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