COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day announced on Friday that he hired Bill O'Brien as the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
O'Brien spent this past season as the Patriots' offensive coordinator and has experience as an offensive coordinator, play-caller and quarterbacks coach at the college and NFL level.
Day said the longtime coach brings a wealth of knowledge and has a tremendous track record of success.
"I am extremely pleased to be able to add Bill O'Brien to our coaching staff," Day said. "He is an excellent and experienced offensive coach who has run NFL and Power 5 programs and developed some truly elite players throughout his career. He’ll be an excellent teacher and recruiter for us, and he absolutely strengthens our staff.”
Brian Hartline will be a co-offensive coordinator and remain as the team's wide receivers coach. Corey Dennis, who was the quarterbacks coach for the past four seasons, will stay with the program but his role is to be determined.
The Buckeyes (11-2) ranked 25th in the country in yards per play (6.38) last season, their worst showing since 2016. Ohio State lost to Michigan for the third straight year and then dropped its bowl game against Missouri, playing with a third-string quarterback after starter Kyle McCord transferred and backup Devin Brown was injured.
O'Brien, 54, spent seven seasons as coach of the Texans, going 52-48 from 2014-20 and working with quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Before that he coached at Penn State for two seasons, taking over for Joe Paterno and going 15-9 with a program that was dealing with severe NCAA sanctions after the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
O'Brien returned to college after being fired by the Texans, joining Nick Saban's staff at Alabama as offensive coordinator for two years. He coached Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young in 2021.
O'Brien returned to the NFL and the New England Patriots this season as offensive coordinator. His first stint working for Patriots coach Bill Belichick was from 2007-11. He was quarterbacks coach for Tom Brady from 2009-11.
At Ohio State, O'Brien should have plenty to work with.
The Buckeyes brought in Kansas State quarterback Will Howard and Mississippi running back Quinshon Judkins as transfers earlier this month and bring back wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and running back TreVeyon Henderson, who both decided to return to school instead of entering the NFL draft.
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