Alabama is finalizing a deal with former Texas Texans coach Bill O’Brien to be the next offensive coordinator for the Crimson Tide, sources told ESPN.
O’Brien was at the Alabama football complex Wednesday. Last week he also spent time around the team before the National College Football Playoff Championship game.
Saban was asked about O’Brien on Wednesday during a Zoom press conference that led to the announcement of Bear Bryant coach of the year award, which Saban won Wednesday night.
Saban praised O’Brien’s work and called him an excellent coach, and while Saban did not officially announce O’Brien as Alabama’s new offensive coordinator, he said O’Brien “would make a great work with our players here “.
Saban added: “I’ve always tried to have the best knowledge and experience I can for our players and their development, and I’m sure I think [O’Brien] it can contribute in a very positive way. “
O’Brien, who also served as the Texans’ general manager last year, was fired from four games in the 2020 season. That was after leading the Texans to playoff appearances in four of their first six seasons in Houston.
O’Brien, 51, replaces Steve Sarkisian, who left Alabama to take over as Texas head coach.
While his most recent coaching experience was in the NFL, O’Brien also has a long history of coaching in college. He was Penn State’s head coach in 2012-13, helping rebuild the program after the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the NCAA sanctions that followed. O’Brien was Duke’s offensive coordinator in 2005-06 and Georgia Tech’s offensive coordinator in 2001-02.
Similar to Saban, O’Brien also has strong ties to Bill Belichick and coached under Belichick under the direction of the New England Patriots for five seasons from 2007 to 11, the last season as the Patriots ’offensive coordinator.
O’Brien will be Saban’s seventh offensive coordinator, going back to Jim McElwain, who left after the 2011 season to take the position as head coach of the state of Colorado.
Saban also has an offensive line position to occupy his staff, as Kyle Flood goes with Sarkisian to Texas to be the offensive coordinator / coach of the Longhorns offensive line, sources confirmed to ESPN.