Jeff Hafley On Transfer Portal: If You Don't Want To Be Here, Don't Be Here
It's completely natural for there to be players who want to move on when a new coach is hired. Seven players have entered the transfer portal from Boston College since the end of the 2019 season. Whether it is a connection with the previous coach, not liking the new style, or not clicking with the new coach, players like Kobay White, Anthony Brown and Ireland Burke have all put their name into the portal.
Yesterday on the Packer and Durham TV show on the ACC Network, new head coach Jeff Hafley addressed the wave of potential departures. ""I get the transfer portal. I get there are players who don't know me, don't know the staff." he told the hosts "There are some guys who have already left, it happens."
To Hafley the buy in of these players goes back to his motto that he unveiled at his opening press conference "Get In". His impassioned plea to the players, coaches, and fans urged for them all to "get in" with the team. In yesterday's interview he talked more about his slogan "It all goes back to "Get In". Hafley explained. "If you don't want to be here, dont be here....If a guy wants to leave here right now, wants to enter the portal, he's telling me he doesn't want to be here."
Hafley may frame this as part of his motto, but there is a practical sense to these players making decisions. The new head coach is going to need to see what he has, and what needs the program has, and that is really difficult when players are wavering on whether they want to play for him. In one sense it almost is better for the program if these players move on because Hafley can address it quickly by targeting players in the transfer portal or through recruiting.
But for the new head coach, these players testing the water seems like it's just business. If they do decide to go to a different program, Boston College will be fine. "We will move on, we will line up, I hope we play against some of those guys down the road."
Follow BC Maven on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. And check out AJ Black on Twitter
Editor and publisher of BC Bulletin. '06 graduate of Boston College, who has followed the program as long as he can remember. Has been covering the Eagles for the past nine years, giving expert analysis, recruiting news and breakdowns. Also the host of Locked on Boston College, a daily BC podcast that is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. When he is not writing or producing content on the Eagles, he can be found running, skiing, enjoying craft beers, or spending time with his family. You can follow AJ Black on Twitter @AJBlack_BC and our official site Twitter account is @BulletinBC