Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley was introduced Monday as the new head football coach at Boston College.
Hafley will take over an Eagles program that has won exactly seven games in five of the six seasons between 2013 and 2018. This year’s team is looking for its seventh win of 2019 in the Birmingham Bowl against Cincinnati on January 2.
But before that, Hafley has some slightly more important business to attend to.
“I have to go win a national championship. I owe it to Ohio State,” he said during the press conference.
Hafley will fly back to Columbus immediately following the press conference to get back into preparation for the Buckeyes’ Fiesta Bowl game against Clemson.
“I literally am flying back and am going to run onto a field and coach a football practice. I might still be in my suit,” he said.
It came as something of a surprise that Hafley is leaving Ohio State after just a single season.
That one-year term has been impressive, to be sure. The Buckeyes’ defense that gave up 25.5 points per game in 2018 under Greg Schiano (53rd in the nation) has allowed less than half of that, 12.5 per game this year (3rd in FBS).
Halfey was named a finalist for the Broyles Award as the top assistant coach in the country.
But that success also made him a hot commodity in the coaching industry. And when the New Jersey native got offered a head coaching job in the northeast, it was too much to pass up.
“I never thought that I would leave Ryan (Day) after one season,” he said. “Quite honestly, that’s not what I planned on doing. But when this one opened, it felt special, it felt right.”
While Hafley has never coached at BC before, Day has. He was an assistant there from 2007 to 2011, and then again in 2013 and 2014.
And Day’s memories of the place helped convince Hafley that it was the right place for him.
“I know Ryan loves this place. He talks really highly about it, and I get it now,” Hafley said.
You can watch Hafley’s full introductory press conference below.
BC Football – live via https://t.co/PQFwstlJqq https://t.co/tDPmvc9LTe
— BC Football ? (@BCFootball) December 16, 2019
I was concerned when Mark Dantonio left for Cincinnati after ’03 but, those concerns have proved to be unfounded. “but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,”
Phil 3:13
Go Bucks beat Clemson
You can’t blame a guy for seeking to advance his career. And he’s holding up his commitment to finish coaching the Buckeyes’ defense, hopefully to a National Championship. He’s finishing well, as far as I’m concerned, and I’m sure Coach Day will find a very suitable replacement.
If Hafley thinks this is a good, right fit for himself, there’s no guarantee something better would come around next year. Good for him!
GO BUCKS!
I am not happy about it nor do I think he is doing the “right” thing. He would be better served staying at OSU improving his creds and then getting a HC position at a real college. also i find it crazy that tate Martell was demonized for leaving after what – 3 years while Hafely gets a pass?? Tater has proven to be a spoiled u no what but at least he gave more sweat blood and tears than Hafely. Why is it wrong for a player to enter the portal to try for his one and only chance at the Big Show while a coach is expected to skip to the next better gig?? Was all of that talk by Hafely about how much fun it was to be part of OSU Just a load of organic fertilizer??
What made Tate Martell look bad was his comments about not transferring and that if Fields was coming, he would have to compete and learn a complicated offense. A few weeks after Martell’s comments, he decided to transfer to Miami and he failed to win the job. He tried to be a wide receiver, but I guess that didn’t work out either. Who knows what he is doing now.
Not mutually exclusive – he can still have fun as part of tOSU and want to coach in the northeast at BC. As for BC not being a “real college” it was founded in 1863 and according to my one click research tOSU was established in 1870. Now being older doesn’t make BC necessarily a “real college” but I’m just not sure what does. Anyway, Jeff Hafley, in interview after interview never committed to the UM 2-year rule – which Coach Day never said he adhered to. So, this, like Brendon White’s move into the transfer portal (nothing wrong with that in my book – he deserved better) were foretold well before they happened. Anyway, should have little if any impact on the upcoming playoffs – let’s hope his D is good enough to hold Clemson to 21 points or less – if that happens I think the good guys will win. Go Bucks!
My implications were that BC is not a real FOOTBALL college. Academically it is one hell of a college. But with an extra year or two don’t you think Hafley could have written a ticket to a more prestigious FOOTBALL college? USC? Miami? SCum? Alabama? (Saban can’t cheat the reaper forever!) I find it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have been up for a huge raise if he stayed. I have a problem with one and done. Here – come coach at OSU, let us teach you the secret sauce recipe and we won’t even expect you to stay for year two. What is it going to lead to – half seasons? As far as White goes, I agree with you there that he got a dirty end of the stick and I have more understanding for players with a limited shelf life hitting the portal than I do for coaches. If you go back and read all of the “be True to your School” BS when Tate left and then look at the comments that WERE NOT leveled at Hafley there is a disconnect – that’s all I am saying. My point with Tater when he left was that he had people burning little Tate voodoo dolls because of some comments a 20 year old said when he had a mike shoved in his face. No one except a very select few had ANY knowledge of the behind the scenes promises, expectations, or how an offensive scheme was going to change from Meyer to Day, and therefor had no right to judge Tate. Once he stomped his feet and threw his name plate on the floor at Miami – judge all you want – but not before
All we can ask for Jeff is to coach these young men for two more games at OSU. The players want to send him out on a high note with a national title.
Ok well that makes me feel better. Glad he’s doing the right thing! At least he has a conscious.