Although he hasn’t been a head coach in college football for the past 10 years, Bill O’Brien isn’t shying away from the changes that have impacted the sport during his layoff.
O’Brien, who took over as Boston College’s coach in February, has fully embraced the evolution of the transfer portal, the world of name, image and likeness (NIL) and a new roster limit that allows 105 players to be on scholarships.
“Coaching is also all about being able to adapt,” O’Brien said Wednesday at Atlantic Coast Conference media days in Charlotte, N.C. “In the guys I’ve worked for, Nick Saban would say it all the time, Bill Belichick, you’ve got to adapt. If you don’t adapt, the game is going to pass you by.
“We’re doing a good job of that at BC. We’re adapting to the changing times. We have a lot of great people in the administration helping with that. Obviously, Blake James, our athletic director. We’re very adaptable and I think we’re on the right track.”
A Boston native, O’Brien was Penn State’s coach for two seasons (2012-13) before taking the reins of the Houston Texans from 2014-20. He then served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama in 2021 and 2022, holding the same two roles with the New England Patriots last season.
“I try to impart some of my experiences, my wisdom, I’ve been doing this for 32 years, on these guys,” O’Brien said. “Hopefully, that’s a role I can play on this team that can help this team get better every day because I’ve had a lot of great experiences, I’ve learned a lot.”
The Eagles are coming off a 7-6 campaign under Jeff Hafley, who is now the defensive coordinator for the Green Bay Packers. Boston College capped its 2023 season by topping SMU 23-14 in the Fenway Bowl, the program’s first bowl victory since 2016.
O’Brien hasn’t been surprised with the level of talent in the Eagles’ locker room, and he believes the team is in good position to record back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2017-18.
“These guys, like I said earlier, they show up on time, they buy into what we’re trying to get done relative to offense, defense and special teams,” O’Brien said. “I really like the staff. I’ve enjoyed working with the people at Boston College. … There’s nothing that really surprised me. It’s been a job that I love to come to work to every single day.”
–Eagles quarterback Thomas Castellanos is a firm believer that he will contend for the Heisman Trophy. Last season was his first at Boston College after one year at UCF, and he threw for 2,248 yards, rushed for 1,113 and totaled 28 touchdowns (15 passing, 13 rushing).
No other player in Eagles history has thrown for 2,000 yards and rushed for 1,000, and only five (including Castellanos) have accomplished the feat in the ACC since 1996.
“Last year kind of was thrown in the fire as a young guy. It was kind of a blur. I was out there just playing ball,” Castellanos said. ” … This year, I’ll be more mature, the game will be more slower. I think I’ll do more things.”
–Castellanos is hoping that O’Brien can help him limit his turnovers, though. The rising junior had 14 interceptions in 2023.
“What we’ve been doing this offseason, it’s been really great,” Castellanos said. “It will be great, but you definitely will see a change of protecting the ball, throwing the ball away, sliding, getting out of bounds, stuff of that nature.”
–Drew Kendall, a native of Norwell, Mass., will be anchoring Boston College’s offensive line while also trying to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Pete Kendall, a former Eagle himself, went on to have a 13-year NFL career after being selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the first round (21st overall) of the 1996 draft. He played in 189 games throughout his career, making 188 starts.
“I was really excited about BC football growing up. I grew up going to games,” said Drew Kendall, a redshirt junior. “It was really special when I first got that offer, visualizing wearing that 66 at Boston College with ‘Kendall’ on the back. It’s really special. I enjoy it every day. It’s special for me and my dad.”
–Boston College senior defensive end Donovan Ezeiruaku believes the Eagles have the potential to reach new heights under O’Brien, who has already changed the culture within the program during his first five months in Chestnut Hill, Mass.
“I would say it added a new spark to this team, a new hunger. Like I said, guys decided to stay instead of leaving,” Ezeiruaku said. “That just goes to show that guys are believing in what we have here, wanting to buy into what coach Bill O’Brien has brought to the team, has brought to the new program, the new mentality, the new culture.”
–Field Level Media
