Ohio State's Bill O'Brien, Boston College Finalize Contract as New HC | News, Scores, Highlights, Stats, and Rumors
Bill O'Brien's tenure as offensive coordinator of the Ohio State Buckeyes did not last very long, and for good reason.
O'Brien has finalized an agreement to be the new head coach at Boston College Friday, a deal that was announced by the school.
Bryan Fischer @BryanDFischerBill O'Brien is official at BC <a href="">
ESPN's Pete Thamel originally reported the sides were "working toward a deal" earlier Friday.
O'Brien was named the Buckeyes' offensive coordinator under head coach Ryan Day in mid-January, but now he appears set to take over the head coaching vacancy in Chestnut Hill left by Jeff Hafley.
Hafley exited Boston College late last month to become defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. He became the head coach of the Eagles in 2020 and led the program to a 22-26 record in his four seasons.
Boston College finished the 2023 campaign with a 7-6 record, including a win over SMU in the Fenway Bowl.
O'Brien taking over as head coach of the Eagles is a no-brainer given his local ties. He was born in Boston, grew up in Massachusetts and spent several seasons as an assistant with the New England Patriots.
The 54-year-old's first stint in New England began in 2007 when he served as an offensive assistant. He was the franchise's wide receivers coach in 2008, quarterbacks coach from 2009 to 2010 and offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach in 2011.
O'Brien returned to the Patriots in 2023 as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach following Josh McDaniels' departure, though his offense was one of the worst in the NFL in part due to a struggling Mac Jones.
Landing the Boston College job marks O'Brien's second stint as a collegiate head coach. He previously served as head coach at Penn State from 2012-2013, leading the program to a 15-9 record in that span.
O'Brien likely won't be under nearly as much pressure as head coach of the Eagles, which have struggled to compete with the likes of powerhouses in Florida State and Clemson in the ACC.
At Ohio State, O'Brien would have been under a microscope as pressure on Day and his staff continues to mount despite an 11-2 finish to the 2023 season. The Buckeyes fell to Michigan and missed the Big Ten championship game for a third straight season and subsequently missed out on a berth in the College Football Playoff.
With O'Brien leaving the program after less than one month on the staff, Ohio State has turned its attention to UCLA head coach Chip Kelly, who is expected to be named as O'Brien's replacement, per Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.
