When Bill O’Brien was employed because the thirty seventh head soccer coach at Boston College, it was welcomed as the beginning of a affluent new period at The Heights.
The fanfare has since subsided and the precise job of teaching has commenced. O’Brien initiated the method of creating a crew tradition and putting in new techniques on each side of scrimmage with the beginning of spring soccer on Monday morning contained in the Fish Fieldhouse.
“It is really one day at a time and we need to be a hard-working team and be a smart team and we need to be a team that plays with physical and mental toughness,” stated O’Brien. “We must be crew that doesn’t beat itself.
“Do a good job at the line of scrimmage staying onside and getting aligned correctly, understanding the call, and executing it correctly on both sides of the ball and special teams. The big thing for Day 1 is to create that culture and it’s started in the weightroom.”
O’Brien changed Jeff Hafley, who left after 4 seasons to grow to be the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers. O’Brien and Hafley method the duty of program growth from totally different views.
O’Brien is an offensive mastermind who makes a speciality of creating quarterbacks whereas Hafley was defense-oriented with an emphasis on the secondary. Both coaches have loved success on the NFL and FBS ranges.
While Hafley’s departure was abrupt, he didn’t go away behind a naked cabinet. O’Brien inherited a largely intact crew that gained seven video games together with an 23-14 upset victory over No. 24 SMU within the Wasabi Fenway Bowl on Dec. 28 at Fenway Park.
There was a considerable media presence watching the drills from the sideline on Day 1 and all eyes have been on second-year quarterback Thomas Castellanos, a switch from Central Florida who emerged as one of the dynamic dual-threat discipline generals within the Power-5.
In 12 common season video games and 11 begins, Castellanos led BC in speeding with 1,113 internet yards on 215 carries and 13 touchdowns. He accomplished 189-of-330 passes for two,248 yards and 15 touchdowns with 14 picks. Castellanos’ 3,361 yards of complete offense are third most by a BC quarterback behind Matt Ryan and Doug Flutie.
Castellanos is described as a runner who can throw, however O’Brien feels he can grow to be the whole bundle.
“He’s really embraced the system and he’s worked very hard and he’s taking it one day time and he’s trying to get better every single day,” stated O’Brien. “But he is definitely a guy who can do both, no doubt about it and I think he is a really good football player and I’m glad we have him.”
There was hypothesis that Castellanos would enter the NCAA switch portal is search of a greater taking part in alternative with better NIL potential to money in on his ability and title recognition. The switch rumor sprouted legs after the Eagles’ win over SMU, the place Castellanos rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns underneath blustery uncooked and moist situations. But Castellanos insisted after the sport that he would return to BC and that was lengthy earlier than O’Brien entered into the equation.
“I always knew I was coming back,” stated Castellanos. “These guys gave me the keys to this place with coach Hafley and Boston accepted me as family in their community. These people have treated me very well and I decided to stay.”
Castellanos did thrive in 2023 despite patchwork scheme devised by co-offensive coordinators, Steve Chudzinski, and Steve Shimko.
O’Brien and offensive coordinator Will Lawing have put in a a number of pro-set offense that may look to faucet into Castellanos’ artistic elements. O’Brien desires to include a few of what he did for Bill Belichick with New England and Nick Saban at Alabama.
“We will do a number of various things and be a number of in our personnel teams and a number of in our schemes and we are going to make the most of all of the issues he can do.
“I believe that’s the key. That is the kind of system we run, a quarterback-centric system on who the quarterback is what that man can do and he can do lots.
“With all the guys I’ve worked with, the most successful guys had anticipation and the ability to get it out quick. Good decision makers that understand the rush is coming.”
O’Brien labored with Tom Brady in New England and Deshaun Watson as the pinnacle coach of the Houston Texans. At the faculty stage, he helped develop Bryce Young right into a Heisman Trophy winner and made Mac Jones the Patriots’ 2021 first-round draft choose. Castellanos purchased in on what O’Brien was promoting after their first assembly.
“I am seeing a lot of passing the ball, a lot of trying to get explosive plays throwing the ball down field,” stated Castellanos. “We have a number of good receivers and I’m making an attempt to get the ball of their fingers to make performs.
“I feel this year will be more passing and my developing and being more polished. When we got him, I was excited because he worked with great quarterbacks in the NFL and college.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com