Bill O'Brien is Focused, Ready for Second Season at Alabama

Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien is focused on continuing his journey at the Capstone entering his second season as part of Nick Saban's staff.

O'Brien, the former head coach of the NFL's Houston Texans, spoke Sunday about his continuing return to the college level despite overtures from pro teams in the 2022 offseason. Most notably, he became a candidate for the Jacksonville Jaguars head coaching position, vacated (but since filled) after the dismissal of Urban Meyer. He reaffirmed his commitment to Alabama.

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His opening statement illustrated this sentiment. "Very excited to be here, going into my second season," he said. "This has proven to be a very special place to coach... Everything is top-notch."

"I made a commitment to Coach Saban. [Head coaching] things come up relative to what your role is in different programs, where you've been... I love coaching here... It's been a really good experience."

O'Brien joined the Alabama staff in 2021 after being fired by the Texans in 2020. His NFL career featured four division titles and plenty of playoff action, but an 0-4 start during his final season spelled the end. Previously, he coached Penn State during a tumultuous time for the program, from 2012-13.

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He added that when he was made aware of the opportunity with the Crimson Tide, he felt he couldn't pass it up, calling Saban "arguably one of the greatest coaches [of all time] of any sport."

"[This experience is] something that I'll hold dear to me for the rest of my career."

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