Boston College Football Countdown: 92 Days to Go

We’re now 92 days away from the Boston College Eagles football kickoff. With any luck, it will be a nice day weather-wise, but irrespective of that, there’s a better chance that it will be a nice day on the field. The excitement is growing for this program thanks to the new staff’s recruiting, which has so far exceeded all expectations, and we’re all anxious to get to Alumni Stadium. If you’ve already circled your calendar for August 31, circle it again after reading today in “92” Boston College football history.

Who Most Recently Wore 92

Jason O. Watson-US PRESSWIRE

Dillon Quinn, DT

Quinn’s Boston College football career wrapped up in 2012, but it was a partial season: he left Boston College for personal reasons in early November. That was his redshirt junior year and he would have been eligible to play in 2013, but it would now appear that his football career is no more.

Unfortunately, his time at BC rarely saw him live up to his four-star billing, and his earlier years were the subject of unproven rumors and subsequent message board chatter. We never learned why Quinn called it quits, and we likely never will, but it is nevertheless a shame that he did not get one more chance to prove himself in maroon and gold.

Notables Who Wore 92

• Nick Gianacakos, DL, 1993-96. Played briefly for Seattle Seahawks.
• Adam Grace, DL, 1997-99. 2nd-best recruit in NY at the time; became BC’s starting nose tackle.
• Matt Kelley, LB, 1987-90. Top 60 national recruit in his day.

The Rise of Coughlin

Tom Coughlin only coached at Boston College for three seasons, but two of them were very good. 1992 was the first. That team went 8-3-1 and pitched three shutouts, all in a row. The way it worked out, BC football went nearly a month without giving up a point. That team lost a close Hall of Fame Bowl to Tennessee, but were ranked in the Top 25 for much of the year, getting as high as #9.

Chuckie Dukes, Lost in the Shuffle

In 1992, BC running back Chuckie Dukes set a program record for most rushing yards in a single season with 1,387 — this broke Mike Esposito’s mark which had been set nearly two decades earlier.

Problem for him is that the Eagles would go on to have some legendary running backs thereafter, and five player seasons (including Derrick Knight twice) have bested it.

Don Allard, Record Broken

For 42 years, Don Allard’s 92-yard pass in the Eagles’ game against Navy was the school record. Tim Hasselbeck took care of this in 1999 when he found Dedrick Dewalt for a 97-yard strike.

Foley Finds the End Zone

In 1992, quarterback Glenn Foley had the first of his three career 4-touchdown games.

Shutdown Defense

In 1992, the Eagles defense had its third-best game in program history in terms of yardage. Early in the season, they held the Northwestern Wildcats to just 75 yards (and only five first downs).

Drafted in ’92

• Mark Chmura (Green Bay Packers; 6th round)