BOSTON - Boston College junior LB Mark Herzlich and head coach Jeff Jagodzinski have both been recognized by The Gridiron Club of Greater Boston, announced December 17 by president Tim Whelan. Herzlich and Yale LB Bobby Abare will share the George "Bulger" Lowe Award for defense while Jagodzinski earned New England Coach of the Year honors.

The Bulger Lowe Award, "New England's Heisman Trophy" and one of America's oldest college football accolades, recognizes the six-state region's best players in the NCAA Bowl and Championship Divisions. This is the 70th time the award will be handed out.

Herzlich and Jagodzinski will be honored at the Burlington Marriott Hotel on Thursday, January 15 at the annual Bob Whelan College Football Awards Night.

Herzlich adds this award to the numerous honors he has already received. He was also named an AP All-American, ACC Defensive Player of the Year, All-ACC First Team, and was a finalist for the Butkus Award.

Jagodzinski led the Eagles to a 9-3 regular season record and advanced them to the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game for the second consecutive year as the league's Atlantic Division champion (after being picked in the preseason to finish fourth). The BC defense led the nation in interceptions and ranked among the top 10 in several defensive categories. Off the field, the football team's Graduation Success Rate (GSR) score of 92 tied with Duke as the best in the Atlantic Coast Conference and fourth-best in all of FBS college football.