University Southern California Trojans
Ken O'Brien Named Quarterbacks Coach
June 21, 1999 | Football
March 3, 1998
LOS ANGELES, Calif.-- Ken O'Brien, the former long-time New York Jets quarterback who last year coached the quarterbacks at UC Davis, was named USC's quarterbacks coach, new head football coach Paul Hackett announced today.
This completes Hackett's 9-man assistant coaching staff. Hue Jackson will be the offensive coordinator and handle the running backs, Bill Young will serve as defensive coordinator, Larry Petroff will be the tight ends coach and the assistant head coach, and Shawn Slocum will handle the linebackers and serve as the special teams coordinator. The rest of the coaching staff includes Steve Greatwood (offensive line), Ed Orgeron (defensive line), Dennis Thurman (secondary) and Mike Wilson (wide receivers).
"Ken O'Brien has great credentials as a player, and he brings to us enthusiasm plus an acute knowledge of the quarterback position," said Hackett. "We're fortunate to have him join the Trojan football program.
"As the offensive coordinator, Hue Jackson will be the key link to establishing my vision of our offense and he also will play a vital role in guiding our new offensive coaches. He will be the energy driving our offense. I have the highest regard for his coaching ability, as I do for Bill Young's. Bill has put together some of college football's outstanding defenses and that's what we're looking for him to do at USC. Shawn Slocum's hiring shows our commitment to an attacking, pressure style of special teams. He is also a fine linebackers coach. Larry Petroff will not only serve as the assistant head coach and handle our tight ends, but he'll coordinate our recruiting efforts, which he did so expertly the past 2 months.
"Steve Greatwood, Ed Orgeron, Dennis Thurman and Mike Wilson are all experts at their positions and are outstanding teachers. I am delighted with our new staff."
O'Brien, 37, spent the 1997 season as the quarterbacks coach at UC Davis, his alma mater. The Aggies were an NCAA Division II semifinalist and quarterback Kevin Daft ranked 25th in passing efficiency in NCAA Division II (the team was fifth in passing offense in NCAA Division II).
O'Brien played 11 years (1983-93) in the NFL, the first 10 with the New York Jets and 1993 with the Philadelphia Eagles. He was the Jets' first round draft pick in the 1983 draft and went on to rank second behind Joe Namath on the team's career passing yardage (24,386) and touchdown passes (124) lists. A 2-time (1985-91) Pro Bowl selection, he was named the AFC's MVP by the Washington D.C. Touchdown Club in 1985 when he became the first Jet to lead the NFL in passing (297-of-488, 60.9%, 3,888 yards, 25 TDs, 8 interceptions, 96.4 rating). He passed for 300-plus yards 15 times with the Jets, twice for more than 400 yards (including 479 against Miami in 1986). He guided the Jets into the playoffs in 1985, 1988 and 1991. In his 11-year career (he started for 7 seasons, 1985-91), he completed 2,110-of-3,602 passes (58.6%) for 25,094 yards, 128 TDs and 96 interceptions. His career passing rating of 80.4 ranks among the Top 20 of NFL quarterbacks.
He is UC Davis' all-time leader in passing yards (6,637) and attempts (820) while starting his 3 seasons (1980-82) there. He was an All-American first teamer as a 1982 senior and led the 12-1 Aggies to the national championship game (an injury kept him from that contest). He was an All-Conference first teamer each season and was the Conference Offensive Player of the Year his junior and senior campaigns. His 2,976 passing yards in 1982 (on 217-of-349 passing, 62.2%, with a school-record 23 TDs) is second on the school's season list. UC Davis went 25-7-1 in his career as he completed 470-of-830 passes (56.6%) for 6,637 yards, 44 TDs and 25 interceptions (the completions and touchdowns were school records that have since been broken). He also is second on the school's career total offense chart (6,563 yards, 1 yard short of the leader). He was inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in 1997 and the UC Davis Athletic Hall of Fame in 1988.
He received his bachelor's degree in political science from UC Davis in 1983.
He started as a 1978 freshman at Sacramento State, hitting 64-of-156 passes (41.0%) for 714 yards, 4 TDs and 4 interceptions.
He prepped at Jesuit High in Sacramento, Calif., starring in football and baseball.
He was a sports broadcaster at KCRA-TV in Sacramento in 1995 and 1996.
Born Nov. 27, 1960, he and his wife, Stacey, have 3 daughters--Taylor, 11, Paige, 7, and Blake, 5--and a son, Kelly, 9.
