O’Brien, who was recently hired as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, is in advanced talks to become Boston College’s new head coach, according to a report from the Boston Herald.
The Boston Herald reported on Monday morning that O’Brien and Boston College are “down to the minor details” on a contract and that an announcement could come as soon as Wednesday.
O’Brien, a Massachusetts native and longtime New England Patriots assistant, would replace Jeff Hafley, who left Boston College to become the Green Bay Packers’ defensive coordinator.
O’Brien was hired by Ohio State on Jan. 18 after serving as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator last season. The Buckeyes face Penn State on Nov. 2 at Beaver Stadium, setting up an interesting return for O’Brien, who spent two years as the Nittany Lions’ head coach.
O’Brien took over at Penn State for head coach Joe Paterno ahead of the 2012 season. O’Brien accumulated a 15-9 record (8-4 in 2012, 7-5 in 2013) in two seasons.
O’Brien provided stability in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal. Amid NCAA sanctions, he fought to retain players who could have transferred elsewhere without penalty. O’Brien was named college football’s national coach of the year in 2012.
O’Brien left Penn State after the 2013 season to join the Houston Texans. O’Brien, who was the Patriots’ play-caller before being hired by Penn State, returned to New England for the 2023 season after a seven-year tenure in Houston and a two-year stint as Alabama’s play-caller.
O’Brien leaving Ohio State would leave head coach Ryan Day and the Buckeyes in a difficult situation. Day hired O’Brien, in part, to take a step back from running the offense and take on more of a CEO role. The Buckeyes begin spring camp next month.
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