Breaking down why Ryan Day brought in Bill O'Brien

Bill O’Brien has been brought on as Ohio State‘s new offensive coordinator, and many are questioning how head coach Ryan Day will adapt to a lesser role in the Buckeyes’ offensive efforts.

After spending five seasons serving as both Ohio State’s head coach and offensive coordinator, Day has opted to give up play-calling duties to O’Brien season. Former Buckeyes star Bobby Carpenter joined On3’s Andy Staples on Monday and broke down how Day and O’Brien will mesh in their first season together.

“He’s probably going to be doing the majority of the play calling,” Carpenter told Staples. “If you look now in college football, as the head coach, it’s tough to call plays whether it’s offensively or defensively because you have so much else on your plate with recruiting and NIL and making sure everything is humming at a high level. I think Ryan [Day], he can still be involved with the development of quarterbacks, but he can [the play-calling] over to Bill O’Brien.

“Plus, one of the other things Bill provides was that he was a head coach at Penn State. He was a head coach with the Texans. He’s been an assistant under Nick Saban and Bill Belichick at some of the best programs with respect to their level that you’re going to find.”

With that type of experience, it’s no wonder Ohio State jumped at the chance to hire him off the back of Nick Saban’s retirement. In the hopes of putting together the best staff, according to Carpenter, that gives the Buckeyes a chance to succeed in the new expanded Big Ten Conference, and in turn the 12-team College Football Playoff.

Not only that, but O’Brien has been there and done that in football at all levels.

In 2021, O’Brien boosted the Alabama Crimson Tide offense into the College Football Playoff National Championship. He also mentored Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young and Biletnikoff Award-winning wide receiver Jameson Williams.

Adding a mind like O’Brien’s — coupled with his recent success at Alabama in the same position — was more than enough for Day to make up his mind and hand over his play-calling duties.

“With the departure of Kevin Wilson a couple of years ago, I think, Ryan — who is just a couple years older than me — you lose that veteran sounding board and someone that can push back,” Carpenter continued. “… Bill O’Brien brings, not only the game-calling aspect and the game management to the offensive side, but also that veteran presence of being there and understanding what it’s like to be the head coach and probably having the confidence to have some hard conversations and dialogue, which is what you want with your staff.

“You see Nick Saban, his coach is getting in fights all the time because you have guys who are independent thinkers. You want them to push on you and that’s the way things are gonna get done. So, I think Bill O’Brien really checked a lot of boxes for Ryan Day.”