The Detroit Lions are interested in Penn State head coach Bill O'Brien and have reached out via a third party, according to footballscoop.com. The Lions still have Jim Schwartz employed as their head man.
Detroit Lions reportedly among NFL teams interested in Bill O’Brien
O’Brien could draw interest from a few NFL teams.
Rich Barnes-US PRESSWIRE
More on Penn State: Black Shoe Diaries More on the Lions: Pride of Detroit
O’Brien has been in charge of the Nittany Lions since the start of the 2012 season, and he’s done a fine job in the face of tough NCAA sanctions. Penn State went 8-4 in 2012, finishing second in the Big Ten Leaders Division with a 6-2 conference record. This year, the Nittany Lions posted a 7-5 mark overall and 4-4 B1G record, good for third in the Leaders Division. O’Brien won national coach of the year awards following the 2012 season.
O’Brien’s also been connected to the Vikings and Texans jobs by CBS Sports.
While the majority of his time as a coach has been in the college ranks, O'Brien does have experience on an NFL staff. He was with the New England Patriots from 2007 to 2011, serving as offensive coordinator in his final season with the team. The Pats averaged 428.0 yards and 32.1 points per game with O'Brien in charge of the offense, ranking second and third, respectively, in the NFL.
Schwartz led the Lions to the playoffs in 2011, the team’s first postseason appearance since 1999. However, Detroit has compiled an 11-20 record since.
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