101 Days of BC Football: Assistant Coach Al Washington

We must be closing in on the end of the 101 Days, because we’re getting into the coaching staff (grad assistants, including fan favorite Rich Gunnell, will not be included due to time constraints). The first of the men patrolling the sidelines is a former Eagle by the name of Al Washington.

Fans who paid attention to Boston College football in the early to mid-2000s will remember Washington, as he wore the maroon and gold for four seasons, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005. During the last three of those, with 2005 being BC’s first year in the ACC, Washington was a starting defensive tackle. He wore #56 when he was with the team and managed 28 tackles in his final season, as well as five sacks (which by itself is almost half what BC managed as a team last season).

After spending his first year out of college with the CFL’s Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Hamilton TiCats, Washington became a coach at the collegiate level. In 2007, he coached at RPI; in 2008, Washington was a grad assistant under Tom O’Brien at NC State; in 2009 and 2010, he was the defensive line coach at Division II Slippery Rock University; finally, last season, he was the linebacking coach at FCS school Elon.

In 2012, Washington will serve as an assistant coach for the defensive line and special teams. Perhaps his biggest contribution to the team, however, is his attitude. In returning to his alma mater, Washington has been getting on the good side of fans once again by posting upbeat messages for his Facebook subscribers and working the recruiting trail. It is certainly my hope that he succeeds and sticks around at BC for years to come, regardless of who is at the head of the program. Welcome back, Al.