HOUSTON, TX - DECEMBER 30: Head coach Bill O'Brien of the Houston Texans watches warmups before the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars at NRG Stadium on December 30, 2018 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)Alabama has a new offensive coordinator, and it’s someone with significant experience at both the college and NFL levels.
On Thursday, the Alabama football program announced that Bill O’Brien is their new offensive coordinator. O’Brien replaces Steve Sarkisian, who departed earlier this month to become the new head coach at Texas.
From 2014 through the first four weeks of 2020, O’Brien was head coach of the Houston Texans. He went 52-48 with four AFC South titles and two playoff wins in his six-plus seasons. But he was fired after an 0-4 start to the 2020 season.
Prior to working at Houston, O’Brien was the head coach at Penn State from 2012 to 2013. He was universally praised for bringing the Nittany Lions program back to respectability following the fallout and sanctions resulting from the Jerry Sandusky scandal.
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Bill O’Brien has been coaching offenses for decades though. From 1993 to 2011 he coached offenses at Brown, Georgia Tech, Maryland, Duke and the New England Patriots.
Needless to say, O’Brien is highly qualified for this position.
Funnily enough, O’Brien isn’t the only former NFL head coach Nick Saban is bringing on board. He recently hired Doug Marrone as his offensive line coach.
Given how many Alabama assistants have gotten head coaching jobs and promotions into college and NFL head coaching jobs, it’s a pretty good move for both of those coaches.
