Boston College Football Mourns the Loss of Bill McGovern
May 30, 2023 | Football
Highly respected football coach served as defensive coordinator at BC from 2000-12
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Former Boston College defensive coordinator and longtime college football coach Bill McGovern passed away Tuesday morning at the age of 60.
McGovern served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the Heights from 2000-12 - a stretch that saw the BC defensive corps rank as one of the tops in the nation. Â The Eagles appeared in a bowl game in each of his first 11 years at BC, winning eight. Â He served as the DC on the 2007 team that ranked as high at No. 2 nationally, tying the school's single-season wins record, with 11.
Under McGovern's tutelage, Boston College produced two of the best linebackers in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference - Mark Herzlich and Luke Kuechly, who earned the league's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2011, respectively. Â Additionally, McGovern also mentored B.J. Raji - a 2009 NFL First Round draft pick. Â He served two stints on the Boston College football coaching staff, serving as defensive backs coach from 1994-96. Â
Most recently, McGovern had served as the defensive coordinator at UCLA. Â A highly respected teacher of the game, McGovern served as an assistant coach at Pittsburgh (1997-99), Massachusetts (1993; 1988-90), Holy Cross (1991-92; 1986-87), and Pennsylvania (1985).
A standout student-athlete at Holy Cross, McGovern set an NCAA I-AA single-season record with 11 interceptions as a senior. Â He was a consensus First Team All-American for the Crusaders in 1984 and was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame and Football Ring of Honor.
McGovern is survived by his wife, Colleen, and daughters Amanda, Delainey and Mackenzie.Â
McGovern served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at the Heights from 2000-12 - a stretch that saw the BC defensive corps rank as one of the tops in the nation. Â The Eagles appeared in a bowl game in each of his first 11 years at BC, winning eight. Â He served as the DC on the 2007 team that ranked as high at No. 2 nationally, tying the school's single-season wins record, with 11.
Under McGovern's tutelage, Boston College produced two of the best linebackers in the history of the Atlantic Coast Conference - Mark Herzlich and Luke Kuechly, who earned the league's Defensive Player of the Year award in 2008 and 2011, respectively. Â Additionally, McGovern also mentored B.J. Raji - a 2009 NFL First Round draft pick. Â He served two stints on the Boston College football coaching staff, serving as defensive backs coach from 1994-96. Â
Most recently, McGovern had served as the defensive coordinator at UCLA. Â A highly respected teacher of the game, McGovern served as an assistant coach at Pittsburgh (1997-99), Massachusetts (1993; 1988-90), Holy Cross (1991-92; 1986-87), and Pennsylvania (1985).
A standout student-athlete at Holy Cross, McGovern set an NCAA I-AA single-season record with 11 interceptions as a senior. Â He was a consensus First Team All-American for the Crusaders in 1984 and was inducted into the school's Athletics Hall of Fame and Football Ring of Honor.
McGovern is survived by his wife, Colleen, and daughters Amanda, Delainey and Mackenzie.Â
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