- Head coach: Bill O’Brien (first season)
- 2023 record: 7-6 (won Fenway Bowl)
- PFF power ranking: 76th
- Chance to win the ACC: 1%
- Strength of schedule: 41st
- Projected win total: 4.9
- FanDuel win total: 4.5
- 2024 recruiting rank (On3): No. 85 nationally, No. 16 in the ACC
Boston College won its first bowl game in seven years last season. Following the Fenway Bowl victory, head coach Jeff Hafley left the program to become the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator. New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien was hired as the program's head coach, his first such job since serving as the Houston Texans’ skipper from 2014 to 2020.
O’Brien's work as a quarterback whisperer bodes well for Thomas Castellanos, who struggled as a passer last year. He is still a dynamic runner, which should be the bread and butter of the Eagles’ offense. The Eagles' defense has some serious questions to answer after Hafley’s departure, especially in the secondary.
Click here for more college football:
NCAA Power Rankings | NCAA Premium Stats | NCAA Betting Dashboards 2024 CFB Schedule | News and Analysis | The PFF College Football Show
Biggest Strength: Dynamic run game
Boston College should have one of the best rushing attacks in the ACC this season. Thomas Castellanos ranked second to only Heisman winner Jayden Daniels in rushing yards among FBS quarterbacks last year (1,222). The Eagles also brought back their top running back, Kye Robichaux, and added another talent through the transfer portal in Kansas State’s Treshaun Ward. Boston College placed 24th in run-blocking grade in 2023 and returned three starters along the offensive line.
Biggest Weakness: Will they be one-dimensional offensively?
While Castellanos had no issues running the ball last season, he did struggle as a passer. His 57.7 PFF passing grade ranked just 128th among FBS quarterbacks, and his 5.6% turnover-worthy play rate was one of the 15 highest clips in the country.
The Eagles also earned one of the 10 worst receiving grades in college football last year. They did add a couple of projected starters at wide receiver in Jerand Bradley and Jayden McGowan, but those two combined for just over 800 yards in 2023. Bill O’Brien’s arrival could help Castellanos take the next step in his development.
2023 Team Overview
Offense |
||||
| EPA per play | Yards per play | Successful play rate | Explosive run play rate | Explosive pass play rate |
| 0.039 | 5.4 | 35.3% | 16.6% | 15.5% |
| 52nd | T-88th | 64th | 51st | 51st |
Defense |
||||
| EPA allowed per play | Yards allowed per play | Successful play rate allowed | Explosive run rate allowed | Explosive pass rate allowed |
| 0.113 | 6.3 | 36.5% | 15.3% | 16.6% |
| 124th | 120th | T-97th | T-66th | T-116th |
Three Notable Transfer Portal Additions
- RB Treshaun Ward (Kansas State): 77.6 PFF grade
- WR Jayden McGowan (Vanderbilt): 61.8 PFF grade
- WR Jerand Bradley (Texas Tech): 61.8 PFF grade
Three Notable Transfer Portal Losses
- WR Joseph Griffin Jr. (Wisconsin): 58.7 PFF grade
- EDGE Shitta Sillah (Purdue): 72.1 PFF grade
- CB CJ Clinkscales (Charlotte): 55.5 PFF grade
Quarterback Spotlight: Thomas Castellanos
2023 Grade: 72.9
Key Stat: 47 runs of 10-plus yards (most by an FBS quarterback)
© 2024 PFF - all rights reserved.