Frank Spaziani Frank Spaziani ( born April 1 , 1947 ) is an American football coach and former player . He served as the head football coach at Boston College from 2009 to 2012 , compiling a record of 22 wins and 29 losses . Prior to becoming head coach , Spaziani served on the Eagles ' coaching staff for 12 years , the last 10 as defensive coordinator . Early life and playing career . Spaziani is a native of Clark , New Jersey , and a graduate of Arthur L . Johnson High School . Spaziani played quarterback and linebacker for the Penn State Nittany Lions from 1965 to 1968 . He was a member of the team that went to the 1967 Gator Bowl and also played in the team that went to the 1969 Orange Bowl . He was the subject of one of Joe Paterno ' s notable early quotes : the Nittany Lions ' coach said of Spaziani , " Don ' t get the idea that I like him because he ' s Italian . I like him because I ' m Italian . " Spaziani was also a starting pitcher for the Penn State baseball team . Personal . Spaziani is married to Laura Spaziani ( " née " Heikel ) ; they have two sons and one daughter . They reside in Hingham , Massachusetts . He is a brother of Sigma Pi Fraternity International . Coaching career . Canadian Football League . Spaziani coached in the Canadian Football League as a defensive coordinator for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers ( two seasons ) and Calgary Stampeders ( three years ) . He helped to lead the Blue Bombers to the 1992 and 1993 Grey Cup s and the Stampeders to the 83rd Grey Cup in 1995 . Boston College . In 1997 , Spaziani left the Calgary Stampeders for a position as running back s coach for the Boston College Eagles . Coached by Spaziani , Boston College ' s Mike Cloud was a consensus first - team All - America selection and a finalist for the 1998 Doak Walker Award . Cloud also set a Big East and school single - season rushing record with 1 , 726 yards in 1998 . In 1999 , he replaced Tim Rose as defensive coordinator , becoming Boston College ' s seventh defensive coordinator in the 1990s . In 2001 , the Boston College defense ranked 12th nationally in passing defense , 10th in pass efficiency defense , 19th in scoring defense and 25th in total defense . In 2002 , they were ranked 13th nationally in passing defense , 25th in pass efficiency defense , 23rd in scoring defense and 37th in total defense . In 2003 , they were ranked second in the Big East in total defense and second in rushing defense . In 2004 , they were ranked first in the Big East . The Eagles ranked second in the Big East and 31st in the country in total defense and first in the Big East and 12th in the country in scoring defense . Mathias Kiwanuka was the 2004 Big East Defensive Player of the Year . Spaziani was named interim head coach for Boston College twice . In December 2006 , after the departure of Tom O ' Brien , he coached Boston College to a win versus Navy on December 30 , 2006 , in the Meineke Car Care Bowl . However , Jeff Jagodzinski was hired as the permanent head coach . Spaziani was also named interim coach after Jagodzinski was fired on January 7 , 2009 , for interviewing for the open head coaching position with the New York Jets . On January 13 , 2009 , Spaziani was officially hired as the Eagles ' permanent head coach . Spaziani was fired on November 25 , 2012 , following a season in which Boston College went 2 – 10 , the worst record since 1978 .