Meet the staff: What Alabama's getting in Bill O'Brien
The coaching carousel appears to have finally stopped turning in Tuscaloosa, Ala. Nick Saban has once again maneuvered another coaching overhaul as Alabama replaced half of its on-field coaching staff this offseason.
The Crimson Tide added five new assistants over the past two months as the hirings of Bill O’Brien (offensive coordinator), Doug Marrone (offensive line), Robert Gillespie (running backs) and Jay Graham (special teams/tight ends) have been announced while Jay Valai is set to become the next cornerbacks coach.
This week we will begin our five-part series examining each of the new assistants while breaking down what they bring to the program and what they will have to work with this season. Today we begin with Bill O’Brien.
Bill O'Brien, offensive coordinator/quarterbacks
Who he's replacing: Steve Sarkisian (left to become head coach at Texas)
Previous job: Houston Texans head coach (2014-2020)
What he brings: Bill O’Brien joins Doug Marrone as one of two former NFL head coaches brought in by Alabama this offseason. Although, despite spending the last seven seasons in the league, he is still experienced at the college level.
Before joining the Texans for the 2014 season, O’Brien served as the head coach at Penn State from 2012-13 where he took over the program in the immediate aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Despite heavy NCAA sanctions and a postseason ban, O’Brien led the Nittany Lions to a 15-9 mark over his two seasons, earning the Bear Bryant Award as national coach of the year in 2012 when his team posted an 8-4 record.
O’Brien, who will also be coaching quarterbacks at Alabama, has managed a couple of great passers as well. He served as the New England Patriots’ quarterbacks coach for two seasons where he helped Tom Brady earn NFL Comeback Player of the Year in 2009 before coaching the quarterback to his second MVP season the following year. In 2011 O’Brien was promoted to offensive coordinator. That year, Brady threw for a career-best 5,325 yards.
