Born in Greenville, Mississippi, Mike O'Brien spent his playing days and early years close to home.  Following graduation from Delta State University, he coached two years at his high school alma mater, St. Joseph.  He then moved across town and assumed the position of offensive coordinator on the football team and the head baseball coach at Washington High School for six seasons. 
     After a four year stint at Colquitt County High School in Moultrie, Georgia, he was hired in 1980 by Valdosta's legendary Head Coach Nick Hyder to coach quarterbacks and running backs. 
     During the next fifteen seasons, O'Brien would be a part of ten region championships, six state championships, and three national titles.  Upon the sudden death of Coach Hyder in May of 1996, he was named the twelfth head coach of the winningest high school football program in America.
     Over the next seven years, the Wildcats amassed a record of 70-20-1, they won 4 region titles, AAAA State Runner-up in 1996 and AAAA State Championship in 1998. For his efforts and teams' accomplishments, O'Brien was named Region 1 AAAA Coach of the Year in 1996, Georgia AAAA Coach of the Year in 1996 and 1998 by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.  He served on the Georgia All-Star Coaching Staff in 1997, and was named the National Coach of the Year by American Football Quarterly in 1997.  He was the head coach for the winning North Squad in the 2006 All-Star Game.
     Coach O'Brien came to Woodstock in 2003; taking over a team in the midst of a 26 game losing streak.  He was awarded Coach of the Week by The Atlanta Touchdown Club when the Wolverines broke that streak in just their third game under Coach O'Brien.  That year the Wolverines went on to a 5-5 record and placed 2 players in college with football scholarships.  In his second season, the Wolverines had a record number three players sign division 1-A football scholarships.  An incredible 8 players signed in just his third year at Woodstock.
     The Wolverines continue to benefit from Coach O'Brien's leadership by having an all time record number of kids in the football program, grades 6 through 12 and a incredible 100+ players on the varsity roster, up from less than 60 when he took over at Woodstock.   The Wolverines have place 3 players in Division-1 schools and currently have 13 former players playing college football.

In 2008, Coach O'Brien led his team to a historic season.  After going 2-4, the Wolverines turned around and won 4 straight to finish the season.  The last regular season win was extra sweet because it was Coach's 100th win as a head coach in the State of Georgia and 108 overall.  The Wolverines won their first ever playoff gave by defeating Walton.  They did not stop there; the following week traveled to Norcross and won.  The team came up one point short to the eventual state champions Camden County Wildcats.  The team was named Team of the Year and Coach O'Brien, Coach of the Year.