the former Houston Texans and Penn State coach will be Ohio State's offensive coordinator. As offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots in 2023, O'Brien was available when Bill Belichick left and Jerod Mayo became head coach.
O'Brien was Alabama's offensive coordinator in 2021 and 2022 before returning to New England. As O'Brien coordinated, Bryce Young won the 2021 Heisman Trophy and Alabama scored 40 points each game in both seasons.
O'Brien's arrival signals an offensive transition at Ohio State, which enters the 2024 season on a three-game losing skid against defending national champion Michigan. Though Marvin Harrison Jr. left for the NFL, Ohio State returned several top 2024 NFL Draft picks and gained offensive skill through the transfer portal. In January, former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard committed to Ohio State after 2023 starter Kyle McCord moved to Syracuse in December and Devin Brown was hurt in the Cotton Bowl.
Ohio State added former Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins via the transfer portal. If TreVeyon Henderson returns in 2024, Ohio State may have the finest running back tandem in the nation.
Since succeeding Urban Meyer as Ohio State head coach in 2019, Ryan Day has called the plays. After Kevin Wilson left for Tulsa, former Ohio State wide receiver Brian Hartline became offensive coordinator after a 2022 College Football Playoff defeat to Georgia. Weeks before the 2023 season, Day indicated he'd still be "involved" in play-calling and that Hartline would get a chance "as time goes on."
Hartline remains Ohio State's offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach as of Thursday night. O'Brien can prove the 2023 New England offensive debacle was an outlier by returning to collegiate football. As Bailey Zappe replaced Mac Jones as starting quarterback, the Patriots averaged 4.6 yards per play and scored less than 14 points per game, tying with Young's Carolina Panthers for worst in the NFL.
O'Brien joined Alabama after the Houston Texans fired him after an 0-4 2020 start. O'Brien led the Texans to four AFC South titles in six seasons and has a 52-48 career record. Once O'Brien became general manager in January 2020 and dealt away top wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, things went south quickly.
Before joining Houston, O'Brien coached Penn State in 2012 and 2013. After four seasons as an assistant in New England, he joined Penn State and went 15-9.