Boston College Eagles College Football Pregame Quote, 12/01/2020

Coach, how about a Virginia analysis? What do you see from those guys?

Hafley: I think Coach Mendenhall does a really good job. Just from sitting in the zooms throughout the offseason, as a new coach, sitting back and listening and observing. He does a really good job. He’s built a really strong culture. They play really hard. They’re tough kids. I think they’re fundamental with their technique, and they’re very sound in their scheme. He seems like a really smart guy who cares a lot about his players and he cares a lot about doing things the right way, which I have a ton of respect for and I look forward to meeting him. Offensively, I think their quarterback is playing really well. He’s a really good athlete, a southpaw, he’s throwing the ball pretty well. He seems to have really good command in the huddle. Their last three games I thought they’ve done really well on offense. #4, the wideout is a dynamic player. They’ll line him up in the slot, they’ll put them out a wideout, they’ll put them in the backfield. Then #99 comes in to play some quarterback, play some wide receiver, they do a lot on offense, a lot of different personnel groups, two tight ends, no backs, three wide receivers plus a quarterback or two quarterbacks in the game. They do a lot. We’ve got to really prepare and make sure we’re on top of everything. They’re one tight end #87 looks like a giant looks like he’s about 6’7‚Äù so he’s definitely a mismatch. We don’t have many defenders that are 6’7‚Äù and #81 is a really good receiver. I think #13 has good speed, is a good deep threat and the other really tall guy, big guy on the outside. We’re going to have to be physical because they like to throw them up the ball. The O line, they look like they’re all over 300 pounds. They do a lot of stuff. They have some explosive playmakers, #5 is playing really well. We’re definitely going to have our hands full defensively.

I haven’t studied them as much because I’m busy on the other side of the ball, but there are 3-4 scheme, they’re very active up front. The linebacker, #0, I’ve seen him in a lot of crossover film. He seems like he’s kind of a leader back there physical tough kid. I think he’s a Pittsburgh kid. #7, jumped out on tape to me just watching a lot of crossover tapes, he’s a really good athlete. I think he leads them in sacks. On the back end, they look long. I haven’t studied him that much. They look long at the corner and at the safety position. They got good length. They play the game hard. They play with fundamentals and technique. They do all the things that we’ve been trying to do and preach. They have two good schemes and then on special teams, I’ve watched a bunch of what they do a lot. They’ve run a bunch of fakes, they ran a fake to beat North Carolina, which was a gutsy call, which I respect to win the game they played aggressively. #7 shows up a lot on the punt block stuff. They’re a really well coached team, I have a lot of respect for them and I’m looking forward to it.

Coach Mendenhall joked and said that BC’s biggest victory this year was against the ‚ÄúUniversity of Coronavirus.‚Äù Can you speak to how your team has been able to stay healthy against the pandemic?

Hafley: That is the hardest thing we’ve had to deal with. I appreciate him saying that and I’m grateful that he’s noticed it. I think what’s really helped is just our campus and how good the students have been. You’ve got to credit Father Leahy for that because it’s not just our football team, I think that our campus has done a great job too. You’ve got to give a lot of credit to everybody around here, certainly our players. I appreciate Coach saying that and hopefully we can continue the streak.

BC hasn’t had a winning record in the ACC since 2009, you’re on the cusp of that now. Does that add any pressure to this game?

Hafley: No, no pressure, but excitement. I appreciate you making mention of that. I think what people also have to look at is, every game has been an ACC team. To get up for every single game against good opponents, I think it even says more about the season, we have to have a winning record in a 10-game ACC schedule, that’s even harder than if you’re playing six, week in and week out with how well coached this conference is and all the athletes and speed. So no pressure, but excitement, just grateful for the opportunity to try to get that. It’s usually an eight game schedule. So now we’re playing 10 teams. If we could finish 6-4 in the ACC, it would be a nice way to send out the seniors, good momentum going into the offseason, and just a lot to build off of. Regardless, I’m already proud of the guys and how they’ve fought. I think in the last five games, we’ve won three and lost to the number one and two in the country. The last five games, our guys are getting better and will keep repeating. I think it’s going to help us down the road.

Jeff, I just want to check in and see how Phil (Jurkovec) and David (Bailey) are doing.

Hafley: They’re progressing well, I’m very hopeful that they’ll continue to progress. I’m hopeful that they’ll both be playing in the game. Very happy that neither injury is very severe. Like I said, the test came back negative with Phil, so there’s really nothing there. David’s progressing well, too. So I’m hopeful we’ll have them both in the game.

Coach, you talk all the time about getting better every single week. I think you’re still trying to do that. But when you come in on Sunday to break down the film after the last game, what happens after this week?

Hafley: I think all year, We’ve talked about just coming out to practice doing the very best that we can, and everyday doing the best we can. If we do that every single day, and we get to Saturday, we’ll go let it rip and play our game, and be fearless and have fun together and hopefully get a win and improve. That’s how we’re going to stick with it for this week. And then we’re going to come in Sunday, we’re going to watch the film, just like we always do. Monday is the players day off, probably give the coaches the day off Monday to rest and be with their families a little bit. Then luckily, we’ll get some extra practice and to continue to get better. We’ll give the vets some time off and work with young guys who haven’t played and continue to improve. We will use every practice that we’re allowed to get working up to a bowl game to get better. We really missed spring ball, we missed training camp. So let’s take advantage of the time that we’re going to have and try to get better and better and better, and see where we go.

Do you think it’s ironic that you’re finishing up your season as others are just getting started in a sense?

Hafley: It probably is ironic. I don’t know how many teams have played 11 games or will have played 11 games. I don’t know how many teams have played 10 games right now in the Power Five. Yeah, we finished 11 before some teams played four or five. It’s wild, right? I’m just hopeful that the college football season can go on. I’m hopeful that these teams with all these cases get better and can finish. I’m hopeful that the Big 10 and PAC 12 and all these conferences can finish their season and there can be a college football playoff so we can play in bowl games and everybody stays healthy. It’s wild. You guys make me think of a lot of things I haven’t even thought of.

When you get in touch with your friends or coaching circles, do they talk about how intrigued they are at what you’re doing, and how much of it is just an exchange of ideas?

Hafley: I think it’s a little bit of both. I think there’s a lot of surprises when you have a conversation. They asked, how many have you had? And you say, I really haven’t had any. The first reaction is, you’re kidding, you know? And then they asked, What have you done? What are the protocols? Your kids actually go to class? Or do you lock them up in their room? Like, how are you doing it? I’ve just been honest with them, and try to help them the best I can. But again, there’s no magical answer. It’s hard. I think we’re very fortunate that our campus has done a great job. You share ideas. What are you doing in a meeting room, how do you guys have team meetings, what do your meetings look like, how do you practice? So you just share ideas like that, and you learn some things too. I’ve learned some things by asking people what they do as well.

We are now two weeks away from the one year anniversary of you taking the job, does that rattle your brain a little bit, and it hasn’t been what you expected, but has it been as special as you’d hoped it would be when you first signed on?

Hafley: I actually thought about that, the other day when I looked at the calendar, and I actually, looked back yesterday and I look back at last year, I feel like I just got here. Last year on November 30, I was getting ready to play Michigan. It felt like yesterday, and this year has gone by incredibly fast. From the time I got here to the press conference, to going back to playing the college playoffs to getting here to meeting the players to going on recruiting, coming back, starting spring ball and then packing up and going home and really meeting the team through Zoom. This season has been more special than I could have ever imagined. Because of the players, and especially because of the seniors, and because of the leadership that they showed in the foundation and culture that they were able to build and one of the hardest years that any of us could ever experience. So I’ll never forget that first win when no one thought we would play. I’ll never forget any of the moments that we’ve had in the locker room after these hard wins when people didn’t know if we would play. People picked us 14th or 15th in the conference. I don’t know if there could be a more special year, other than the fact that we couldn’t celebrate with the fans and the students. But how close we got the time we spent together. I think it all happened for a reason and very appreciated the guys.

Switching gears back to the game this coming weekend. For Virginia, they’re leading rusher is Brennan Armstrong, he’s a great athlete. I was just wondering; you guys have faced a bunch of mobile quarterbacks this year. What has improved against defending mobile quarterbacks? And what do you guys still need to get better in that regard?

Hafley: We need to get him down in the open field. We’re still missing tackles. Schematically, we’ve gotten better. We’re getting more hats to the ball when it involves a quarterback run game. I think we’ve adjusted. I think Tem and his staff have adjusted really well. It’s definitely how people are trying to attack us now. Clearly, we’ve been really good against the regular normal run game community back to the Notre Dame game, you may look back to the Clemson game, we’re stopping the normal run game, we will do a better job of stopping the quarterback run game. Just the ability to get the guy down in open space and helping our players more by getting multiple hats to the football specially the quarterback. We’ll do a better job of that.

Obviously you and Ryan Day are close, have you had a chance to check in on him and see how he’s doing?

Hafley: I usually talk to Ryan every week. I know he would be getting bombarded when it got announced that he had COVID. I gave him a little bit of time where I didn’t text him. I’m hopeful all those guys are doing well. I’ll probably give him a call at the end of the week. It’s kind of like what I said before just for the coaches and the players and all the conferences, I just hope they get a chance to finish their seasons. I know there’s talk where you have to play in this amount of games to go to this championship game, this amount of games for the playoffs. I’m just hopeful for those kids and the seniors get a chance to finish their season. I’m hoping that the NCAA allows them to do that if they’re deserving to do so. A year and to not make exceptions, right? You never know what tomorrow is going to bring. So you got to adjust and adapt. That’s how we’ve survived it. So hopefully they’ll continue to do that and give these pointers we’ve worked so hard the opportunity to do so.

You were hired by Martin Jarmond. But you’ve done all your work for Patrick Kraft, how’s that relationship developed?

Hafley: It’s awesome. I’m not sure how much time you guys have spent around him. He’s a football guy. He’s had my back. He’s helped me out a ton. I consider him a friend already. We talk daily, he constantly comes to practice, he is so supportive. The guy loves football. Sometimes I look over on the sideline, he’s standing there on the 10 yard line, cheering louder than anybody. I’m so grateful to Martin for hiring me. I’ll forever be grateful for that. I text him before the games hoping they win. And obviously I worked for Coach Kelly, so it’s so cool that they’re both out there together. Sometimes things work out for everybody, they worked out for Martin, and I think it’s worked out for Pat and myself. I’m very excited about our future here together. I think it’s going to be fun.