Boston College has gone from one extreme to the other on special teams, and Bill O’Brien isn’t pretending otherwise.
A year ago, the Eagles’ kicking game was one of the few steady spots on the roster. In O’Brien’s first season on the Heights, BC tried only five field goals and made three, a number that ranked dead-last in the country. Then came 2025, when Luca Lombardo turned into a real source of stability, hitting 16 of 17 field-goal attempts and going a perfect 35-for-35 on extra points.
That kind of year mattered. Lombardo earned All-ACC Honorable Mention recognition, landed on the Lou Groza Award semifinalist list, and made his decision to return for 2026 a significant one for the program. For much of last season, he was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise rough team.
This fall, though, the rhythm has vanished.
Over BC’s last two games, Lombardo has missed two PATs on nine tries and also pushed a 48-yard field goal wide left in the first quarter of the Eagles’ 49-27 loss to Georgia Tech last Saturday. After that miss, BC briefly turned to freshman Jonathan Hewitt for the extra point after Mason McKenzie hit Nedrick Boldin Jr. on a 25-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Hewitt’s first attempt of the season - and of his career - also missed wide, sending Lombardo right back onto the field for the next kicking chance.
The Eagles scored again almost immediately, with Bo MacCormack III finishing a four-play drive with a seven-yard rushing touchdown after the defense forced a three-and-out. Lombardo then sent another kick wide right, and the frustration was obvious as BC came off the field with only a two-point lead instead of the three it should have had at minimum.
During the broadcast, it was noted that Lombardo kept lifting his head right after contact, which can knock a kick off line. It’s the same kind of mistake golfers make when they come up too soon and lose their line before the shot is finished. Kickers can run into the same problem when they’re too anxious to see the result before the ball is fully struck.
Lombardo did settle down after the second miss. He connected on a 23-yard field goal and made the rest of his extra-point tries to close out the game, though the score had already become lopsided by then.
O’Brien made his point plainly after Tuesday’s practice.
“He’s not this year,” O’Brien said in the middle of a reporter’s question about Lombardo’s consistency from 2025 to now after Tuesday’s practice. “He’s not this year.
[We’re looking for] consistency. [He’s] got to make a PAT.
No, he’s not this year, and I really like Luca, I got a lot of respect for Luca, but he’s got to kick better.”
Even with the recent slip, Lombardo is still 6-for-8 on the season and 1-for-1 from 50-plus yards. But after what he gave BC last year, O’Brien has made it clear the standard is higher now.
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Boston College Faces A Big ACC Road Test With Momentum At Stake
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The trip comes with a little more texture, too, because Boston College has shown enough through 14 matches to stay in the conversation around the league while still needing consistent sharpness away from home. Virginia Tech has its own issues and its own motivation, and the historical series between the programs only adds to the sense that this one could turn on a few key moments in a familiar conference setting. [Read more 🡒]