College football players participating in the 2023 East West Shrine Bowl are getting a sneak peek at the New England Patriots’ new-look coaching staff with Bill O’Brien taking over as the team’s new offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
And the reviews so far have been pretty spectacular.
That’s great news for Patriots fans that suffered the headache-induced mess of an offense the team put on the field for much of the 2022 season. Matt Patricia, a former defensive coordinator, was given the reins of the offensive play-calling and steered the unit off a cliff.
But reportedly, things are already looking infinitely better with O’Brien on the field. UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson claimed the Shrine Bowl practices with O’Brien and Bill Belichick have been “intense but helpful.”
There was also this comment from Pro Football Network’s Matt Cannata that added even more context to how things are going with O’Brien in the mix.
I was at #Patriots training camp for two full days this summer.
I’ve heard and seen more instruction from Bill O’Brien in 15 minutes here at the Shrine Bowl than I did from Patricia/Judge in those two days.
— Matt Cannata (@CannataPFN) January 28, 2023
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There’s no question that the Patriots offense should run smoother under a more experienced offensive play-caller like O’Brien.
The hope is that an improved offense combined with an already talented defense will be the upgrade the Patriots need to compete in the scary AFC East division and get back to the postseason.