EVANSTON, ILLINOIS – NOVEMBER 05: A detail of an Ohio State Buckeyes helmet prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Ryan Field on November 05, 2022 in Evanston, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
The Ohio State Buckeyes are bringing in a former NFL head coach to run the offense under head coach Ryan Day.

Per ESPN’s Pete Thamel, the Buckeyes are hiring former Houston Texans head coach and New England Patriots OC Bill O’Brien as their new offensive coordinator. Former NFL wide receiver Brian Hartline was previously in that position, so it remains to be seen what will happen with him.

 

The well-traveled O’Brien as the Patriots offensive coordinator for the 2011 season, having worked a variety of roles on that side of the ball under Bill Belichick since 2007.

O’Brien took over as the new head coach of the Penn State Nittany Lions in 2012 and stayed there for two years before taking the Texans’ head coaching job. He was fired early in the 2020 season and went back to the college ranks to serve as Alabama’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.

Belichick hoped that O’Brien would be able to help Mac Jones bounce back after a tough sophomore year, but the 2021 first-round pick was benched in favor of backup Bailey Zappe late in the year.

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Belichick left the Patriots after a dismal 4-13 season, and Jerod Mayo was promoted to the head coaching position. With O’Brien leaving for Ohio State, the Patriots now need to bring in a new offensive coordinator.