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| O'Brien is reportedly the new head coach of Penn State football. |
It is being said that O'Brien has been officially hired as the next and first head coach of the Penn State football program in nearly a half-century, leaving interim head coach Tom Bradley's future with the university uncertain. A proper introduction for O'Brien's arrival to State College is set to come on Saturday.
O'Brien, 42, has never been a head coach, but is no stranger to college football.
Prior to being hired by Bill Belichick in 2007, O'Brien had only coached at the colligate level, making stops at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke before jumping at the opportunity to join a NFL coaching staff.
Hired as an offensive assistant in '07, O'Brien was apart of a Patriot team that won their first 18 games of the season before eventually being upset by the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLII. The following year, O'Brien was promoted to wide receivers coach and helped wideouts Wes Welker, who was second in the NFL in receptions in 2008, and Randy Moss flourish without the services of quarterback Tom Brady, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 1.
Following the departure of Josh McDaniels to Denver in 2009, O'Brien got his second promotion in as many years with New England, becoming the quarterbacks coach and offensive play-caller the next two seasons.
Prior to his season, O'Brien was promoted to the team's offensive coordinator. Under his watch the offense shined, leading the AFC in scoring, averaging 32.1 point per game, and scoring a total of 513 points. Brady passed for 5,235 yards, the second most in history, while Rob Gronkowski set the single-season records for receiving touchdowns (17) and yards (1,327) for a tight end.
Many know O'Brien for his sideline scuffle with Brady in New England's 34-27 victory over the Washington Redskins on Dec. 11. The incident occurred after the 2-time Super Bowl MVP threw an interception in the end zone when O'Brien didn't think the receiver was open.
While the event was highly publicized by the media, it showed O'Brien can hold his own with anybody, making him the right man for the job.
O'Brien is now one of the many Belichick-hired coordinators choosing to venture out on their own. Hopefully he is more successful.
Charlie Weis and Romeo Crennel were both coordinators on Belichick's staff for all three of New England's Super Bowl victories at the turn of the century, but both also chose to leave after the 2004 season for head coach vacancies.
Weis signed on to become the head coach at Notre Dame, where he accumulated a 35-27 record in five seasons at South Bend, but was fired in Nov. of '09 after the Fightin' Irish finished 16-21 in his last three years at the helm. Weis headed back to the NFL and was hired as the Chief's offensive coordinator for the 2010-11 season. That didn't last long, as Weis made the transition back to the NCAA, being named the offensive coordinator for Florida.
Most recently Weis was named the head football coach of University of Kansas.
As for Crennel, he stayed in the NFL following his '04 departure from New England, taking over as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. In four seasons, Crennel saw his team go 24-40, never making the postseason.
After not coaching in '09, Crennel was hired by the Chiefs on Jan. 13, 2010, where for the time being he was reunited with Weis. This season, Kansas City head coach Todd Haley was fired with three games left in the regular season and Crennel was named the interim head coach. The team went 2-1 under Crennel, including ending the defending Super Bowl champion Green Bay Packers' 19-game winning streak and aspirations of a perfect season. Many believe Crennel is the front-runner to land the job for next season.
Eric Mangini, who is currently an NFL analyst for ESPN, had been Crennel's replacement in New England, but after just one season as defensive coordinator, he left. In 2006, Mangini was hired by the division rival New York Jets as the sixteenth head coach in franchise history.
Mangini helped lead the Jets to a playoff berth in his first season, but would not make the postseason each of his next two seasons, ulimatley leading to his termination one day after the '08 season concluded. He would then be Crennel's successor once again, being hired by the Cleveland Browns in '09 only to have see the Browns finish 5-11 back-to-back years and was fired prior to the 2011-012 season.
His head coaching resume stands with a 33-47 record over five years in the NFL.
Most recently, McDaniels bolted to be the head coach of the Denver Broncos, where he failed miserable. Not even getting through two full season in Mile High, McDaniels was fired after posting a 11-17 record in his first 28 games.
Not to mention the fact he traded away running back Peyton Hillis prior to his first 1,000-yard rushing season and talented receiver Brandon Marshall. McDaniels is currently the offensive coordinator in St. Louis, but with now a door opening in New England, maybe he'll come knocking.
Belichick's coordinators have gone 103-131 without him, causing many to realize, some coordinators are just that.
Hand picked by Penn State's interim athletic director Dave Joyner, O'Brien may not be many people's first, but he is a Brown graduate. The same alma mater of none other than Paterno himself, causing many to ask, what can Brown do for you?
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