At SDSU, O’Connell saw a change in coaching, with Del Miller stepping in as the team’s offensive coordinator. Lewis wrote that Brett Swain, a wide receiver at SDSU and roommate of O’Connell, noticed the pressure of Miller’s new scheme didn’t faze his quarterback.
Swain recalled one week when O’Connell had to identify the types of coverages Portland State, their next opponent, preferred in certain situations. He alerted Swain to their tendencies, and that night Swain caught six passes for 224 yards and three touchdowns. Miller thought O’Connell’s aptitude was a sign.
“We used to kid him: ‘Someday you’re going to end up governor of a state,'” Miller said. “He had that kind of personality.”
When O’Connell reached the NFL with the New England Patriots in 2008, he thought he was preparing for a season filled with identifying protections and play-making decisions that typical rookie quarterbacks endure. Then Patriots starter Tom Brady tore his ACL in the team’s season opener, and O’Connell was immediately thrust into a backup role behind Matt Cassel.
Lewis said O’Connell was always there for Cassel, and the two formed a close bond. He wrote:
In some instances, O’Connell pored through film, analyzing red zone and third-down situations so that Cassel could focus on another facet of the opponent. At other times, O’Connell sat inside the meeting rooms and listened as Cassel vented.
“I always knew he had my back,” Cassel said. “There’s other guys where you feel like, look, they’re trying to fight to take your job. He always worked hard and wanted to be ready to go, but I always felt like he had my best interests in mind.”
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