Why Bill O’Brien Hopes Boston College Captain Michael Crounse Returns Against Notre Dame

The Eagles' starting center will miss Saturday's matchup with FSU, but there is a special reason that O'Brien hopes he can return against the Fighting Irish next week.

@bcfootball via X.

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — The morning after Boston College football’s initial student-athlete availability report for Saturday’s contest against FSU came out, head coach Bill O’Brien spoke on the injury designation for Michael Crounse, the Eagles’ starting center and a prized team captain.

The impact Crounse has for BC is paramount for a variety of reasons — that could be seen when he made his return from injury against Georgia Tech in Week 8, as the Eagles ran for nearly 400 yards.

Week 8 standouts pic.twitter.com/EX5GWWZw3P

— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) October 27, 2026

But the main reason that he makes such a big difference on the field stems from his veteran presence in the huddle, which is undeniably a key trait in all levels of sport, especially football.

After suffering a knee injury in the Eagles’ Week 1 loss at Cincinnati, Crounse missed four straight games before returning against the Yellow Jackets, and he finished that game without any major setbacks.

But in BC’s Week 9 loss on the road to Duke, his lower leg got rolled on quite badly in the second half, which forced him out of the game and into a boot.

O’Brien technically confirmed it isn’t a season-ending injury, which is positive news for the Eagles. But it will at least sideline him for this week’s matchup, and possibly one that has been marked on Crounse’s calendar for months.

“I mean, he’s progressing,” said O’Brien. “He was in a boot. He’s out of the boot already. So we’ll see for Notre Dame. [I] really, really want him to play against Notre Dame.”

While Crounse is officially out this week, the Eagles’ road contest in South Bend, Ind., next week against the Fighting Irish will be a particularly special one for the redshirt junior.

That is because Crounse’s father, Mike, played for Notre Dame from 1986-90, highlighted by a consensus national championship in an undefeated 12-0 1988 season.

O'Brien said he really wants Crounse to be available for Notre Dame because Crounse's father, Mike, played for the Fighting Irish from 1986-90.

"It's a special game for him. We feel terrible for Mike, but it is what it is, and DJ Williams [has] another opportunity."

— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) November 5, 2026

“It’s a special game for him,” O’Brien said. “But there’s not much we can do about it. We feel terrible for Mike, but it is what it is.”

Freshman DJ Williams, who has a 48.7 offensive grade on PFF (Pro Football Focus), which ranks near the very bottom of FBS centers that qualify for a grade, will be making his fifth-career start in Crounse’s place.

It is not an ideal situation to be thrust into as an underclassmen, especially as a replacement for a captain of all people.

But Williams now has enough experience under his belt to enter Saturday’s showdown with the Seminoles carrying a bit more confidence than he had at the beginning of the season, when he was essentially tossed straight into the ring of fire with no legitimate playing time to lean on as a guidance tool.

“DJ’s got another opportunity,” O’Brien said. “And DJ’s had a good week. DJ’s a great dude, and he’s a really good guy who’s practiced very well.”

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