Why Ohio State 2025 QB commit Tavien St. Clair is looking forward to working with Bill O’Brien

cleveland.com
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio State’s move to add Bill O’Brien to the offensive staff was the type of move that had been longed for by fans for years.
In adding O’Brien as the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and play-caller, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will be able to take on more of a “CEO” type of role, taking more day-to-day tasks off his plate.
And with O’Brien, Ohio State is getting a coach that has coached with legendary coaches, both in the NFL and in college, and someone who has extensive experience on the offensive side of the ball. And to 2025 four-star quarterback commit Tavien St. Clair, that is a massive positive.
“Prior to meeting him, I knew he had a really good track record coaching quarterbacks,” St. Clair said this week. “He’s a really good offensive coach, a really good offensive mind. But once I actually met him and he told me who he’s actually coached, and what team’s he’s been part of, and what head coaches he’s been associated with, it was mind-blowing for sure. You talk about Bill Belichick, Nick Saban, the greats. And he got to be part of it, it was mind-blowing.”
O’Brien spent last season as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach of the Patriots, under Belichick. He was also previously with the Patriots from 2007-2011. He also was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Alabama under Saban for 2021 and 2022 — when he coached Heisman Trophy winner Bryce Young.
St. Clair, the Ohio-product rated No. 56 overall in the 247Sports composite rankings, and the No. 4 quarterback in the class, is just under a year away from joining what could be a loaded quarterback room.
As of now, it’s populated by four-star quarterbacks Devin Brown and Lincoln Kienholz, and five-star freshmen Air Noland and Julian Sayin. While it might unlikely, all could be on the roster when St. Clair heads to Columbus next year.
And when he does, he’s excited about the chance to work with O’Brien.
“It’s really important, because at Ohio State, they have developed quarterbacks here in the past 15 years better than anybody,” St. Clair said. “Them getting another guy that can develop me and the future quarterbacks at Ohio State was key. I think they found the right guy for the job.”