Harold Landry Returns for Senior Season

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Jan. 9, 2017

http://bceagles.com/news/2017/1/9/football-harold-landry-set-to-return-to-boston-college-for-his-senior-season.aspx

The Boston College Eagles take on the Maryland Terrapins during the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, MI on Monday, December 26, 2016. (Ben Solomon/Boston College Athletics) — The Boston College Eagles take on the Maryland Terrapins during the Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit, MI on Monday, December 26, 2016.
(Ben Solomon/Boston College Athletics)

Harold Landry Set to Return to Boston College for His Senior Season

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. – Boston College junior defensive end Harold Landry has decided to return to Boston College for his senior season and will not enter the 2017 NFL Draft. The All-American led the nation in sacks in 2016 with 16.5 for the Eagles.

“It was important for me to finish what I started at Boston College – to prove that I have the talent and drive to be a first-round draft pick and to earn my degree from one of the nation’s premier academic institutions,” said Landry. “Our team has a special chemistry and I am so excited to know I will have one more season to play with my teammates. I really believe in what Coach Addazio is building here and look forward to helping this team compete for a championship.”

Landry led the country with seven forced fumbles as well en route to Walter Camp and Associated Press All-America honors.

“We are so excited to have Harold back for his senior season and know that he will be able to leave BC with an outstanding degree,” said head coach Steve Addazio. “Harold is a tremendous leader with his senior class that came to BC to help us compete for a championship. We look forward to seeing him continue to grow and develop as he works himself into a potential first-round draft pick in 2018. The sky is the limit with his potential.”

Landry finished with one of the best seasons of any defensive player in the country in 2016. An AP All-ACC first-team selection, Landry was also been selected as the Division I Gold Helmet of the Year Award recipient, given annually to the top player in New England by the New England Football Writers’ Association and the recipient of the 78th annual George “Bulger” Lowe Award, “New England’s Heisman Trophy” and one of America’s oldest college football accolades.

Landry, who collected All-ACC second-team honors by the media and coaches, was one of six finalists for the Ted Hendricks Award, given annually to the nation’s top defensive end.

Boston College ranked as one of the nation’s top defenses the entire season. Currently, the Eagles rank ninth in the nation and second in the ACC in total defense allowing just 314.2 yards per game. BC has allowed just 108.5 rushing yards per game, seventh-best nationally and first in the conference.

BC is also among the top-20 defenses nationally in third-down conversion percentage defense (ninth, 31.5%), fourth-down conversion percentage defense (eighth, 3084%), first-down defense (seventh, 201), fumbles recovered (second, 15), sacks (second, 3.62 per game) and tackles-for-loss (sixth, 8.2 per game).

The North Carolina native led the nation with 16.5 sacks and seven fumbles forced. Landry rewrote the Boston College single-season record for sacks in 2016, breaking the old mark of 13 held by Eric Storz (1997) and Mike Mamula (1994). Landry was fifth in the country with 22.0 tackles-for-loss, the second-best total in Boston College single-season history behind only Mathias Kiwanuka’s 25.5 TFLs in 2004.