Four Seniors to Lead Eagles as Captains

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Seniors Truman Gutapfel, John Johnson, Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis were voted team captains of the 2016 Boston College football team, head coach Steve Addazio announced on Saturday.

Gutapfel enters his senior campaign with 35 career games until his belt, including 21 starts. He was a member of the nation's No. 1 defense in 2015, allowing just 254.3 yards per game, and the Harrison, Ohio, native accounted for 26 tackles, including 7.5 tackles for a loss and two sacks. He earned a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference All-Academic Team and BC's Athletics Director's Award for Academic Achievement as a junior. In Gutapfel's three years at The Heights, the defensive lineman has recorded 56 tackles, 13.5 for a loss of 41 yards and 4.5 sacks for a loss of 19 yards, and one fumble recovery.

Johnson has played in 32 career games in Maroon and Gold. He started all 12 games as a junior, tallying 63 tackles, fourth most on the team. He was a member of the top defense in the nation, allowing just 254.3 total yards per game, and the BC secondary held offenses to a 104.66 passing efficiency, ranking fifth-best in the country. The West Hyattsville, Md., native recorded a career-high 11 tackles against Louisville in 2015, including eight solo stops, and his first career blocked punt, which was returned for a touchdown. In three years at The Heights, Johnson has 92 tackles, 3.5 for a loss, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and a recovery.

Rouse begins his fourth year at The Heights with 35 career games under his belt. He has logged 12 total touchdowns as an Eagle, including seven in his junior season. The Baldwinsville, N.Y., native recorded 587 all-purpose yards last season, including 426 rushing yards. He set a career high with 111 yards in his hometown backyard at Syracuse on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns to end the 2015 season. The running back has amassed 765 rushing yards on 176 career attempts, 198 receiving yards on 13 receptions and made nine tackles on special teams.

Willis currently sits fourth on BC's all-time return yards list with 1,613 career yards. The running back is also fourth with 67 returns in his three years at The Heights. In 33 career games, the Conyers, Ga., native has rushed for 1,064 yards on 215 attempts, scoring four touchdowns. He also has caught one TD pass and returned two kickoffs for scores, including a career-long 98-yarder as a freshman at New Mexico State and a 95-yard return against Syracuse as a sophomore. As a sophomore, Willis returned 34 kickoffs for 895 yards, averaging 26.3 yards/game, third best in the league. He represented BC at the 2016 ACC Kickoff, was named to the 2016 Wuerffel Trophy Watch List and is the lone FBS representative on the NCAA's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), representing the entire ACC.

The Eagles open the 2016 season in Dublin on Sept. 3 with a 7:30 a.m. EST tilt against Georgia Tech in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic in Aviva Stadium. The game will air on ESPN2.

Players Mentioned

Truman Gutapfel

John Johnson

Matt Milano

Tyler Rouse

Myles Willis

Boston College Athletics

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