Officially, Bill O’Brien’s titles are offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Unofficially, he additionally needs to be a healer, a rebuilder, a trainer, to not point out the brains behind the Patriots offense.
Talking with a number of former Patriots who performed below O’Brien throughout his first-go spherical from 2007-11, the most important takeaway was: “He’s got this.”
“They couldn’t have picked a better guy,” mentioned former Patriots offensive lineman Sebastian Vollmer, who performed for O’Brien. “They know what they have in him. He grew up in that system. He knows what he’s getting into. He’s been to Super Bowls, all those things. He’s confident in what he does. He’s worked with Tom (Brady) and other young quarterbacks, and that can only help Mac (Jones).”
Mostly, O’Brien brings credibility to the job after the experiment with Matt Patricia and Joe Judge, two coaches who had little to no expertise working an offense, a lot much less teaching quarterbacks, proved disastrous. Speaking with Vollmer, and several other different former Patriots, it was attention-grabbing how most of the similar phrases and themes saved popping up.
The first? O’Brien elicits robust bonds along with his gamers.
“I love Billy.”
Those phrases have been actually the primary ones uttered nearly verbatim by Vollmer, Logan Mankins and Dan Koppen when requested individually about O’Brien, and what he brings to the desk.
Of course, it’s not important for gamers to “love” their coach to carry out, nevertheless it actually doesn’t harm. When it involves the Patriots, O’Brien was clearly a favourite of the gamers, even with one notorious sideline dust-up with Brady on the resume together with a number of different sideline meltdowns with the collective group.
“I haven’t seen him in 11 years, but I still talk to him,” mentioned Koppen. “It’s that kind of connection and bond that’s formed. He’s a friend for life. It doesn’t matter where he is, or what he’s doing, he’s just a good guy.”
Another frequent thread was the respect gamers had for O’Brien as a coach, largely due to how he understood the nuances of the Patriots offense and manipulated the system to finest match his gamers.
Vollmer defined by saying there are two methods to be a coordinator. One is to run the system, and the gamers need to adapt to no matter that system requires. Another is working the system inside the primary tips, but in addition adjusting it to what the gamers do effectively.
“Just like Josh (McDaniels), Bill is a coach that does that. He doesn’t force it,” Vollmer mentioned. “He sees the strengths and weaknesses of his unit, and adjusts blocking schemes, tight end sets, all of those things to what the team can do.”
A 3rd theme?
To a person, all of them welcomed O’Brien’s feistiness and occasional fury, be it on the sidelines or in assembly rooms. It signaled his ardour for the sport and wanting his gamers to succeed.
Said Vollmer: “I’d rather have a passionate coach than someone who doesn’t care.”
As a coach and offensive coordinator, the gamers felt O’Brien had the right mixture of traits, particularly contemplating the scenario he’s strolling into in Foxboro greater than a decade later.
He’s sensible, communicator, has a wholesome rapport with the gamers, understands learn how to assault defenses and is aware of learn how to get probably the most out of his unit.
All of that ought to bode effectively for the Patriots going ahead as they transfer previous final season’s catastrophe.
“We really enjoyed playing for him. We felt he always had a great game plan, and had us ready to go,” mentioned Mankins. “We loved his attitude. His feistiness. He was one of the guys, also, when you were off the field, he was easy to talk to. He was just a good person to be around. And a good coach that I personally enjoyed playing for.”
Added Koppen: “I thought Bill was a great coach, a great communicator and teacher. He connects with a lot of guys. He’s not easy to play for. That’s not a bad thing. But he’s fair and expects a lot.”
Let’s get again to the well-known mood. The gamers really had some enjoyable busting O’Brien on that.
Patriots Hall of Fame offensive deal with Matt Light, who was recognized to supply some levity and comedian aid contained in the locker room, didn’t spare O’Brien from his pranks.
According to the gamers, Light was capable of get O’Brien, who was nicknamed “Teapot” by Brian Hoyer and Brady due to his quick-draw mood, to loosen up a bit. To hear Mankins inform it, the gamers may sense when O’Brien’s blood was beginning to boil and he was about to erupt, particularly within the assembly rooms.
That was the cue for Light, who at all times sat within the final row, to begin whistling softly.
“You could always tell when Billy was starting to get mad in meetings. That’s when you’d have Matt Light in the back of the room making a teapot sound, the whistle before it starts erupting,” mentioned Mankins. “Leave it to Light to always be Johnny on the spot with that.”
Often, O’Brien would erupt, however he’d additionally chuckle with the gamers afterward.
To a person, all of them mentioned they’d enjoyable throughout O’Brien’s watch. Part of that was as a result of the group was profitable — they went 14-2 and 13-3 with him as play caller in 2010 and 2011 — and the offense was flowing.
Brady had two of his finest seasons below O’Brien, who made good use of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez throughout these years.
During O’Brien’s last 12 months, the Patriots made it to the Super Bowl, shedding to the Giants for a second time. But throughout his two seasons calling performs, the Pats went a mixed 27-5 and had one of the vital potent offenses within the league.
That actually wasn’t the case for the Patriots in 2022 with Patricia and Judge on the controls, and Bill Belichick overseeing.
“I can’t speak to what they were doing last year. Usually, I can sort of tell by watching. But I really wasn’t sure what they were doing,” mentioned Koppen. “I’m not even sure the players were sure what they were doing. But it is what it is.”
Let’s simply say they’ll know what they’re doing with O’Brien working the ship, who after being an offensive assistant, together with receivers coach, spent three seasons coordinating Brady and the offense, seven seasons working the Texans (with 4 playoff appearances), and two seasons calling performs at Alabama.
His first order of enterprise will likely be mending Mac Jones, and serving to the quarterback recapture his rookie kind with the promise for extra.
Said Koppen: “Having a guy who understands what (Mac’s) going through, and been through it with multiple quarterbacks, and been successful with multiple quarterbacks, I think that’s going to be good for everybody.”
Gronkowski, who additionally performed for O’Brien, endorsed the transfer on “Up & Adams” with Kay Adams earlier within the week, echoing most of the sentiments expressed by Mankins, Vollmer and Koppen.
“I love Bill O’Brien,” mentioned Gronkowski, who set profession highs for catches (90), yards (1,327) and touchdowns (2017) below O’Brien in 2011. “I like enjoying for him. … He’s going to place his gamers in the perfect place to make performs. He’s going to give you some artistic concepts, and I believe they’re going to positively enhance as an offense, tremendously, below coach Bill O’Brien.
“That’s who the Patriots had to get. They had to get Bill O’Brien. That’s who they needed to get to restore to back in the old days where they were at on the offensive side of the ball. And they got their guy.”
Germany awaits Pats
The Patriots will likely be enjoying in Germany — both Munich or Frankfurt — subsequent season towards an opponent to be decided.
Vollmer is worked up to see his former group in his house nation. He mentioned the Patriots are like rock stars in Germany.
“They’re the No. 1 team with most fans,” mentioned Vollmer. “It’s like Foxboro II … people can’t wait to see them.”
According to Vollmer, the Patriots are sponsoring flag soccer groups there.
Vollmer mentioned the NFL’s first enterprise final season went extremely effectively with the Buccaneers and Seahawks enjoying in Munich.
Vollmer mentioned it was extremely cool to listen to 75,000 followers sing “Country Road” and “Sweet Caroline” throughout that sport.
Tom Brady known as it “epic.”
Stevenson has a fan
Caught up with former Patriots working LeGarrette Blount, a Super Bowl winner with two groups, throughout the week.
Had to ask his impression of Rhamondre Stevenson, who rushed for over 1,000 yards throughout the season.
“I like him, I like him a lot. I think he was one of the most consistent parts of the offense,” mentioned Blount. “I am extremely comfortable with what he’s done, what he’s showcased, what he’s put on tape. I think he’s one of those guys you try and keep around.”
Stevenson will nonetheless be round for a number of extra years on his rookie deal, whereas Damien Harris is headed to free company.
Blount, who’s at present teaching youth soccer, mentioned it appeared to him that opposing groups underestimated his capability, however the second-year again nonetheless had some issues to work on to take it to the subsequent stage.
“He knows how to run the football, he knows how to block, he knows how to get open if he has a route to run, he knows all those things,” mentioned Blount, “however I’d say he must work on a few of the situational components of the sport, being smarter with the soccer in sure conditions, be sure to defend the ball in any respect prices, figuring out when the journey’s over, issues like that.
“But that doesn’t take away from him being a big physical back whose speed is underestimated, his physicality is underestimated,” Blount went on. “People don’t understand what he brings to the table most of the time.”
Strong swimsuit
Patriots working again Pierre Strong was amongst a number of NFL rookies who have been in Los Angles as a part of the Panini Rookie Closeout with Panini America.
Strong didn’t see a lot motion within the early going, however with an damage to Damien Harris, obtained his toes moist. Appearing in 5 video games, he wound up with 10 carries for 100 yards, and a landing.
“It was great to be mentored by the coaching staff, the vets, just everything you imagined as a kid,” Strong mentioned from LA. “I just played my role and did whatever was asked if the coaches needed me … it was amazing in my role, just growing as the season went on.”
Was he wanting ahead to now transferring forward with Bill O’Brien?
“I’ll be ready for anything. Whatever coach needs me to do, I’m going to do it,” mentioned Strong. “I’m going to give my all … I’ll be ready for whatever they throw at me. With the coaching change, I’m still going to give him my all. I’m excited to get to meet him, I’m excited to get to work with him. We’ll see what he brings to the team.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com