Boston College Eagles Football: A Legacy of Excellence and Notable Alumni

The Boston College Eagles football team has a long and storied history, dating back to its formation in 1892. As a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), the Eagles have achieved significant milestones, including four Eastern championships (1940, 1942, 1983, and 1984) and a co-Big East championship in 2004. The team also claims a national championship in 1940, although this is not officially recognized by the NCAA. Boston College stands out as one of only two Catholic universities with an FBS football team, the other being Notre Dame, and is the sole FBS school in New England competing in a Power Four conference.

Early Years and the Rise of the Eagles

The seeds of the Boston College football program were sown in 1892 when President Edward Ignatius Devitt, S.J., yielded to the requests of undergraduates Joseph F. O'Connell and Joseph Drum to establish a varsity team. Drum served as the first head coach, while O'Connell held the position of captain. The Eagles played their inaugural game on October 26, 1893, securing a 4-0 victory against the St. John's Literary Institute of Cambridge, followed by their first intercollegiate contest against MIT, which resulted in a 6-0 defeat.

The nickname 'Eagles' was adopted by the Boston College football team in 1920. The season culminated in a 14-0 triumph over Holy Cross, witnessed by 40,000 fans at Braves Field, marking the team's first undefeated season with an 8-0 record. Coach Frank Cavanaugh, who led the team from 1919 to 1926, was later inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The "Team of Destiny" and National Recognition

The 1939 season saw the Boston College team, under the guidance of first-year head coach Frank Leahy, achieve a 9-1 record and a No. 11 ranking in the final AP Poll, a first for the school. The subsequent 1940 season is considered the pinnacle of Boston College football history. The Eagles concluded the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record and won the 1941 Sugar Bowl, earning the moniker "Team of Destiny". A notable victory during that season was a 19-18 win over No. 9 Georgetown at Fenway Park. In the Sugar Bowl, they defeated No. 4 Tennessee 19-13.

Five members of the 1940 team-Gene Goodreault, George Kerr, Chet Gladchuk, Mike Holovak, and Charlie O'Rourke-have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Despite a banner on campus proclaiming "national champions," Boston College did not receive a national championship in the contemporary 1940 college football rankings.

In 1942, Boston College started the season with eight consecutive wins, reaching the No. 1 spot in the AP Poll. However, a 55-12 loss to Holy Cross in the final game prevented them from securing their first AP national championship. The team's decision to cancel their post-game celebration at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub inadvertently saved them from the tragic fire that claimed 492 lives. The Eagles finished No. 8 in the AP rankings and were invited to the Orange Bowl, where they lost to No. 3 Alabama.

Coaching Changes and Doug Flutie's Heisman Moment

Mike Holovak became head coach of BC in 1951, compiling a 49-29-3 record. He was succeeded by Ernie Hefferle, followed by Joe Yukica, who led the Eagles to a 68-37 record, including eight winning seasons. Jack Bicknell took over as head coach, and the program experienced a resurgence with quarterback Doug Flutie.

The Doug Flutie era (1981-1984) was a time of great excitement for Boston College football. Flutie won the Heisman Trophy in his senior year and left school as the NCAA's all-time passing yardage leader. The Eagles finished the 1984 season with a 10-2 record, ranking No. 5 in the AP Poll and No. 4 in the Coaches' Poll. They defeated Houston in the 1985 Cotton Bowl, with Steve Strachan named MVP.

A defining moment of Flutie's career was the November 23, 1984, game against Miami. With seconds remaining and the Eagles trailing, Flutie threw a "Hail Mary" pass that was caught in the end zone by Gerard Phelan, securing a 47-45 victory.

The Coughlin and O'Brien Eras

Tom Coughlin, former BC quarterbacks coach, became head coach after Bicknell. Coughlin's Eagles achieved a 21-13-1 record, highlighted by a 41-39 victory over No. 1 Notre Dame in 1993.

Dan Henning followed Coughlin, and his tenure was marred by a scandal during the 1996 season. Tom O'Brien took over in December 1996 and transformed the program into a consistent top-25 team. The 2001 season was particularly successful, with the Eagles finishing 8-4 and defeating Georgia in the Music City Bowl.

Recent History and Coaching Transitions

O'Brien was succeeded by Jeff Jagodzinski, who led the team to an 11-3 record, a No. 10 finish, and an ACC Atlantic Division Championship. After Jagodzinski's departure, defensive coordinator Frank Spaziani became head coach. In 2009, linebacker Mark Herzlich's battle with Ewing's Sarcoma became an inspiration.

Following a 2-10 season under Spaziani, Steve Addazio was hired. Running back Andre Williams emerged as a standout player, rushing for 2,177 yards in 2013 and winning the Doak Walker Award. Addazio was fired in 2019 after a 6-6 season.

Conference Affiliations and Bowl Game Success

For much of its history, Boston College competed as an independent program. In 1991, the majority of football independents in the East aligned themselves together in the Big East Football Conference. The Big East first crowned an official champion in 1993. Divisional play began in the Atlantic Coast Conference at the start of the 2005 football season following BC's inclusion in the conference. BC earned a share of the ACC Atlantic Division title in 2005 and in 2008.

Boston College has participated in 27 bowl games, with a 14-12 record (the 2018 First Responder Bowl was canceled due to weather). The Eagles had an 8-game bowl winning streak from 2000 to 2007 and went to 12 consecutive bowl games from 1999 to 2010.

Read also: History of the BU Bridge

Home Field and Rivalries

Since 1957, Alumni Stadium in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, has been the home of the Eagles. The stadium has a capacity of 44,500. The Yawkey Athletics Center, housing the football offices and weight room, was constructed in 2005.

Boston College shares rivalries with Clemson and Holy Cross. The O'Rourke-McFadden Trophy, created in 2008, honors the rivalry between the Eagles and the Tigers. The rivalry with Holy Cross dates back to 1896, with 83 meetings on the field.

Notable Alumni in the NFL

Boston College has a rich tradition of producing talented football players who have gone on to successful careers in the National Football League (NFL). These alumni have made significant contributions to their respective teams, earning accolades and achieving Super Bowl victories. Here are some notable examples:

Art Donovan: Drafted in the 22nd round of the 1947 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, Donovan did not play for the Giants. Instead, he played for the Baltimore Colts, New York Yanks, Dallas Texans, and the Baltimore Colts again. He helped the Colts win the 1958 and 1959 NFL championships, was a five-time Pro Bowl selection, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1968.
Pete Smerlas: Selected in the second round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Buffalo Bills, Smerlas played 11 seasons for the Bills, one season for the San Francisco 49ers, and two seasons for the New England Patriots. He was a five-time Pro Bowl selection.
Doug Flutie: Drafted in the 11th round of the 1985 NFL Draft by the Los Angeles Rams, Flutie never played for the Rams, opting instead to play for the New Jersey Generals in the USFL. He later played for the Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Buffalo Bills, and San Diego Chargers. The 1984 Heisman Trophy winner was a one-time Pro Bowl selection.
Matt Hasselbeck: Drafted in the sixth round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Green Bay Packers, Hasselbeck played two seasons for the Packers, 10 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, and two seasons for the Tennessee Titans. He was a member of the Seahawks team that advanced to Super Bowl XL and was a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Dan Nalen: Selected in the seventh round of the 1994 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos, Nalen played 14 seasons for the Broncos. He was a member of the Broncos teams that won Super Bowl XXXII and Super Bowl XXXIII and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. Nalen had a 14-year NFL career that included 2 Super Bowls, 5 Pro Bowls, and an NFL Lineman of the Year award.
Bill Romanowski: Drafted in the third round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, Romanowski played six seasons for the 49ers, two seasons for the Philadelphia Eagles, six seasons for the Denver Broncos, and two seasons for the Oakland Raiders. He won two Super Bowls with the 49ers and two Super Bowls with the Broncos and was a two-time Pro Bowl selection.
Chris Snee: Drafted in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, Snee played nine seasons for the Giants. He was a member of the Giants' Super Bowl XLII- and Super Bowl XLVI-winning teams and a four-time Pro Bowl selection. A guard, Snee started 141 consecutive games for the Giants under former BC Coach Tom Coughlin. He won 2 Super Bowls and was named to 2 Pro Bowls.
Matt Ryan: Drafted in the first round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons, Ryan has played for the Falcons and has been a multiple-time Pro Bowl selection.
Ronnie Lott: Lott is considered one of the greatest safeties in NFL history.
Bob Hyland: A center, Hyland was taken with the 9th overall pick in the draft, the highest ever for a BC lineman.
Anthony Castonzo: Castonzo was a tackle who started a school-record 54 games for BC, while also majoring in biochemistry and earning a Rhodes Scholar nomination.
Damien Woody: A center while at BC, Woody played for 12 years and 3 teams in the NFL, winning 2 championships with the Pats.
Steve Nash: Nash played 15 seasons for the Seattle Seahawks (1982-1996). He was a one-time Pro Bowl selection.

These alumni represent the rich tradition of Boston College football and its contribution to the NFL.

Notable Non-Football Alumni

Besides its athletic prowess, Boston College boasts a distinguished list of alumni who have excelled in various fields:

Archbishop Timothy P.
Nicholas Burns
Jack Connors, Jr.
Peter B. Dervan
Ken Hackett
Jennie Chin Hansen
Jane D. Paloma Izquierdo-Hernandez
John F. Kerry
Karen S.
Peter Lynch
James MacPhee
James Martin, S.J.
Ernest Moniz
Chris O’Donnell
Steve Pemberton
Mel Robbins
Navyn A. Salem
Sam Sawyer, S.J.
Bobby Scott
Alex Truesdell
Lesley Visser
Martin J.
Erik Weihenmayer
Jeremy Zipple, S.J.

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