2023-24 BC Interruption Awards: Off Field Moment of the Year – Bill O’Brien HIRED

It’s now time to take a turn to our favorite off the field moments of the year. Yes, there were many moments to revel in, but Boston College Blake James’s hiring of Bill O’Brien stands head and shoulders above.

Chills.

On February 9th, Boston College hired its 37th head football coach, Bill O’Brien. Who can forget the whirlwind leading up to this moment. Less than 10 days earlier, Jeff Hafley took the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator job out of completely nowhere. The Eagles were coming off another mediocre season, and even though the team ended on high note victory at the Fenway Bowl, it really felt like the program was stuck in an endless loop, violins playing on a sinking conference.

All of a sudden, now Hafley was gone, and the narrative being pedaled was that no one wanted to coach college anymore. The narratives, the fake news, the process. The ensuing week had everyone on high alert. O’Brien’s name was floated, but it still felt like a longshot. Why would he take a job not so highly sought after?

And then it happened.

A top-notch coach, who’s succeeded with so many programs had decided to take his talents to Chestnut Hill. Instantly, new life seeped through the program. Alumni came out of the woodwork, legends stopped by to pay their respects, and Eagles everywhere were once again proud to hype up BC Football. In his few months on the job, you can feel the impact he’s made. So many well respected folks have sung his praises. He’s said all the right things, with the track record to prove it, and has made the rounds to keep everyone involved.

The stars aligned so perfectly to make this happen. While we don’t know how this all will play out, there’s a comfort in knowing Bill O’Brien is leading the charge. This might be the moment it all changed.

Also nominated for this award is another Eagles coach, Greg Brown, who was named college hockey’s coach of the year. Brown is the third Eagle coach to win the award while leading BC, and the first since 1985. In only his second year in charge, he led the team to a Hockey East title, #1 seed, and the national championship game.