After being benched during Boston College’s game against Syracuse last week, which the Eagles ended up winning, junior quarterback Thomas Castellanos decided to enter the transfer portal, according to several sources.

Castellanos was benched in favor of Grayson James, a transfer from FIU, during last weekend’s game against the Orange and, as a result, decided to take a short break from team activities . Now, that pause led to the Eagles losing a signal, but the actual effects could be much greater than that.

Although first-year head coach Bill O’Brien has added a few key players in the transfer portal, he is still working with a roster comprised primarily of players who played for Boston College last season. Just one win away from tournament eligibility, BC’s turnaround was brutal – a result some attribute directly to the coaching work done by O’Brien and his staff.

However, despite the progress O’Brien and his team have made, some hard truths still resonate, and they play into Castellanos’ decision. Make no mistake, the move to James is a calculated choice on the part of O’Brien and company, and one that was undoubtedly not taken lightly. As ugly as it may look from the outside, it signifies a shift to a new reality for Boston College football.

And this reality is one that Thomas Castellanos no longer wishes to be a part of. The Eagles return to action against SMU on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET.