Players React to Hafley's Contract Extension
Jeff Hafley alluded to his commitment to Boston College all season.
Whether it was applauding fellow ACC coaches, such as Clemson's Dabo Swinney and Wake Forest's Dave Clawson, for their allegiances to their respective programs or instilling his confidence in what he was building in Chestnut Hill, Hafley consistently hinted at his long-term plans at BC.
He backed it up by signing a contract extension through 2026 last week.
“This is where I want to be,” Hafley said Saturday. “I like living here. I like the kids on the football team. I’m grateful to Father Leahy and Pat Kraft. I enjoy working for them and with them. I love our staff. I love this school. I’m grateful for the fan support.”
He continued: “I’m thrilled. Really, really excited. This is where I want to be, and this is where I’m going to be.”
For players, even outgoing Eagles who were originally recruited by former head coach Steve Addazio, the news of Hafley’s extension brought joy.
Fifth-year defensive end Marcus Valdez stuck with the program following Addazio’s firing in 2019. He was rewarded with two years as a starting edge rusher in a much-improved defense. Despite missing the first three games of this season with a hand injury, Valdez registered a career-high five sacks in 2021, not to mention 27 total tackles and two forced fumbles.
“Coach Haf’s great,” Valdez said last week. “He brought a new energy to this program. I feel like we’re heading in the right direction. The record might not always show it, but I feel, intangibly—what people can’t see outside—things are trending in the right direction.”
Hafley is 12-11 in his first two years with BC. After surprising the conference with a 5-5 ACC record in 2020, the Eagles took a step back this season by placing sixth in the Atlantic Division. Losing starting quarterback Phil Jurkovec for six games hurt, and BC finished below .500 in league play for the first time since 2016.
Even so, players like Valdez and fellow defensive end Brandon Barlow, who came back for one final season, are grateful for Hafley and the culture he’s created.
“Dude’s the guy, man,” Barlow said Saturday. “He’s a great coach. He’s a player’s coach. And he’s gonna push you hard. He’s gonna be real, and that’s all you want from a coach. But he’s also going to be one of those guys who’s gonna be approachable that you can always go and talk to.
“It’s awesome to see him get that extension and keep building this thing that he’s been building up here at BC because it’s going. If you’re not in, get in or get out.”
Hafley isn’t the only one coming back. So is Jurkovec, who could have bet on himself and left for the NFL in a weak quarterback draft class yet instead decided to return for the 2022 season.
Jurkovec acknowledged Saturday that Hafley—who was reportedly a top candidate for the Washington head coaching job—will be targeted by other programs. But he affirmed that the team believes in Hafley’s commitment to BC.
“We know Coach Hafley,” Jurkovec said. “He’s invested. Other people are going to come and want to have him, but he’s loyal to BC because he started it here. … He doesn’t want to go out 6-6, either.”
Hafley’s extension is especially important for the Eagles’ underclassmen who were recruited by him. Take CJ Burton, a former four-star recruit who flipped from Florida to play at BC.
Burton played 183 snaps, per PFF, and allowed eight catches on 13 targets this season. He made his first career start in the regular season finale against Wake Forest and had a third down pass break-up in that game as well as a near interception.
“It meant a lot to me,” Burton said of Hafley’s extension. “Especially coming here. That was the guy I came here—well, him and Coach Aazaar were a big part of me coming here. So him signing that extension makes him a man of his word.”