Ohio State’s hiring of Bill O’Brien as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach has been met with a wide range of reactions since it was first reported last Thursday.
Some have celebrated the hiring as a coup for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, landing a former NFL head coach to be a collegiate assistant. Others have sneered at the hiring, pointing to his struggles in his most recent job as the New England Patriots scored just 13.9 points per game this season – tied for the lowest mark in the NFL – with O’Brien calling the shots.
| Years | Team | Title |
|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Brown | Tight Ends Coach |
| 1994 | Brown | Inside Linebackers Coach |
| 1995-97 | Georgia Tech | Graduate Assistant |
| 1998-2000 | Georgia Tech | Running Backs Coach |
| 2001-02 | Georgia Tech | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2003-04 | Maryland | Running Backs Coach |
| 2005-06 | Duke | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2007 | New England Patriots | Offensive Assistant |
| 2008 | New England Patriots | Wide Receivers Coach |
| 2009-10 | New England Patriots | Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2011 | New England Patriots | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2012-13 | Penn State | Head Coach |
| 2014-20 | Houston Texans | Head Coach |
| 2021-22 | Alabama | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2023 | New England Patriots | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
| 2024- | Ohio State | Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach |
That said, Ohio State wasn’t likely to find an offensive coordinator who checks more boxes in terms of experience than O’Brien.