Preseason Notebook: The D-Line

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Wednesday was about the Defensive Line. Looking at the members of Boston College's trenches, the Eagles return a highly-experienced defensive front with some new faces ready to make an impact.

After rolling out the same defensive line alignment for 10 of 13 games last year, four players with significant experience are back on the Heights. Donovan Ezeiruaku and Neto Okpala will reprise their roles as the Eagles' leading edge rushers, with veterans Cam Horsley and George Rooks manning the trenches on the interior.

"Yeah, there is depth. When you look at the first four guys, with Donovan [Ezeiruaku], Cam Horsley, and then George Rooks and Neto [Okpala], I think that is a good front four," stated head coach Bill O'Brien. Those guys have worked hard to get better, they've definitely improved in the six months that we've been here. And when you look at the guys that will play a lot, I don't even want to list them behind them, especially inside… like Sed McConnell, Owen Stoudemire, like, these guys are really good players. You've got Josiah Griffin, [Quintayvious] Hutchins, Edwin Kolenge on the edge. I think we have really good depth there and I'm really excited to see these guys play."

DAY FIVE DETAILS
Date: August 7
Location: Fish Field House
Weather: 66 and rainy

RETURNING STARTERS

#4 – Neto Okpala – Senior – Loganvalle, Ga.

Okpala returns as a veteran edge rusher for the Eagles, starting in 10 games last year and appearing in all 13, as he projects as a mainstay across from Ezeiruaku on the outside of the line. Okpala has over 50 tackles in his last two seasons with BC, with multiple sacks each year. In the Fenway Bowl win last December, Okpala logged a season-high five tackles and recovered a fumble.

In Wednesday's session, Okpala showed off his ability in the run game and the pass game, breaking into the backfield to stuff rushes on multiple occasions, and forcing heavy pass-pressure alongside Ezeiruaku.

#6 – Donovan Ezeiruaku – Senior – Williamstown, N.J.

One of the leaders of the defense, Donovan Ezeiruaku is primed for a big season atop the defensive end depth chart. The veteran New Jersey native started every game as a junior, finishing with the fourth-most tackles on the team. Ezeiruaku forced two fumbles for the Eagles in 2023, including a forced fumble, four tackles, and 1.5 TFLs in the Fenway Bowl win against SMU. As a sophomore, he earned All-ACC Second Team honors after leading the team in sacks, TFLs, and forced fumbles. Ahead of the 2024 campaign, Ezeiruaku was named to the Wuerffel Trophy Watch List, honoring college football's most impactful leaders in community service.

"Coach O'Brien brings a different type of spark to this team," said Ezeiruaku. "There's a lot of competition, which I love to see…things are looking good and we're improving every day."

Ezeiruaku had his best day of camp on Wednesday morning. After forcing an early QB pressure in the first team session, Ezeiruaku logged not one, but two sacks in the final team period and punctuated his day with a fumble recovery.

#91 – George Rooks – Redshirt Junior – Jersey City, N.J.

Rooks returns to the Eagles after starting all 12 regular season games at defensive tackle as a redshirt sophomore, and projects to play a similar role in 2024. After two seasons at Michigan, Rooks arrived at BC and made an immediate impact on the defensive front seven, logging 29 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in his first season with the Eagles. The 6-foot-5 Jersey City native is back and will man the trenches alongside Horsley.

#96 – Cam Horsley – Graduate – Cinnaminson, N.J.

Horsley returns for his graduate season at BC as one of the best players on the roster and the driving force behind the defensive front line. As a senior in 2023, Horsley ranked top-five on the Eagles in tackle assists, total tackles, tackles-for-loss, and quarterback hits. Over the last three seasons, the imposing New Jersey native has started in 35 of 37 games played and returns to play a major role for Boston College's pass rush and run defense.

The D-Line (continued below...)

Gallery: (8-7-2024) BCFB Preseason Camp - Day Five - 8/7/24

RETURNING LETTERWINNERS

Donovan Ezeiruaku expressed his belief in the depth of this unit on Wednesday after camp, and is confident in the defensive line's ability to plug-and-play when necessary: "We're able to put other guys in when other guys need breathers… we're able to put other guys in to step up, and there shouldn't be any type of drop-off or decrease in play."

#15 – Quintayvious Hutchins – Redshirt Junior – Bessemer, Ala.

Hutchins enters his fourth season with the Eagles after red-shirting his freshman season. Hutchins contributed primarily on special teams through his first two seasons, and the veteran edge rusher out of Alabama is ready to take a jump as a junior. Hutchins put together one of his stronger days of camp on Wednesday, forcing a QB pressure and an ensuing incompletion alongside Kolenge. He followed with another solo quarterback hurry in the final team session.

#17 – Edwin Kolenge – Redshirt Sophomore – Montreal, Quebec

Kolenge spent his first season as a redshirt after appearing in just three games, but blossomed into an every-week player in 2023, appearing in every game at defensive end and special teams. Kolenge logged 12 tackles with two TFLs and a sack as a redshirt freshman, and capped off his season with a forced fumble and a 12-yard TFL in the Fenway Bowl victory over SMU. Kolenge joined forces with Hutchins for a strong pass rush that forced an incompletion in team drills on Wednesday.

#55 – Kwan Williams – Junior – Baltimore, Md.

A true junior, Kwan Williams has contributed since his rookie season at BC, playing in 11 games in both his freshman and sophomore seasons, with 20 total tackles over two seasons in a secondary role on the line. The Baltimore product came to BC as a four-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN, and projects to play a significant depth role on the Eagles' defensive front.

#88 – Sedarius McConnell – Redshirt Junior – Atlanta, Ga.

Transferred into BC this past spring from Illinois… played in 19 career games in three years with the Fighting Illini… significant contributor on the defensive line through the first week of training camp. McConnell shined on Wednesday morning, infiltrating the backfield to stuff runs on three separate occasions, while also playing the role of disruptor on the pass rush, forcing incompletions in the team session.

#93 – Owen Stoudmire – Redshirt Junior – Creston, Ohio

Stoudmire is entering his fourth year at BC, set to begin his third playing season after redshirting as a true freshman in 2021. Over the last two years, Stoudmire has emerged as a key depth piece on the line, playing in nine games with eight tackles in 2022, and playing in 10 games with nine tackles last season. Stoudmire logged a season-high three solo tackles in the Fenway Bowl victory over SMU, and the Ohio native showed up on Wednesday morning, highlighted by a big run-stuff at the line of scrimmage in the final team session.

#95 – Clive Wilson – Redshirt Sophomore – Youngstown, Ohio

Wilson, who redshirted the 2022 season, played in 10 games as a redshirt freshman in 2023, primarily on special teams. The No. 1 strongside defensive end from Ohio in the 2022 recruiting class, he did not begin playing football until his sophomore year of high school.

#98 – Nigel Tate – Redshirt Junior – Washington, D.C.

Tate enters his fourth season with the Eagles, having played in 12 games over two active seasons, while red-shirting the season in 2022. Standing at 6-foot-3, 320 pounds, Tate will serve as a valuable depth piece on the defensive interior in 2024.

#99 – Gilbert Tongrongou – Redshirt Sophomore – Woodbridge, Va.

Tongrongou returns to BC for his third season with the Eagles. After redshirting his freshman year in 2022 due to injury, the redshirt sophomore enters the 2024 campaign with five games under his belt, including a season-high four tackles vs. Virginia Tech and a fumble recovery against Miami. The Virginia native is primed for an increased role in 2024 after coming on strong in the final five games of 2023.

THE ROOM

#9 – Josiah Griffin – Redshirt Freshman – Springfield, Mass.
Redshirted 2023 season… two-time state champion at Springfield Central.

#59 – Regen Terry – Redshirt Senior – Florence, Ariz.
Missed 2023 season due to injury… transferred into BC for the 2022 season.

#90 – Ty Clemons – Redshirt Junior – Decatur, Ala.
Missed 2023 season due to injury… contributed four tackles in six games in 2022.

#92 – Caleb Jones – Redshirt Sophomore – Chesapeake, Va.
Missed 2023 season due to injury… earned Freshman All-American at North Carolina A&T in 2022 before transferring to BC.

#94 – Jayzen Flint – Freshman – Philadelphia, Pa.
Three-star prospect from West Catholic Prep in Philadelphia.

#97 – Holt Fletcher – Graduate – Wellesley, Mass.
All-Ivy League Second Team selection in 2023 at Cornell… graduate transfer earned his degree in industrial and labor relations.

Players Mentioned

Ty Clemons

Donovan Ezeiruaku

Holt Fletcher

Jayzen Flint

Josiah Griffin

Cam Horsley

Quintayvious Hutchins

Caleb Jones

Edwin Kolenge

Sedarius McConnell

Neto Okpala

George Rooks

Owen Stoudmire

Nigel Tate

Regen Terry

Gilbert Tongrongou

Kwan Williams

Clive Wilson Jr.