Despite Obstacles, Hafley’s Made the Most of the Transfer Market
Jeff Hafley is a first-time head coach trying to navigate a new job during a pandemic, but he’s still reeled in a handful of transfers who have the chance to make a significant impact at BC.
When a head coach is fired, transfers are inevitable, and Boston College football was no exception. Following the dismissal of Steve Addazio back in December, a handful of Eagles decided to leave the Heights. Three-year starting quarterback Anthony Brown headlined the list of departures by transferring to Oregon, and although AJ Dillon—the program’s all-time leading rusher—didn’t enter the portal, he did leave BC early for the NFL.
But the hiring of Ohio State co-defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley more than just softened the blow. Both Max Richardson—who racked up the eighth most solo tackles (72) in the country last year—and Kobay White—the only Eagles wide receiver since 2013 to record more than 500 receiving yards in a single season—announced their return to Chestnut Hill. And, as the offseason progressed, the program gained playmakers back through the transfer portal.
Already, Hafley and his staff have landed a few future starters who were searching for a new home on the market. Here’s the top four, in no particular order.
QB Phil Jurkovec (Notre Dame):
High School Composite Rating (247Sports): 95.93 (4 stars)
Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2/3 (pending waiver)
Jurkovec sat behind Ian Book his first two years at Notre Dame. When the veteran quarterback opted for a fifth season in South Bend, Jurkovec started to look elsewhere. Less than two weeks later, the 6-foot-4 dual-threat gunslinger transferred to BC. He immediately applied for an NCAA waiver that would make him eligible for the 2020 season, but there remains no update on that front, four months down the line. Without approval, per NCAA transfer rules, the Gibsonia, Pa. native will have to sit out his first year with the Eagles.
Jurkovec, a product of Pine-Richland High School, was the 83rd-best prospect in the Class of 2018, according to 247Sports. He starred in high school, capping off his career by throwing 39 touchdowns to just six interceptions as a senior, while rushing for more 1,200 yards and 24 scores. During his freshman year at Notre Dame, he was redshirted after appearing in two games. This past season, he entered five contests, going 12-of-15 for 222 yards and two touchdowns through the air. On the ground, Jurkovec carried the rock 19 times for 113 yards, 42 of which came in his relief performance against BC on Nov. 23.
DB Deon Jones (Maryland)
High School Rating (247Sports): 92.71 (4 stars)
Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2
Deon Jones was originally part of a 2017 Maryland recruiting class that ranked 18th nationally and fourth in the Big Ten. The 6-foot-1 cornerback was one of seven Terrapins recruits that year to have been rated inside the state’s top-20 rankings. Then defensive backs coach Aazaar Abdul-Rahim, who now has the same role at BC, proved integral in pulling off that feat and, consequently, was named a top-25 recruiter by 247Sports.
Jones redshirted his freshman year and made his collegiate debut in 2018, a season in which the Maryland defense totaled 18 interceptions on the year, the fifth-most in the FBS. Jones, however, wasn’t responsible for a single one of them. That said, he did make 11 appearances, force a fumble against Michigan State, and log a season-high five tackles versus No. 19 Iowa. Last year, he took his play up a notch. Jones played in 10 games and made six starts at safety, tallying 34 tackles, one forced fumble, and a pass breakup. But the Oxon Hill, Md. native put his name in the transfer portal in mid-February and by the end of March was an Eagle. The grad transfer will reunite with his old position coach and be eligible for the 2020 season.
WR/RB Jaelen Gill (Ohio State)
High School Rating (247Sports): 98.31
Years of Eligibility Remaining: 2/3 (pending waiver)
Jaelen Gill, the No. 30 overall recruit in the Class of 2018, never really got a chance to shine in Columbus. It’s hard when you play on a team bound for the College Football Playoff with dozens of future NFLers—10 were selected in this year’s draft alone. But the running back turned wide receiver is looking to get his shot at BC, teaming up with a few familiar faces. Hafley, special teams coordinator Matt Thurin, and linebackers coach Sean Duggan all served on the Buckeyes’ staff in 2019.
When Gill arrived at Ohio State, he was expected to eventually fill the H-Back role that Curtis Samuel played. But the Buckeyes’ depth chart, stockpiled with the likes of Parris Campbell, CJ Saunders, and KJ Hill, prevented the shifty Westerville, Ohio native from seeing the field. He appeared in two games as a freshman before redshirting. Then, when Ryan Day took over as head coach in 2019, the offensive scheme changed, and the H-Back position was converted into more of the traditional slot receiver role. Gill switched to wideout, yet only caught six passes for 51 yards and one score—38 of those yards and that lone touchdown came against Rutgers. Unless Gill gets an immediate-eligibility waiver, he’ll have to sit out 2020. After that, he’ll have two years to show Day and Ohio State what they missed out on.
DT Chibueze Onwuka (Buffalo)
High School Rating (247Sports): N/A
Years of Eligibility Remaining: 1
Five days before Jones committed to BC, Buffalo defensive tackle Chibueze Onwuka made the same decision. Unlike the other three aforementioned additions, Onwuka wasn’t highly recruited in high school. In fact, he didn’t even receive a player rating from 247Sports. He took a different path to the college ranks. After graduating from Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Md. as a dual-sport athlete, he attended Niagara County Community College. There, Onwuka spent one season on the wrestling team before transferring to Buffalo. And in the fall of 2017, he walked on to the football team as a defensive tackle.
The 6-foot, 290-pound Onwuka was a rotational defensive linemen his first two seasons with the Bulls. Over the course of that span, he appeared in 23 games, making six starts along the way. He broke out this past season, though. In 2019, Onwuka started all 13 games, notching 43 tackles, eight tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks, en route to earning a spot on the All-MAC Third Team. He played one of his best games on the road against a 10th-ranked Penn State—when all was said and done, Onwuka registered four tackles, including two behind the line of scrimmage, and one sack. At BC, the graduate transfer will likely slide into the Eagles’ defensive front right away.
Bottomline
All four of these players bolster position groups at BC that could be classified as weak, thin, or both. Jurkovec, when eligible, will probably take over as the Eagles’ starting quarterback. Gill, who also might have to wait a year to play, will have the opportunity to pose matchup problems opposite of Zay Flowers. But for Jones and Onwuka, nothing stands in their way from making a mark as soon as they arrive on campus.
With the graduation of Mehdi El Attrach and Nolan Borgersen, Jones could very well start at safety come Week 1. Onwuka might just join him on the field for that momentous occasion. After all, Tanner Karafa is gone, so there’s a spot for the taking next to TJ Rayam on the defensive line. Onwuka will be up against guys like Kyiev Bennermon, Jaleel Berry, and Ryan Betro. Starter or not, he’ll add depth to a defense that ranked 110th in sacks per game and 100th in opponent rushing yards per game. The same goes for Jones, as the Eagles’ secondary was gashed last season—the unit gave up 285.5 passing yards per game, the ninth-most in the FBS.
Spring ball was cut short, and Hafley’s had to connect with his players and his first-year staff digitally, but he’s still turning heads. In the process, the transfer market has become his friend, and not his worst enemy—a phenomenon that’s rare among rookie head coaches.
Image Courtesy of AP Photo