Longtime Conn-ection for coaches
The football version of the Commonwealth Classic has roots that go back to the Nutmeg State.
Boston College coach Steve Addazio and UMass coach Mark Whipple first crossed paths in the late 1980s, when both were employed in Connecticut.
They will face each other again on Saturday as the Eagles host the Minutemen (1-0) at Alumni Stadium.
From 1988 to 1993, Whipple coached at the University of New Haven. During that same period, Addazio was the coach of Cheshire (Conn.) High School. Doing a similar job albeit on different levels while in close proximity, the two men were familiar with each other.
“I was the head coach at Cheshire, lived in Cheshire and he lived in Cheshire and was the head coach at New Haven,” said Addazio yesterday. “I saw him all the time, he would come over and see me all the time. We had these New Haven Football Foundation dinners every Thursday during the season and I would see him there and I got to know Whip well.”
Now in his second term with the Minutemen, Whipple guided UMass to wins in four of its final six games last season.
Addazio believes he has the Minutemen going in the right direction.
“He is a really good offensive mind,” said Addazio. “He’s a heck of a football coach and he has built an outstanding program twice, and he’s doing it at the 1A level.”
This is Boston College’s season opener. As for UMass, it arrives on a high after trashing Duquesne, 63-15, to start the season last Saturday.
Captains named
Addazio announced the selections of center Jon Baker of Millis and strong safety Will Harris as the team captains for the 2018 season.
Baker is a fifth-year senior who suffered a seasonending knee injury in last year’s opener at Northern Illinois. Baker is back and will start at center against UMass.
Harris started 26 consecutive games and led the nation in 2018 with four fumble recoveries. He was third on the team with 83 tackles, including 5.5 for negative yards.
“Two fabulous young men and really good players with a lot of game experience and program experience,” said Addazio. “We are thrilled with that coming out of camp.”
Reset on O-line
Baker’s return to the Eagles has allowed Addazio to re-allocate his game-tested assets at the point of attack. True freshman Ben Petrula replaced Baker and started 12 games last season at center. Petrula had never played the position. He eventually was named an ESPN Freshman AllAmerican.
Petrula has moved now to right tackle, the position he was recruited to play, replacing senior preseason All-American Chris Lindstrom, who shifted inside to right guard.
Aaron Monteiro returns at left tackle and Sam Schmal is back at left guard. Alec Lindstrom will back up Baker at center while true freshman Tyler Vrabel, the son of former Patriots linebacker and Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel, will backup Petrula at tackle.
“Ben is a natural right tackle who did a great job at center,” said Addazio. “He could certainly move back to center but Jon has played at a high level in training camp.
“Alec Lindstrom has emerged in training camp and we feel is a really up and coming player for us.”