Ohio State Set to Hire Bill O’Brien As Offensive Coordinator, per Report

The former Texans head coach worked with the Patriots as the offensive coordinator in the 2023 season.

Former Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien is headed back to college football as he is set to take a position as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported on Thursday night.

O’Brien is coming off one season working as the New England Patriots’ offensive coordinator under coach Bill Belichick. Fans wondered if O’Brien would follow Belichick wherever he ends up next after he parted ways with the Patriots. 

Before that, O’Brien was Alabama’s OC for two seasons. He’s held various coaching roles in the NFL and college football since 1993.

He will join Ryan Day’s staff in Columbus, Ohio for the 2024 season. Day called offensive plays for the Buckeyes this last season.

Sources: Ohio State is set to hire longtime NFL head coach Bill O’Brien as the school’s new offensive coordinator. O’Brien served last season as the Patriots’ offensive coordinator in 2023 and has been the head coach at the Texans and in the Big Ten at Penn State. pic.twitter.com/19e2iXv6oe

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) January 19, 2024

The Buckeyes finished the 2024 season with a loss to Missouri at the Cotton Bowl. Ohio State went 11–2 in the season.

O’Brien will help Day throughout the quarterback competition this offseason since starter Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse. Devin Brown is assumed to be the frontrunner for the starting role, but the Buckeyes will have five-star recruit Air Noland joining the team next season.