TE Joey Luchetti Medically Retires from Football
Andy Backstrom (@andybackstrom)Publisher
Boston College tight end Joey Luchetti has medically retired from football, according to head coach Jeff Hafley.
Luchetti, who started 11 games as a redshirt junior last year, participated in spring ball but never reported to fall camp.
"He dealt with an injury last year, came back, dealt with it again and, just, it was too much for him. We wish Joey the best. Love his attitude. We miss him around."
Luchetti—a 6-foot-5 Lawrence Academy product from Wayland, Massachusetts—started his BC career as a tight end, then switched to defensive end before ultimately returning to tight end. He was generating a good bit of buzz ahead of the 2020 season, except a shoulder injury sidelined him for the year.
Last year, though, Luchetti got his chance to shine. He started alongside Jacksonville State transfer Trae Barry in BC's 12-personnel offense. Luchetti reeled in 13 passes for 157 yards and actually ranked fourth on the team in yards after the catch. A big reason why was his performance at Clemson, where he turned two grabs into 58 receiving yards while averaging 14 yards after the catch per reception, per Pro Football Focus.
Luchetti made a name for himself in the trenches. He was a bulldozer in the run game last season, posting a PFF run blocking grade of 80.5.
Losing Luchetti in the summer was a bad break for BC, Hafley explained.
"The tough part is, when you find out—it’s like [Christian] Mahogany when he gets hurt and then Joey [Luchetti]—you don’t have time to go recruit one because it’s so late or bring one in. … So you’ve gotta coach and develop."
The question now becomes: Who will step up as BC's TE2 behind Notre Dame transfer George Takacs. Redshirt junior Spencer Witter has the most experience in the group, plus the most career receptions (11) of any BC tight end.
But don't be surprised if true freshmen Jeremiah Franklin and Matt Ragan take the field sooner rather than later. Franklin was one of the Eagles' six mid-year enrollees, and Ragan is someone Hafley believes will be a "big-time player down the road."
Redshirt sophomores Charlie Gordinier and Hans Lillis are also in the mix for playing time. Hafley noted that Lillis has looked physical in camp and that Gordinier is a good athlete who complements BC's offense.
The tight end room has been deep at BC recently. But it's pretty unproven heading into 2022, particularly with Luchetti's absence.
