Three Eagles Running Backs Transferring

Three Eagles Running Backs Transferring

By: Anthony Iati

On Monday, three members of the Boston College Eagles announced via their social media accounts their decisions to transfer from the football program and the university. There is not yet word on where these players will continue their college football careers. On the heels of a disappointing 3-9 season, BC will head into a long offseason looking to replace a trio of offensive pieces.

The first announcement came from running back Marcus Outlow. The sophomore from Connecticut saw his role in the Eagles offense decrease under the guidance of offensive coordinator Todd Fitch. He carried the ball 53 times in 2015 for 241 yards (4.55 yards per carry) and one touchdown. Despite an injury to starter Jonathan Hilliman that cost him nine games, Outlow struggled to move ahead of juniors Tyler Rouse and Myles Willis on the depth chart.

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Sophomore running back Marcus Outlow will have a new home in 2016.

Just a few hours later, Sherman Alston followed suit. The sophomore RB/WR from New Jersey received only 20 offensive touches for 113 yards this year (5.65 yards per touch). These numbers were a far cry from 2014, when Alston was dominant at times as a weapon in the ground game and in trick plays for BC. As a freshman, he received 34 carries for 352 yards (10.34 YPC) and caught 16 passes for 175 yards, scoring four total touchdowns. He seemed to lose the trust of the coaching staff at times, as he continually showed an inability to get comfortable fielding and returning punts. A muffed punt inside BC’s own 5-yard line against Notre Dame was especially disturbing. His lasting legacy at BC will be his jet sweep touchdown to help fuel the 37-31 upset over then-No. 9 USC in September 2014.

The third and final (for now) domino to fall was Jordan Gowins. A freshman from New York, Gowins’s departure seems to be the most surprising for two reasons. First, it’s hard to believe he expected more playing time than the little he received as a freshman behind four backs older than him. Additionally, after watching Outlow and Alston depart, Gowins had to realize he was in line for more playing time; he would certainly jump on the depth chart. Regardless, Gowins will leave BC and will be remembered largely for his crucial fumble against Wake Forest that led to the only points in the abysmal 3-0 Eagles loss.

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Freshman running back Jordan Gowins (34) will transfer from Boston College this offseason.

So what does this all mean for BC? Obviously, it means Jon Hilliman needs to get healthy. After suffering from a broken foot against Florida State in Week 3, he missed the remainder of the 2015 campaign. BC will need to improve its rushing attack, which regressed dramatically this season behind a younger offensive line. Hilliman is a huge part of that. It also means we may see more of Tyler Rouse, who ended the year with a big performance in his hometown of Syracuse, and Myles Willis in 2016. It might even mean that BC will look to add depth and much-needed veteran leadership to its offense in the form of transfers and graduate students. We saw this work with QB Tyler Murphy in 2014; it would not be shocking to see Coach Steve Addazio make a run at a notable back with an additional year of eligibility. It remains to be seen whether or not other players will elect to transfer in the coming days and weeks as well.