University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Football Names Dan O’Brien Defensive Coordinator
1/19/2023 3:00:00 PM | Football
HATTIESBURG, Miss. – Southern Miss football coach Will Hall announced today the promotion of Dan O'Brien to defensive coordinator.
"I am really excited to name Dan O'Brien as our defensive coordinator," said Southern Miss football coach Will Hall. "Dan has been integral in the building of our program. As the son of a legendary coach and a football lifer, he is widely thought of as one of the most intelligent football minds in the game. With Dan leading the Nasty Bunch, I am confident we will take the next step to competing for championships."
O'Brien joined the Golden Eagle staff under Hall for the 2020 season as safeties coach and will start his third year on the staff. He will remain in his role as safeties coach as well.
This past season, O'Brien helped manage a Golden Eagle defense which ranked in the Top 10 nationally in three categories, including interceptions at No. 7 (17), tackles for loss per game (8.3) and sacks per game (3.38).
O'Brien oversaw the team's top tackler for the last two seasons, Malik Shorts, who posted 188 stops over that time, including 99 this season en route to earning All-Sun Belt accolades. This is after Shorts posted an honorable mention All-Conference USA performance last season with 89 tackles, in addition to being the school's 2021 Conerly Trophy nominee for top collegiate football player in the state of Mississippi.
Another Golden Eagle safety, Jay Stanley, registered a team-high five interceptions this season, to earn All-Sun Belt honors as well to go along with 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
O'Brien came to Southern Miss after spending two years at Georgia in defensive quality control, helping the Bulldogs post a 20-4 record, a 2019 Southeastern Conference East Division title and a pair of postseason appearances in the Sugar and Peach Bowls.
Prior to Georgia, O'Brien worked five years at the Naval Academy, along with four coaching the in the defensive secondary with an emphasis on the safeties his final two years. The Midshipmen posted a 44-22 record during his time there.
O'Brien worked at Elon for three seasons as a defensive backs coach before going to Navy and was a defensive analyst and graduate assistant at Alabama under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart for four years where the Crimson Tide went 43-11 and won the 2009 BCS National Championship.
He also had experience as a scouting assistant intern with the New England Patriots in 2005 and a year at Harvard working with the safeties in 2006. O'Brien graduated from Boston College in 2005.
"I am really excited to name Dan O'Brien as our defensive coordinator," said Southern Miss football coach Will Hall. "Dan has been integral in the building of our program. As the son of a legendary coach and a football lifer, he is widely thought of as one of the most intelligent football minds in the game. With Dan leading the Nasty Bunch, I am confident we will take the next step to competing for championships."
O'Brien joined the Golden Eagle staff under Hall for the 2020 season as safeties coach and will start his third year on the staff. He will remain in his role as safeties coach as well.
This past season, O'Brien helped manage a Golden Eagle defense which ranked in the Top 10 nationally in three categories, including interceptions at No. 7 (17), tackles for loss per game (8.3) and sacks per game (3.38).
O'Brien oversaw the team's top tackler for the last two seasons, Malik Shorts, who posted 188 stops over that time, including 99 this season en route to earning All-Sun Belt accolades. This is after Shorts posted an honorable mention All-Conference USA performance last season with 89 tackles, in addition to being the school's 2021 Conerly Trophy nominee for top collegiate football player in the state of Mississippi.
Another Golden Eagle safety, Jay Stanley, registered a team-high five interceptions this season, to earn All-Sun Belt honors as well to go along with 4.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks.
O'Brien came to Southern Miss after spending two years at Georgia in defensive quality control, helping the Bulldogs post a 20-4 record, a 2019 Southeastern Conference East Division title and a pair of postseason appearances in the Sugar and Peach Bowls.
Prior to Georgia, O'Brien worked five years at the Naval Academy, along with four coaching the in the defensive secondary with an emphasis on the safeties his final two years. The Midshipmen posted a 44-22 record during his time there.
O'Brien worked at Elon for three seasons as a defensive backs coach before going to Navy and was a defensive analyst and graduate assistant at Alabama under Nick Saban and Kirby Smart for four years where the Crimson Tide went 43-11 and won the 2009 BCS National Championship.
He also had experience as a scouting assistant intern with the New England Patriots in 2005 and a year at Harvard working with the safeties in 2006. O'Brien graduated from Boston College in 2005.
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