BC athletics director Martin Jarmond was diplomatic in thanking now-former Eagles coach Steve Addazio for the seven years he spent at the helm of the football program.
But the fan base, boosters, and everyone else watching and waiting for coaching search news has quickly pivoted to the future. So that's what Jarmond did.
"We're moving forward," Jarmond said early in Monday's press conference.
Jarmond said that he spent roughly an hour with BC's players in their locker room on Sunday, praising their drive and desire to be great.
"It's refreshing," he said. "Because that's what represents BC."
The goal now, Jarmond said, is to find a coach who will lead BC "to greater heights," staying on brand.
There were no specific parameters for what Addazio needed to do this year, according to Jarmond, but BC's athletics director told the media that especially in college football, you're frequently in a position where you need to extend a coach's contract or make a change.
Jarmond said he felt good about the progress BC made on the field last year, but this season's 6-6 campaign prompted him to "look at the whole body of work."
Part of that review has naturally involved communications with the school's president, Fr. William Leahy.
"And we just felt like the trajectory we were on, I didn't feel like we were making the progress competitively that we needed to," Jarmond said. "And I just felt with the total body of work, it was time to make a change."
Integrity is the No. 1 quality Jarmond, Leahy and the school's top brass will prioritize in seeking out a replacement for Addazio, who led BC to the postseason every year but one during his tenure, but was unable to break through to that next level and seriously contend for a conference championship. Along those same lines, leadership and someone who understands the school's Catholic, Jesuit values and "understands us" will be key components of the search as well.
"We're proud of that. We have a rich tradition and history. A lot of guys have done really well and we want to build on that," Jarmond said.
But, inescapably, "we want to win", Jarmond said.
Rich Gunnell will serve as the interim in the meantime.
"He is an Eagle. He's played here. He understands us. He gets it," Jarmond said.
Gunnell will not interview for the job. With the early signing period approaching, Jarmond said they would ideally have a permanent coach in place by then, December 18th, but he would not commit to a timetable.
When asked if he will look at candidates with a Big Ten background specifically, because of his own history at Ohio State, Jarmond demurred. He didn't rule it out but said the goal is to find the best leader "whether it's Big 10, Pac-12, whether it's whatever conference, it doesn't matter."
Jarmond said with every program you have a list or some characteristics in mind that you consider important before these coaching changes. But during the season you are so locked into your current team and staff that you aren't thinking about all the time. "It's always in the back of your mind as an AD," he acknowledged. There's always a list of would-be candidates that you're paying attention to, he said.
"I think if you make a decision, you need to act decisively," Jarmond said. "I don't think it's fair to whoever that coach or staff is and I don't think it's fair to the institution.
"I think it's really important to get in the marketplace when you can, when you know you're going to make a change," he said, in a tip of the cap to the fact that other schools will be making changes and potential candidates will be in demand.
Jarmond said one of BC's goals is to be in the Top-25. That was accomplished at a point in last year's season, but it didn't happen this year even after a strong first weekend win against Virginia Tech.
"This is not something that's a rebuild. This is a retool to go for greater heights," he said.
Without question, Addazio left the program better off than what it was when he found it.
"This is a solid foundation. If you look at our team, we have a lot of talent coming back. This is a launch pad now. I don't really get into the 'how many wins.' ... I look at momentum, energy, I look at progress. If you're not progressing you're either stalling or moving back. You want to move forward. When you look at everything, I want a program that's constantly moving forward."
In the near term, Jarmond said there have not been many communications with bowl officials. He did speak with two during the Pitt game. Right now there's a feeling out process that involves questions regarding attendance, the number of alumni in an area, and similar topics.
Big decisions will have to be made in the days and weeks ahead, but this is still the early stage part of the process in selecting the Eagles' next coach.
But the fan base, boosters, and everyone else watching and waiting for coaching search news has quickly pivoted to the future. So that's what Jarmond did.
"We're moving forward," Jarmond said early in Monday's press conference.
Jarmond said that he spent roughly an hour with BC's players in their locker room on Sunday, praising their drive and desire to be great.
"It's refreshing," he said. "Because that's what represents BC."
The goal now, Jarmond said, is to find a coach who will lead BC "to greater heights," staying on brand.
There were no specific parameters for what Addazio needed to do this year, according to Jarmond, but BC's athletics director told the media that especially in college football, you're frequently in a position where you need to extend a coach's contract or make a change.
Jarmond said he felt good about the progress BC made on the field last year, but this season's 6-6 campaign prompted him to "look at the whole body of work."
Part of that review has naturally involved communications with the school's president, Fr. William Leahy.
"And we just felt like the trajectory we were on, I didn't feel like we were making the progress competitively that we needed to," Jarmond said. "And I just felt with the total body of work, it was time to make a change."
Integrity is the No. 1 quality Jarmond, Leahy and the school's top brass will prioritize in seeking out a replacement for Addazio, who led BC to the postseason every year but one during his tenure, but was unable to break through to that next level and seriously contend for a conference championship. Along those same lines, leadership and someone who understands the school's Catholic, Jesuit values and "understands us" will be key components of the search as well.
"We're proud of that. We have a rich tradition and history. A lot of guys have done really well and we want to build on that," Jarmond said.
But, inescapably, "we want to win", Jarmond said.
Rich Gunnell will serve as the interim in the meantime.
"He is an Eagle. He's played here. He understands us. He gets it," Jarmond said.
Gunnell will not interview for the job. With the early signing period approaching, Jarmond said they would ideally have a permanent coach in place by then, December 18th, but he would not commit to a timetable.
When asked if he will look at candidates with a Big Ten background specifically, because of his own history at Ohio State, Jarmond demurred. He didn't rule it out but said the goal is to find the best leader "whether it's Big 10, Pac-12, whether it's whatever conference, it doesn't matter."
Jarmond said with every program you have a list or some characteristics in mind that you consider important before these coaching changes. But during the season you are so locked into your current team and staff that you aren't thinking about all the time. "It's always in the back of your mind as an AD," he acknowledged. There's always a list of would-be candidates that you're paying attention to, he said.
"I think if you make a decision, you need to act decisively," Jarmond said. "I don't think it's fair to whoever that coach or staff is and I don't think it's fair to the institution.
"I think it's really important to get in the marketplace when you can, when you know you're going to make a change," he said, in a tip of the cap to the fact that other schools will be making changes and potential candidates will be in demand.
Jarmond said one of BC's goals is to be in the Top-25. That was accomplished at a point in last year's season, but it didn't happen this year even after a strong first weekend win against Virginia Tech.
"This is not something that's a rebuild. This is a retool to go for greater heights," he said.
Without question, Addazio left the program better off than what it was when he found it.
"This is a solid foundation. If you look at our team, we have a lot of talent coming back. This is a launch pad now. I don't really get into the 'how many wins.' ... I look at momentum, energy, I look at progress. If you're not progressing you're either stalling or moving back. You want to move forward. When you look at everything, I want a program that's constantly moving forward."
In the near term, Jarmond said there have not been many communications with bowl officials. He did speak with two during the Pitt game. Right now there's a feeling out process that involves questions regarding attendance, the number of alumni in an area, and similar topics.
Big decisions will have to be made in the days and weeks ahead, but this is still the early stage part of the process in selecting the Eagles' next coach.
