Bill O’Brien (HC Boston College, aka BillyBob O’Buttchin et al)

[ScriptOhio]

Since the conclusion of his first stint with the New England Patriots as an assistant coach from 2007 through 2011, new Ohio State offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien has coached three college quarterbacks at his two stops at the NCAA level.

Two of those signal-callers – Penn State’s Matt McGloin and Christian Hackenberg – saw the best years of their respective careers under O’Brien, each under a unique set of circumstances.

MATT MCGLOIN AS A STARTER
(YEAR UNDER O'BRIEN IN BOLD)

YEAR	COMP	ATT	PCT	YDS	TD	INT	Y/A
2010	118	215	54.9	1548	14	9	7.2
2011	125	231	54.1	1571	8	5	6.8
2012	270	446	60.5	3271	24	5	7.3

CHRISTIAN HACKENBERG AS A STARTER

YEAR	COMP	ATT	PCT	YDS	TD	INT	Y/A
2013	231	392	58.9	2955	20	10	7.5
2014	270	484	55.8	2977	12	15	6.2
2015	192	359	53.5	2525	16	6	7.2

BRYCE YOUNG AS A STARTER

YEAR	COMP	ATT	PCT	YDS	TD	INT	Y/A
2021	366	547	66.9	4872	47	7	8.9
2022	245	380	64.5	3328	32	5	8.8

The last of them, Alabama's Bryce Young, had one of the best careers in the history of his prestigious school under O'Brien.

If O’Brien can elevate Ohio State’s quarterback play in a similar way this season, it will go a long way toward the team’s ambitions of avenging three straight losses to Michigan, winning the Big Ten and winning a national title.

Another 11W writer's analysis of O'Brien's offenses:

PENN STATE, 2012-13 (HEAD COACH)​

O’Brien has never had a harder job than the one he took on at Penn State, where he replaced Joe Paterno in a time of turmoil for the program, which was hit with major sanctions after the NCAA determined that Penn State failed to take action to prevent child sexual abuse by former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky.

Although the program was hit sanctions that included a four-year postseason ban and a loss of 40 scholarships over four years (sanctions that were later reduced after O’Brien’s tenure ended), O’Brien led the Nittany Lions to back-to-back winning seasons, leaving Penn State with a 15-9 record after two years.

Penn State’s offenses in those seasons weren’t spectacular – the Nittany Lions ranked outside the top 60 nationally in points per game in both years – though they were good enough to rank fourth in the Big Ten in total offense in both seasons. Before his arrival, Penn State ranked 10th in the Big Ten in total offense in 2011; after his departure, Penn State ranked 13th in the conference in total offense in 2014.

Matt McGloin and Christian Hackenberg both had their best statistical seasons as Penn State’s starting quarterback while being coached by O’Brien, while Allen Robinson won Big Ten Receiver of the Year honors in both seasons.

ALABAMA, 2021-22 (OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR/QUARTERBACKS COACH)​

Some Alabama fans were happy to see O’Brien leave when he became the Patriots’ offensive coordinator, and his tenure in Tuscaloosa recently drew extra scrutiny when Crimson Tide quarterback Jalen Milroe revealed that O’Brien told him he should change positions. Statistically, though, Alabama’s offense was one of the best in the country in both of O’Brien’s years calling the plays.

Alabama quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy in his first season being coached by O’Brien in 2021 when the Crimson Tide ranked sixth nationally in points per game (39.9) and seventh in the FBS in yards per game (488.2) and made it to the national championship game. They tied for fourth in the FBS in points per game (41.1) and were eighth nationally in yards per play (6.93) in 2022.

The Crimson Tide’s offensive performance dropped off sharply in 2023 following O’Brien’s departure – although Young’s departure certainly had a lot to do with that – as Alabama finished 58th nationally in yards per game (393.1) and 24th in points per game (34).

 

[ScriptOhio]

Skull Session: Ryan Day Says Ohio State's QB Room Will Be “Fun to Watch This Spring,” Bill O'Brien’s Penn State Players React to OSU Move and Will Howard Calls Jeremiah Smith a “Specimen”

Ohio State's QB room “craves competition,” Bill O'Brien's Penn State players react to Ohio State move and Will Howard calls Jeremiah Smith a “specimen.”

www.elevenwarriors.com

According to some of O'Brien's Penn State players, the program wouldn't have overcome the circumstances if not for his leadership.

“I remember it vividly,” Mike Mauti, a 2012 team captain, told The Athletic's Audrey Snyder this week. “We wouldn’t have gotten through that without him. It speaks volumes about his leadership. … He kept our program steady when really we were like the first look at the (transfer) portal back in 2012.”



“He wasn’t just a coach at Penn State, he was the coach during one of the hardest times to be the coach at Penn State,” said Adam Breneman, who played for O’Brien in 2013. “He had as big a role as anyone of kind of bringing the program out of those really tough years.”
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From Snyder's article:

“It’s a little bit of a plot twist, and I’ll certainly be talking trash to him at that point, and he’ll be doing the same, but that’s always been the nature of our dynamic,” Mauti said. “Nothing but respect to the highest level for him. He’s certainly got a great roster they’re putting together with a great staff. … That’s a lifetime relationship just given what we went through together.”
...
“I got yelled at every day,” [Penn State's 2012 quarterback Matt] McGloin said. “I was a guy that wanted to be coached and I wanted to be coached hard.
“Bill always said, ‘I don’t play. You play!’ He’d say if you see something, make the change, make the adjustment, make the alert, make the audible,” McGloin continued. “That took time to get that trust and respect from him to be able to do that, but he’s demanding. He expects the best out of you every day. … When it comes to getting the best out of what you have in terms of personnel and calling plays based off of who you have at that point in time and based off of positions, Bill did it better than anybody.”
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“Now I gotta cheer against him — at least one day per year,” Mauti said. “That’s the nature of the business. At least I’ll get to see him more than I did last year.”

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continued

 

[Wadcutter]

Skull Session: Ryan Day Says Ohio State's QB Room Will Be “Fun to Watch This Spring,” Bill O'Brien’s Penn State Players React to OSU Move and Will Howard Calls Jeremiah Smith a “Specimen”

Ohio State's QB room “craves competition,” Bill O'Brien's Penn State players react to Ohio State move and Will Howard calls Jeremiah Smith a “specimen.”

www.elevenwarriors.com

According to some of O'Brien's Penn State players, the program wouldn't have overcome the circumstances if not for his leadership.

“I remember it vividly,” Mike Mauti, a 2012 team captain, told The Athletic's Audrey Snyder this week. “We wouldn’t have gotten through that without him. It speaks volumes about his leadership. … He kept our program steady when really we were like the first look at the (transfer) portal back in 2012.”



“He wasn’t just a coach at Penn State, he was the coach during one of the hardest times to be the coach at Penn State,” said Adam Breneman, who played for O’Brien in 2013. “He had as big a role as anyone of kind of bringing the program out of those really tough years.”
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From Snyder's article:


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continued

Thought he died

 

[MGMT]

Fuck every past, present and future Penn State player and every single thing they ever have to say about any subject - at any given time.

 

[BuckeyeNation27]

Of course fucking Mauti found a way to make poor ol 2012 Penn State out to be the victims of tHe FiRsT tRaNsFeR pOrTaL. Get fucked, dickhead.

 

[gmen6981]

Of course fucking Mauti found a way to make poor ol 2012 Penn State out to be the victims of tHe FiRsT tRaNsFeR pOrTaL. Get fucked, dickhead.

Didn't they put that 2012 team up on their "Ring of Pretty Good Years"?

 

[Steve19]

Didn't they put that 2012 team up on their "Ring of Pretty Good Years"?

Maybe it's just me bit I prefer the Ohio State hoop over the ring...

 

[bigdog3300]

Likely going to receive an interview with BC regarding their HC opening

 

[GuiFMRS]

Likely going to receive an interview with BC regarding their HC opening

That would be a kick to the nutters at this point if he were to accept it (although it seems unlikely)

 

[Herb Kirkstreit]

Bobby O'Bannon interviewing at a jesuit college? What's the worst that could happen.

 

[ScriptOhio]

Ohio State’s Offensive Transfer Additions Excited to Play for Bill O’Brien

Will Howard sees Bill O’Brien as “someone that I can get along with really well” while Seth McLaughlin is excited to reunite with O’Brien after being coached by him at Alabama.

www.elevenwarriors.com

OHIO STATE’S OFFENSIVE TRANSFER ADDITIONS EXCITED TO PLAY FOR BILL O’BRIEN​

Will Howard didn’t know when he committed to Ohio State that Bill O’Brien would be his new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. But he’s thrilled that it worked out that way.

Howard considered entering the 2024 NFL draft, but instead chose to use his final year of collegiate eligibility to transfer from Kansas State to
Ohio State because he wanted to bolster his draft stock, which was projected to be between the third and sixth rounds. Now, he’ll have the chance to learn from a coach who was both a head coach (Houston Texans) and offensive coordinator (New England Patriots) in the NFL, and he says that fires him up.

“How much better can you prepare for the NFL than with somebody who's coached at a head coach level and in the coordinator level in the NFL?” Howard said.

O’Brien has a track record of leading successful offenses in both the NFL and college, most notably during his first stint with the Patriots when he helped lead Tom Brady to some of his best seasons in New England. At the collegiate level, O’Brien was most recently Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022, both seasons in which the Crimson Tide ranked in the top six nationally in points scored per game.

New Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin was a part of those offenses, and he expects Ohio State’s offense to be similarly high-scoring with O’Brien at the helm.

“I think he brings a ton of experience. He's a great coach,” McLaughlin said. “He's had a proven track record of being a good coach. In our time at Alabama, he put up a lot of points. So it'll be fun to watch what he does with this offense.”

All four offensive transfers who met with reporters at Ohio State this week expressed excitement to be coached by O’Brien in Columbus. Running back Quinshon Judkins said O’Brien’s offense caught his eye when he played against Alabama during his freshman year at Ole Miss in 2022, when the Crimson Tide defeated the Rebels 30-24.

“I played against him and how he used (former Alabama running back) Jahmyr Gibbs and I’ve seen a lot of those things and also his career when he was with the Patriots as well. So seeing him as a coach here, it's really cool,” Judkins said.

“IN OUR TIME AT ALABAMA, HE PUT UP A LOT OF POINTS. SO IT'LL BE FUN TO WATCH WHAT HE DOES WITH THIS OFFENSE.”– SETH MCLAUGHLIN ON BILL O’BRIEN
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In the days since Ohio State’s new transfers met with the media on Tuesday, O’Brien’s name has surfaced as a potential candidate for Boston College’s head coaching job after Jeff Hafley left BC to become the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator. If O’Brien wants to be a head coach again, the job could be a logical fit for both sides as O’Brien grew up in Boston and was already living in the area while working for the Patriots last year.

As of Friday morning, however, it was unclear whether O’Brien is interested in the job. It’s a possibility that can’t be ruled out until Boston College hires a coach or O’Brien formally declines interest in the job, but as of now, Ohio State is planning for O’Brien to call the offensive plays and coach the quarterbacks in Columbus this year.

 

[osuvictory1]

Ohio State’s Offensive Transfer Additions Excited to Play for Bill O’Brien

Will Howard sees Bill O’Brien as “someone that I can get along with really well” while Seth McLaughlin is excited to reunite with O’Brien after being coached by him at Alabama.

www.elevenwarriors.com

OHIO STATE’S OFFENSIVE TRANSFER ADDITIONS EXCITED TO PLAY FOR BILL O’BRIEN​

Will Howard didn’t know when he committed to Ohio State that Bill O’Brien would be his new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. But he’s thrilled that it worked out that way.

Howard considered entering the 2024 NFL draft, but instead chose to use his final year of collegiate eligibility to transfer from Kansas State to
Ohio State because he wanted to bolster his draft stock, which was projected to be between the third and sixth rounds. Now, he’ll have the chance to learn from a coach who was both a head coach (Houston Texans) and offensive coordinator (New England Patriots) in the NFL, and he says that fires him up.

“How much better can you prepare for the NFL than with somebody who's coached at a head coach level and in the coordinator level in the NFL?” Howard said.

O’Brien has a track record of leading successful offenses in both the NFL and college, most notably during his first stint with the Patriots when he helped lead Tom Brady to some of his best seasons in New England. At the collegiate level, O’Brien was most recently Alabama’s offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022, both seasons in which the Crimson Tide ranked in the top six nationally in points scored per game.

New Ohio State center Seth McLaughlin was a part of those offenses, and he expects Ohio State’s offense to be similarly high-scoring with O’Brien at the helm.

“I think he brings a ton of experience. He's a great coach,” McLaughlin said. “He's had a proven track record of being a good coach. In our time at Alabama, he put up a lot of points. So it'll be fun to watch what he does with this offense.”

All four offensive transfers who met with reporters at Ohio State this week expressed excitement to be coached by O’Brien in Columbus. Running back Quinshon Judkins said O’Brien’s offense caught his eye when he played against Alabama during his freshman year at Ole Miss in 2022, when the Crimson Tide defeated the Rebels 30-24.

“I played against him and how he used (former Alabama running back) Jahmyr Gibbs and I’ve seen a lot of those things and also his career when he was with the Patriots as well. So seeing him as a coach here, it's really cool,” Judkins said.

“IN OUR TIME AT ALABAMA, HE PUT UP A LOT OF POINTS. SO IT'LL BE FUN TO WATCH WHAT HE DOES WITH THIS OFFENSE.”– SETH MCLAUGHLIN ON BILL O’BRIEN
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continued
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In the days since Ohio State’s new transfers met with the media on Tuesday, O’Brien’s name has surfaced as a potential candidate for Boston College’s head coaching job after Jeff Hafley left BC to become the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator. If O’Brien wants to be a head coach again, the job could be a logical fit for both sides as O’Brien grew up in Boston and was already living in the area while working for the Patriots last year.

As of Friday morning, however, it was unclear whether O’Brien is interested in the job. It’s a possibility that can’t be ruled out until Boston College hires a coach or O’Brien formally declines interest in the job, but as of now, Ohio State is planning for O’Brien to call the offensive plays and coach the quarterbacks in Columbus this year.

This would make zero sense. It is a mid program, in a mid conference, that will continue to fall behind in the current football climate. For the same reason's Hafley left, I can't imagine he leaves for BC.

If O'Brien wants to make it back to a NFL HC, or HC of a bigger CFB team, being OC in a Cadillac program makes much more sense.

 

[dragurd]

This would make zero sense. It is a mid program, in a mid conference, that will continue to fall behind in the current football climate. For the same reason's Hafley left, I can't imagine he leaves for BC.

If O'Brien wants to make it back to a NFL HC, or HC of a bigger CFB team, being OC in a Cadillac program makes much more sense.

Apparently he left his family back there cause he has a sick kid who they want to keep with his doctors.

So that would be the likely motivation if it happens.

 

[osuvictory1]

Apparently he left his family back there cause he has a sick kid who they want to keep with his doctors.

So that would be the likely motivation if it happens.

That would make sense.

 

[GuiFMRS]

Apparently he left his family back there cause he has a sick kid who they want to keep with his doctors.

So that would be the likely motivation if it happens.

For a bit more context the young adult has a rare condition, and requires pretty much 24/7 care. I feel bad for BoB actually, and I think under those circumstances no one could fault BoB for choosing his family, specially because his kid already far surpassed his life expectancy given his condition.

Just read a 2014 article that details this a bit more had no idea that this was the case, so sad.