Early Look: Boston College

With the football season less than two weeks from opening, today we take an early look at each of the Tigers' 11 opponents for the 2020 season with the Boston College Eagles

Head Coach: Jeff Hafley was introduced as The Gregory P. Barber '69 and Family Head Coach of the Boston College football program on Dec. 14, 2019. Hafley, the co-defensive coordinator for Ohio State in 2019, was introduced on Dec. 16 inside the Yawkey Athletics Center

Hafley led a dramatic turnaround in leading the defense for Ohio State as the Buckeyes won the 2019 Big Ten championship and qualified for the College Football Playoff.

A finalist for the Frank Broyles Award and the 247Sports Defensive Coordinator of the Year, Hafley was one of the architects of a Buckeye defense that ranks first nationally in yards per play (3.9), second nationally in total defense (247.6 yards per game), third nationally in scoring defense (12.5 points per game), third nationally in sacks (3.92 per game), seventh nationally in rushing defense (99.5 yards per game), second nationally in passing yards allowed (148.1 yards per game) and first nationally in red zone defense (64.2%).

Eagles on Offense: Boston College head football announced the hiring of Frank Cignetti Jr. as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. Cignetti has tutored Aaron Rodgers, Eli Manning and Sam Bradford during his 11 years in the NFL in addition to coordinating offenses on the collegiate level at Power Five institutions such as North Carolina, California, Pitt and Rutgers.

Cignetti comes to the BC after spending his last seven years coaching in the NFL. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Cignetti spent the 2018 season coaching the quarterbacks with the Green Bay Packers. During his one season with the Packers, Rodgers threw for the second-highest single-season yards of his career as he threw for 4,442 yards and 25 touchdowns. Rodgers’ two interceptions under Cignetti’s tutelage were the lowest during a season in his career as a starter.

Cignetti came to Green Bay after spending two seasons in the same role with the New York Giants in 2016-17. Prior to his time there, he was with the St. Louis Rams for four seasons (2012-15), serving as the quarterbacks coach for the first three years and then as offensive coordinator for his final season. Cignetti also has NFL experience with the San Francisco 49ers (2007), New Orleans Saints (2000- 01) and Kansas City Chiefs (1999), along with 19 years of experience coaching at the college level.

Eagles on Defense: Boston College announced the hiring of Tem Lukabu as defensive coordinator. Lukabu returns to the collegiate ranks after spending the 2019 season as the Cincinnati Bengals linebackers coach.

In his one season with the Bengals, Lukabu mentored linebacker Nick Vigil, who was second on the team in tackles with 111 stops. It marked his fifth year as a NFL coach in 2019 for Lukabu.

Lukabu came to Cincinnati after spending the 2018 season at Mississippi State, where he served as the linebackers coach.

In 2018, Lukabu helped Mississippi State’s defense become one of the top units in college football. The Bulldogs’ defense allowed just 144 points, the fewest in the country and the third-fewest in FBS over the last 10 seasons, while ranking sixth nationally in pass defense (164.2 yards per game), 10th in rush defense (104.3 yards per game), and third in total defense (268 yards per game). Additionally, the Bulldogs’ 36 sacks ranked second in the SEC.