Year three brings a revamped Boston College squad. With key offensive departures and a challenging schedule, can Bill O'Brien rebuild the Eagles?
Head coach Bill O'Brien is headed into year three at the helm for Boston College and there's a lot to prove this season. In his first year in 2024, the Eagles went 7-6 and played against Nebraska in the Pinstripe Bowl. This past season, however, they took a major step back finishing 2-10 and only 1-7 in conference despite having several talented skilled players on offense.
Boston College only returns two starters on offense from their 2025 team losing four players to the portal and five players to graduation. Their defense returns five of their starters, four of which are located in the secondary. The Eagle's schedule this season won't do them any favors with road games against Cincinnati, SMU, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame and Miami looming. O'Brien has his work cut out for him in Chestnut Hill in 2026.
Let's take a look at the Eagles.
2025 Record: 2-10 / 1-7
2024 Record: 7-6 / 4-4 (Lost to Nebraska 20-15 in the Pinstripe Bowl)
Boston College Offense
Starters Returning - WR Jaedn Skeete, C Michael Crounse,
Starters Lost - QB Grayson James, QB Dylan Lonergan (Portal - Rutgers), RB Turbo Richard (Transfer - Indiana), WR Reed Harris (Transfer - Arizona State), WR Lewis Bond, TE Jeremiah Franklin, LT Jude Bowry, LG Eryx Daughtery (Transfer - Louisville), RG Logan Taylor, RT Kevin Cline
Losing nine of your 11 starters would be tough for any team to overcome. The Eagle's lost both of their starting quarterbacks from this past season, Richard (145 att., 749 yards, 5.2 YPC, 9 TD) at running back, Bond (88 rec., 993 yards, 11.3 YPC, 1 TD) and Harris (39 rec., 673 yards, 17.3 YPC, 5 TD) at receiver. Four of their five starting offensive lineman have departed including Daughtery (11 career starts) who is headed to Louisville.
They only return one of their starting offensive lineman from last season; Crounse (9 career starts) started nine games last season and played in 11 total. Skeete (13 rec., 140 yards, 10.8 YPC, 3 TD) is their only returning wide receiver and is expected to take on a much larger role this upcoming season. Boston College will have a rebuilt offensive line through the portal and will undergo another quarterback competition heading into 2026.
Boston College Defense
Starters Returning - DT Chris Marable Jr., CB Max Tucker, CB Isaiah Farris, DB Carter Davis, S KP Price
Starters Lost - EDGE Edwin Kolenge (Portal - Vanderbilt), EDGE Quintayvious Hutchins, DT Sedarius McConnell, LB Daveon Crouch (Portal - Kansas), LB Owen McGowan, S Omar Thornton (Transfer - Miami)
The outlook on defense is higher than the offensive side of the ball. They lost a lot in the trenches including McGowan (54 tackles, 1.0 sack) at linebacker. Boston College also lost McConnell (31 tackles, 2.5 sacks) who was the team's leader in sacks to graduation. Luckily, four of their five starters in the secondary return along with Marable (22 tackles, 0.5 sacks) to anchor a depleted defensive line.
On the back end, Price (93 tackles, 2 INT) and Davis (59 tackles, 2 passes defended) return to anchor a relatively experienced secondary. Farris (28 tackles, 6 passes defended) and Tucker (24 tackles, 2 passes defended, 1 INT) also returns. The portal will play a heavy factor in the front seven of the Boston College defense. First year defensive coordinator Ted Roof will have his work cut out for him in year one at the helm.
Portal Additions
Top Transfers - Offense: RB Evan Dickens (Liberty), RB Nolan Ray (Maryland), WR Javarius Green (UNC), WR Reed Swanson (Colgate), WR Landon Wright (Washington St.), LT Veguer Jean-Jumeau (Tennessee St.), LG Owen Snively (Eastern Michigan), RG Kristian Phillips (Michigan St.), RT Reggie Jackson (Jax State),
Top Transfers - Defense: EDGE Demetrius Ballard (Buffalo), DT KJ Sampson (Florida St.), LB Anthony Palano (Washington St.), LB Justin Medlock (SMU), S Chandler Joran (Georgia St.)
As expected, the transfer portal will dictate a lot of Boston College's success. They have an entirely new offensive line built through the portal bring in players who started at schools like Tennessee State, Eastern Michigan and Jacksonville State. They also needed to replace a lot of production lost at the skilled positions.
Dickens (229 att., 1,339 yards, 5.8 YPC, 16 TD) comes over from Liberty and is their most productive portal pickup on offense. Swanson (57 rec., 939 yards, 16.5 YPC, 8 TD) is a 6-6, 215-pound target from Colgate who is expected to fill the role left vacated by Harris who has transferred to Arizona State.
Defensively, they reloaded in the trenches bringing in Ballard (13 tackles, 1.5 sacks) from Buffalo and Sampson (11 tackles) from Florida State who brings size to the defensive front at 6-3, 309-pounds. They also brought in good depth at linebacker including Notre Dame transfer Bodie Kahoun who has been an extremely underrated athlete for the duration of his collegiate career.
2026 Recruiting Class Ranking: No. 56 Rivals/On3 - No. 59 247Sports
2026 SCHEDULE
Notre Dame 2026 Opponent Previews:
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