Over the last few weeks, BC football’s coaching staff has undergone significant changes. The Eagles have a new head coach in Bill O’Brien after Jeff Hafley joined the Green Bay Packers as the defensive coordinator.
While BC will be turning the page on the Hafley era after four years, it was an overall successful run. Now, there will be high expectations for O’Brien to take the program to the next level.
Most recently, O’Brien was hired last month to be offensive coordinator at Ohio State. Prior to that, he was the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots.
With Hafley calling the shots, BC posted a 22-26 record, including a 7-6 mark this season. Under the former Rutgers assistant coach, the Eagles recorded a bowl win this year with a win over SMU in the Fenway Bowl. O’Brien will now be tasked with building on Hafley’s success.
It’s a Great Day to be an Eagle!
Former National Coach of the Year and Massachusetts native, Bill O’Brien, has been named the 37th Head Coach in Boston College Football history. Welcome to the Heights!
Tickets: https://t.co/eJXx4ji0Ib
More Info : https://t.co/yLaqakEYq3 pic.twitter.com/yWUDBac12p— Boston College Eagles (@BCEagles) February 9, 2024
In O’Brien, BC has brought in a coach with plenty of experience. During his career, he has spent some time in the NFL as the Patriots offensive coordinator. He was also the head coach of the Houston Texans from 2014-2020. After an 0-3 start in 2020, O’Brien was let go. The Texans posted a 52-48 record during his tenure and won two playoff games.
However, O’Brien is no stranger to college football and the Big Ten. He was the head coach at Penn State from 2012-2013. During his first season in Happy Valley, O’Brien was named Big Ten Coach of the Year after leading the Nittany Lions to eight wins. That was the most wins by a first-year head coach in school history. He finished with a 15-9 record before returning to the NFL.
Although O’Brien has a busy few months ahead, he brings valuable experience to Chestnut Hill.