Bill O'Brien will be new offensive coordinator at Ohio State

KSR’s Matt Jones reported earlier this week that Kentucky offensive coordinator Liam Coen leaving Lexington for Ohio State was not likely to happen. That was a confirmed on Thursday night when the college football world was hit with a curve ball.

ESPN’s Pete Thamel is reporting that New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien will be returning to college football in 2024. Ryan Day is handing the call sheet over to the former Houston Texans head coach.

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

O’Brien, 54, went one-and-done in the NFL after the Patriots and Bill Belichick finally ended their relationship this month. Jerod Mayo is the new head coach for the AFC East franchise, and O’Brien will not be on his first full staff. Instead, O’Brien has decided to take an offensive coordinator job offer at another blue blood program after a two-year stint with Nick Saban at Alabama from 2021-22.

Bill O’Brien guided two top-10 offenses at Alabama, and was the play-caller and quarterbacks coach when Bryce Young won the Heisman Trophy in 2021. However, those units in Tuscaloosa left some wanting more. Day is looking to become somewhat hands off with the offense in Columbus, and this hire will allow him to do that. O’Brien will inherit a stacked roster with Kansas State transfer Will Howard set to take over at quarterback for the Buckeyes in a new-look Big Ten.

Kentucky will still play the waiting game in regards to Liam Coen‘s future. The Chicago Bears are still searching for a new offensive coordinator and Kliff Kingsbury emerged on Thursday as another target that is getting some interest in this job search.

In his second tour of duty at Kentucky, Liam Coen’s offense finished the 2023 season ranked No. 23 in red zone touchdown percentage, No. 40 in yards per play, and No. 51 in points per drive. All improvements from 2022. Efficiency was a significant issue for the offense, but Kentucky had knockout power in the explosive play department.

Stay locked in with KSR as we closely follow this latest coaching carousel development.