Boston College Football Adds Former Holy Cross LS/TE From Transfer Portal
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The Boston College football program received its first commitment from the 2026 transfer portal — which opened at midnight — on Friday evening with the addition of former Holy Cross senior long snapper/tight end John Owens, a 2025 Patriot League Second Team All-Conference selection.
Owens announced his commitment via X.
I’m excited to announce my commitment to @BCFootball! Thank you to @CoachThurin & @Coachnmcgriff48, Go Eagles! pic.twitter.com/T4rE1rcyWz
— John Owens (@JohnOwens4747) January 2, 2026
“I’m excited to announce my commitment to [Boston College football],” Owens said. “Thank you to [special teams coach Matt Thurin] and [assistant special teams coach Nick McGriff].”
Owens spent the last four years in Worcester, Mass., making 33 appearances for the Crusaders after not receiving playing time as a true freshman in 2022. He totaled eight tackles, including four solo tackles, in his Holy Cross career.
The 6-foot-3, 245-pound Tampa, Fla., native is a two-time Academic All-District selection (2023, 2024) and a two-time Patriot League Academic Honor Roll honoree (2022, 2023).
According to Owens’ highlight tape, which he posted on X when he entered the portal, he forced 10 fair catches with an average snap time of 0.69 seconds. Owens average field-goal operation time was 1.25 seconds, and his 225-pound bench press is 28 repetitions.
Thank you Holy Cross Football for an amazing 4 years! As I’ve exhausted my eligibility at Holy Cross I’ll be entering the transfer portal January 2nd as a Grad Transfer Long snapper with 1 year remaining. pic.twitter.com/Ef4Kywzn5n
— John Owens (@JohnOwens4747) November 25, 2025
In 2025, the Eagles’ special teams unit was headlined by kicker Luca Lombardo, who made 16-of-17 field goals and all 35 extra point attempts.
Lombardo, who was a redshirt junior last season, was named a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award — awarded annually to college football’s top placekicker — and picked up All-ACC Honorable Mention honors.
BC’s two long snappers on its 2025 roster consisted of redshirt senior Ben Mann and redshirt freshman Cooper Crook, which means the addition of Owens brings that number back up to two now that Mann is set to graduate.
Mann (6-foot-5, 232 lbs.) handled the Eagles’ long snapping in 11 games last year, totaling three special teams tackles, while Crook (6-foot-4, 219 lbs.) served as the short snapper in 11 games.
The Eagles ranked 10th in the Atlantic Coast Conference in punting last season, averaging 40.3 yards per punt with 2,053 total punt yards on 51 attempts. BC surrendered just three yards per punt return in 2025, which ranked sixth nationally and second in the ACC.
Thurin is entering his seventh season as BC’s special teams/safeties coach after a five-year stint at Ohio State.
2026 Boston College Transfer Portal Additions:
- John Owens | Redshirt Senior | Long Snapper/Tight End | Tampa, Fla. | 6-3, 245 | Previous School: Holy Cross
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Graham Dietz is a 2025 graduate of Boston College and subsequently joined Boston College On SI. He previously served as an editor for The Heights, the independent student newspaper, from fall 2021, including as Sports Editor from 2022-23. Graham works for The Boston Globe as a sports correspondent, covering high school football, girls' basketball, and baseball. He was also a beat writer for the Chatham Anglers of the Cape Cod Baseball League in the summer of 2023.
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