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Bill O’Brien
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Former Penn State (and Houston Texans) head coach Bill O’Brien returned to the college ranks by taking the Boston College job in 2024.
Bill O’Brien Coaching Record
Entering the 2025 season, Bill O’Brien has compiled a 22-15 college record to go with a 52-48 mark as an NFL coach.
Bill O’Brien Coaching History
- 1993: Brown — Tight ends
- 1994: Brown — Inside linebackers
- 1995-1997: Georgia Tech — Graduate assistant
- 1998-2000: Georgia Tech — Running backs
- 2001-2002: Georgia Tech — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2003-2004: Maryland — Running backs
- 2005-06: Duke — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2007: New England Patriots (NFL) — Offensive assistant
- 2008: New England Patriots (NFL) — Wide receivers
- 2009-10: New England Patriots (NFL) — Quarterbacks
- 2011: New England Patriots (NFL) — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2012-13: Penn State — Head coach
- 2014-2020: Houston Texans (NFL) — Head coach
- 2021-22: Alabama — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2023: New England Patriots (NFL) — Offensive coordinator/Quarterbacks
- 2024-present: Boston College — Head coach
Bill O’Brien Coaching Bio
Bill O’Brien didn’t just return to the college ranks when he was hired to replace Jeff Hafley at Boston College in 2024.
He came back home.
A Boston native who served 2 tenures as a member of Bill Belichick’s staff with the New England Patriots, the veteran coach is familiar with the territory. He’s also well-acquainted with the difficulties associated with leading a program that hasn’t won more than 7 games in a season since 2010 and whose previous coach left to take an NFL assistant job even after getting the Eagles to a bowl game.
But O’Brien is familiar with difficult coaching situations. He followed Joe Paterno at Penn State under the cloud of NCAA sanctions and public fallout from the Jerry Sandusky scandal. He’s also the offensive coordinator who took the heat for failing to deliver a national championship at Alabama in the 2 seasons Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young was in Tuscaloosa.
After spending time in those pressure cookers, with 6-plus seasons running the Houston Texans sandwiched in between, the task of coaching at BC is a chip shot field goal by comparison.
“This is a place where I felt really comfortable,” O’Brien said. “I love the people I spoke to in the interview process. I was comfortable going after the job and taking the job.”
O’Brien got off to a solid start by leading BC to 7 wins and a trip to the Pinstripe Bowl in his debut season in 2024.
FAQ About Bill O’Brien
What is Bill O'Brien's Salary?
As a private school, Boston College is not required to release contract details of its employees. The Boston Herald, however, has reported that O’Brien’s salary includes a base salary in the neighborhood of $5 million and backloaded with incentives.
How Long Was Bill O'Brien at Ohio State?
Three weeks. O’Brien was named as the Buckeyes’ OC by coach Ryan Day in mid-January of 2024. But before he could even coach his first practice in Columbus, he left to take the head coaching position at BC after Hafley unexpectedly left in early February.
Why Did Bill O'Brien Leave Penn State?
The Nittany Lions were hampered by NCAA sanctions imposed in the fallout of the scandal involving former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky. The penalties included a 4-year postseason ban and loss of 40 scholarships over a 4-year period. Although O’Brien received a contract extension to help the program through its difficulties, he chose to leave when he was offered the head coaching position with the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Award-winning columnist Brett Friedlander has covered the ACC and college basketball since the 1980s.
