SDSU Football Names Bill O’Boyle Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach

SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State head coach Sean Lewis has announced the hiring of Bill O’Boyle as the run game coordinator and offensive line coach. O’Boyle has over 20 seasons of experience as an offensive line coach and over 35 years overall, including seven as a head coach.

O’Boyle spent the last two seasons at Northwestern (2024-25) following a brief stint with the Aztecs in December 2023. Last year, the Wildcats were 7-6 with a 34-7 victory over Central Michigan in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Three of the five starting offensive linemen garnered all-Big Ten honors in 2025 under O’Boyle, including left tackle Caleb Tiernan (second-team coaches, honorable mention media), right guard Evan Beerntsen (honorable mention coaches and media) and left guard Ezomo Oratokhai (honorable mention media). In 2024, Tiernan was honorable mention all-Big Ten (coaches and media) along with right guard Josh Thompson.

Before Northwestern, O’Boyle coached under Lewis at Kent State (2018-22) and followed him to Colorado when Lewis was the offensive coordinator in 2023. In his lone season coaching the offensive line at Colorado in 2023, the Buffaloes ranked third nationally in red zone offense and 33rd in team passing efficiency.

Prior to CU, O’Boyle was on Lewis’ Kent State coaching staff where the duo ran a historically great offense. Utilizing a very high-paced “Flash Fast” attack, O'Boyle's offensive lines paved the way for one of the most balanced offenses in the country. In 2021, the Flashes ranked fourth nationally in total offense and third in rushing offense. The team set program marks for both total offense and passing offense. In 2020, the Flashes were third nationally in rushing offense and 11th in passing offense, rushing for over 200 yards each game and throwing for over 300 in all but one contest. In 2019, O'Boyle helped the program to its first bowl win in history, topping Utah State 51-41. In 2018 (his first season) Kent State saw improvements of 20 yards per game on the ground and double the number of rushing touchdowns.

Prior to Kent State, O’Boyle spent two years at the University of South Dakota as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator. He was part of the best South Dakota season while in the Missouri Valley Football Conference in 2017 when the Coyotes advanced to the second round of the FCS Playoffs and defeated No. 22 Nicholls in the first round. USD knocked off four ranked opponents that year.

From 2013-15, O’Boyle spent three seasons at Southern Illinois where he started out as the offensive line coach and later took on duties of co-offensive coordinator and assistant head coach. In three seasons at SIU, O’Boyle helped the Salukis improve in scoring offense and passing offense each season. In 2014, the Salukis set a program record for touchdown passes. After O’Boyle was promoted to assistant head coach in 2015, SIU averaged nearly 500 yards of total offense per game, second-best in program history. SIU also set a program record with 298 passing yards per game in 2015.

In 2012, O’Boyle served as offensive coordinator at Colorado Mesa.

From 2005 to 2011, O’Boyle was the head coach at Division II Chadron State with an overall record of 57-21. He helped the team to three straight undefeated Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference championships. Under O'Boyle, the Eagles won 28 straight RMAC games and earned three NCAA Division II playoff berths, advancing to the quarterfinals in '06 and '07 and to the second round in 2008. While at Chadron, he coached NFL running back and two-time Harlon Hill Trophy winner Danny Woodhead.

In 2006 O’Boyle was recognized by Football Gazette as the National Coach of the year as well as the Sportexe Division II Coach of the Year. He was also a three-time RMAC Coach of the Year. A year later, he was named the Division-II Liberty Mutual National Coach of the Year for the 2007 season.

Prior to being named head coach, O’Boyle was the offensive coordinator at Chadron State from 1999 to 2004 and an assistant coach from 1994 to 1998.  He spent the previous four seasons at his alma mater, Western Illinois as the offensive line coach. O’Boyle’s first coaching assignment was also at Chadron State in 1987 serving as the offensive line coach.

As a player, O’Boyle spent three seasons at Western Illinois and was a two-year starter. He earned his degree in physical education and studio art from Western Illinois,

San Diego State is coming off a 9-4 season in 2025.