Alabama Football: Bill O’Brien has a tougher challenge this season

Alabama football Offensive Coordinator, Bill O’Brien has sometimes seemed an odd fit for the Crimson Tide. For one thing, O’Brien is more conventional than the unconventional Crimson Tide OCs who preceded him.

Lane Kiffin was chosen by Nick Saban to re-form the Alabama Football offense in ways never before used in Tuscaloosa. Brian Daboll was brought in to add NFL concepts, particularly expanding the use of wide-receiver-like, tight ends. Steve Sarkisian, with his deep knowledge of West Coast, Pro-Style, Zone-Read and RPO orchestrated arguably the Crimson Tide’s best offense ever.

All three Crimson Tide OCs were able to adapt schemes to talent and do so inside Nick Saban’s overall offensive philosophy.

Bill O’Brien is not known as an innovator. He is known as a solid coach, who is well versed in multiple offensive schemes. But Nick Saban did not bring O’Brien to Tuscaloosa to install an offensive scheme. O’Brien was brought in to maximize the one Alabama already used. Mac Jones even helped O’Brien learn the Alabama playbook.

In the football coaching world, Bill O’Brien is respected. O’Brien does not need widespread endorsement, because Bill Belichick and Nick Saban are sold on him.

By reasonable measures, O’Brien did well in his first season as the Crimson Tide OC. Then again, at Alabama, no measurements matter in seasons without a National Championship. This means for Bill O’Brien, the Alabama football, fan jury is still deliberating.

Last season a new team passing record was set with 5,073 yards. Per rolltide.com, the Alabama Crimson Tide has passed for over 4,000 yards in a season just four times. Only one of the four, producing 4,656 passing yards led to a National Championship.

Last season, with a sometimes leaky offensive line, that was also inconsistent in short-yardage situations, 5,000-plus passing yards was not enough.

What will it take for Bill O’Brien and Alabama Football in ’22?

Not since the 2013 season has the Crimson Tide returned its starting QB and Offensive Coordinator. The continuity did not result in a National Championship in 2013, but it should be a major asset in the 2022 season.

Nick Saban is confident the second season of Bryce Young and Bill O’Brien working together will pay off. Recently, Saban said what the Tide offense needs most.

"We need to improve how we control the line of scrimmage. It starts up front, I think, always on offense."

No doubt the offensive line must improve over last season. The Crimson Tide offense returns less than 25% of its receiving yards from last season. The void left from the exits of John Metchie III (1,142 yards) and Jameson Williams (1,572 yards) is huge.

As Zach Breathwaite wrote recently, the 2022 Crimson Tide may see a return to more power running. The running back position group is deep and talented. It is also widely expected Tide running backs will feature more in the passing game.

At Alabama Media Day, O’Brien spoke about the need for coaches to adapt. Go back to last season when Ole Miss dropped eight guys into coverage. O’Brien responded with a not-flashy, but highly productive mixture of plays. Alabama football fans may see more of that this season, especially in September.

When Young and a new receiving corps settle in, Bill O’Brien has plenty of tools to create added offensive sizzle.