Bill Belichick is supposed to be a friend of Alabama Football. If that is a stretch, there is no question that Nick Saban and Belichick are friends. It is believed Belichick’s endorsement carried weight in Nick Saban’s hiring of Bill O’Brien.
Quite a few Crimson Tide fans will never forgive the New England Patriots head coach. Nick Saban knew what he was getting in O’Brien, but results have not matched expectations.
The conventional wisdom is Alabama football needs a new Offensive Coordinator and O’Brien’s two-season commitment to Nick Saban is nearing an end. O’Brien’s name has been mentioned during multiple, college football head coach searches. In one case, O’Brien has been rumored to have turned down a college program.
A return to the NFL seems to be the most likely next path for O’Brien. Many Alabama Crimson Tide fans have gone beyond hoping, to pleading Belichick will bring O’Brien back to the Patriots. So many pundits have predicted it, if has stepped aside for when.
Suddenly, it might be all the pundits are wrong. Fans of the Patriots want current OC, Matt Patricia replaced. Patricia is a defensive guy and it was perplexing when handed the Pats offense to him. The result has been an inept New England offense, with fingers pointing at Patricia and his boss.
"The offensive play-calling for the New England Patriots has been an absolute catastrophe. Granted, most could see it coming a mile away with Matt Patricia, a longtime defensive coach, suddenly being handed the reins as an offensive coordinator.It was one of those head-scratching moves where everyone just shrugged their shoulders and said, “In Bill Belichick we trust.”"
Except, Belichick’s reservoir of trust has been depleted. Belichick may know a change is required but if so, he is plodding through it, saying this week,
Question (via @TheGregHillShow): Over the weekend, or at any point at all, has there been any thought of changing up the offensive play-caller or the system you’ve been using through the first 12 games of the season?
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 5, 2022
Bill Belichick: pic.twitter.com/a1AD8AJMml
The statement immediately alarmed Alabama football fans that want O’Brien in New England tomorrow.
What might be happening is Belichick and Saban and Bill O’Brien know exactly what is going to happen and when. O’Brien will stay in Tuscaloosa through the Sugar Bowl and move back to New England. Some Alabama football insiders believe Saban has already lined up O’Brien’s replacement.
An unanswered question is will Saban’s patience limit offensive additions in the Tide’s 2023 signing class and/or cause a larger number of current Tide offensive players to enter the Portal.