Jeff Hafley becomes the latest head coach to drop everything and become a coordinator elsewhere. Unlike Ken Wommack and Mo Linquist, Hafley is leaving for an NFL job: defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. The former Ohio State DC struggled to gain traction at BC, going 22-26 in four seasons. He improved from 3-9 in 2022 to 7-6 last season, but he leaves a program with a challenging recruiting corps in a major conference. The program enjoyed a lot of success under Jack Bicknell, Tom Coughlin and Tom O'Brien, but has faltered a bit over the last 15 years. The Eagles haven't finished in the AP Top 25 since 2007.
A source familiar with the hiring process said Athletic On Wednesday night the program will have to find a coach whose absence cannot be avoided. That, and the timing of this search, limits the pool significantly.
Go deeper
Packers hire BC coach Jeff Hafley as DC
Liam Coen, Kentucky offensive coordinator
Coen is one of the possible candidates for the vacancy, according to an industry source. The Rhode Island native is in the mix for NFL offensive coordinator jobs, including now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He knows the Boston area well and his popularity will attract some talented offensive players. The former UMass quarterback did a terrific job in his debut at Kentucky, helping the Wildcats to a 10-game winning streak. Coen left as the LA Rams OC and Kentucky's offense really struggled. He returned in 2023 and the Wildcats improved from last in the SEC to No. 7 in offense. He's bounced back and forth from the NFL and after a few years in the SEC, it's just how tempting it would be for him to coach at a place like his. BC with some unique challenges.
Al Washington, Notre Dame defensive line coach
Washington played and B.C. The 39-year-old Ohio native was a three-year starter for the Eagles and later coached both sides of the ball for BC. After leaving Boston College, he coached at Cincinnati, Michigan and Ohio State before Marcus Freeman hired him in South Bend. Washington was the last candidate for the open job, and now that might mean a lot.
Jason Candle, Toledo head coach
A sitting head coach candle to keep an eye on. He was a strong contender for the Syracuse coaching job that went to Fran Brown a few months ago. The 44-year-old Mount Union product has spent his entire coaching career in Ohio. He's 65-35 in nearly a decade with the Rockets. He is also coming off an 11-win season. He is considered a good offensive mind. We expect him to get some consideration for this job.
Go deeper
Boston College Football Coach Job Description: Pluses, Minuses and Candidates
Anthony Campanile, Miami Dolphins linebackers coach
Campanile is another in the mix for some NFL coordinator jobs. A source says the 41-year-old former BC assistant from New Jersey “fell in love” while working at Chestnut Hill inside the school. He has strong recruiting ties at BC Foot. Would he like to go back to college?
Rob Chudzinski, Boston College, associate head coach
An internal option would be to promote Chudzinski, who has been at BC since 2020. The former Miami tight end spent more than a decade as an NFL coach, including one season as the Browns' head coach, going 4-12. He knows the place well and may consider some more.
Bill O'Brien, Ohio State offensive coordinator
O'Brien is a wild card option. He is from Boston and a former Brown player. He flirted with the last open BC job. He did an impressive job at Penn State during a difficult time to be there. He went 15-9 before leaving for the NFL. Times may be tough since he accepted the Ohio State OC job, but this could be puzzling for him on some level.
Brian Flores, Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator
The other big wild card option is former BC linebacker Flores. An NFL coordinator becoming a college coach seems like a big long shot, especially in a program that lacks resources like most of the teams it faces. He never trained in college. He spent a decade coaching in New England with the New England Patriots, where he won four Super Bowls as an assistant. The 42-year-old spent three seasons as the Dolphins' head coach and had two winning seasons. BC It's a call to see if he'll at least consider it.
Justin Frye, Ohio State offensive line coach/associate head coach
Frye is another Buckeye assistant with some strong BC ties who could be a favorite. He spent five years on the Eagles staff as the offensive line coach and was very well thought of around the program. Before coming to Ohio State, he was Chip Kelly's offensive coordinator at UCLA. Frye has the command and polish to be a head coach. He was a candidate for the Indiana head coaching vacancy a few months ago.
(Top photo by Liam Coen: Lexington Herald-Leader / Contributor / Getty)
“Friend of animals everywhere. Devoted analyst. Total alcohol scholar. Infuriatingly humble food trailblazer.”