Ohio State hiring former NFL head coach, ex-Patriots assistant as new offensive coordinator

This past season could be considered a bad one for the Ohio State Buckeyes. They lost to their hated rivals in the Michigan Wolverines, and watched them win the College Football Playoff National Championship. Not only that, but the team lost in the Cotton Bowl to the Missouri Tigers. While Ohio State fans called for Ryan Day's job, he still held a stellar win-loss record since taking over as head coach. But the team has loaded up heading into the 2024 season.

Well now Day has brought in a notable name from the NFL and collegiate ranks to a high-ranking assistant position.

According to ESPN's Pete Thamel, Ohio State is hiring New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien to serve in the same role. Per Thamel, Day had been looking for an experienced coordinator that would allow him to give up play-calling duties on offense.

Ohio State hires Bill O'Brien as new offensive coordinator

O'Brien's second stint in the NFL lasted about one year. He was brought back to the Patriots to help revitalize the offense and quarterback Mac Jones. The thing is, Jones was unable to improve, and the Patriots finished the year 4-13. The offense under O'Brien averaged 276.2 yards (30th in NFL) and 13.9 points (tied-32nd) per game.

After the season, the Patriots and head coach Bill Belichick mutually parted ways. The team promoted linebackers coach Jerod Mayo to head coach. It was unknown if O'Brien would stay in New England, or if he would join Belichick at his next head coaching destination.

Before O'Brien's second stint, he served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Alabama Crimson Tide. Under O'Brien, quarterback Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy in 2021, and Alabama was one of the top offenses in the nation. Here is where the offense ranked in yards per game and average points scored in both of O'Brien's years running things,

• 2021: 488.2 total yards (seventh in the nation) and 39.6 points (sixth) per game
• 2022: 477.1 total yards (11th in nation) and 41.1 points per game (tied-fourth)

O'Brien has head coaching experience in the NFL and college. From 2012 until 2013, O'Brien was the head coach for the Penn State Nittany Lions, picking up a 15-9 record. From there, O'Brien made the leap to the NFL to become the head coach of the Houston Texans. In his seven years, the Texans went 52-48 in the regular-season and 2-4 record in the playoffs.

Now, O'Brien will look to help out an Ohio State offense that won't have star wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. Even so, the Buckeyes have players like Emeka Egbuka and TreVeyon Henderson returning, and a new quarterback in Will Howard. Given the success Michigan had this past season, Day is going all out to ensure Ohio State can win in 2024, and will now surrender play-calling to O'Brien.