Published: January 31, 2008 01:43 am         

O'Brien making major contributions to Patriots coaching staff

Belichick a big fan of O'Brien

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — You know the old saying "died and gone to heaven"?

Well, we have a candidate for the old adage right here this week, in cactus country - Andover, Mass., native Bill O'Brien.

The 38-year-old O'Brien decided to leave Duke University in North Carolina, which finished this past campaign among the worst 10 college football programs in America at 1-11, hence the "death" part. And 11 months later, he wonders what he did to deserve this heavenly gig.

"Sometimes I have to pinch myself," O'Brien said Wednesday from the New England Patriots' team hotel, Westin Kierland Resort in Scottsdale. "It's the best experience I've ever had in football."

For most of his adult life, O'Brien's world has revolved around college football. A three-year starter at Brown University, he spent two more years after graduation at his alma mater as an assistant. That was followed by seven years at Georgia Tech, two years at Maryland and, most recently, three years at Duke.

For a matter of hours between the Georgia Tech and Maryland stops, he was the offensive coordinator for Notre Dame, a dream job if there ever was one. But that position was stripped from him almost as soon as he accepted it because of the resignation of new Irish head coach George O'Leary, the former Georgia Tech head coach who was exposed in a resume scandal.

As great as coaching in South Bend, Ind., would have been, O'Brien says it pales in comparison with his current job - offensive assistant coach with the New England Patriots.

"At Georgia Tech, I made a contact with Bill (Belichick) through a mutual friend," said O'Brien. "I would talk to him every so often and I'd throw some things off him, like plays and formations.

"Bill called (last February) and said he had a position and told me what he expected. And here I am."



O'Brien's position is called "offensive assistant."

A better name for the job might be guy who breaks down film for hours on end every day and never complains.

"It's not a glamorous position," said Belichick of O'Brien's job. "Bill breaks down a lot of film. It's a lot of work. He works hard. He's fit in here real well. ... He makes my job easier."

O'Brien shows up at offensive meetings, but other than his work with the offensive scout team every week, he doesn't coach "positions."

"I am more like an auditor," he said. "I take a lot of notes."

His immediate boss is offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. While McDaniels is only in his second season as offensive coordinator at the tender age of 31, you'd never know it from listening to O'Brien.

"Josh, without a doubt, is the smartest person I've ever worked with," said O'Brien. "He originally trained on defense with Bill. He has a detailed knowledge of the defensive side of the ball. He's taught me more about football than anybody.

"Josh is a smart guy outside of football. He was a math major in college. He's well read. He's family oriented. I can't say enough good things about him."

O'Brien knows all about being the young hotshot coach. As a 31-year-old at Georgia Tech, he was one of the youngest offensive coordinators in the country.

O'Brien said one of the lessons he has learned, primarily from the head coach, is the Patriots' approach is unlike any he has ever experienced.

"Everyone pitches in. Everything we do has value," he said. "Compared to a lot of teams, we don't have a lot of staff here. Some teams have 25 guys. We have almost half that. Bill gives everyone a lot of responsibility."



O'Brien and his wife, Colleen, a lawyer, live in Medfield, which he compares favorably to his old stomping grounds in Andover, Mass. The couple have two boys, Jack, 5, and Mike, 2.

Jack has been diagnosed with "global delays," a condition that includes delays in cognitive skills as well as delays in other areas of development - gross motor, fine motor, language. Jack needs constant supervision.

"My wife is the best. I could not survive without her," said O'Brien. "This job takes up a lot of time, especially during the season. But in the off-season Bill is very fair with your time."

The O'Briens have since left Andover. His parents, John and Anne, have moved to Cape Cod while his brother John, a former state senator, works for an energy company in New Jersey and his kid brother, Tom, is a lawyer living in Lexington.

O'Brien's current connections to Andover consist of his boyhood pals, including new Merrimack College football coach John Perry.

"I've known Johnny since I was 8. He used to come visit me when I was at Georgia Tech," said O'Brien. "He's always been a hard worker. He's going to be a great head coach."

The same could be said for O'Brien, whose day in the sun, with his own team, seems to be a lot closer than it did 11 months ago.

"I've learned more in one year here about football than I have in my entire career," he said. "And right now I'm a few days from the Super Bowl. Sometimes I have to pinch myself."

Sounds like heaven to me.



Bill Burt writes for The Eagle-Tribune of North Andover, Mass. E-mail him at bburt@eagletribune. Also check out his Super Bowl blog, "Burt Talks Sports," at www.eagletribune.com.