Bill O'Brien to be Offensive Play Caller for Boston College Football in 2026

O'Brien is taking over offensive play-calling duties from former offensive coordinator Will Lawing, who left for the NFL over the offseason.

Oct 25, 2024; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Boston College Eagles head coach Bill O'Brien watches the action on the field from the bench during the second half against the Louisville Cardinals at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — At Boston College football’s first spring practice of 2026, BC head coach Bill O’Brien confirmed who the Eagles’ offensive play caller will be next fall.

Himself.

“I’ll be the offensive coordinator,” O’Brien said. “I’ll call the plays. But we got a great staff, so it’s very much of a collaborative effort.”

For O’Brien’s first two seasons at the helm, Will Lawing was BC’s offensive play caller as the offensive coordinator. But Lawing left over the offseason to take an offensive analyst position with the Chicago Bears, and that responsibility has now been thrust into the hands of O’Brien.

O’Brien has previous experience as an offensive coordinator, so it is not like this is something new to him by any means. In fact, he was supposed to be the offensive coordinator for Ryan Day’s staff at Ohio State before taking the BC job in 2024.

Before that, O’Brien also served as the offensive coordinator for the New England Patriots (2023, 2011), Alabama (2021-22), Duke (2005-06), and Georgia Tech (2001-02).

It’s a beautiful day in Chestnut Hill for the first session of Spring ball.

Speaking with the media today:
- Bill O’Brien
- QB Mason McKenzie
- LB Anthony Palano pic.twitter.com/9x1TsOYFE1

— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) March 10, 2026

While O’Brien will be the one actually calling BC’s plays during games, there is more of a behind-the-scenes effort from several individuals on the coaching staff that will be involved.

“The guys on the staff [are] very experienced guys,” O’Brien said. “Rob Chudzinski, right? I mean, he’s called a lot of plays over his career. Jonathan DiBiaso. Got a great addition [in] running back coach Mike Hart, [a] great addition [in] wide receiver coach Joe Dailey, Kurt Anderson, who we just hired as the offensive line coach.”

O’Brien continued: “And then we just hired Andrew Greiner. We got young coaches, right? We have young guys. Eli Kosanovich, just a really good up and coming young football coach that works with the quarterbacks with us. Tanner Brandimarte, you know, really young coach, but a really smart guy Andrew Sartori was with me at the Patriots. So we have a really good staff.”

The new coaches on BC’s 2026 staff include defensive coordinator Ted Roof, defensive line coach Ben Albert, offensive line coach Kurt Anderson, wide receivers coach Joe Dailey, running backs coach Mike Hart, and defensive backs coach Jules Montinar.

First look at @BCFootball QB Mason McKenzie at Spring practice #1.

He puts a ton of zip on the ball. Definitely undersized, but a bazooka of an arm. pic.twitter.com/5HA8ez6xaG

— Graham Dietz (@graham_dietz) March 10, 2026

The returning coaches consist of O’Brien, quarterbacks coach Jonathan DiBiaso, linebackers coach Dan O’Brien, special teams and safeties coach Matt Thurin, and director of football performance Craig Fitzgerald.

“We feel really good about this coaching staff,” O’Brien said. “There’s more people to be hired, because we have a couple more spots and recruiting and things like that. Obviously, the addition of Kenyatta [Watson] as general manager, and being able to promote Julian Rowe-Cohen, that’s been a huge thing.”

“So yeah, it is a brand new staff in many, many ways. But the chemistry is good, and they love to coach, and they’re having fun doing it.”

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