As a junior, in 1984, O'Hara passed for nearly 2,000 yards and 23 touchdowns. During his senior season, he passed for nearly 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns in 10 games which earned him "Bay League Player of the Year" honors and selection to the Long Beach Press-Telegram's "Best in the West" team. In 1986 O'Hara was also an All-Bay League centerfielder for the Vikings baseball team.
College career
O'Hara then attended USC where his playing time was limited to being a backup. As a sophomore in 1988, he served as the backup to Rodney Peete, who finished the season as a Heisman Trophy finalist.
O'Hara was expected to be the Trojans' starting quarterback in 1989, but suffered two torn ligaments in his right knee and a fractured right tibia in practice 10 days before the start of the season. The injuries required multiple surgeries, including one to graft bone from his hip. He was hospitalized for three weeks, a time in which he lost 35 pounds and received a get-well letter from former president Ronald Reagan.
As a senior in 1990, O'Hara served as backup to Todd Marinovich. Marinovich, then a freshman, was given the starting job and helped lead the team to a Rose Bowl win against Michigan in Bo Schembechler's last game as a head coach.[2] O'Hara's arm was impressive enough for some NFLscouts to offer him a workout with them. He graduated with a degree in Public Administration in 1991.
Professional playing career
National Football League
O'Hara was selected in the 10th round (260th overall) of the 1991 NFL draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.[3] He spent the first 11 weeks on the teams practice squad before being activated and serving as the team third-string quarterback the remainder of the season.
O’Hara holds the unique distinction as the only quarterback selected in modern draft history without ever being a starter in a collegiate game.
In 2005, O'Hara was named offensive coordinator of the Storm, becoming a player-coach. Then after the 2006 season, he retired as a player, he resumed the duties of offensive coordinator. His success on the field as a player and as a coordinator had a number of teams interested in him in the 2008 offseason. He interviewed for head coaching positions with the Grand Rapids Rampage and the Arizona Rattlers and was a finalist for both jobs. However, On July 25, 2008, he agreed to a three-year deal, with an option for a fourth, with the Los Angeles Avengers to become the fourth head coach in the franchise's history. However, the AFL cancelled its 2009 season, and on April 27, 2009, he was hired as the replacement of Richard Davis as head coach of the Tri-Cities Fever of af2.[4]
The Fever went 3–8 after hiring O'Hara, finishing 3–13. Although the team invited him to remain on as head coach in 2010, he decided to take an offer to become head coach of the Orlando Predators in the Arena Football League on December 21, 2009.[5]
On August 8, 2011, he was named the head coach of the New Orleans VooDoo.[6] Following the 2015 AFL season the VooDoo ceased operations.
On February 3, 2015, O'Hara was named an offensive assistant coach for the Houston Texans.
On January 26, 2018, O'Hara was hired as the quarterbacks coach for the Tennessee Titans.[7]
Broadcasting career
(2010–2014) O'Hara worked as a television football analyst for Bright House (Spectrum) Sports Network covering Florida high school football. O'Hara also served as color analyst for UCF Img Radio Network covering UCF football (2013–2014). More recently, O'Hara has worked as a color analyst for CBS Sports Network covering the Arena Football League (AFL).
Movie career
O’Hara's previous off-seasons have included consulting work, coordinating and choreographing football action scenes in movies.[8] He also has coached actors such as Adam Sandler, Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Glen Powell to better help them portray their characters. In addition, O'Hara has appeared in several movies including The Waterboy, Any Given Sunday, and The Game Plan.[8]