ESPN’s Pete Thamel mentioned Oklahoma football offensive coordinator Jeff Lebby as a potential name to replace Alabama OC Bill O'Brien should he find his way onto another coaching staff, Sooners Wire writer Ben Dackiw wrote in a Thursday article.
“I would think that Nick Saban saw the fits that Tennessee and Josh Heupel gave him this year, and offensively, I think they’ll probably trend a little bit and maybe overcorrect a little bit more that way as they go,” Thamel said. Now, I’m not saying they’re gonna turn into the Baylor offense from the mid-2000s.
“But one name I’ve heard is (Jeff Lebby), the Oklahoma offensive coordinator. He’s obviously had success in the SEC West footprint.”
A two-time Broyles award winner, Lebby was hired on as Oklahoma football's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the year Brent Venables was hired from Clemson. Lebby led an offense that ranked first in the Big 12 with 474 total yards per game and 219.4 rushing yards per game, according to ESPN. Junior quarterback Dillon Gabriel threw for just under 3,170 passing yards and 25 touchdowns to six interceptions, ranking 28th in the country ahead of Tennessee's Hendon Hooker and South Carolina's Spencer Rattler.
Speculation over a potential Bill O'Brien hiring arose after NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport named three candidates to potentially take up the New England Patriots offensive coordinator job: Minnesota Vikings wide receivers coach Keenan McCardell, Patriots tight end coach Nick Caley and Bill O’Brien.
“Then you have Bill O’Brien, who is certainly a prime candidate here,” Rapoport said in a Wednesday edition of NFL Network. “Most people believe he is the favorite, I would say, to get the offensive coordinator job.
“Not that anything is done at all — I’m just saying he has firmly established position as someone that many people inside the organization wanted back. Currently the (Alabama football) offensive coordinator, who is out right now recruiting.”
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