Hafley on Adding Portal O-Linemen: 'It's Not Always That Easy'
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Boston College's offensive line was all everyone following the program wanted to talk about this offseason. Two weeks into the regular season, and it's still all everyone following the program wants to talk about.
For good reason, too.
The Eagles are tied for last in the ACC and 123rd nationally with nine sacks allowed. Not only that, but BC is dead last in the FBS in rushing offense. The Eagles are averaging 16.5 yards per game on the ground. Every other ACC team is north of the century mark.
BC entered the offseason having to replace four starters up front. Left guard Zion Johnson was drafted 17th overall by the Los Angeles Chargers. Meanwhile, left tackle Tyler Vrabel, right tackle Ben Petrula and center Alec Lindstrom signed as undrafted free agents, with Vrabel and Lindstrom ultimately landing on the practice squad for the Atlanta Falcons and Dallas Cowboys, respectively.
Even with so much turnover, third-year head coach Jeff Hafley said that he and his staff "felt great" after spring ball.
Then the bombshell.
Right guard Christian Mahogany—who was initially ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.'s No. 2 guard prospect for 2023—tore his ACL in May. His season-ending injury left the Eagles with zero returning starters and forced new O-Line coach Dave DeGuglielmo to go back to the drawing board. Fall camp featured lots of offensive line combinations, but the Eagles settled on this five: left tackle Ozzy Trapilo, left guard Finn Dirstine, center Drew Kendall, right guard Jack Conley and right tackle Kevin Cline.
The popular question among fans was and remains, "Why didn't BC turn to the transfer portal?" It was echoed across social media after the Eagles' lopsided loss at Virginia Tech, where Trapilo didn't play because of injury and Cline left in the third quarter with an injury of his own.
Hafley addressed that question Tuesday.
"Yeah, we looked at the portal," he said. "For a lot of reasons. Want to add depth, want to always add good players. But it's not always that easy."
He explained: "When you guys look at the portal at certain positions, and I just want you guys to understand this, so no one thinks, ‘Man, were your eyes closed?' It's one, can the guy get into school here? Two, does he have enough credits to transfer in and be eligible to play by NCAA rules? Three, is he a character kid? Obviously, is he good enough, that's huge. But then the other part with some of these offensive linemen—you guys know what the next piece that comes into it when it's a really good offensive lineman? How much money is he gonna get paid?"
Hafley's last point is in reference to NIL, of course.
One notable player BC was targeting in the portal was transfer offensive lineman D'Mitri Emmanuel, who started three consecutive seasons at tackle for Charlotte and wound up committing to Florida State. Emmanuel is now a starter on the Seminoles' O-Line at right guard. It's worth pointing out, however, that Emmanuel had a tie to FSU OC/O-Line coach Alex Atkins, who was previously the O-Line coach at Charlotte.
BC did bring in Lehigh transfer O-Lineman Christian Curatolo, who made three starts for the Mountain Hawks as a freshman last year.
In general, the Eagles weren't very active in the portal this offseason. They added Maryland wide receiver Dino Tomlin, Arizona defensive lineman Regen Terry and Notre Dame tight end George Takacs.
Takacs has been the Eagles' biggest contributor from the portal, as he's emerged as BC's top option in an unusually thin tight end room.
But the Eagles' O-Line struggling to this degree is even less characteristic than BC not having depth at tight end.
If neither Trapilo or Cline are healthy by Saturday, BC could be starting both Dwayne Allick—who was a converted D-Lineman early last season—and redshirt freshman Nick Thomas—who arrived at BC as a preferred walk-on—this week against Maine.
"We're doing everything we can, but I believe in the guys we have here," Hafley said. "Some of them, are they totally ready? We're gonna get 'em ready, and we're going to fight our butts off.
"And I'm going to be behind that group every step of the way.”
