Bill O’Brien is reportedly one of two finalists for Boston College’s head coaching job.
The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman reported Wednesday that Boston College is down to two candidates in its search for a new head coach and that O’Brien is one of them.
Hearing Boston College is now down to two candidates in its head coaching search. Ohio State OC Bill O'Brien is one of them: https://t.co/IFsMNlqfq1https://t.co/IFsMNlqfq1
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) February 7, 2024
Multiple reports on Thursday identified the other finalist as Notre Dame defensive line coach Al Washington, a Boston College alumnus who was Ohio State’s linebackers coach from 2019-21.
Sources: Ohio State's Bill O'Brien, Notre Dame's Al Washington at center of Boston College search https://t.co/zMbwIEumuO via @JohnDBrice1
— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) February 8, 2024
ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that in-person interviews with Boston College’s finalists will take place between Thursday and Friday and that BC is expected to decide on a coach by the weekend.
Boston Colleges search remains on the timeline indicated here. Another round of in-person interviews is expected in next 48 hours, with multiple candidates set to meet with school officials. https://t.co/jK3WIbUCLi
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) February 7, 2024
O’Brien, who Ohio State hired as its new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach on Jan. 19, was at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center working with the rest of Ohio State’s coaching staff Wednesday. Ryan Day expressed optimism in his Wednesday press conference that O’Brien would remain at Ohio State. However, he said he had “no real updates” on the possibility that O’Brien, a Boston native, could leave for the Boston College job.
If O’Brien leaves for Boston College, Day intends to hire another offensive coordinator to call Ohio State’s offensive plays for the 2024 season, as Day said Wednesday that he has decided it is time for him to give up offensive play-calling duties.
“It isn't just one of those situations where you just take out one guy and put another guy in there and it's like, ‘OK, move on.’ It doesn't work that way,” Day said. “But yes, we did talk to different people for that position, and we'll have contingency plans in place. Hopefully, we don't have to go down that road. But if we do, then we’ll adapt.”
