Boston College coach Jeff Hafley began 2023 on the hot seat after a disappointing 3-9 campaign. Time was running out entering year four, but Hafley and the Golden Eagles responded with a 7-6 season and a Fenway Bowl win over SMU. 

That’s why it was stunning to see Hafley peace out on his terms this week, accepting a new position as the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. 

The NFL is a draw for many, but to see Hafley volunteer for a demotion – especially considering he had a competitive salary and was coming off his best season as a head coach – suggests there are more factors at play here.

It follows a trend of college coaches fleeing for the NFL as college football descends into controlled chaos with the transfer portal and NIL. Also, it puts the Golden Eagles in a tough spot, months behind in the hiring cycle with several would-be candidates already off the board. 

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Who Replaces Jeff Hafley At Boston College?

It’s hard to quantify where the Boston College opening ranks in terms of desirability. Hafley reportedly earned $3 million last season, which would be a hefty raise for most candidates. 

And while Boston College isn’t exactly Alabama, this is a once-proud program with some resources. Expectations will also be realistic and candidates aren’t walking into a situation where they’ll be canned if they don’t hit a 10-win season by year two. 

However, the pool is limited with so many schools already filling vacancies. A well-established head coach probably isn’t realistic. More likely, Boston College will target top assistants with proven ability to recruit. 

For those reasons, Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington seems like the most likely fit. Washington was a three-year starter on the defensive line for Boston College and was later on staff as an assistant from 2012-2016. This seems like a great fit for both sides. 

Clemson special teams coordinator Mike Reed is another realistic get – Reed played defensive back for Boston College and has been a part of two national championships while on the Tigers’ staff for the past 11 seasons at Clemson. 

As far as up-and-coming head coaches go, Toledo’s Jason Candle has been a hot name. He’s got plenty of good years left at age 44 and just led the Rockets to an 11-3 season, with Toledo making a bowl game in six of his eight seasons.

Additional options with head coaching experience include Air Force’s Troy Calhoun and Bill O’Brien – the former Penn State coach still seems very interested in being a head man again at some point. But O’Brien just left Alabama to become the Ohio State defensive coordinator. This would have been a more realistic possibility if Boston College had been searching in December, but so many dominos have already fallen. 

Bob Chesney would likely be very high on the wish list, but the 46-year-old just accepted the job at James Madison after five standout seasons at Holy Cross. 

While there’s still a very solid list of applicants here, Hafley’s departure and unfortunate timing only further shows how difficult it is for a program like Boston College to keep the train on the tracks in the modern era.