It’s training camp eve for the BC Eagles.

The 2026 season officially gets started on Wednesday morning when BC hits the practice fields at 8:45 a.m. With so much change on and off the field, the BC program may look unrecognizable to many when the team travels to face Cincinnati in the opener on September 5.

Here are the five biggest questions facing the program that we’ll be watching closely as training camp gets underway:

1. Is Mason McKenzie truly the answer at QB?

Pretty simple, but it all starts with McKenzie. He’s been the guy since joining BC in the portal from Saginaw Valley State. No questions who QB1 is when the team hits the field early and that’s important. The last few seasons of uncertainty at the position has ultimately led to mediocrity or far less than. McKenzie has far more actual playing experience than his backup (Arkansas transfer Grayson Wilson) or freshman Femi Babalola.

McKenzie is the reigning 2025 GLIAC Football Player of the Year, the same award Trinidad Chambliss won before going on to make quite a name for himself. McKenzie threw for over 4,300 yards and 31 touchdowns in 25 career games at Saginaw Valley State along with 1,600 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground.

He’s an extremely confident kid and acknowledged that he’s heard all the noise about a D2 transfer joining the ACC. Couple his confidence with a team that knows who its leader is from Day 1 and that could be dangerous.

2. How quickly does the new O-line gel?

If McKenzie is going to succeed, his brand new looking protection will need to come together under first year O-Line coach Kurt Anderson. Mike Crounse will be at center and Robert Smith IV probably at right guard, but after that, there’s new faces.

Owen Snively comes over from Eastern Michigan as a redshirt senior. A Freemont, NH native and he went to The Tilton School where he established himself as a tight end and D-lineman. He moved to O-line when he initially was at Colorado State. Snively had 21 appearances and 10 starts for EMU.

Veguer Jean-Jumeau is an extremely large human. BC finally should have an offensive line – across the board, not just a few guys – that look like a real unit that can compete in the ACC. Jean-Jumeau came over from Tennessee State in the portal. He’s 6’9″ 305 lbs. (probably more since getting here), and he’s an imposing figure at either tackle position and can move other humans against their will. Jean-Jumeau played 12 games for TS last year as a freshman.

Another important transfer is Kristian Phillips. The now former Michigan State Spartan brings his big 6’4″ 315lb. frame to The Heights and immediately becomes one of the leaders not only of that room but on the team as a redshirt senior. He was dominant in the run game at times during spring ball. He started four games at right guard for the Spartans, but I actually think he ends up lining up on the opposite side of Jean-Jumeau, a twin tower lineup of sorts at the tackle positions.

There’s also a lot of depth there behind this unit now too. It should be interesting to see how quickly chemistry picks up from spring ball.

3. Do the transfers have an immediate impact?

There’s 27 guys from the portal on top of freshmen coming in. This roster is ENTIRELY new basically except for a few returners in some key spots (KP Price at safety, Jaedn Skeete at WR, etc.)

Of course McKenzie will be the most important new addition, but Anthony Palano (LB, Washington State), Bodie Kahoun (LB, Notre Dame), Justin Medlock (LB, SMU), the aforementioned O-linemen, Kris Jones (DE, Georgia), Reed Swanson (WR, Colgate), DeMetrius Ballard (DE, Buffalo), Chandler Jordan (DB, Georgia State), and Kam Howard (DB, Alabama) are all going to have to step up and make an immediate impact. Every single one of them showed an ability to do so during spring ball, if it translates to the regular season, then Eagles fans will be pleasantly surprised by what they see.

4. Does BC actually have a real linebacker unit now?

Palano, Kahoun and Medlock make up an entirely new ‘Big 3’ of sorts in the LB room, but this unit. Palano and Medlock have some pretty legitimate playing experienc. Kahoun and Palano are only redshirt sophomores. Medlock is a redshirt senior who played in eight games for the Mustangs last year. They’re all fast, physical and smart.

Behind them is a plethora of guys who can create a role for themselves with a strong training camp. Three guys in particular come to mind immediately.

Kemori Dixon (redshirt sophomore) played in seven games last season with all of the injuries. Dixon had four tackles and a sack with three starts.  Zacari Thomas appeared in nine games his freshman year. He played special teams and sparingly at linebacker, making six tackles with a forced fumble. For you local fans, this last name should excite you: Griffin Collins
We’re a little biased having covered the majority of his high school career, but we believe Griffin Collins is the guy that could surprise the most this season. Collins played in nine games as a freshman, making 15 tackles with a QB hit.

For the first time in a long time (assuming health), this should be a deep, reliable room.

5. Can Bill O’Brien’s play calling get the offense back on track?

Much has been made of Bill O’Brien not hiring an offensive coordinator and instead, choosing to call plays himself in 2026. If you’ve followed on the site or watched any of our shows, you know NEFJ fully supports this idea.

Now, the big loss of Kaelan Chudzinski at tight end certainly makes his job a little harder, but if you listen to the confidence O’Brien spoke with about other tight ends the team has during ACC Kickoff, it feels like he’s got something up his sleeve, largely in the form of former defensive lineman Bryce Lewis switching over.

Not only is there now no one else to blame if things go poorly with an entirely new wide receiver, running back, QB and tight end room, but the new NFL-structure when it comes to recruiting has taken a significant amount off his plate, which means there’s more time to focus on the coaching and teaching aspect, which is what he’s best at.

If you need any more proof of why recruits and in turn O’Brien’s bosses still believe in him, just look at what Q Hutchins and Jeremiah Franklin had to say about the program preparing players for the NFL.

If it goes South, O’Brien will fully handle the blame, but it’s hard to imagine the offense being much worse than it was last year. In fact, we expect quite an uptick in 2026.