Boston College announced Friday it has hired Bill O’Brien as its next head coach.
O’Brien will succeed Jeff Hafley, who became the defensive coordinator with the Green Bay Packers.
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“I am thrilled to welcome Bill O’Brien, his wife Colleen, and his sons Jack and Michael to Boston College,” Boston College athletics director Blake James stated in a release. “When we embarked on this search, we prioritized finding a coach who believes in our mission and vision, who has a plan for greatness on and off the field, and who will work tirelessly to elevate BC Football. Bill is a gifted leader who has had a tremendous amount of success as a head coach and coordinator at both the collegiate and NFL levels. His passion for teaching football and developing young men make him a great fit to lead Boston College to greater heights.”
O’Brien ventures to his native Boston area after a brief stint at Ohio State. He was hired by the Buckeyes in January to be their offensive coordinator, but now he opts to take the head coaching position with the Eagles.
O’Brien will take over as a head coach for the first time since he led the Houston Texans for six years from 2014-20. It’s his third head coaching job overall, as he also guided Penn state from 2012-13.
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O’Brien’s track record is lengthy. He’s spent six years with the New England Patriots most recently as their offensive coordinator during the 2023 season.
O’Brien’s most recent college job was as offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama from 2021-22.
A coaching veteran of 32 years, O’Brien also has prior college stops at Duke from 2005-06, Maryland from 2003-04, Georgia Tech from 1995-2002 and Brown from 1993-94.
