowl record. He helped coach over 30 NFL Draft selections at Syracuse, including seven first-round draft picks. At Connecticut, Pasqualoni helped tutor six eventual NFL Draft picks, including a school-record five in the 2013 NFL Draft. He has mentored NFL stand-outs such as JJ Watt, Jared Allen, Jeremiah Ratliff and DeMarcus Ware.

Addazio got his start in coaching on Pasqualoni's Western Connecticut State coaching staff as the offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator in 1985. Leonard worked with the defensive line under Pasqualoni from 1982 to 1984.

Pasqualoni concluded his 14-year tenure as Syracuse's second-winningest coach with 107 victories and guided the Orange to four Big East conference titles. Addazio served under Pasqualoni from 1995 to 1998, working with tight ends and the offensive line and new defensive coordinator Jim Reid was the defensive line coach for SU in 2004. The Eagles' assistant athletics director for football operations and player personnel Reggie Terry played linebacker for Pasqualoni from 1989 to 1993 and started on the staff as a graduate assistant after he graduated.

Pasqualoni also worked with Reid on the Miami Dolphins staff when Pasqualoni served as the defensive coordinator and Reid the outside linebackers coach in 2008-09.

"I am very excited to be part of the Boston College football program and the BC community. I share this excitement with my entire family," Pasqualoni said. "I have long history with BC. I was at Syracuse for 18 years so we competed 18 times. I am very appreciative to Father Leahy, Brad Bates and Coach Addazio for this opportunity. I feel a connection with the Jesuit community because I regard myself as a teacher and the Jesuits are known as the greatest teachers. I got into this business to be a teacher and I've taught at every level there is – elementary, high school, collegiate and professional. I am excited for the opportunity to work the players and the coaching staff. I have a long history with many of the coaches: Coach Addazio going back to Western Connecticut, Frank Leonard was on that staff, this will be my third stint with Coach Reid and I recruited and coached Reggie Terry at Syracuse. I look forward to working with this coaching staff to develop these players into men. That is the holistic approach to the student-athlete here and we strive for excellence every single day."

Gunnell comes to the Eagles after almost a two-year stint as the head coach at Marian High School in Framingham, Mass. He worked on the BC staff as graduate assistant for two years (2012-13) and spent the previous season as the assistant defensive line coach at Tufts.

"We are really excited to welcome Rich Gunnell and his wife Jenn back to the BC Football family. I have had the chance to work with Rich hand-in-hand since the day I took the job and I've seen what an outstanding young man is he and an outstanding bright football mind he has. I knew right away that one day, he would be a great asset to our football staff as a full-time coach and I am extremely excited to welcome him as the wide receivers coach. He brings tremendous passion for the game and for Boston College and everything it stands for, as well as great experience playing the position. He will be a great role model and mentor for our players."

A 2009 graduate of Boston College with a degree in communications, the East Windsor, N.J., native was a four-year letter winner at wide receiver. He served as team co-captain as a senior and earned the team's most valuable player award and All-ACC honorable mention accolades. He registered 181 receptions, 2,459 yards and 18 touchdowns during his four years (2006-09). He ranks on four BC career record lists: third for receptions, second for receiving yards, fourth for touchdowns and tied for second with eight 100-yard games. Gunnell enjoyed a brief professional career with the Kansas City Chiefs organization prior to joining the coaching ranks.

"I am very excited to back at my alma mater. I am very grateful and I would like to thank Coach Addazio, Brad Bates and Father Leahy for giving me this opportunity. It is a dream come true to coach at the school that I played for, was a captain for, did my graduate assistant work at and will work with the exact position that I played," Gunnell said. "I couldn't be happier and I feel like I am back at home. Boston College is a small, close-knit community. This place helped mold me into the person that I am today and many of the people who were there when I was in school are still here today. I am just excited to be back around the same people. I have learned so much from Coach Addazio. I GA-ed for him and when I was coaching in high school, I found myself saying a lot of things that he was telling his players. Now to be working for him again – this time as a position coach – will be a great experience and I know I will learn a lot more. I can't wait to get started."

Brown was an outstanding linebacker for the Eagles from 2002-05 and winner of the 2005 Scanlan Award, the highest honor bestowed upon a BC Football player as it recognizes accomplishments on the field, in the classroom and in the community. He finished his BC football career with 184 career tackles (118 solos), 4.5 quarterback sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, five forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. The Cincinnati, Ohio, native led the Eagles in his junior campaign with 81 tackles and notched career highs in solo tackles (10), total tackles (13) and tackles for loss (two) against Syracuse that season. He finished the 2004 season with five stops in the Continental Tire Bowl victory over North Carolina. He also took home Big East All-Freshman team honors from The Sporting News in 2002 and Big East All-Academic Team honors in 2004.

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