Boston College Athletics
Runnin' On Passion With Rich Gunnell
March 06, 2020 | Football, #ForBoston Files
He became an Eagle in 2006 and never changed
Rich Gunnell is one of those people who brightens up a room as soon as he walks into it. He possesses a very real warmth and generosity, and his infectious personality and passion for the sport of football is felt before he ever says a word.
Part of it is because of where he's a football coach. Gunnell never left Boston College after arriving as a wide receiver in 2006, and as the current running backs coach, he is embracing an opportunity and challenge to coach a new position while continuing to grow the only program he's ever really known.
"I was very fortunate and thankful to (Jeff Hafley)," Gunnell said. "This has been my home. I've grown up here. I've been (at BC) since I was 18 years old, practically on my own, being in Boston. I met my wife here. This has been my world for the past 16 or 17 years. Now it just keeps going."
Gunnell is a foundational rock for the BC football program and links the team into its past success. He suited up for the Eagles during the Matt Ryan era, catching 181 passes for almost 2,500 yards over a four-year career from 2006-2009. In 2007, his 64 receptions and 931 yards made him Ryan's most-trusted receiver as a sophomore. He eventually shattered Pete Mitchell's longstanding career receiving yardage record.
His playing career is littered with highlights from that season and beyond. His touchdown catch brought No. 2 BC back from the brink against Virginia Tech in 2007, and he still ranks among the all-time leading receivers in program history. He did it with a passion and flair for the uniform, undeterred from ever defending the maroon and gold splashed across his body.
It anchored a seamless transition into a coaching career that began as a graduate assistant at BC. He never left Massachusetts after that and returned to the Eagles after serving as Marian High School's final head coach. He came back as the receivers coach, but his passion rose to the top of the ranks, enabling athletic director Martin Jarmond to task him with the interim head coaching position in last year's Birmingham Bowl.
Gunnell's love for Boston College left an impact with Hafley, and the new head coach retained him with a shift in position. He now takes over a running backs room brimming with talent even after AJ Dillon's departure for the NFL this offseason.
"We're fortunate to have every guy back," Gunnell said. "There's a lot of experience, and this spring, we're going to watch these guys develop into that last starting spot. Nothing's guaranteed, and it's not my place to talk about who can start, but we have some good ones behind AJ."
It's a personnel grouping Gunnell knows very well. He served as the primary recruiter for David Bailey, who entered 2020 as the lead returner in production, fostering a relationship well into his time spent on the field. It's a relationship he's trusting to Hafley, with immediate dividends.
"I recruited David, and now I get to be with him every chance I get," Gunnell said. "I get to develop him as a player and as a man. That's what I told him I would do from day one.
"Coach Hafley's been great with all of these guys," he continued. "It's awesome to be around. Everyone is receptive to his style and how he wants to go about things. I don't know how you coach anybody on that."
Gunnell is a lifelong Eagle who came to Boston College and never left. He was here during some really golden years, winning the Atlantic Division twice to advance to the ACC Championship in the late 2000s. He remained here after graduation, staying in Massachusetts before returning to a campus he called home. He helped rebuild everything about BC, stewarding the program through the pre-bowl turbulence. It left an impact with Hafley, and now he's ready to continue developing a life that was once an Eagle, always an Eagle.
"I've been around some good offensive coordinators with NFL ties," Gunnell said. "You learn more and more when these guys come around. There's so much more to learn, but that's the best thing about this sport. It's always expanding, and there's always another niche to pick up. The new receivers coach - Joe Dailey - is a former offensive coordinator. So I've even been able to pick up more in the last couple of months.
"Obviously, it's different (coaching running backs)," Gunnell said. "I have a great group, which helps, and it makes (learning) easy for me. It's helping me expand at coaching. I'm not just centered on receivers. Now I have to about life inside the tackle box, as opposed to what happens outside the tackle box."
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Part of it is because of where he's a football coach. Gunnell never left Boston College after arriving as a wide receiver in 2006, and as the current running backs coach, he is embracing an opportunity and challenge to coach a new position while continuing to grow the only program he's ever really known.
"I was very fortunate and thankful to (Jeff Hafley)," Gunnell said. "This has been my home. I've grown up here. I've been (at BC) since I was 18 years old, practically on my own, being in Boston. I met my wife here. This has been my world for the past 16 or 17 years. Now it just keeps going."
Gunnell is a foundational rock for the BC football program and links the team into its past success. He suited up for the Eagles during the Matt Ryan era, catching 181 passes for almost 2,500 yards over a four-year career from 2006-2009. In 2007, his 64 receptions and 931 yards made him Ryan's most-trusted receiver as a sophomore. He eventually shattered Pete Mitchell's longstanding career receiving yardage record.
His playing career is littered with highlights from that season and beyond. His touchdown catch brought No. 2 BC back from the brink against Virginia Tech in 2007, and he still ranks among the all-time leading receivers in program history. He did it with a passion and flair for the uniform, undeterred from ever defending the maroon and gold splashed across his body.
It anchored a seamless transition into a coaching career that began as a graduate assistant at BC. He never left Massachusetts after that and returned to the Eagles after serving as Marian High School's final head coach. He came back as the receivers coach, but his passion rose to the top of the ranks, enabling athletic director Martin Jarmond to task him with the interim head coaching position in last year's Birmingham Bowl.
Gunnell's love for Boston College left an impact with Hafley, and the new head coach retained him with a shift in position. He now takes over a running backs room brimming with talent even after AJ Dillon's departure for the NFL this offseason.
"We're fortunate to have every guy back," Gunnell said. "There's a lot of experience, and this spring, we're going to watch these guys develop into that last starting spot. Nothing's guaranteed, and it's not my place to talk about who can start, but we have some good ones behind AJ."
It's a personnel grouping Gunnell knows very well. He served as the primary recruiter for David Bailey, who entered 2020 as the lead returner in production, fostering a relationship well into his time spent on the field. It's a relationship he's trusting to Hafley, with immediate dividends.
"I recruited David, and now I get to be with him every chance I get," Gunnell said. "I get to develop him as a player and as a man. That's what I told him I would do from day one.
"Coach Hafley's been great with all of these guys," he continued. "It's awesome to be around. Everyone is receptive to his style and how he wants to go about things. I don't know how you coach anybody on that."
Gunnell is a lifelong Eagle who came to Boston College and never left. He was here during some really golden years, winning the Atlantic Division twice to advance to the ACC Championship in the late 2000s. He remained here after graduation, staying in Massachusetts before returning to a campus he called home. He helped rebuild everything about BC, stewarding the program through the pre-bowl turbulence. It left an impact with Hafley, and now he's ready to continue developing a life that was once an Eagle, always an Eagle.
"I've been around some good offensive coordinators with NFL ties," Gunnell said. "You learn more and more when these guys come around. There's so much more to learn, but that's the best thing about this sport. It's always expanding, and there's always another niche to pick up. The new receivers coach - Joe Dailey - is a former offensive coordinator. So I've even been able to pick up more in the last couple of months.
"Obviously, it's different (coaching running backs)," Gunnell said. "I have a great group, which helps, and it makes (learning) easy for me. It's helping me expand at coaching. I'm not just centered on receivers. Now I have to about life inside the tackle box, as opposed to what happens outside the tackle box."
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