Boston College Coaching Candidates: Jeff Hafley
Boston College fired head coach Steve Addazio yesterday after seven seasons on the Heights. As the coaching search commences, we will give profiles of many of the known candidates that could become the next head coach of the Eagles. To start off the series, let's head to Ohio State again, this time to preview Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley.
Name: Jeff Hafley
Born and Raised: New Jersey
Playing Career: Wide Receiver at Siena College
Previous Experience: Coached the secondary in the NFL for the 49ers, Bucs, and Cleveland Browns, along with various other NCAA schools including Rutgers and Pitt. Currently the defensive coordinator and secondary coach for Ohio State
Connections to Boston College: Works under Ryan Day who is connected to Martin Jarmond through Ohio State.
Pros: In just one season in Columbus Hafley has turned a relatively weak defensive unit into arguably the best in the country, allowing the fewest yards, and 4th lowest points in the nation. He helped transform Chase Young into a Heisman candidate, and one of the best defensive players in the past decade. Has connections to both Ohio and New Jersey which are both recruiting hot beds for the Eagles. Is a finalist for the Broyles Award this season.
Cons: As mentioned in the Al Washington preview, Hafley also lacks head coaching experience that Jarmond may want in a candidate. Boston College may want to focus on fixing the offensive game plan, and grabbing a defensive coordinator may not be the best option for that.
Additional Things To Consider: Hafley will have to put together his whole philosophy and try it out on Boston College, so it will be interesting to see how he envisions BC’s offense and defense. He has very limited experience in terms of running a complete unit at the college level, but what he has done has been successful
Previous Coaching CandidatesProfiles:
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