5 takeaways from BC football coach Jeff Hafley’s latest teleconference
He sees "really, really special moments" in the program's future.
When Jeff Hafley first started as Boston College’s head football coach, he envisioned April and May as a time to continue to build relationships in person, watch spring ball cut-ups, and make tweaks to gear up for the summer and eventually the season.
Now, with the coronavirus altering the landscape of sports around the world, Hafley has been forced to adjust like everyone else. He’s still bonding with players, but he’s doing so via Zoom. He’s still watching film, but it’s significantly more limited than it would have been under normal circumstances. He’s still making tweaks, but those tweaks are in much earlier stages.
Hafley said he would have already fully implemented the scheme on offense, defense, and special teams, but instead he and his staff are in the process of gradually adding more and more to the repertoire over video calls.
He said he misses interacting with students, faculty, and alumni in person, but he’s focused on maximizing the situation in front of him.
“I thought I was a really organized person coming into this, and I realized I’m not,” Hafley said. “It’s helped me get a lot more organized, and it’s shown me that you can do a lot from home as well. We’re doing the best we can with the staff and the players, so that’s where we’re at right now.”
Hafley, in a Zoom call with reporters Thursday afternoon, discussed his thoughts while watching the NFL Draft, how his life has changed during quarantine, his expectations for Boston College, and much more.
He was proud to see three of his Ohio State players go in the first round.
Hafley had the privilege of watching three Ohio State players he coached last year get selected in the first round of the NFL Draft.
Chase Young went second overall, Jeff Okudah third, and Damon Arnette 19th. Hafley had the opportunity to mold all three while serving as co-defensive coordinator for the Buckeyes.
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_XdrA6gM8A/
He said seeing his players live out their dreams makes coaching worthwhile.
“That’s why I came back to college football,” Hafley said. “You change lives, and you feel that, and it makes you so happy that you’re able to do that for people. That was a special, special night. I talked to those guys afterward.”
Hafley acknowledged that his former players going in the first round can help Boston College land recruits. Shaping lives for the better is his favorite part of the job, and he wants BC targets to realize that and buy into that notion themselves so they can achieve similar goals.
“I think that’s helpful, but it’s real, so it’s pretty cool to see,” Hafley said.
Hafley was also thrilled to see former BC standout running back AJ Dillon go to the Green Bay Packers in the second round, and he believes his friend Matt LaFleur, the Packers head coach, “got a great one.”
https://twitter.com/CoachJeffHafley/status/1253859848548163584
He’s adjusting to life at home like everyone else.
Hafley never expected to use his home desk so often, but he’s adjusting to life in front of a computer screen like the rest of the world.
He said the coaching staff is preparing for a wide variety of outcomes and has varying plans in place based on how many weeks the Eagles get together before the season. Hafley wants to be positive all his players and coaches are healthy and safe to return to the field when they’re cleared to do so.
The early-season product on the field will likely look different than it otherwise would have, he acknowledged, however it will likely evolve and expand over time.
“If you only have so many weeks to install, without a full spring, you might not get to see the full arsenal,” Hafley said. “Maybe month No. 2 is different than month No. 1. That’s where we have to be really smart as coaches, is, ‘How much mentally are they going to be able to handle and execute at a high level?'”
Hafley noted that people learn in different ways. He believes tests can be helpful not just for players, but also for coaches, to assess whether members of the team grasp a certain concept. Sometimes, Hafley said, he realizes that something needs to be retaught if everyone gets a question wrong.
Most players learn by doing, failing, and doing again, Hafley said. He knows the staff will have to be creative and flexible whenever football returns.
For now, he wants to make sure stays on the same page, so he has the players on a similar schedule to one they’d typically follow. They work out in the morning, meet via Zoom, and focus on academics after that.
“Time management is the key to anything,” Hafley said.
He’s loved spending more time with his family.
Life hasn’t been easy for Hafley and the rest of the staff, as they try to get everyone on the same page in year one.
One silver lining, however, is that he’s gotten to spend time with his wife, Gina, and daughters, Hope and Leah. He said he’s thankful the timing worked out that they can be together, as opposed to his family getting stuck in Ohio when he moved to Boston.
“I think you’ve got to take the positives from any situation, and for a football coach to spend that much time with his family is huge,” Hafley said. “I can’t tell you the last time I got that.”
As for his general well-being, Hafley has brief moments of doubt, yet he’s prided himself on remaining chipper in a dire time.
“I’m a pretty positive guy,” Hafley said. “I stay upbeat. Sometimes you wake up in the morning, and you’re like, ‘Why is this happening again?’ Day 45, I think we’re in. Then you just talk to yourself a little bit and get yourself all fired up, and you get rolling.”
He discussed two items related to the NCAA.
Hafley wasn’t asked much about specific BC players, but he did say that he hasn’t heard word yet on whether Notre Dame transfer quarterback Phil Jurkovec will be eligible this year.
He made it clear that if and when the Eagles return to practice in the coming months, training camp will be extremely important to continue to carve out roles for players at all positions.
“I want all our players to come into camp believing that they have a shot to compete and win the job,” he said. “I told them they’re starting with a clean slate, and I’ll hold to that.”
He was also asked about the NCAA’s decision Wednesday to allow promotions and third-party endorsements. Hafley said he doesn’t have an opinion on it right now, but he does have members of his staff delving into how BC will utilize the rule change.
Board of Governors moves toward allowing student-athlete compensation for endorsements and promotions: https://t.co/rzWzPt8KlI pic.twitter.com/bH9VoczjMr
— NCAA (@NCAA) April 29, 2020
He expects to focus more on it himself once the team is back together, and for now, he’s working to ensure his staff is ahead of the curve.
He sees “really, really special moments” in the program’s future.
As a college football devotee, Hafley has been familiar with Boston College for years.
“I know the reputation well,” Hafley said, “which is why I wanted to be here.”
He said that if certain people want to project the Eagles as a four-win team next year, there’s nothing he can do about it. Hafley’s looking forward to seeing what happens when the season gets underway.
One of the pillars of his tenure so far has been asking everyone to “#GetIn,” and he’s still confident the program can make strides despite the altered schedule due to the coronavirus.
One of 23 schools with 10 or more first round picks since the turn of the century 😤 #WeAreBC #GetIn pic.twitter.com/rQeO9jxhea
— Boston College Football (@BCFootball) April 19, 2020
He said that in every great sports town, the community wants the college team to thrive. His plan is to make sure fans see an exciting product, one they’re invested in and fully behind.
“Is this going to be something that flips overnight? No, it’s not. Might it be a little harder now? Yeah, it might be,” Hafley said. “It’s going to be a process, but we’re going to do it right. I see this thing down the road having really, really special moments, where people are going to talk about us in the ACC. I’m very confident in that.”
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