Boston College Athletics
A Tale Of Two Transfers
September 09, 2020 | Football, #ForBoston Files
For Deon Jones and Chibueze Onwuka, BC is the next step to help them get where they want to be.
Transfer arrivals have a way of signaling a different kind of era for a football team. High profile athletes hunt for new destinations, while breakout players search for the new challenges. The continuous cycle represents its own form of recruiting bent on continuing football careers, and commitments have a way of validating a program as either an established contender or a rising power.
At Boston College, the arrivals of several transfers confirmed public opinion about the program's new coaches. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec and wide receiver Jaelen Gill arguably ranked among the most eye-popping, and the recent addition of defensive end Luc Bequette pointed a spotlight at the behind-the-scenes churning of the BC program.Â
But while well-earned fame surrounded incoming hype, two other transfers, Deon Jones and Chibueze Onwuka, also chose to come to BC. Neither received the same fanfare, but both embraced the Eagles' culture and are expected to have an immediate impact on the 2020 season.
"Coming in, I did my research," Jones said. "Over six or seven years, there were seven or so defensive backs that went to the (NFL) from BC. I did my research on Coach Hafley as well, and (defensive backs coach) Aazaar (Abdul-Rahim) made feel good. I knew I was going to be taken care of to help my game."
"I was really excited to come here with the new coaching staff," Onwuka agreed. "It was really attractive to come here. We're looking at having a good defense, and everyone is flying to the ball. Everyone welcomed me (to the team). I'm glad I chose BC to finish out a college career."
Every athlete's process is a little bit different, and the contrast between Jones and Onwuka is no different. Jones, for example, is a former four-star recruit and a consensus top defensive back from his recruiting class. He ranked atop the state rankings for Maryland in both the ESPN and Rivals recruiting rankings, while taking home the No. 155 slot in the ESPN300.Â
That reputation earned him plenty of attention from elite schools, but he chose to stay home because of the relationship with his recruiter, Aazaar Abdul-Rahim. The coach forged a relationship with the player's family that ran deep through the region's football bloodline, and the unbreakable bond only fostered closer ties when Jones committed to play for the Terrapins.
"For us, the D.C., Maryland, Virginia area is small, but our football produces well," Jones said. "Chase Young was a first round pick, and Dwayne Haskins was a first round pick before him. There are countless names like Anthony McFarland. We're good, a powerhouse (region). A lot of people don't put a lot of respect on our name, but it's definitely there."
Jones remained in College Park for three seasons, the last of which saw him start six games at safety last year. Over the course of the year, he recorded 34 tackles and a forced fumble, the latter of which came in the season's second week against nationally-ranked Syracuse.Â
The 2019 season, though, was spent without Abdul-Rahim. He left Maryland to become the defensive coordinator at UMass, taking with him a reputation as one of the best recruiters in the country. After the season, Jeff Hafley hired Abdul-Rahim to coach defensive backs at Boston College, and Jones took note when he made his decision to transfer.
"It's kind of like I'm following him," Jones said with a laugh. "I've known Coach Aazaar since the seventh or eighth grade. He's a reason why I stayed home at Maryland, and he's the reason why I'm at Boston College now. I love Coach Aazaar. I'd go to war with him any day. He's always looking out for me and putting me in the best position I can be in."
It created the perfect scenario for both Jones and BC because the athlete had already earned his undergraduate degree at Maryland. As a graduate transfer, he wouldn't need an eligibility waiver and could immediately play for his new team, and his redshirt from his true freshman season added a year of eligibility to a former four-star recruit who had started for a Big Ten, power conference team.
"As soon as I put my name in the portal, I reached out," Jones said. "It was a no brainer what BC could offer me. I already graduated with a degree from Maryland, and Boston College introduced me to the Woods College (of Advancing Studies) so I could get my Master's degree in sports administration. I want to get into coaching or media (in the future), while still focusing on ball (right now)."
That road differed from Onwuka, a fellow Maryland product. The former state wrestling champion didn't immediately play college football and instead spent a year at Niagara County Community College in New York as a wrestler. He then enrolled at the University of Buffalo and walked onto the Bulls' roster in 2017.
Onwuka made an immediate impact for Buffalo and appeared in 11 games during his freshman season. Over the next three seasons, he played in 36 games and helped transform the Bulls defense into a Mid-American Conference stalwart. In 2018, he recovered a fumble that helped Buffalo defeat Temple, and the team won the MAC East Division after beating Rutgers, a Big Ten team, during the regular season.Â
Last year, he started all 13 games and earned All-MAC Third Team honors as the Bulls followed up their division championship with their second consecutive bowl berth. Facing Charlotte in the Bahamas Bowl, UB held one of the nation's most-potent rushing offenses to less than 100 yards on the ground in the program's first-ever bowl win.
Like Jones, Onwuka obtained his degree last year, and he entered the transfer portal with the option to immediately become eligible for his new team.Â
"The big thing for graduate transfers, going into the last season, is a business decision because you want to get to the next level," Onwuka said. "When I first got into (the portal), it was overwhelming because of the attention I was getting. It came down to the coaches that I clicked with the best and the defense that I thought I would excel in the most, how I thought I could get my game to the next level."
The divergent path still led him to Boston College's new coaching staff and defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase. Unlike Jones, Onwuka didn't have a previous relationship with his new position coach, but he quickly became enamored with his new staff's style. He latched onto Oghobaase's orientation and style and discovered an instant respect for his new staff.
"Coach Vince (Oghobaase) is probably one of the most technical coaches I've been with," Onwuka said. "Nothing you can do gets past him. Some of the things (we've done), he gets down in every detail. He'll get on you, no matter who you are, if you're a fifth year or a freshman. He loves football and studies it a lot. He knows all of the techniques."
Both transfers are now ingrained pieces of their new programs, and both will look to make immediate impacts on the field. It's a welcome addition for the current Eagle culture and its ability to open doors for student-athletes willing to compete at the highest level. It's a validation and a constant reminder of what's happening in Chestnut Hill, and it's a reason why BC is as interesting a commodity as any other team in college football in 2020.
At Boston College, the arrivals of several transfers confirmed public opinion about the program's new coaches. Quarterback Phil Jurkovec and wide receiver Jaelen Gill arguably ranked among the most eye-popping, and the recent addition of defensive end Luc Bequette pointed a spotlight at the behind-the-scenes churning of the BC program.Â
But while well-earned fame surrounded incoming hype, two other transfers, Deon Jones and Chibueze Onwuka, also chose to come to BC. Neither received the same fanfare, but both embraced the Eagles' culture and are expected to have an immediate impact on the 2020 season.
"Coming in, I did my research," Jones said. "Over six or seven years, there were seven or so defensive backs that went to the (NFL) from BC. I did my research on Coach Hafley as well, and (defensive backs coach) Aazaar (Abdul-Rahim) made feel good. I knew I was going to be taken care of to help my game."
"I was really excited to come here with the new coaching staff," Onwuka agreed. "It was really attractive to come here. We're looking at having a good defense, and everyone is flying to the ball. Everyone welcomed me (to the team). I'm glad I chose BC to finish out a college career."
Every athlete's process is a little bit different, and the contrast between Jones and Onwuka is no different. Jones, for example, is a former four-star recruit and a consensus top defensive back from his recruiting class. He ranked atop the state rankings for Maryland in both the ESPN and Rivals recruiting rankings, while taking home the No. 155 slot in the ESPN300.Â
That reputation earned him plenty of attention from elite schools, but he chose to stay home because of the relationship with his recruiter, Aazaar Abdul-Rahim. The coach forged a relationship with the player's family that ran deep through the region's football bloodline, and the unbreakable bond only fostered closer ties when Jones committed to play for the Terrapins.
"For us, the D.C., Maryland, Virginia area is small, but our football produces well," Jones said. "Chase Young was a first round pick, and Dwayne Haskins was a first round pick before him. There are countless names like Anthony McFarland. We're good, a powerhouse (region). A lot of people don't put a lot of respect on our name, but it's definitely there."
Jones remained in College Park for three seasons, the last of which saw him start six games at safety last year. Over the course of the year, he recorded 34 tackles and a forced fumble, the latter of which came in the season's second week against nationally-ranked Syracuse.Â
The 2019 season, though, was spent without Abdul-Rahim. He left Maryland to become the defensive coordinator at UMass, taking with him a reputation as one of the best recruiters in the country. After the season, Jeff Hafley hired Abdul-Rahim to coach defensive backs at Boston College, and Jones took note when he made his decision to transfer.
"It's kind of like I'm following him," Jones said with a laugh. "I've known Coach Aazaar since the seventh or eighth grade. He's a reason why I stayed home at Maryland, and he's the reason why I'm at Boston College now. I love Coach Aazaar. I'd go to war with him any day. He's always looking out for me and putting me in the best position I can be in."
It created the perfect scenario for both Jones and BC because the athlete had already earned his undergraduate degree at Maryland. As a graduate transfer, he wouldn't need an eligibility waiver and could immediately play for his new team, and his redshirt from his true freshman season added a year of eligibility to a former four-star recruit who had started for a Big Ten, power conference team.
"As soon as I put my name in the portal, I reached out," Jones said. "It was a no brainer what BC could offer me. I already graduated with a degree from Maryland, and Boston College introduced me to the Woods College (of Advancing Studies) so I could get my Master's degree in sports administration. I want to get into coaching or media (in the future), while still focusing on ball (right now)."
That road differed from Onwuka, a fellow Maryland product. The former state wrestling champion didn't immediately play college football and instead spent a year at Niagara County Community College in New York as a wrestler. He then enrolled at the University of Buffalo and walked onto the Bulls' roster in 2017.
Onwuka made an immediate impact for Buffalo and appeared in 11 games during his freshman season. Over the next three seasons, he played in 36 games and helped transform the Bulls defense into a Mid-American Conference stalwart. In 2018, he recovered a fumble that helped Buffalo defeat Temple, and the team won the MAC East Division after beating Rutgers, a Big Ten team, during the regular season.Â
Last year, he started all 13 games and earned All-MAC Third Team honors as the Bulls followed up their division championship with their second consecutive bowl berth. Facing Charlotte in the Bahamas Bowl, UB held one of the nation's most-potent rushing offenses to less than 100 yards on the ground in the program's first-ever bowl win.
Like Jones, Onwuka obtained his degree last year, and he entered the transfer portal with the option to immediately become eligible for his new team.Â
"The big thing for graduate transfers, going into the last season, is a business decision because you want to get to the next level," Onwuka said. "When I first got into (the portal), it was overwhelming because of the attention I was getting. It came down to the coaches that I clicked with the best and the defense that I thought I would excel in the most, how I thought I could get my game to the next level."
The divergent path still led him to Boston College's new coaching staff and defensive line coach Vince Oghobaase. Unlike Jones, Onwuka didn't have a previous relationship with his new position coach, but he quickly became enamored with his new staff's style. He latched onto Oghobaase's orientation and style and discovered an instant respect for his new staff.
"Coach Vince (Oghobaase) is probably one of the most technical coaches I've been with," Onwuka said. "Nothing you can do gets past him. Some of the things (we've done), he gets down in every detail. He'll get on you, no matter who you are, if you're a fifth year or a freshman. He loves football and studies it a lot. He knows all of the techniques."
Both transfers are now ingrained pieces of their new programs, and both will look to make immediate impacts on the field. It's a welcome addition for the current Eagle culture and its ability to open doors for student-athletes willing to compete at the highest level. It's a validation and a constant reminder of what's happening in Chestnut Hill, and it's a reason why BC is as interesting a commodity as any other team in college football in 2020.
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