Boston College Head Coach Bill O'Brien Details Message to Fans, Developing Program

The second-year head coach emphasized his "no excuses" mentality while discussing his message to the fans and building the program.

Sep 27, 2025; Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA; Boston College Eagles head coach Bill O'Brien on the sideline during the second half against the California Golden Bears at Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. — Boston College football head coach Bill O’Brien has gone viral for his recent comments about the fans' frustration with the team’s 1-8 record. 

After practice on Thursday, O’Brien went into more detail on his message to the fans and developing the program. 

“We’re losing,” said O’Brien. “We’re not winning and I take full responsibility for that. I’ve said that after every game. It starts with the head coach. I do think that this team plays hard. I know that we’ll show up and play hard against SMU. These guys have a lot of pride. Nobody wants to be where we are right now. We understand that. My message to the fans is we’re working very, very hard to improve the program. We work diligently every single day to develop the players, to recruit players, to eventually maybe look into the portal when the window opens up to look at guys. I know that these guys will play very hard and I take a lot of pride in coaching them. 

“There’s no excuses,” said O’Brien. “This is a different era of college football and it changed very, very quickly. To understand all that goes into it right now, it will take time. Whether I’m the coach here or whoever’s the coach here, it takes time. It takes time to recruit. This freshman class that’s here right now is our first recruiting class. The ‘25 class. That’s our first recruiting class. Then the ‘26 class will be our second, then the ‘27.” 

O’Brien also shared the differences in recruiting and picking up players in the transfer players and trying to work between the two. 

“People say quick fixes in the portal, but the portal’s tough,” said O’Brien. “In recruiting, you get to recruit a guy for two years, you get to know his family, you really understand what he’s all about, the coach that coached him in high school, the teachers, the guidance counselors, all the people that helped bring him up in football. In the portal, you gotta make a quick decision. And so you gotta do the best you can in understanding what this guy is all about. They get one visit, they can come in and visit, let’s just call it a 36-hour visit. It’s difficult, especially at a place like BC. We’re doing the best we can with that and I think it’ll improve over time.” 

Boston College takes on the SMU Mustangs on Saturday afternoon at noon ET on ACC Network.