Boston College Athletics
Week 10 Notes: The Georgia Tech Game
November 08, 2021 | Football
Eagles and Yellow Jackets meet Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
The Game
• For just the second time since joining the ACC in 2005, Boston College and Georgia Tech meet in consecutive seasons on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
• The game will be broadcast on ACC Regional Sports Networks across the country and on NESN+ in Boston. Tom Werme, James Bates and Lauren Jbara have the television call of the game.
• Coverage on the Boston College Sports Network from Learfield begins at 3 p.m. with Jon Meterparel along with former BC standouts Pete Cronan and Scott Mutryn on the call. Fans can listen to the game locally on WEEI 93.7 FM along with on Sirius channel 136, XM channel 384 and online via SiriusXM channel 974.
• Boston College got back in the win column Friday night with a 17-3 victory over Virginia Tech at the annual Red Bandanna Game at Alumni Stadium.
• Georgia Tech dropped a tough 33-30 setback to Miami last Saturday to fall to 3-6 on the season.
The Series
• Boston College and Georgia Tech meet for the 11th time in series history Saturday.
• BC is 3-7 all-time against Georgia Tech after last season's 48-27 win over the Yellow Jackets in Chestnut Hill.
• Boston College is 2-3 all-time at Bobby Dodd Stadium against the Yellow Jackets. BC is 1-1 as an ACC member in games played at Georgia Tech.
• The two teams have played just five times in conference play since BC joined the ACC in 2005.
• The longest win streak in the series for the Eagles was two.
• The largest margin of victory for Boston College against Georgia Tech was 21 points in last season's win at Alumni Stadium (48-27).
• The largest margin in the series for Georgia Tech was 32 points following the 42-10 victory in the first meeting between the two sides in 1972.
• Mark Herzlich recorded a career-high 11 solo tackles and had 13 total against Georgia Tech on Sept. 6, 2008 at Alumni Stadium. The Yellow Jackets erased a 16-10 fourth quarter deficit to capture a 19-16 win.
• In the 2007 win over Georgia Tech, Matt Ryan threw for 435 yards in the win. The 435 yards passing were the seventh-most in Boston College single-game history.
• In last season's win, Phil Jurkovec finished 13-of-21 for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
• The redshirt sophomore also gained a career-best 94 yards on the ground. He was the first BC signal caller to rush for at least 90 yards since Patrick Towles (104) - vs. Syracuse on Oct. 22, 2016.
• The 48 points scored by Boston College marked the third-best output in an ACC game for the Eagles.
58 at Syracuse (11/2/19)
52 vs. NC State (10/17/09)
48 vs. Georgia Tech (10/24/20)
• Boston College's 48 points against Georgia Tech are the most in 10 meetings against the Yellow Jackets. BC scored 41 in the 1998 victory over Tech in Atlanta.
Welcome Back QB1
• Redshirt junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec returned from a right wrist injury suffered at UMass on Sept. 11 to make his third start of the season against Virginia Tech on Nov. 5.
• Jurkovec was cleared to return to practice on Friday, Oct. 29 and practiced with the team for the first time in team situations on Monday, Nov. 4.
• BC is 3-0 with Jurkovec as the starting quarterback in 2021.
• In the first quarter, Jurkovec threw an interception and on the play, recovered a fumble by Virginia Tech's Dorian Strong. He was hit by Jaelen Gill after picking off the pass. Jurkovec scored the game's first touchdown on the ensuing possession on an 8-yard touchdown run.
• Jurkovec threw for 112 yards while also rushing nine times for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Getting Defensive Against the Hokies
• BC held Virginia Tech to 73 yards passing in the 17-3 victory on Nov. 5. It tied for the fifth-fewest passing yards allowed by Boston College since joining the ACC in 2005.
• The 235 total yards allowed by Boston College tied for the 13th-best defensive effort in yards allowed in an ACC game by an Eagles' defense.
• The three points allowed by Boston College tied a school record for the fewest points allowed in an ACC game. Prior to tonight, the last time BC allowed just three points was also in the Red Bandanna Game in 2017 vs. Florida State (35-3 BC victory).
Defensive Turnaround
• Boston College finished the 2019 season with 5,579 yards allowed on defense, the second-highest total allowed in BC football history. The Eagles ranked 125th nationally in total defense.
• Jeff Hafley and his coaching staff have turned things around in short order as the Eagles now rank as one of the nation's best defensive units.
• Boston College rank in six different statistical categories in the top 20 nationally in 2021.
One of Seven
• Boston College is one of six Power Five teams to rank in the top 20 nationally in both scoring defense and pass defense. The Eagles are joined by Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa State and Purdue to rank in the top 20 in both.
No Fly Zone
• Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley's resume throughout his coaching career has been coaching defensive backs. Now as head coach, Hafley's BC teams have been elite against defending the pass since arriving at the Heights.
• Looking back at BC's history, since the Eagles joined a conference in 1993 (BIG EAST) and later the ACC in 2005, this year's defense has allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game (162.8 yards per game).
Keeping the Flag in the Pocket
• BC is 23rd nationally with just 45 total penalties this season. In penalties per game, the Eagles rank 24th nationally with 5.0 penalties per game.
• Both figures rank second in the ACC.
• The Eagles are 22nd nationally in fewest penalty yards (380) and 22nd in fewest penalty yards per game (42.2). Both totals also rank second in the ACC.
Not So Fast My Friend
• Boston College is tied for 16th nationally with just 20 touchdowns allowed in 2021.
• It's been a quick turnaround under Jeff Hafley and his defensive staff. The year prior to Hafley's arrival, BC allowed 49 touchdowns in 2019, ranking 88th nationally.
All Systems Go
• Boston College has been on fire in the first half of 2021, outscoring opponents 112-61.
• The first quarter has been BC's second-highest scoring quarter of the season, outscoring the opposition 66-35 in the first 15 minutes of play.
Third Down Stop
• Boston College has been one of the nation's best defenses on third down in 2021.
• BC is limiting opponents to 30.4% on third down, going just 32-of-105. The Eagles are 10th in the nation in third down defense, and second in the ACC behind only NC State.
• In 2019, one year prior to Jeff Hafley's arrival at the Heights, BC ranked 121st nationally in third down defense (46.5%). Last year, BC jumped all the way to 65th nationally on third down defense (40.4%).
Noting the Win over Mizzou
• Boston College earned its first win over an SEC opponent since 2001 with a 41-34 overtime victory against Missouri at Alumni Stadium.
• The last win for BC against an SEC team was a 20-16 victory over Georgia in the 2001 Music City Bowl.
• Missouri was the first SEC team to play at Alumni Stadium since BC defeated Tennessee 20-18 on Oct. 31, 1987. The 1987 win over the Vols was the last home victory for BC against an SEC opponent before today. The Eagles are 17-20-1 all-time against SEC opponents.
• Boston College played just its 12th all-time overtime game and first since last season's 31-30 win over Pitt at home. BC is 7-5 all-time in overtime.
• Missouri PK Harrison Mevis drilled a 56-yard field goal with no time remaining to force overtime. The last time an opposing kicker hit one from 55+ yards against BC was in the overtime win vs. Pitt last season. Pitt PK Alex Kessman was good from 58 yards to force overtime before the Eagles prevailed in overtime.
• BC last went 4-0 in non-conference play in 2016; beating UMass, Wagner, Buffalo and UConn.
• The Eagles' last non-conference win over a Power 5 opponent was over Maryland in the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl.
• The last regular season non-conference victory against a Power 5 foe was a 37-31 victory over No. 9 Southern California on Sept. 13, 2014.
Garwo's Coming Out Party
• Redshirt sophomore running back Pat Garwo rushed for a then career-high 160 yards at UMass, becoming BC's first 100-yard rusher since David Bailey at Syracuse (Nov. 7, 2020). Garwo's previous career best was 36 yards last season vs. Pitt (Oct. 10, 2020).
• Garwo became the first BC rusher over 150 yards since AJ Dillon (242) and David Bailey (172) did so at Syracuse (Nov. 2, 2019).
• Garwo averaged 10.7 yards per attempt, tied for the seventh-best single-game yards per carry average for a BC player since 1996.
RB1
• Pat Garwo ripped off a career-long 67-yard run for BC's first touchdown to cap off a 99-yard scoring drive in the 41-34 OT win against Missouri.
• Garwo finished with his second 100-yard performance of the season and the second of his career with a career-high 175 yards on the afternoon. Entering the season, Garwo had 195 yards in 10 career games without a touchdown. In nine games in 2021, Garwo has 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
• The 25 rushing attempts for Garwo were a new career-high, topping his previous best of 15 rushing attempts at UMass earlier this year. Garwo averaged 7.0 yards per carry for the game.
• He leads BC and ranks 32nd nationally in rushing with 805 yards this season.
• Garwo is tied for 23rd nationally with eight rushes of 20+ yards. He has four rushes of 30+ yards, also tied for 24th in the country.
IGM
• Isaiah Graham-Mobley has provided plenty of leadership and physical play as the Eagles' starting middle linebacker in 2021. A mid-year transfer from Temple in January, IGM has started seven games for BC in 2021 and leads the team with 46 tackles.
• He missed the Syracuse and Virginia Tech games with an upper body injury.
My Cousin Vinny
• Redshirt junior linebacker Vinny DePalma missed all of last season with an Achilles injury. The New Jersey native has returned this season and has been everywhere on the field in 2021 for the Eagles.
• He has taken over as the starter at middle linebacker for Isaiah Graham-Mobley in the last two games and has totaled 20 tackles in the two games.
• For the season, DePalma is third on the team with 41 tackles. He has forced two fumbles and totaled three tackles behind the line of scrimmage in nine games this season.
Cover Corner
• Junior Josh DeBerry ranks second on the team with 43 tackles in 2021. One of the top cover corners in the ACC, DeBerry is second on the team with two interceptions and three pass breakups.
• Not only an elite cover corner, DeBerry leads BC with five tackles for loss in 2021.
• Against No. 22 NC State, DeBerry established a new career-high with eight tackles to lead the BC defense.
Big Ben
• BC's fifth-year senior Ben Petrula is tied for the longest active start streak in the nation at 57 games. After not playing in his first career game as a true freshman at Northern Illinois in 2017, Petrula moved to center and started the final 12 games of the season.
• Petrula has started all 57 games he has played in since not playing in the first game of his true freshman season in 2017.
500 Club
• Boston College finished the day with 525 total yards in the 51-0 win over Colgate - the 36th time since 1996 that BC gained 500+ yards from scrimmage. BC is 29-7 in those games.
• The 525 yards of offense were the most in the Jeff Hafley era for the Eagles.
• The six touchdowns from scrimmage were also the most of any game coached by Hafley at BC.
• BC averaged 9.4 yards per touch against Colgate, the second-highest total of the Hafley era. BC's 9.9 yards per touch in the 2020 Virginia game were the most during the Hafley era.
300-Yard Passing Games
• Boston College totaled just seven 300-yard passing games from 2010-19, including just three games of 300+ passing yards since 2013.
• In 20 games under Jeff Hafley, BC has posted seven 300-yard passing games.
ACC Players of the Week
• Boston College has had seven ACC Player of the Week selections already in 2021.
California Kid
• True freshman QB Emmett Morehead made his collegiate debut for Boston College at the 14:49 mark in the second quarter at Syracuse on Oct. 30.
• His first completion was a 44-yard pass to Zay Flowers on third down. Morehead finished the day 6-of-15 passing for 87 yards.
• The Woodside, Calif. native, played in his first game since his junior season in high school in 2019 against the Orange. His high school did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phil The Thrill
• In 12 games, Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec is already fifth in school history with five 300-yard passing games.
• BC legends Matt Ryan and Doug Flutie hold the school record with 12, 300-yard passing games.
• Boston College junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec was among the top 30 quarterbacks nationally named to the watch list. Jurkovec was also named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.
• He was the starter in all 10 games he played in at quarterback last year for the Eagles. His 2,558 passing yards over his first 10 starts were the most by any BC quarterback in school history.
• Jurkovec was the first player in BC history to total four, 300-yard passing games in his first five career starts at quarterback and the first BC quarterback with four or more 300-yard games in a season since Matt Ryan (2007).
• The Pittsburgh native finished 26th nationally with 255.8 passing yards per game and ended the season completing 61 percent of his passes and throwing 17 touchdown passes (30th nationally). He was second among all Boston College quarterbacks since 1996 with 255.8 yards per game, trailing only Matt Ryan's 321.9 yards per game in 2007.
Class of 2020
• A total of 24 coaches were hired in the 2020 coaching cycle. BC's Jeff Hafley is second among all Power Five head coaches with 11 victories. He is sixth overall with the 11 wins since 2020.
Of Note
• Jeff Hafley was introduced as BC's 36th head coach on Dec. 14, 2019. In his first season on the Heights, Hafley finished with the most victories of any first-year Power Five head coach in college football in 2020.
• BC finished with a 6-5 record, and qualified for a bowl game, though the program ultimately declined to participate. More impressive than the marked improvement on both sides of the ball, was how the program under Hafley's leadership handled playing in the COVID-19 pandemic. BC Football had just one positive from over 9,000 administered COVID-19 tests since the team returned to campus last June.
• On the recruiting trail, Hafley and his staff signed the top recruiting class in school history in his first season. The recruiting class ranking by ESPN was the best in school history since their rankings began in 2006. It was BC's best showing in the 247 Sports rankings as well and the Eagles' highest Rivals ranking since 2008.
• Hafley, one of college football's top defensive minds, helped improve a BC defense 52 spots in the national rankings in total defense as the Eagles allowed 62 fewer yards per game than the previous year prior to his arrival.
• Nine Eagles were named All-ACC in 2020, including the first wide receiver to be named All-ACC first-team in Zay Flowers since 2012. Six of the nine All-ACC performers return for BC in 2021 (WR Zay Flowers, C Alec Lindstrom, OL Zion Johnson, OL Ben Petrula, OL Tyler Vrabel, DB Josh DeBerry).
• BC returned 20 starters in 2021, including all five offensive linemen. BC returns nine starters total on offense, eight on defense and three specialists. The Eagles welcome back a total of 45 letterwinners from the 2020 squad.
• BC was 24th nationally in passing offense in 2020, averaging 284.2 yards per game.
• First-year starter Phil Jurkovec burst onto the scene as the starting quarterback for the Eagles last season. Jurkovec's 2,558 yards over his first 10 starts were the most by any BC quarterback in school history.
• Jurkovec was the first player in BC history to total four, 300-yard passing games in his first five career starts at quarterback and the first BC quarterback with four or more 300-yard games in a season since Matt Ryan (2007).
• Johnson is coming off a 2020 season in which he was named to the All-ACC third-team at offensive tackle and was voted a team captain. The Maryland native graded out as BC's top offensive lineman in 2020 after moving from left guard to left tackle in the preseason. He was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team and was one of three Boston College student-athletes recipients of the 2021 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship Award.
• Valdez was a 2020 All-ACC Academic selection after starting in all 11 games for BC. Voted a team captain as a junior, Valdez ended the season with 37 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.
• Zay Flowers returns as one of the nation's most electric players. An All-ACC first-team selection, Flowers had one of the most productive seasons by a wide receiver in Boston College history in 2020. He was 18th nationally and second in the ACC with 892 yards receiving, ranked 26th nationally with 56 receptions and tied for 12th nationally with nine touchdown receptions.
Famous Bloodlines
• Boston College has several players with famous bloodlines on the 2021 roster:
Big Play Zay
• Boston College junior wide receiver Zay Flowers was named to the watch list, the second major preseason award watch list for the Florida native. He was also named to the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List as well.
• Flowers put together one of the best seasons by a BC wide receiver ever in 2020. An All-ACC first-team selection, Flowers was just the second BC wide receiver to be named first-team All-ACC in school history (Alex Amidon, 2012). He finished 18th nationally and second in the ACC with 892 yards receiving, ranked 26th nationally with 56 receptions and tied for 12th nationally with nine touchdown receptions.
• The speedster from Fort Lauderdale finished with his second 100-yard receiving game of the season in 2020 with six receptions for 162 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in the 31-30 victory in overtime over Pitt.
• Flowers became the first BC player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since Kelvin Martin at Holy Cross (11/22/86).
• He tied the school record with five other players with three touchdown receptions.
• The 166 yards receiving by Flowers were the fifth-most by a BC player since 1996.
• Flowers' 77-yard score was the first of 70 or more by an Eagle since Hunter Long's 72-yard score at Louisville (10/5/19).
• Flowers totaled five receptions for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown in BC's 26-6 win at Duke. It was the first 100-yard receiving game for an Eagle since Kobay White's 121 yards at Florida State in 2018.
• Flowers was named the ACC Wide Receiver of the Week for the first time in his career following the Duke game. He became the only BC wide receiver to ever be named the ACC's WR of the Week for the second time in a season after his performance in the Pitt win.
• The 162 yards receiving by Flowers were the seventh-most by a BC player since 1996. Flowers averaged 32.4 yards per reception. No receiver in BC history had more receiving yards on fewer receptions than Flowers in a single game. He was the first BC receiver since 2012 (Alex Amidon) to have over 150 yards receiving in a game.
• In the Syracuse game on Oct. 30, Flowers finished with his second 100-yard receiving game of the season and the fifth of his career with six receptions for 116 yards. He is now tied for fifth in BC career history with five career 100-yard receiving games.
All-American Zion
• Zion Johnson was named to the Associated Press midseason All-America team. It marked the second midseason All-America honor for Johnson after being named to ESPN.com's team as well.
• A starter in all eight games, Johnson has been one of the most dominant offensive guards in the nation in 2021.
• Johnson has not allowed a sack in 2021 and has yielded just two quarterback pressures in 520 snaps at guard and eight snaps at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.
Haf Effect
• Jeff Hafley made an immediate impact on Ohio State's defense in 2019 and he did the same since arriving at Boston College.
• The year prior to Hafley's arrival at Ohio State, the Buckeyes ranked 71st nationally in total defense an 50th in scoring defense. In 2019, Hafley guided the nation's best defense allowing just 259.7 yards per game, an improvement of 143.7 yards per game from 2018. Ohio State yielded just 13.7 points per game in 2019, fourth-best in the nation.
• Hafley and the BC defensive coaching staff have turned things in the right direction on the Eagles' defense. BC is allowing 144 yards less per game than the year prior to Hafley's arrival.
Game Captains
• For just the second time since joining the ACC in 2005, Boston College and Georgia Tech meet in consecutive seasons on Saturday at Bobby Dodd Stadium in downtown Atlanta.
• The game will be broadcast on ACC Regional Sports Networks across the country and on NESN+ in Boston. Tom Werme, James Bates and Lauren Jbara have the television call of the game.
• Coverage on the Boston College Sports Network from Learfield begins at 3 p.m. with Jon Meterparel along with former BC standouts Pete Cronan and Scott Mutryn on the call. Fans can listen to the game locally on WEEI 93.7 FM along with on Sirius channel 136, XM channel 384 and online via SiriusXM channel 974.
• Boston College got back in the win column Friday night with a 17-3 victory over Virginia Tech at the annual Red Bandanna Game at Alumni Stadium.
• Georgia Tech dropped a tough 33-30 setback to Miami last Saturday to fall to 3-6 on the season.
The Series
• Boston College and Georgia Tech meet for the 11th time in series history Saturday.
• BC is 3-7 all-time against Georgia Tech after last season's 48-27 win over the Yellow Jackets in Chestnut Hill.
• Boston College is 2-3 all-time at Bobby Dodd Stadium against the Yellow Jackets. BC is 1-1 as an ACC member in games played at Georgia Tech.
• The two teams have played just five times in conference play since BC joined the ACC in 2005.
• The longest win streak in the series for the Eagles was two.
• The largest margin of victory for Boston College against Georgia Tech was 21 points in last season's win at Alumni Stadium (48-27).
• The largest margin in the series for Georgia Tech was 32 points following the 42-10 victory in the first meeting between the two sides in 1972.
• Mark Herzlich recorded a career-high 11 solo tackles and had 13 total against Georgia Tech on Sept. 6, 2008 at Alumni Stadium. The Yellow Jackets erased a 16-10 fourth quarter deficit to capture a 19-16 win.
• In the 2007 win over Georgia Tech, Matt Ryan threw for 435 yards in the win. The 435 yards passing were the seventh-most in Boston College single-game history.
• In last season's win, Phil Jurkovec finished 13-of-21 for 145 yards and two touchdowns.
• The redshirt sophomore also gained a career-best 94 yards on the ground. He was the first BC signal caller to rush for at least 90 yards since Patrick Towles (104) - vs. Syracuse on Oct. 22, 2016.
• The 48 points scored by Boston College marked the third-best output in an ACC game for the Eagles.
58 at Syracuse (11/2/19)
52 vs. NC State (10/17/09)
48 vs. Georgia Tech (10/24/20)
• Boston College's 48 points against Georgia Tech are the most in 10 meetings against the Yellow Jackets. BC scored 41 in the 1998 victory over Tech in Atlanta.
Welcome Back QB1
• Redshirt junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec returned from a right wrist injury suffered at UMass on Sept. 11 to make his third start of the season against Virginia Tech on Nov. 5.
• Jurkovec was cleared to return to practice on Friday, Oct. 29 and practiced with the team for the first time in team situations on Monday, Nov. 4.
• BC is 3-0 with Jurkovec as the starting quarterback in 2021.
• In the first quarter, Jurkovec threw an interception and on the play, recovered a fumble by Virginia Tech's Dorian Strong. He was hit by Jaelen Gill after picking off the pass. Jurkovec scored the game's first touchdown on the ensuing possession on an 8-yard touchdown run.
• Jurkovec threw for 112 yards while also rushing nine times for 65 yards and a touchdown.
Getting Defensive Against the Hokies
• BC held Virginia Tech to 73 yards passing in the 17-3 victory on Nov. 5. It tied for the fifth-fewest passing yards allowed by Boston College since joining the ACC in 2005.
• The 235 total yards allowed by Boston College tied for the 13th-best defensive effort in yards allowed in an ACC game by an Eagles' defense.
• The three points allowed by Boston College tied a school record for the fewest points allowed in an ACC game. Prior to tonight, the last time BC allowed just three points was also in the Red Bandanna Game in 2017 vs. Florida State (35-3 BC victory).
Game Opponent Points Allowed
11/5/2021 vs. Virginia Tech 3
10/27/2017 vs. Florida State 3
10/10/2015 vs. Wake Forest 3
10/12/2006 vs. Virginia Tech 3
11/5/2021 vs. Virginia Tech 3
10/27/2017 vs. Florida State 3
10/10/2015 vs. Wake Forest 3
10/12/2006 vs. Virginia Tech 3
Defensive Turnaround
• Boston College finished the 2019 season with 5,579 yards allowed on defense, the second-highest total allowed in BC football history. The Eagles ranked 125th nationally in total defense.
• Jeff Hafley and his coaching staff have turned things around in short order as the Eagles now rank as one of the nation's best defensive units.
• Boston College rank in six different statistical categories in the top 20 nationally in 2021.
Rank Category Stat
6 Passing yards allowed 162.8
9 Third down conv. defense .305
16 First downs defense 151
18 Scoring defense 18.8
19 Red zone defense .739
21 Team pass effic. defense 117.3
29 Total defense 334.4
6 Passing yards allowed 162.8
9 Third down conv. defense .305
16 First downs defense 151
18 Scoring defense 18.8
19 Red zone defense .739
21 Team pass effic. defense 117.3
29 Total defense 334.4
One of Seven
• Boston College is one of six Power Five teams to rank in the top 20 nationally in both scoring defense and pass defense. The Eagles are joined by Georgia, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa State and Purdue to rank in the top 20 in both.
No Fly Zone
• Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley's resume throughout his coaching career has been coaching defensive backs. Now as head coach, Hafley's BC teams have been elite against defending the pass since arriving at the Heights.
• Looking back at BC's history, since the Eagles joined a conference in 1993 (BIG EAST) and later the ACC in 2005, this year's defense has allowed the second-fewest passing yards per game (162.8 yards per game).
BC Single-Season Passing Yards Allowed (since 1993)
Team (Head Coach) G Att Comp Y/G
1994 (Dan Henning) 12 283 151 159.1
2021 (Jeff Hafley) 9 214 121 162.8
2020 (Jeff Hafley) 11 289 138 168.2
1993 (Tom Coughlin) 12 285 157 169.2
2015 (Steve Addazio) 12 334 173 171.5
Team (Head Coach) G Att Comp Y/G
1994 (Dan Henning) 12 283 151 159.1
2021 (Jeff Hafley) 9 214 121 162.8
2020 (Jeff Hafley) 11 289 138 168.2
1993 (Tom Coughlin) 12 285 157 169.2
2015 (Steve Addazio) 12 334 173 171.5
Keeping the Flag in the Pocket
• BC is 23rd nationally with just 45 total penalties this season. In penalties per game, the Eagles rank 24th nationally with 5.0 penalties per game.
• Both figures rank second in the ACC.
• The Eagles are 22nd nationally in fewest penalty yards (380) and 22nd in fewest penalty yards per game (42.2). Both totals also rank second in the ACC.
Not So Fast My Friend
• Boston College is tied for 16th nationally with just 20 touchdowns allowed in 2021.
• It's been a quick turnaround under Jeff Hafley and his defensive staff. The year prior to Hafley's arrival, BC allowed 49 touchdowns in 2019, ranking 88th nationally.
All Systems Go
• Boston College has been on fire in the first half of 2021, outscoring opponents 112-61.
• The first quarter has been BC's second-highest scoring quarter of the season, outscoring the opposition 66-35 in the first 15 minutes of play.
Third Down Stop
• Boston College has been one of the nation's best defenses on third down in 2021.
• BC is limiting opponents to 30.4% on third down, going just 32-of-105. The Eagles are 10th in the nation in third down defense, and second in the ACC behind only NC State.
• In 2019, one year prior to Jeff Hafley's arrival at the Heights, BC ranked 121st nationally in third down defense (46.5%). Last year, BC jumped all the way to 65th nationally on third down defense (40.4%).
Noting the Win over Mizzou
• Boston College earned its first win over an SEC opponent since 2001 with a 41-34 overtime victory against Missouri at Alumni Stadium.
• The last win for BC against an SEC team was a 20-16 victory over Georgia in the 2001 Music City Bowl.
• Missouri was the first SEC team to play at Alumni Stadium since BC defeated Tennessee 20-18 on Oct. 31, 1987. The 1987 win over the Vols was the last home victory for BC against an SEC opponent before today. The Eagles are 17-20-1 all-time against SEC opponents.
• Boston College played just its 12th all-time overtime game and first since last season's 31-30 win over Pitt at home. BC is 7-5 all-time in overtime.
• Missouri PK Harrison Mevis drilled a 56-yard field goal with no time remaining to force overtime. The last time an opposing kicker hit one from 55+ yards against BC was in the overtime win vs. Pitt last season. Pitt PK Alex Kessman was good from 58 yards to force overtime before the Eagles prevailed in overtime.
• BC last went 4-0 in non-conference play in 2016; beating UMass, Wagner, Buffalo and UConn.
• The Eagles' last non-conference win over a Power 5 opponent was over Maryland in the 2016 Quick Lane Bowl.
• The last regular season non-conference victory against a Power 5 foe was a 37-31 victory over No. 9 Southern California on Sept. 13, 2014.
Garwo's Coming Out Party
• Redshirt sophomore running back Pat Garwo rushed for a then career-high 160 yards at UMass, becoming BC's first 100-yard rusher since David Bailey at Syracuse (Nov. 7, 2020). Garwo's previous career best was 36 yards last season vs. Pitt (Oct. 10, 2020).
• Garwo became the first BC rusher over 150 yards since AJ Dillon (242) and David Bailey (172) did so at Syracuse (Nov. 2, 2019).
• Garwo averaged 10.7 yards per attempt, tied for the seventh-best single-game yards per carry average for a BC player since 1996.
RB1
• Pat Garwo ripped off a career-long 67-yard run for BC's first touchdown to cap off a 99-yard scoring drive in the 41-34 OT win against Missouri.
• Garwo finished with his second 100-yard performance of the season and the second of his career with a career-high 175 yards on the afternoon. Entering the season, Garwo had 195 yards in 10 career games without a touchdown. In nine games in 2021, Garwo has 805 rushing yards and six touchdowns.
• The 25 rushing attempts for Garwo were a new career-high, topping his previous best of 15 rushing attempts at UMass earlier this year. Garwo averaged 7.0 yards per carry for the game.
• He leads BC and ranks 32nd nationally in rushing with 805 yards this season.
• Garwo is tied for 23rd nationally with eight rushes of 20+ yards. He has four rushes of 30+ yards, also tied for 24th in the country.
IGM
• Isaiah Graham-Mobley has provided plenty of leadership and physical play as the Eagles' starting middle linebacker in 2021. A mid-year transfer from Temple in January, IGM has started seven games for BC in 2021 and leads the team with 46 tackles.
• He missed the Syracuse and Virginia Tech games with an upper body injury.
My Cousin Vinny
• Redshirt junior linebacker Vinny DePalma missed all of last season with an Achilles injury. The New Jersey native has returned this season and has been everywhere on the field in 2021 for the Eagles.
• He has taken over as the starter at middle linebacker for Isaiah Graham-Mobley in the last two games and has totaled 20 tackles in the two games.
• For the season, DePalma is third on the team with 41 tackles. He has forced two fumbles and totaled three tackles behind the line of scrimmage in nine games this season.
Cover Corner
• Junior Josh DeBerry ranks second on the team with 43 tackles in 2021. One of the top cover corners in the ACC, DeBerry is second on the team with two interceptions and three pass breakups.
• Not only an elite cover corner, DeBerry leads BC with five tackles for loss in 2021.
• Against No. 22 NC State, DeBerry established a new career-high with eight tackles to lead the BC defense.
Big Ben
• BC's fifth-year senior Ben Petrula is tied for the longest active start streak in the nation at 57 games. After not playing in his first career game as a true freshman at Northern Illinois in 2017, Petrula moved to center and started the final 12 games of the season.
• Petrula has started all 57 games he has played in since not playing in the first game of his true freshman season in 2017.
NCAA Active Starting Streaks
Player, School Active Starts
1. Ben Petrula, BC 57
Airon Servais, Syracuse 57
Player, School Active Starts
1. Ben Petrula, BC 57
Airon Servais, Syracuse 57
500 Club
• Boston College finished the day with 525 total yards in the 51-0 win over Colgate - the 36th time since 1996 that BC gained 500+ yards from scrimmage. BC is 29-7 in those games.
• The 525 yards of offense were the most in the Jeff Hafley era for the Eagles.
• The six touchdowns from scrimmage were also the most of any game coached by Hafley at BC.
• BC averaged 9.4 yards per touch against Colgate, the second-highest total of the Hafley era. BC's 9.9 yards per touch in the 2020 Virginia game were the most during the Hafley era.
300-Yard Passing Games
• Boston College totaled just seven 300-yard passing games from 2010-19, including just three games of 300+ passing yards since 2013.
• In 20 games under Jeff Hafley, BC has posted seven 300-yard passing games.
ACC Players of the Week
• Boston College has had seven ACC Player of the Week selections already in 2021.
Player Date
Phil Jurkovec (QB) 9/6/21
Zay Flowers (WR) 9/6/21
Pat Garwo (RB) 9/13/21
Travis Levy (ST) 9/13/21
Grant Carlson (ST) 9/20/21
Pat Garwo (RB) 9/27/21
Brandon Sebastian (DB) 9/27/21
Phil Jurkovec (QB) 9/6/21
Zay Flowers (WR) 9/6/21
Pat Garwo (RB) 9/13/21
Travis Levy (ST) 9/13/21
Grant Carlson (ST) 9/20/21
Pat Garwo (RB) 9/27/21
Brandon Sebastian (DB) 9/27/21
California Kid
• True freshman QB Emmett Morehead made his collegiate debut for Boston College at the 14:49 mark in the second quarter at Syracuse on Oct. 30.
• His first completion was a 44-yard pass to Zay Flowers on third down. Morehead finished the day 6-of-15 passing for 87 yards.
• The Woodside, Calif. native, played in his first game since his junior season in high school in 2019 against the Orange. His high school did not play in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Phil The Thrill
• In 12 games, Boston College quarterback Phil Jurkovec is already fifth in school history with five 300-yard passing games.
• BC legends Matt Ryan and Doug Flutie hold the school record with 12, 300-yard passing games.
BC Career 300-Yard Passing Games
Player (Years) G 300-Yard Games
1. Matt Ryan (2004-07) 43 12
1. Doug Flutie (1981-84) 46 12
3. Glenn Foley (1990-93) 44 10
3. Shawn Halloran (1983-86) 46 10
5. Phil Jurkovec (2020-21) 13 5
6. Chase Rettig (2010-13) 46 4
QB1Player (Years) G 300-Yard Games
1. Matt Ryan (2004-07) 43 12
1. Doug Flutie (1981-84) 46 12
3. Glenn Foley (1990-93) 44 10
3. Shawn Halloran (1983-86) 46 10
5. Phil Jurkovec (2020-21) 13 5
6. Chase Rettig (2010-13) 46 4
• Boston College junior quarterback Phil Jurkovec was among the top 30 quarterbacks nationally named to the watch list. Jurkovec was also named to the Maxwell Award Watch List.
• He was the starter in all 10 games he played in at quarterback last year for the Eagles. His 2,558 passing yards over his first 10 starts were the most by any BC quarterback in school history.
• Jurkovec was the first player in BC history to total four, 300-yard passing games in his first five career starts at quarterback and the first BC quarterback with four or more 300-yard games in a season since Matt Ryan (2007).
• The Pittsburgh native finished 26th nationally with 255.8 passing yards per game and ended the season completing 61 percent of his passes and throwing 17 touchdown passes (30th nationally). He was second among all Boston College quarterbacks since 1996 with 255.8 yards per game, trailing only Matt Ryan's 321.9 yards per game in 2007.
Class of 2020
• A total of 24 coaches were hired in the 2020 coaching cycle. BC's Jeff Hafley is second among all Power Five head coaches with 11 victories. He is sixth overall with the 11 wins since 2020.
2020 Coaching Cycle
Coach 2020 2021 Total
Jeff Traylor, UTSA 7-5 9-0 16-5
Shawn Clark, App. St. 9-3 7-2 16-5
Ryan Silverfield, Memphis 8-3 5-4 13-7
Brady Hoke, San Diego St. 4-4 8-1 12-5
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss 5-5 7-2 12-7
Jeff Hafley, BC 6-5 5-4 11-9
Mel Tucker, Michigan St. 2-5 8-1 10-6
Kalen DeBoer, Fresno St. 3-3 7-3 10-6
Willie Taggart, FAU 5-4 5-4 10-8
Todd Graham, Hawaii 5-4 4-6 9-10
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri 5-5 4-5 9-10
Dave Aranda, Baylor 2-7 7-2 9-9
Mike Leach, Miss. St. 4-7 5-4 9-11
Sam Pittman, Arkansas 3-7 6-3 9-10
Greg Schiano, Rutgers 3-6 4-5 7-11
Jimmy Lake, Washington 3-1 4-5 7-6
Karl Dorrell, Colorado 4-2 3-6 7-8
Mike Norvell, Florida St. 3-6 3-6 6-12
Nick Rolovich, Wash. St. 1-3 4-3 5-6
Danny Gonzales, New Mexico 2-5 3-6 5-11
Steve Addazio, Colorado St. 1-3 3-6 4-9
Jeff Scott, USF 1-8 2-7 3-15
Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion 0-0 236 3-6
Marcus Arroyo, UNLV 0-6 1-8 1-14
Coach 2020 2021 Total
Jeff Traylor, UTSA 7-5 9-0 16-5
Shawn Clark, App. St. 9-3 7-2 16-5
Ryan Silverfield, Memphis 8-3 5-4 13-7
Brady Hoke, San Diego St. 4-4 8-1 12-5
Lane Kiffin, Ole Miss 5-5 7-2 12-7
Jeff Hafley, BC 6-5 5-4 11-9
Mel Tucker, Michigan St. 2-5 8-1 10-6
Kalen DeBoer, Fresno St. 3-3 7-3 10-6
Willie Taggart, FAU 5-4 5-4 10-8
Todd Graham, Hawaii 5-4 4-6 9-10
Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri 5-5 4-5 9-10
Dave Aranda, Baylor 2-7 7-2 9-9
Mike Leach, Miss. St. 4-7 5-4 9-11
Sam Pittman, Arkansas 3-7 6-3 9-10
Greg Schiano, Rutgers 3-6 4-5 7-11
Jimmy Lake, Washington 3-1 4-5 7-6
Karl Dorrell, Colorado 4-2 3-6 7-8
Mike Norvell, Florida St. 3-6 3-6 6-12
Nick Rolovich, Wash. St. 1-3 4-3 5-6
Danny Gonzales, New Mexico 2-5 3-6 5-11
Steve Addazio, Colorado St. 1-3 3-6 4-9
Jeff Scott, USF 1-8 2-7 3-15
Ricky Rahne, Old Dominion 0-0 236 3-6
Marcus Arroyo, UNLV 0-6 1-8 1-14
Of Note
• Jeff Hafley was introduced as BC's 36th head coach on Dec. 14, 2019. In his first season on the Heights, Hafley finished with the most victories of any first-year Power Five head coach in college football in 2020.
• BC finished with a 6-5 record, and qualified for a bowl game, though the program ultimately declined to participate. More impressive than the marked improvement on both sides of the ball, was how the program under Hafley's leadership handled playing in the COVID-19 pandemic. BC Football had just one positive from over 9,000 administered COVID-19 tests since the team returned to campus last June.
• On the recruiting trail, Hafley and his staff signed the top recruiting class in school history in his first season. The recruiting class ranking by ESPN was the best in school history since their rankings began in 2006. It was BC's best showing in the 247 Sports rankings as well and the Eagles' highest Rivals ranking since 2008.
• Hafley, one of college football's top defensive minds, helped improve a BC defense 52 spots in the national rankings in total defense as the Eagles allowed 62 fewer yards per game than the previous year prior to his arrival.
• Nine Eagles were named All-ACC in 2020, including the first wide receiver to be named All-ACC first-team in Zay Flowers since 2012. Six of the nine All-ACC performers return for BC in 2021 (WR Zay Flowers, C Alec Lindstrom, OL Zion Johnson, OL Ben Petrula, OL Tyler Vrabel, DB Josh DeBerry).
• BC returned 20 starters in 2021, including all five offensive linemen. BC returns nine starters total on offense, eight on defense and three specialists. The Eagles welcome back a total of 45 letterwinners from the 2020 squad.
• BC was 24th nationally in passing offense in 2020, averaging 284.2 yards per game.
• First-year starter Phil Jurkovec burst onto the scene as the starting quarterback for the Eagles last season. Jurkovec's 2,558 yards over his first 10 starts were the most by any BC quarterback in school history.
• Jurkovec was the first player in BC history to total four, 300-yard passing games in his first five career starts at quarterback and the first BC quarterback with four or more 300-yard games in a season since Matt Ryan (2007).
• Johnson is coming off a 2020 season in which he was named to the All-ACC third-team at offensive tackle and was voted a team captain. The Maryland native graded out as BC's top offensive lineman in 2020 after moving from left guard to left tackle in the preseason. He was also named to the All-ACC Academic Team and was one of three Boston College student-athletes recipients of the 2021 Weaver-James-Corrigan Postgraduate Scholarship Award.
• Valdez was a 2020 All-ACC Academic selection after starting in all 11 games for BC. Voted a team captain as a junior, Valdez ended the season with 37 tackles, 5.5 TFLs, two sacks and two fumble recoveries.
• Zay Flowers returns as one of the nation's most electric players. An All-ACC first-team selection, Flowers had one of the most productive seasons by a wide receiver in Boston College history in 2020. He was 18th nationally and second in the ACC with 892 yards receiving, ranked 26th nationally with 56 receptions and tied for 12th nationally with nine touchdown receptions.
Famous Bloodlines
• Boston College has several players with famous bloodlines on the 2021 roster:
Javian Dayne: Son of Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne
Jacob Kraft: Son of Patriots President Jonathan Kraft; Grandson of Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
Tito Pasqualoni: Son of Paul Pasqualoni
John Tessitore: Son of ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore
Tyler Vrabel: Son of Titans head coach Mike Vrabel
Jacob Kraft: Son of Patriots President Jonathan Kraft; Grandson of Patriots Owner Robert Kraft
Tito Pasqualoni: Son of Paul Pasqualoni
John Tessitore: Son of ESPN announcer Joe Tessitore
Tyler Vrabel: Son of Titans head coach Mike Vrabel
Big Play Zay
• Boston College junior wide receiver Zay Flowers was named to the watch list, the second major preseason award watch list for the Florida native. He was also named to the Maxwell Award Preseason Watch List as well.
• Flowers put together one of the best seasons by a BC wide receiver ever in 2020. An All-ACC first-team selection, Flowers was just the second BC wide receiver to be named first-team All-ACC in school history (Alex Amidon, 2012). He finished 18th nationally and second in the ACC with 892 yards receiving, ranked 26th nationally with 56 receptions and tied for 12th nationally with nine touchdown receptions.
• The speedster from Fort Lauderdale finished with his second 100-yard receiving game of the season in 2020 with six receptions for 162 yards and a career-high three touchdowns in the 31-30 victory in overtime over Pitt.
• Flowers became the first BC player with three receiving touchdowns in a game since Kelvin Martin at Holy Cross (11/22/86).
• He tied the school record with five other players with three touchdown receptions.
• The 166 yards receiving by Flowers were the fifth-most by a BC player since 1996.
• Flowers' 77-yard score was the first of 70 or more by an Eagle since Hunter Long's 72-yard score at Louisville (10/5/19).
• Flowers totaled five receptions for a career-high 162 yards and a touchdown in BC's 26-6 win at Duke. It was the first 100-yard receiving game for an Eagle since Kobay White's 121 yards at Florida State in 2018.
• Flowers was named the ACC Wide Receiver of the Week for the first time in his career following the Duke game. He became the only BC wide receiver to ever be named the ACC's WR of the Week for the second time in a season after his performance in the Pitt win.
• The 162 yards receiving by Flowers were the seventh-most by a BC player since 1996. Flowers averaged 32.4 yards per reception. No receiver in BC history had more receiving yards on fewer receptions than Flowers in a single game. He was the first BC receiver since 2012 (Alex Amidon) to have over 150 yards receiving in a game.
• In the Syracuse game on Oct. 30, Flowers finished with his second 100-yard receiving game of the season and the fifth of his career with six receptions for 116 yards. He is now tied for fifth in BC career history with five career 100-yard receiving games.
BC Career 100-Yard Receiving Games
Player (Years at BC) 100-Yard Receiving Games
Alex Amidon (2010-13) 11
Brian Brennan (1980-83) 8
Rich Gunnell (2006-09) 8
Pete Mitchell (1991-94) 6
Zay Flowers (2019-present) 5
Brandon Robinson (2005-08) 5
Darren Flutie (1984-87) 5
Kelvin Martin (1983-86) 5
Player (Years at BC) 100-Yard Receiving Games
Alex Amidon (2010-13) 11
Brian Brennan (1980-83) 8
Rich Gunnell (2006-09) 8
Pete Mitchell (1991-94) 6
Zay Flowers (2019-present) 5
Brandon Robinson (2005-08) 5
Darren Flutie (1984-87) 5
Kelvin Martin (1983-86) 5
All-American Zion
• Zion Johnson was named to the Associated Press midseason All-America team. It marked the second midseason All-America honor for Johnson after being named to ESPN.com's team as well.
• A starter in all eight games, Johnson has been one of the most dominant offensive guards in the nation in 2021.
• Johnson has not allowed a sack in 2021 and has yielded just two quarterback pressures in 520 snaps at guard and eight snaps at left tackle, according to Pro Football Focus.
Haf Effect
• Jeff Hafley made an immediate impact on Ohio State's defense in 2019 and he did the same since arriving at Boston College.
• The year prior to Hafley's arrival at Ohio State, the Buckeyes ranked 71st nationally in total defense an 50th in scoring defense. In 2019, Hafley guided the nation's best defense allowing just 259.7 yards per game, an improvement of 143.7 yards per game from 2018. Ohio State yielded just 13.7 points per game in 2019, fourth-best in the nation.
• Hafley and the BC defensive coaching staff have turned things in the right direction on the Eagles' defense. BC is allowing 144 yards less per game than the year prior to Hafley's arrival.
Defensive Improvement with Hafley
YPG YPP PPG Total D Scoring D
OSU 2018 403.4 5.77 25.5 71st 50th
OSU 2019 259.7 4.13 13.7 1st 4th
BC 2019 478.7 6.33 32.2 125th 101st
BC 2020 416.8 6.11 28.4 73rd 60th
BC 2021 334.4 5.56 18.8 29th 18th
YPG YPP PPG Total D Scoring D
OSU 2018 403.4 5.77 25.5 71st 50th
OSU 2019 259.7 4.13 13.7 1st 4th
BC 2019 478.7 6.33 32.2 125th 101st
BC 2020 416.8 6.11 28.4 73rd 60th
BC 2021 334.4 5.56 18.8 29th 18th
Game Captains
Colgate: Travis Levy, Zion Johnson, Jason Maitre
UMass: Grant Carlson, Brandon Barlow, Alec Lindstrom
Temple: Ben Petrula, Isaiah Graham-Mobley, Kobay White, Pat Garwo
Missouri: Joey Luchetti, Zay Flowers, Josh DeBerry
Clemson: Tyler Vrabel, Dennis Grosel, Vinny DePalma, Brandon Sebastian
NC State: Christian Mahogany, Zion Johnson, Marcus Valdez, Shitta Sillah
Louisville: Travis Levy, Jason Maitre, Jaiden Woodbey, Trae Barry
Syracuse: Brandon Barlow, Mike Palmer, Ben Petrula, Zay Flowers
Virginia Tech: TJ Rayam, Alec Lindstrom, Josh DeBerry
UMass: Grant Carlson, Brandon Barlow, Alec Lindstrom
Temple: Ben Petrula, Isaiah Graham-Mobley, Kobay White, Pat Garwo
Missouri: Joey Luchetti, Zay Flowers, Josh DeBerry
Clemson: Tyler Vrabel, Dennis Grosel, Vinny DePalma, Brandon Sebastian
NC State: Christian Mahogany, Zion Johnson, Marcus Valdez, Shitta Sillah
Louisville: Travis Levy, Jason Maitre, Jaiden Woodbey, Trae Barry
Syracuse: Brandon Barlow, Mike Palmer, Ben Petrula, Zay Flowers
Virginia Tech: TJ Rayam, Alec Lindstrom, Josh DeBerry
Players Mentioned
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DL
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TE
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P
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RB
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DB
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LB
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WR
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WR
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LB
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QB
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OL
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QB
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WR
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RB
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OL
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TE
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TE
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OL
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DB
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QB
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DB
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LS
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OL
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DB
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DE
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K/P
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DE
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OL
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WR
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DB
/ FootballBC Football Camp Report | Episode 6
Friday, August 22
Football: Offensive Coordinator Will Lawing Media Availability (August 21, 2025)
Thursday, August 21
Football: Special Teams Coordinator Matt Thurin Media Availability (August 21, 2025)
Thursday, August 21
Football: Defensive Backs Coach Cory Robinson Media Availability (August 21, 2025)
Thursday, August 21
