Less than three months before Boston College is scheduled to host Rutgers in its season opener on Sept. 3, it has lost one of the offense’s best players. Junior offensive guard Christian Mahogany, the only starter returning on the offensive line, has a torn ACL and will miss the entire 2022 campaign.
The 6-foot-3, 335-pound offensive guard garnered second-team All-ACC honors last year. Mahogany was expected to anchor an o-line unit that lost four starters, including third-team All-American OG Zion Johnson, fourth-team All-American center Alec Lindstrom and second-team All-ACC OT Ben Petrula.
Mahogany has started 22 times in the Eagles’ last 23 contests. ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. had Mahogany ranked as the No. 2 offensive guard in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Although these things often change, Mahogany told ESPN’s Pete Thamel that he plans on returning for the 2023 season rather than turning pro.
“I think I’m probably going to come back because it’s hard [after an injury],” he said. “I’m going to leave no doubt on my college career. Especially after an injury like this, I’m going to prove that I can still do it.”
According to Thamel, New York Giants team physician Dr. Scott Rodeo surgically repaired Mohagany’s knee on May 27 at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.
Without Mahogany, BC star quarterback Phil Jurkovec will work behind a unit that has only four career combined starts. Redshirt sophomore Kevin Cline appears to be in line to take Mahogany’s spot at guard.
Athlon magazine had Mahogany tabbed as a preseason third-team All-American. Phil Steele’s magazine has him as a preseason first-team All-ACC selection.
With the return of Jurkovec, who missed eight games last year with a hand injury, and star WR Zay Flowers, there’s still plenty of optimism that the Eagles will field a productive offense. They also have RB Pat Garwo III, who had 1,045 rushing yards, seven touchdowns and a 5.1 yards-per-carry average last season.
However, BC’s playmakers are going to need a young and inexperienced group of offensive linemen to grow up fast.
Circa and South Point have the Eagles listed as seven-point home favorites vs. Rutgers. Several other books have the number at 7.5 with a total of 51.
FanDuel has BC’s season win total at 6.5 shaded to the ‘under’ (-120). Bettors wanting to take the ‘over’ can get an even-money (+100) return.