WATCH: Bill O'Brien speaks Wednesday ahead of Sugar Bowl

NEW ORLEANS — No. 5 Alabama is only three days away from taking on No. 9 Kansas State in the Allstate Sugar Bowl. If the Crimson Tide can secure a victory, it’ll give them an 11-win season for the 12th straight time under head coach Nick Saban.

On Wednesday afternoon, Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien spoke to the media for the first time since fall camp. Below, we’ve included a video and complete transcriptions of everything O’Brien said during that media availability.

---

OC Bill O’Brien

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “I would say the first thing, right off the bat, is we are thrilled as a football team to be here in the Sugar Bowl. The history of the Sugar Bowl is awesome. Thinking about all the great games that have been played in this bowl game and to be a part of it. This is personally my first Sugar Bowl, so just honored to be here.

“And most importantly, playing a very talented Kansas State team. Kansas State is a team that is really disciplined. They play a unique style of defense. They play hard. They play tough. They’ve got good speed at the second and third levels. They play very tough up front. Good pass rushers. Good guys against the run. They do a good job of taking the ball away.

“So we have a big challenge ahead of us. Our two weeks of practice in Tuscaloosa and now in New Orleans have been very, very good, very productive. The guys have been great. They’ve been working really hard. It’s great to have Bryce Young leading our offense out here this week and last week in Tuscaloosa and looking forward to him having a really good game.

“I think this is a unique time for our football team. It’s a chance for our team to get better and practice. A lot of young players are getting a lot of reps in practice and the veteran players are doing a good job of leading them. It’s a really good group to coach. Very fun group to coach. They play hard. They practice hard. They care about each other.

“So it’s just been a really good experience to be preparing for this bowl game. So with that, I’ll open it up to questions.”

Q. Bill, this has been a challenging season given the fact you have such a quarterback like Bryce Young but maybe the receivers playing inconsistent all season.

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “I think every season is challenging each in its own way. I mean, I think this season there have been times where we’ve been very, very productive. Other times maybe not as consistent as we wanted to be.

“I think everybody plays a part in that. I don’t think it’s just one position or one person. I think it’s a team game. At the end of the day, we’ve been very good for most of the season. But certain times during the season we weren’t as consistent as we wanted to be. And hopefully, we’ve really worked on that the last two weeks and will play a very consistent, productive football game on Saturday.

“And, look, I think at the end of the day, like I said, this team has practiced hard, they’ve played hard. You’re talking about a 10‑2 record. The record that Coach [Nick] Saban has of 15 seasons of ten or more wins, I mean, that’s incredible. That’s an incredible record. And I think as a football team we take a lot of pride in that.

“Like I said earlier, it’s been a lot of fun to work with this team this year.”

Q. Earlier this week, Tom E. Curran went on — of NBC Sports Boston, went on WEEI to say that there was a strong indication that you could be back in New England next year. With your contract situation and what’s going on in the future with different opportunities that may be available to you, is that something that you have thought of, or do you want to be back at Alabama next year?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “Yeah, I would tell you that the focus for me and for this coaching staff and for these players has really been on these games that we’re playing. This game coming up, the games that we played this year, the games that we played last year, I think those things ‑‑ almost every year I’ve been in coaching, at least over the last 12 years for me, have come up a lot. And those are things that are addressed after the season.

“We are very focused on this game. We’ve been focused on every game we’ve played here this year and last year. So like I said, it’s kind of that time of the year when things come up and things pop up.

“I haven’t spoken to anybody in New England since probably last April when I went by and saw those guys when I was up there. So I wish them well in their last however many games they have left.

“But we’re very focused on this game and focused on coaching this team to the best of our ability.”

Q. With Bryce [Young] coming to play this game, obviously it’s huge for you. I wanted to know what that meant to you, that decision. And also, is there a chance the fans will see some more quarterbacks potentially for the future at the end of this game?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “The first answer to your first question is I think it’s unbelievable. I think when you talk about Bryce, Will Anderson, the other guys that decided to play in this game, I think that says everything you want to know about the culture of Alabama football that’s been built by Coach [Nick] Saban, the players that have played here in the past, for these guys to play in this game.

“Coach talks about it all the time. I mean, the best way to create value for yourself as a player is to play football. And so those guys took that message to heart. They really enjoyed playing with their teammates.

“Bryce is an outstanding leader. That’s the guy that I’m around the most, so I’ll speak to him personally. He’s a great leader. He believes in the culture of Alabama football. He wants to go out on a winning note. He’s practiced really well. He’s done a great job with the younger players and even the veteran players that have come back to play. So I think it’s a great opportunity for us as a football team, and I’m very proud to be Bryce’s coach.

“On the second question, I think that’s probably a better question for the head coach. He makes those decisions. I am the offensive coordinator.”

Q. How would you respond to criticism about the offense and to play‑calling this season?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “Yeah, I don’t ‑‑ I guess, yeah, I don’t really pay attention to that. Sorry, but I don’t know what the criticism would be.

“Look, we’re all trying to do better. We’re all trying to do the best we can to be as consistent as we can. I think over the last two seasons, we’ve been pretty productive. I think we’ve averaged 40 points a game, thereabouts.

“Are there areas that we can be better at? Certainly. There’s always areas that we can be better at that we work hard to do that. So as far as criticism and things like that, I don’t know. That’s probably a question for somebody else.”

Q. Coach, obviously Bryce Young is one of the best scramblers in the game. Can you speak to that. And do you think there were times this season when the offense relied too heavily on his ability to do that?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “Yeah, I thought he did actually a really good job of scrambling. Those are plays that when those plays open up, whether it’s maybe a three‑man rush and they’re dropping eight and he has the ability to run and get us a first down or even a lane in a four‑man rush or a five‑man rush opens up and he drops back and sees that lane open up, he goes and takes it and he gets us 10 to 20 yards relative to the drive. And those are big plays.

“So I think those are plays that he’s really good at. He scans the field, he sees what’s happening, and he can feel where the rush lane opens up and he can take advantage of that.  So I think there’s been times when he’s done a great job of that.

“Other times, you would say, hey, maybe we can protect better. Maybe we could run a better route. Maybe he could read the play better. Maybe I can call a better play. Whatever it is, we’re all in it together and maybe we could have done a better job to limit some of those scrambles. But for the most part, I think his scrambles this year were really productive, and they really helped our team.”

Q. This is going to wrap up your second season in Tuscaloosa. How would you evaluate just from beginning to now how things have gone for you and just your overall experience?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “I’ve loved it. I’ve loved coaching these guys. I’ve loved being a part of this staff. These guys work really hard. Those of you that follow us day in and day out, I’m sure you see the work that goes in. These kids, they practice hard, they lift hard, they go to class. They do things the right way. And I think it’s been a great experience for me the last two years to be here to see how it all works.

“And then being able to see how Coach [Nick] Saban does has been a great experience for me. It’s an invaluable experience.

“And then working with the staff, working with the offensive staff. And then when we cross over, we work with the defensive staff, that’s been a great experience for me.

“But I’ve really enjoyed coaching these guys and really looking forward to the game on Saturday. We’ve got a very tough opponent like I was saying. But these guys have practiced hard, and I think we’ll be ready to play.”

Q. Getting a lot of Bryce [Young] questions I know. But what’s it been like to coach him this year? I’m thinking that here’s a guy in a unique situation. He’s doing Heisman House commercials, things like that. You’ve coached NFL players, college players. How has it been like dealing with that dynamic and how has he handled that as far as remaining a college player when he’s got all this in front of him?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “I think that’s a great question. That’s a question that I get asked a lot from people that I know and respect.

“And the one thing I’ll tell you about Bryce is he’s the same guy every day. He’s a very consistent guy. And you’re exactly right, he’s probably the first player in the history of college football to actually go through what he’s going through relative to NIL and all the things that have come into the college game. And I think he’s handled it incredibly well.

“I think the way that he’s been able to ‑‑ I mean, he just graduated in three years ‑‑ that’s incredible ‑‑ with a fantastic GPA. And to do what he’s done on the field and to represent the University of Alabama, the top football program, in my opinion, over the last 16 years in the country, is just an incredible testament to who he is as a person.

“So I think he’s done a great job. And the most important thing ‑‑ and I tell this to young players all the time ‑‑ if you watch Bryce, he’s a very consistent person. He’s not an up‑and‑down person. He’s the same guy every day. He’s very positive. He’s great in the meetings. He’s awesome on the practice field. And obviously in the games, he’s a very productive, excellent player. So it’s been great to watch that over the last two years.”

Q. You had Bryce [Young] come back this year, but there were a lot of new pieces around him. From the beginning of the season to the end, where have you seen the most growth in your offense as a whole?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “Yeah, look, I think there has been a lot of new players that have stepped up over time during the year. And I think the future of Alabama football on both sides of the ball and on special teams is excellent. I think that’s where the most ‑‑ where you see the most growth, is the younger players that have ‑‑ that maybe some of you haven’t really seen because they’ve gotten a lot of practice reps, maybe not a lot of game reps. But they’ve really come a long way relative to where they were in August to where they are now.

“I mean, even today in practice, you see guys ‑‑ I don’t want to mention names. But at every position, younger players that are really, really taking a big step and improving. And I think that bodes well for the future of Alabama football. There’s a lot of really good, young players in this program. And everybody’s excited to see how that goes in the future.”

Q. You mentioned not having been in contact with anybody from the Patriots. Have there been any other NFL teams you’ve been in contact with? And this is, obviously, the last year of your contract. Is there any interest in returning for another year?

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR O’BRIEN: “I have a lot of friends in the NFL, so the answer would be yes to that. I mean, I just ‑‑ I talk ‑‑ I have a lot of coaching friends in the NFL. So yeah, there are some of my closest friends. But relative to working in the NFL, no.

“And relative to working here, like I said, I love it here. I love my experience here. I’m very focused on this game coming up, and then whatever conversations happen after this game, those will take place when they take place.

“But really just focused on this game and doing as good a job as I can with the players and the coaching staff to have a productive offense on Saturday.”

Not a member, Alabama fans? Join BamaInsider today!

Have you subscribed to BamaInsider.com? You can sign up now for $10.00, which gets you premium access until Aug. 31, 2023! Or, you can also get one month of access for just $4.99 (50 percent off). Get access to premium articles covering the University of Alabama athletics, recruiting content and also join thousands of Crimson Tide fans on the Talk of Champions message board! CLICK HERE!