By Tiffany Williams –
It has been an intense 672 hours since Boston College secured a hard-fought victory over Pittsburgh with a score of 34-23, marking the end of their regular season. During this time, the Eagles have not taken any breaks; instead, they have been diligently preparing for their upcoming challenge at the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl, set to take place this Saturday at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.
As the Eagles focus on their game plan against Nebraska, they have also made significant strides in community engagement. On Thursday, the team visited the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, a visit that was particularly poignant for many players. They were joined by Alison Crowther, the mother of Welles Crowther, an alumnus of Boston College who tragically lost his life in the September 11 attacks. Welles, who played lacrosse at BC and later worked as an equities trader in New York, is remembered as “The Man in the Red Bandanna.” He heroically saved numerous people from the South Tower, earning him a lasting legacy. Crowther’s profound story resonated deeply with the team, emphasizing the importance of resilience and compassion.
The Eagles have a rich history entwined with Welles Crowther’s memory, having established the Red Bandanna Game tradition in 2014. This season, they experienced a particularly emotional moment when they pulled off a dramatic 23-19 comeback against Michigan State, battling through challenging weather conditions under the bright lights of Alumni Stadium.
On Friday, marking another highlight of their week in New York, Head Coach Bill O’Brien, along with Director of Athletics Blake James, Linebacker Kam Arnold, Linebacker Joe Marinaro, and Running Back Kye Robichaux participated in a special event at the New York Stock Exchange where they had the honor of ringing the Opening Bell. They were joined by Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl Executive Director Mark Holtzman, CFO Robert McIntire, and Controller Nate Dewitt, as well as Nebraska players, Head Coach Matt Rhule, and Athletic Director Troy Dannen.
The Eagles’ week kicked off with a Welcome Reception for Coaches at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, setting an energetic tone for their upcoming matchup. The joy of the holiday season was evident as the team enjoyed cocoa with Santa on Christmas morning and later delighted in the breathtaking performances of the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. After their emotional visit to the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Eagles held their final practice at Columbia University, allowing them to fine-tune their preparations. That evening, the players came together for some light-hearted fun at SPIN New York, where they engaged in a spirited ping pong party.
On Friday, following the opening bell ceremony at the NYSE, Coach Bill O’Brien took part in a media availability session. His presence underscored the importance of engaging with the media and fans as they anticipate the exciting challenge ahead.
At Friday’s press conference Coach OB was asked about Donovan Ezeiruaku and if he would be playing on Saturday, and he confirmed that Donovan will not play in the bowl.
Talking about Donovan and Ozzy Trapilo, Coach OB said, “Those guys were great captains for us, did a great job this year. They’re getting ready for the NFL Draft. They’ll be here at the game but they won’t play in the bowl.”
Donovan Ezeiruaku has had quite the month first being voted the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Then it was announced that he was named the recipient of the Bulger Lowe Award from the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston and the Season Gold Helmet Award from the New England Football Writers. On December 18 he earned Consensus First-Team All-American status with his inclusion on The Sporting News All-America Team.
When asked about the experience at the 9/11 memorial and what it was like being there with Alison Crowther, Coach OB said, “Yeah, that was incredible, to be there with Alison, where obviously she lost her son Wells, a BC grad, a BC lacrosse player. Obviously an incredible Boston College family and story. For her to take the trek over to be there, and she addressed our team and she gave us a little tour of the place — she was part of the tour. It was just awesome. The 9/11 memorial is very moving, very touching, especially for those of us that experienced that. I have two guys that I played football at Brown with that we lost in the towers. It was a great experience. I was there with my family, with my son Michael and my wife Colleen, so it was a very memorable experience.”
When asked what a win Saturday does for the future of the Boston College Football program, Coach OB said, “I think it’s important. I think this is a really important game. It’s important for the guys that are playing their last game. We want to send them out winners. It’s important for the future. It’s important for the future. It’s just one of those opportunities that don’t come along very often where you can play an opponent like Nebraska and really go out there and put your best foot forward, and if you’re fortunate enough to end up with a win, that’ll be really good for our program, no doubt about it.”