According to reports from Yahoo’s Pete Thamel and FOX’s Bruce Feldman, Boston College is set to hire Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley to be the Eagles’ new head coach in the coming days.
OSU has not yet confirmed the reports.
Hafley, who is also the secondary coach for the Buckeyes, has been instrumental in turning one of the most frustrating defenses a year ago into one of the best defenses in the country this season.
In just one year in Columbus, Ohio State went from the No. 71 total defense in 2018 to the No. 2 total defense currently in 2019. The Buckeyes also went from the No. 50 scoring defense last season to the No. 2 scoring defense this season.
For his deeds, Hafley was a finalist for the Broyles Award, which is given annually to the nation’s top assistant coach.
Hafley came to Ohio State from San Francisco where he was the secondary coach from 2016-2018. Prior to that, he spent two years with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers followed by two years with the Cleveland Browns before heading to the 49ers.
Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and Hafley coached together with the 49ers in 2016 before Day came to OSU prior to the 2017 season.
In 2011, Hafley was the secondary coach at Rutgers for Greg Schiano.
A New Jersey native, Hafley is familiar with college football in the Northeast and the draw to head back in that direction was obviously too much to turn down.
He takes over a program that has fired its last three head coaches, including Steve Addazio most recently. Addazio took over in 2013 and went 44-44 over his seven seasons in Chestnut Hill.
Coincidentally, Ryan Day also coached at Boston College from 2007-2011 and then again from 2013-2014. Boston College’s athletic director is Martin Jarmond, who was part of Ohio State’s athletic department from 2009-2016.
Jarmond tweeted this late Friday night.
— Martin Jarmond (@MartinJarmond) December 14, 2019
Hafley, who has been out on the recruiting trail this week for the Buckeyes, is expected to stay on staff until the conclusion of this season.
I guess I put my comment under the wrong article
Both about Hafley and written by Tony
See my comments on the other article but essentially same as all above; was listening the other day to Tony and Tom Orr discussing this whole business on their podcast; terrific timing and disservice to Coach Day OSU Team and potential recruits; we won’t talk about the fan base
Count me in on the whole “this is getting old” crowd. Not even staying a year? Good riddance. Let’s not pick him back up when he falters at BC.
If I remember correctly, Chris Ash did quite well for the buckeyes…would it not be prudent to see if he’s available and willing to return to OSU.
Disappointing, but hardly unexpected. Loyalty has not been part of college football in at least 2 decades now from the coaching perspective, but that has at least as much to do with tOSU firing “Ol’ 9 – 3 Earle” to Nebby firing Frank Solich for the same ‘crime’. Those were the beginnings of the deterioration towards what we see today.
Loyalty to we, the fan base, meant less and less as winning came to mean more and more. Now we’re clamoring for loyalty as the ‘get mine while I still got worth’ has taken over among coaches and players.
But the djinni is out of the bottle now.
Free Kerry Coombs!
Isn’t Jarmond (BC’sAD) the guy who was quoted in a story right after he left Columbus, saying that OSU wouldn’t (was scared to) schedule SEC teams? With the timing being as it is, does he have some kind of animus towards the Buckeyes?
You cant knock this guy for taking what he believes is a huge step up in his career (although I am not convinced it is). He did well at OSU. We had a legacy of great DBs and DB play years before Hafley and we will continue to once he is gone. I wish him the best…although I think some of these guys stifle their head coaching careers by taking the first job that appears as opposed to waiting for a job where they can win. ACC is down, but BC is never going to be a year in year out contender.. before you know it, FSU, Miami, and Va Tech are back and then what for BC?
Hi Christopher- you and I are often of the same thought on things OSU. This time I disagree (not violently, just simple difference of opinion). I do believe we can fault Hafley, as he almost certainly violated any agreement between himself and either Ryan Day or Gene Smith, by jumping ship before his contract was up. Hafley absolutely cannot have his head in the Clem game if the report is true- I wouldn’t either. As for him doing a “great” job, I just don’t know. Imagine taking a school exam and tearing up through the first 80% of it, then deciding not to finish the remainder. That’s not “great”, it is incomplete (the parallel isn’t perfect but I’m sure you get the point). Hafley did a wonderful job while he was here, then decided to check out before the season was over. He’s a carpetbagger, it’s only that we liked him more than someone like Alex Grinch.
Fair point. I guess I really didn’t consider if he made a hard 2 year pledge. I know Urban asked for that from Assistant Coaches. Wasn’t sure if Day does as well…
Nonetheless, Hafley primarily is credited with 1) encouraging the DBs to look for the ball and 2) playing a little more zone. Neither of those are groundbreaking concepts and most of us on this board had been clamoring for those techniques even before Hafley…so I believe any competent DB coach we hire to replace Hafley will keep those concepts in play. And we roll right on.
Really disappointed in Hafley for his one and done attitude. His integrity is in question by players, OSU, and Buckeye Nation for this run for the money stunt. This kind of stuff really disrupts continuity of the program. Agree with previous posts, Going to BC is not really a promotion and will be very difficult to produce a winner.
And just before the orgasm…
My comments presume that the reports of Hafley leaving are accurate. First, a couple disclaimers for the “free will” crowd:
1) Yes, I know Hafley is “allowed to do whatever he wants”. Most of us are “allowed” to do what we want.
2) Yes, I know stuff like this happens at other schools. I happen to be concerned when it affects OSU.
So, here is the rant. Does it strike anyone else just how disloyal this move is? It’s been LESS than one year. The timing is atrocious, as there is this thing called the playoff happening in, oh, two weeks. Can anyone say “distraction” for both Hafley and players? How many lies did this guy tell recruits coming to OSU next season ? (and this includes omissions, half truths, and other semantic variations of the word).
It has gotten to the point that this once great sport needs a “reset”. The problem is that fan interest is based on loyalty, while coaches/players/assistants are operating vey much in a disloyal environment. I can’t be the only person who has noticed this. How many jobs does this make for this dude in the past 5 years alone? Can we really say he did a “great” job, given that he lasted less than one full season and is fleeing for less green pastures? How is it that GREAT pay and facilities, and great talent to boot, aren’t good enough? Is this even fun anymore? Hasn’t this crap gotten really old for anyone else? Rant over, waiting for more “surprises” to detract from the real task at hand (have the feeling the bad news isn’t over…)
Going back listening to Hafley’s earlier comments, goals……..and now he’s here virtually less than a year. He USED Coach Day’s friendship as a pivot point. My only word for this guy is………….when you be gone……..STAY gone.
He’s not leaving before the end of the season, he’s sticking around for the playoffs. But I do agree it’s a red flag that he jumps on the very first offer he gets. Not good at all for the program. Day needs to demand 2 years like Meyer did. Especially with guys without HC experience. Can anyone say crocodile tears? What an asshole.
I totally agree with longtime fan…..I really don’t get how BC head coach is really much of a move up and I hate all this hiring done before the bowl games—if the coaches aren’t focused on their own team and jumping at first time opportunity while the season is still going, how can they demand the players be all focused? I HATE this trend in college football of players and coaches jumping all over the place..I get wanting to advance career, etc but yeesh with the transfer portal and a coach jumping ship before his first season is even done (yes i know he is coaching the playoffs but still known jumping ship so it counts from psychological standpoint)….just sick of the trend and the NCAA esp needs to set restrictions on the portal BS..enough is enough..whether OSU loses or benefits–more rules need in place and loyalty in general seems to be at an alltime low and that is one of the things that has made CFB great, unlike the pros….now it’s becoming more like free agency is to the pro sports…
Why should players be expected to be loyal and also play within the rules when their coaches don’t have the slightest idea what loyalty and trust means. I wouldn’t have pegged Hafley for a lowlife run-a-way-coward, but, I was wrong.
If true it is a huge loss. Hafley was instrumental in getting the DB room turned around and firing on all cylinders after the less than stellar year of Schiano and Grinch. Would hate to see him go after only one year.
As a character in a movie once so aptly stated.”Well…………..bye!”