Boston College Football Countdown: 93 Days to Go
By Joe Micik
93 is another good number in this countdown, because ’93 was a good year. Of course, it also means that in that many days, you’ll be watching live Boston College Eagles football again, but plenty of good things happened back then, too.
Who Most Recently Wore 93
Bryan Murray, DT
Murray wrapped up his Boston College football playing career in his senior season of 2012. As a defensive lineman, he started five games and appeared in three others; by season’s end, Murray was the starter at right defensive tackle. He finished with 19 tackles (7 solo), six of which came in the Georgia Tech game, and led the Eagles last season with three quarterback hurries.
The number has not yet been reassigned, but one of the newcomers on defense will likely wear it.
Notables Who Wore 93
• Steve Lubischer, DE, 1981-83. Played one NFL game; is now quite successful.
• Phil Mettling, DE, 2001-04. Another St. X player who started for three years.
• Chris Sullivan, DT, 1992-95. 4th-round pick by New England; Super Bowl XXXVI champion.
You Already Know What The Best Moment in ’93 Is
I think the music is kind of unnecessary but David Gordon’s kick to beat #1 Notre Dame as time expired still sticks in the craw of Irish fans twenty years later.
Moving On Up
Boston College’s solid 1993 season got Eagles head coach Tom Coughlin his first NFL gig with the then-expansion Jacksonville Jaguars. New England fans probably wish he hadn’t gotten the head coaching job after that, but all can agree that Coughlin’s tenure at BC was a very successful one.
Moving On Out
Also in 1993, the Glenn Foley era came to an end. Only one quarterback in Boston College history has more passing yardage to this day, and that would be Doug Flutie. Foley and Flutie are the only two Eagle quarterbacks with at least ten thousand passing yards, and Foley still holds the record for most passing touchdowns in BC history with 72. In 2007, Matt Ryan broke Foley’s record for most completions.
Hauling It In
In 1993, Pete Mitchell tied a school record with 13 receptions in a single game — the Notre Dame game, of course.
Taking It Home
93 yards is still today the longest punt return play in Boston College history. Kelvin Martin broke off that touchdown run in 1985 against Holy Cross.
’93 Bowling
It goes without saying that the Eagles made a bowl game that season, playing in the Carquest Bowl on New Year’s Day 1994. Boston College smashed future ACC rival Virginia, 31-13. The Eagles finished with a #13 rank in the AP poll.
An All-Big East ’93
That season, the Eagles boasted eight All-Big East players: Stephen Boyd, Glenn Foley, Pete Mitchell, Michael Reed, Darnell Campbell, Tom Nalen, Greg Landry, and Joe Kanara. Boyd, Mitchell, and Foley were on the first team.
BC Hall of Fame, With a 2014 Twist
In 1993, two of the several inductees into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame were Mike Ruth, the school’s only Outland Trophy winner whose number was eventually retired, and Steve Strachan, uncle of current Boston College football commit Connor Strachan.