Buckeyes set to hire Bill O'Brien as new offensive coordinator

COLUMBUS — Ohio State head coach Ryan Day has been considering giving up play-calling duties for more than a year. He is officially ready to do that.

Day has hired an offensive coordinator, and it’s a familiar name from the NFL and college football. The Buckeyes hired Bill O’Brien as their offensive coordinator on Thursday, a massive move that signals change on the offensive side of the ball. Lettermen Row confirmed the hire Thursday. ESPN’s Pete Thamel was first to break the news.

“I am extremely pleased to be able to add Bill O’Brien to our coaching staff,” Day said in a release. “He brings with him a wealth of knowledge – and a tremendous amount of success – at both the NFL and collegiate levels. 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.”

O’Brien was most recently the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots last season.

Prior to his time in New England, he was the offensive coordinator at Alabama for two seasons. During those two years, O’Brien was the play-caller for Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Bryce Young. Alabama averaged more than 41 points per game and went 24-4 and reached the national title game during his tenure. It was in O’Brien’s offense that Alabama was explosive in using Biletnikoff Award-finalist wide receiver Jameson Williams.

He served as the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2014-2020 and was the head coach at Penn State from 2012 to 2013, going 15-9 in State College and 54-52 with the Texans. Before the Penn State stint, O’Brien was a Patriots assistant for five seasons, working with wide receivers and quarterbacks during his first stint in New England. He worked directly with Tom Brady and the Patriots offense during their record-breaking 2007 season.

Now he’s taking all of that experience, which also includes stops at Duke, Maryland, Georgia Tech and Brown, and bringing it into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center to work with the Ohio State offense.

Day’s flirtation with giving up play-calling responsibilities began after the College Football Playoff loss to Georgia to end the 2022 season. He toyed with it last offseason before keeping those duties for himself. But the offense took a step back over the course of last season due to offensive line issues and breaking in a new quarterback, causing Day to take another look at how his staff is constructed.

“Everything is going to get looked at,” Day said after the Cotton Bowl loss to Missouri last month. “If it’s what helps Ohio State go reach our goals and win these games, then we’ll make those changes. So, got to really evaluate it the right way and make sure I’m doing it the right way and do what’s appropriate and best for the program.”

Ohio State has already done plenty to revamp its offense, bringing in new quarterback Will Howard, who won a Big 12 title at Kansas State. The Buckeyes added former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins, who was a two-time All-SEC selection, to pair with returning star back TreVeyon Henderson. Day and his staff landed a commitment from former Alabama starting center Seth McLaughlin, as well. They also had key players announce their intentions to stay for their senior years, including wide receiver Emeka Egbuka and guard Donovan Jackson.

The Buckeyes are all-in on a run to a national title this fall.

Bill O’Brien is another piece of that. He has been hired as the next offensive coordinator at Ohio State. And he’ll be the first person not named Ryan Day to call plays for the Buckeyes since the 2016 season.

Day is trusting O’Brien with the Ohio State offense.