www.telegram.com/news/20190813/holy-cross-football-linemen-brett-boddy-brian-foley-pave-way-for-offenseWORCESTER — In recent years, Holy Cross has had a nice run recruiting offensive linemen from Illinois, most notably Jimmy Murray, who is in his second NFL season with the Kansas City Chiefs.
Redshirt senior Brett Boddy and junior Brian Foley, who both earned first-team All-Patriot League honors last year, are the latest from the Prairie State to star for the Crusaders up front and lead what is projected as a top position group for the Crusaders in 2019.
“They are so tough, and they are elevating everyone around them,” Holy Cross coach Bob Chesney said. “They have one speed and one speed only. Those guys are going with everything they’ve got.”
Last season, the 6-foot-3, 302-pound Boddy started all 11 games at left guard and the 6-4, 314-pound Foley every game at left tackle. The duo helped pave the way for HC to rank second in the Patriot League in total offense (327.3 yards per game), rushing (132.5 yards per game) and scoring (24.4 points per game).
Joining Boddy and Foley are senior Max Daurelle, who started the last seven games of 2018 at center, junior Jack Bowler, who made 10 starts at right guard, and senior Jackson Dennis, who started all 11 at right tackle.
“There’s very little that escapes them at this moment,” Chesney said. “They understand what we’re trying to do as far as play calling is concerned and they’re trying to inflict their will a little bit on the defensive line. This is a very good group.”
The quintet’s experience together has helped build a noticeable cohesion.
“It’s awesome,” Boddy said. “You don’t have to build any chemistry with anyone. It’s already there. You just try to build upon it, and it’s awesome. We’re a group of really big college football players and we can move a lot of people around and move our feet really well. It’s really fun.”
“We all work well together,” Foley added. “Communication is easier.”
Boddy grew up in Aurora, Illinois, and Foley in Clarendon Hills, about 25 miles apart, and met for the first time at Holy Cross. Both agree it’s been very cool to see their former HC teammate Murray in the NFL.
Boddy, who also threw the shot put his first two years at HC, played in 10 games as a backup during his freshman and sophomore seasons and missed all of 2017 after suffering a herniated disc in his back just before the start of camp.
“I tried to rehab and come back,” Boddy said, “but it just got worse, and I ended up having surgery and then about a calendar year of rehab. I rolled into camp last year and figured out how to play football again.”
Boddy said the pain subsided after he had surgery.
“I let the doctors make their decision and took the best path I could and do all the work I possibly could to put myself in a position to play football,” Boddy said. “I did that and came back and had a good season.”
Boddy and Foley are both preseason All-Patriot League selections this year.
Foley played in 11 games with one start as a freshman before having his breakout last year.
He was the recipient of the Davitt Award as the team’s top offensive lineman and earned honorable mention Sophomore All-America honors from Hero Sports.
Foley took a summer course at Holy Cross while working out with his teammates.
“I worked hard and stayed healthy,” Foley said. “We all worked hard in the weight room and it’s paying off now.”
The Crusaders averaged 36.3 points during their four-game winning streak to end last season and finished 5-6.
“Hopefully we have more success,” Foley said. “A Patriot League championship is the real goal.”
‘Right direction’
The Crusaders are progressing during their second full week of preseason practice.
“Things are starting to move in the right direction,” Chesney said after Tuesday afternoon’s practice at Kuzniewski Field. “Offensively we’re starting to click a little bit more. I think the quarterbacks are making good decisions, getting the ball out quickly and letting the playmakers make some plays.
“The kicking game is coming along really, really well,” Chesney said, “and defensively we’re starting to get into some second and third levels of what we hope to do and it looks like we’re starting to have a deeper understanding of that, too.”
All four in mix
As Chesney said last week on media day, all four quarterbacks, senior Emmett Clifford, junior Connor Degenhardt, junior Matt Considine, a transfer from Wake Forest, and freshman Chris Butash, are in the mix for the starting job.
Clifford and Degenhardt got most of the reps Tuesday, but all four continue to rotate.
“Connor and Emmett have a little better understanding of what’s going on and they’ve made some great plays over the last couple days,” Chesney said. “Then you look at Matt and you look at Chris and they’re doing an unbelievable job. All four of them — two of them are mentally very sharp right now and the other two are very physically gifted and just have to catch up a little bit and they’re doing an excellent job of it.”
Sage advice
Leominster native Frank Novak, who was HC’s offensive coordinator from 1978-83 and coached in the NFL, most notably as a special teams coordinator, for 16 seasons, watched practice Tuesday and addressed the team at the end.
“Being in the (NFL) all those years, he told them the difference between the great ones and the ones that never make it are that the great ones never allow themselves to be average,” Chesney said. “They always push themselves and everyone around them to be something way more than they ever thought was capable. That’s a pretty big message for our team at this moment.”