In a surprising turn of events, former New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will be returning to his roots as he takes the helm as the next head coach of Boston College. O'Brien's move comes after initially being set to join Ohio State as their offensive coordinator.

The opportunity to coach at Boston College only arose when the Eagles' previous head coach, Jeff Hafley, departed for the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator position. O'Brien swiftly emerged as the front-runner for the job, given his deep connections to the region and his family's ties to the university.

Having grown up north of Boston in Andover, O'Brien is no stranger to the area. His wife, Colleen, is a Boston College graduate, and their son, Michael, currently attends Tufts University, where he plays college baseball. The decision to return home was a family-oriented one, as O'Brien expressed in previous interviews.

While this will be O'Brien's third head coaching role, it will mark his second in the collegiate level, following his successful tenure at Penn State from 2012-2013. Taking over a Boston College program that posted a 7-6 record last season and secured their first bowl game victory since 2016, O'Brien now has the opportunity to make his mark at his alma mater.

Meanwhile, the Patriots conducted an extensive search to replace O'Brien and ultimately named Alex Van Pelt as their new offensive coordinator. With O'Brien's departure, New England will have to adjust to new leadership on the offensive side of the ball.

As O'Brien returns to familiar territory to lead Boston College, fans eagerly await the start of the 2021 college football season to see how he will guide the Eagles back to prominence.