Football
O'Brien, Kevin
Kevin O'Brien
- Title:
- Tight Ends / Offensive Recruiting Coordinator
- Alma Mater:
- Colorado State, 2016
- Office Phone:
- (478) 301-4613
- Email:
- obrien_kp@mercer.edu
Kevin O’Brien enters his fourth season with the Mercer football team in 2023.
In the 2022 season, under the guidance of O'Brien, Drake Starks was named to the 2022 SoCon All-Conference Second Team. Starks logged 135 yards on 14 receptions, featuring four touchdowns. Starks caught two touchdown passes against ETSU in what contributed to a Mercer program record for touchdown passes in a single game by Fred Payton.
O’Brien’s tight end unit helped piece together a Bears offense that averaged 31.7 points per game and more than 400 yards of offense per game en route to a 7-3 record and most conference wins in school history in 2021-22. The highlight of the unit was Drake Starks lone touchdown against Chattanooga (Nov. 13) that proved to be the decisive points in the game as the Bears won 10-6.
O’Brien’s tight end unit played an integral role in helping the Bears’ offense average 336 yards per game and score 36 touchdowns in 11 games. The unit was headlined by Drake Starks. Starks appeared in 8 games in 2020-21 and finished third on the team with 200 receiving yards. Starks averaged 20.0 yards per reception and had a Mercer career-high three catches for 99 yards in a win over The Citadel (Feb. 27) including a 75-yard opening play touchdown. His second touchdown of the 2020-21 campaign came in a win over nationally ranked ETSU on April 10.
O’Brien came to Mercer from the University of Tennessee. Where he spent two seasons as a quality control analyst working the offensive line and tight ends. He helped coach the likes of Trey Smith (6th round pick in the 2021 NFL draft) and Dominick Wood-Anderson (NFL free agent 2021). He worked for former SEC coordinators Jeremy Pruitt and Jim Chaney. Prior to his time as a Vol, O’Brien served as a graduate assistant at his Alma Mater, Colorado State University. He worked with the offensive line under Will Friend and Head Coach Mike Bobo, where they ranked 11th in the country in total offense.
As a player, O’Brien appeared in 22 games, including starting at center as a Junior and leading the Rams to a 10-3 record. O’Brien and the Rams’ offensive line helped the team surpass 670 yards of offense on two occasions and ranked 18th in the country in total offense. As a junior and senior, O’Brien was nominated for the Burlsworth trophy, for the top walk-on in the country.
He, his wife, Jenny, and their dog, Arlo, reside in Macon, Georgia.
Collegiate Coaching Experience
In the 2022 season, under the guidance of O'Brien, Drake Starks was named to the 2022 SoCon All-Conference Second Team. Starks logged 135 yards on 14 receptions, featuring four touchdowns. Starks caught two touchdown passes against ETSU in what contributed to a Mercer program record for touchdown passes in a single game by Fred Payton.
O’Brien’s tight end unit helped piece together a Bears offense that averaged 31.7 points per game and more than 400 yards of offense per game en route to a 7-3 record and most conference wins in school history in 2021-22. The highlight of the unit was Drake Starks lone touchdown against Chattanooga (Nov. 13) that proved to be the decisive points in the game as the Bears won 10-6.
O’Brien’s tight end unit played an integral role in helping the Bears’ offense average 336 yards per game and score 36 touchdowns in 11 games. The unit was headlined by Drake Starks. Starks appeared in 8 games in 2020-21 and finished third on the team with 200 receiving yards. Starks averaged 20.0 yards per reception and had a Mercer career-high three catches for 99 yards in a win over The Citadel (Feb. 27) including a 75-yard opening play touchdown. His second touchdown of the 2020-21 campaign came in a win over nationally ranked ETSU on April 10.
O’Brien came to Mercer from the University of Tennessee. Where he spent two seasons as a quality control analyst working the offensive line and tight ends. He helped coach the likes of Trey Smith (6th round pick in the 2021 NFL draft) and Dominick Wood-Anderson (NFL free agent 2021). He worked for former SEC coordinators Jeremy Pruitt and Jim Chaney. Prior to his time as a Vol, O’Brien served as a graduate assistant at his Alma Mater, Colorado State University. He worked with the offensive line under Will Friend and Head Coach Mike Bobo, where they ranked 11th in the country in total offense.
As a player, O’Brien appeared in 22 games, including starting at center as a Junior and leading the Rams to a 10-3 record. O’Brien and the Rams’ offensive line helped the team surpass 670 yards of offense on two occasions and ranked 18th in the country in total offense. As a junior and senior, O’Brien was nominated for the Burlsworth trophy, for the top walk-on in the country.
He, his wife, Jenny, and their dog, Arlo, reside in Macon, Georgia.
Collegiate Coaching Experience
- 2020 – Present – Mercer University
- Tight Ends Coach
- 2018-2019 – University of Tennessee
- Offensive Quality Control Analyst
- 2016-18 – Colorado State University
- Offensive Graduate Assistant
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