Ryan Day’s recent appointment of Bill O’Brien as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator might be fleeting, with O’Brien emerging as a leading contender for the head coaching position at Boston College, according to FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman.
The vacancy at Boston College arose late in the coaching carousel, following former head coach Jeff Hafley’s departure to assume the role of defensive coordinator for the NFL’s Green Bay Packers.
Reports suggest that Boston College is eyeing candidates with prior head coaching experience, a category that includes O’Brien, as well as Texas analyst and former Wisconsin head coach Paul Chryst, and current Army head coach Jeff Monken, as sources informed Feldman. Additionally, the Boston Herald disclosed on Monday that negotiations with the ACC institution are well underway for O’Brien.
O’Brien has a track record of success both in college football— notably for his role in the rebuilding of Penn State after the Jerry Sandusky scandal—and in the NFL, where he led the Houston Texans to four AFC South titles and two playoff victories over six full seasons, prior to his dismissal in 2020 following a winless start to the season.
A native of Boston, O’Brien gained recognition as an assistant coach in New England, contributing to the Patriots’ Super Bowl appearance as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2011 before departing for Penn State.
He also had a fruitful tenure in the same capacity under Nick Saban at Alabama in 2021 and 2022, playing a pivotal role in quarterback Bryce Young’s Heisman Trophy win and his subsequent selection as the first overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Following a challenging 2023 season as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots, O’Brien’s return to the college scene surprised many when he was appointed as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on January 19.
The move marked a significant change for Day in what appears to be a transformative offseason for the Buckeyes. Day, a former offensive coordinator himself had been overseeing Ohio State’s offense and play-calling since succeeding Urban Meyer as head coach in 2019.
Whether Day will reassume those responsibilities if O’Brien departs for Boston College remains to be seen.
