When I got number 21, I remember sitting there thinking… I don’t just want to wear this number, I’m going to retire it.
So I looked up who had it before me… and that’s when I learned about Lou Montgomery.
It was a bittersweet moment, realizing the history behind it, the barriers he broke, and how he changed Boston College forever.
Lou Montgomery broke barriers as the first Black football player at Boston College, creating opportunities that players like me were able to step into.
Wearing number 21 wasn’t just an honor. It was a responsibility to carry torward wat ne started.
Every time I stepped on the field.
I took pride in representing that history.
Being from Massachusetts made that connection even more personal, and his story showed me what’s possible.
It’s something I’ll always carry with me, and I’ll continue to represent Boston College and everything that number stands for wherever life takes me.
Manuel Asprilla, #21 CO ’15