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PK Aaron Boumerhi Out for Season With Recurring Hip Injury

Photo courtesy of BC Football
Photo courtesy of BC Football

The 2021 season was supposed to be when things finally got back on schedule for sixth-year Boston College place kicker Aaron Boumerhi. Until it wasn’t.

In preseason, the veteran re-aggravated his kicking hip, which he’s had two surgeries on during his college career—one at Temple and the other at BC—and, as a result, he will be sidelined this year, the team announced Monday.

Head coach Jeff Hafley had told reporters that “Boom” was out indefinitely the day after the season opener against Colgate when Danny Longman started at place kicker.

Boumerhi was one of three ACC kickers in 2020 to make at least 14 or more field goals and post a field goal percentage of at least 80%.

He was 16-of-20 and a perfect 30-of-30 on PATs. Before that season, Boumerhi, who transferred to BC in 2019, had his second surgery on his kicking hip. The operation was in March, just prior to BC’s campus being shut down because of COVID-19. He didn’t actually start kicking again until fall camp. Boumerhi’s recovery timeline was touch and go, but he returned for the Eagles’ home opener against Texas State and played hero with a 36-yard game-winner.

Boumerhi has had a roller coaster career that started with zero college offers, a preferred walk-on spot at Temple and a freshman season for the ages. He was forced out of Temple when Rod Carey took over as head coach because, with Boumerhi recovery from his initial hip surgery, Carey’s staff wanted to go in a different direction at the position. That landed him at BC, where he made a new home for himself. In 2020, Boumerhi got back his mojo and earned full trust of Hafley.

That’s likely the way Boumerhi will go out. He could apply for a medical redshirt, but this was his sixth and final year of eligibility.

In replacement this year, Longman has converted two field goals inside 30 and 10-of-11 extra points. Longman also has handled kickoff duties since he was a freshman in 2018.

He has yet to attempt a field goal beyond 29 yards.

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