Who Will be the Next Boston College Football Coach?

Head football coach Jeff Hafley is leaving Boston College to become the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers.

BC athletic director Blake James said a national search for his replacement will begin immediately. Here are some possible candidates, listed in alphabetical order:

Matt Applebaum

If BC wants to lean into its identity as “O-line U” and hire someone already on the staff, Applebaum is the guy. A perk of promoting the offensive line coach is that the Eagles would be more likely to retain the majority of their standout line. That continuity could have a ripple effect on the rest of the roster. Applebaum, 40, doesn’t have any head coaching experience, but he has been a tight ends coach, offensive assistant, and offensive coordinator.

Kevin Beard

If James wants to hire someone from his previous stop, the University of Miami, Beard could be a prime candidate. Beard, 43, won a championship as a player at Miami and has since coached at Miami, Georgia, Tennessee, Toledo, and Miami again. He’s currently the wide receivers coach there.

Jason Candle

Candle, 44, has a 65-35 career record as a head coach and is the reigning Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year at Toledo. If BC prefers someone who has a proven track record as a head coach and is looking to make the leap to the Atlantic Coast Conference, Candle could be a viable option.

Liam Coen

The Kentucky offensive coordinator grew up in Rhode Island and played at UMass. Coen has coached at Brown, Rhode Island, UMass, Maine, and Kentucky. He has interviewed for several NFL offensive coordinator jobs. According to 247Sports, Coen, 38, is an early potential candidate for the BC job.

Brian Flores

Flores, 42, one of the more prominent candidates on the list, is currently enjoying success as the Vikings’ defensive coordinator. If he’s content in the NFL, that’s where he’ll stay; if he wants to return to his alma mater as head coach, he’d likely be a front-runner. The former Patriots assistant and Dolphins head coach has never coached in the college ranks.

Al Golden

Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator played for the Patriots in 1992 and coached linebackers at BC from 1997-99. He has head coaching experience at Temple and Miami; however, it’s important to note that it was James who fired him at Miami in 2015. If either side harbors any resentment, that would rule him out; if not, Golden, 54, checks every box.

Jeff Monken

He has a 105-71 head coaching record at Georgia Southern and Army. He has held the Army job since 2014 and earned Football Bowl Subdivision Coach of the Year honors in 2021. Monken, 56, is one of the most experienced names on the list but doesn’t have any ties to New England.

Bill O’Brien

While this is unlikely, given that he recently accepted a position as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, it’s not impossible. O’Brien, 54, grew up in Boston and attended St. John’s Prep. He’s had many stops over the years in both college and the NFL, including multiple stints with the Patriots. He was the head coach at Penn State in 2012-13 and with the Texans from 2014-20. If he wants to return to his roots, BC could potentially go that route.

Steve Shimko

Like Applebaum, BC’s offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach already knows the players, staff, and program well. His promotion theoretically would increase the odds of blossoming star quarterback Thomas Castellanos staying. Shimko, 34, would be younger than the typical head coach, but he has experience coaching a wide variety of positions and has coached with the Seahawks.

Al Washington

The 39-year-old Notre Dame defensive line coach played defensive tackle at BC from 2002-05. He coached special teams/defensive line, running backs, then special teams/defensive line again at BC from 2012-16 and has since held positions at Cincinnati, Michigan, Ohio State, and Notre Dame. It would be a logical and linear move for both sides. Former BC star Will Blackmon already endorsed Washington, noting: “I’m dead serious.”

Loading…