Jeff Hafley’s surprising decision to leave Boston College and become the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator has resulted in a later-than-usual seat change in this year’s college football coaching carousel.
The unique nature of the Eagles’ ongoing search was made evident on Monday with the Boston Herald‘s Rich Thompson reporting that Boston College has zeroed in on Bill O’Brien as Hafley’s replacement, despite the former Houston Texans head coach being just weeks removed from becoming the Ohio State Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator.
While a coach leaving a job shortly after accepting it is uncommon, it’s hardly unprecedented. And considering O’Brien’s ties to Boston, such a move would certainly make sense, especially considering that he would be leaving the Ohio State offensive coordinator role to once again become a head coach.
But despite a lot adding up about O’Brien’s potential return to Boston for what would undeniably be a job promotion, CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd offered an alternative motive for such a move. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the longtime college football reporter theorized that O’Brien would want to leave the Ohio State job for better job security, as another loss to rival Michigan could result in the end of head coach Ryan Day’s reign in Columbus.
“If Bill O’Brien gets @BCFootball, the situation can be tied directly to the Michigan rivalry,” Dodd wrote. “If @OhioStateFB doesn’t beat @UMichFootball, Obie has to consider he’d get blown out with the rest of the staff. (For him, after less than a year). Better security at BC.”
If Bill O'Brien gets @BCFootball, the situation can be tied directly to the Michigan rivalry. If @OhioStateFB doesn't beat @UMichFootball, Obie has to consider he'd get blown out with the rest of the staff. (For him, after less than a year). Better security at BC.
— Dennis Dodd (@dennisdoddcbs) February 5, 2024
That’s right. According to Dodd, O’Brien wouldn’t be taking the Boston College job because he’d be becoming a head coach again or because he’s a Boston native who has spent several seasons — including this past one — as an assistant coach with the New England Patriots. Rather, the most logical explanation for O’Brien taking the Eagles job is that it would allow him to avoid the potential fallout of Ohio State losing to Michigan, something he must not have considered when he took the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator role mere weeks ago.
It would be one thing if Dodd was providing actual insight into O’Brien’s decision via reporting, but this seems to be more a matter of him offering an opinion based on Day’s alleged lack of job security. Even from that perspective, one could argue that the job security of an Ohio State assistant coach is much higher than that of a Boston College head coach, but that’s beside the point.
As one might imagine, many college football fans — especially in Columbus — were quick to weigh in on the flawed nature of Dodd’s take.
This is embarrassing Dennis. Goodness man. Study BoB for 30 seconds to find out his rationale for taking the BC job.
— Robbie Hendricks (@roberthendricks) February 5, 2024
This is such an insightful take. Forget all of the stuff about being paid more to coach in your home town, not uprooting your family, having your special needs son stay with doctors he knows, and being within 30 minutes of your oldest son who's playing college baseball. https://t.co/yYS6uvMXjI
— Land-Grant Holy Land (@Landgrant33) February 5, 2024
https://twitter.com/johnny11w/status/1754567705884041368
Maybe the worst take I've seen in sports. if BOB goes, it has zero to do with a fear of losing to Michigan and job security https://t.co/yNEMKgy5Ts
— Alex Gleitman (@alexgleitman) February 5, 2024
This guy is a “national college football writer for CBS Sports”.
He suggests that Bill O’Brien is making a coaching decision based on a game (that hasn’t happened) instead of on the health and well being of his son and family.
This is so very very bad.
Do better @CBSSports. https://t.co/Bx2cGdxPCd
— Adam Stewart (@stew_adam) February 5, 2024
Everyone knows that this is about familial ties back in Mass. Wild take. https://t.co/8Tunze6saL
— Sam Blazer (@Sam_Blazer) February 5, 2024
Or hear me out
He wants to be a head coach in his hometown https://t.co/OpnfoNshHU
— Chi Chi (@ChiChiOwnsYou) February 5, 2024
To be fair to Dodd, being a national college football writer requires keeping up with dozens of programs and even more players and coaches and it can be difficult to keep track of them all. But as many fans pointed out, it only takes an elementary knowledge of O’Brien’s background to understand why he would be willing to leave the Buckeyes for a more prominent position in his hometown.
