Brian Hartline is 'really happy' where Ohio State is at
The Ohio State Buckeyes underwent several changes this offseason, one of them being promoting former passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline to the team’s offensive coordinator and play caller. Hartline was recently asked about the state of the Buckeyes’ program, expressing positivity about where the team currently stands.
“I would say that I’m really happy with where we’re at,” Hartline said. “I think I’m proud of the way we’ve gone about it, I’m sure coach (Ryan) Day could hit on it more, I don’t want to speak out of context there.”
The Buckeyes have finished their last two seasons 11-2, inching closer to the national championship every year. They fell in the first semifinal round of the College Football Playoffs to the eventual national champion Georgia Bulldogs in a devastating one-point loss, and prior to that fell to rival Michigan for a second year in a row, missing out on the Big Ten Championship game yet again.
The Buckeyes lost some important pieces this offseason, but also gained some talent. They ended 2023’s National Signing Day with the No. 4 ranked recruiting class in the nation and the top class in the Big Ten.
“But we definitely want to be sustainable, we definitely want to be very thoughtful and thorough, and really do right by the young men. And I think we’re doing that at a pretty good clip,” Hartline said.
Hartline will still coach the team’s wide receivers, but his first season as an offensive coordinator will present him with the challenge of naming a new starting quarterback before the season begins. The Buckeyes next starter will have some big shoes to fill following the exit of CJ Stroud to the NFL, as quarterbacks Kyle McCord and Devin Brown will likely battle all offseason for the starting job.
Brian Hartline says recruits prioritizing NIL ‘not the right fit’ for Ohio State receivers
In the constantly evolving world of NIL and the transfer portal, how coaches handle different elements is a huge source of interest. There are wildly different takes on recruits prioritizing NIL and what the right balance is.
Put Ohio State receivers coach Brian Hartline in the camp that sees a red flag if a recruit is overly concerned with NIL.
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“I would say this, I would say that it’s probably per position per coach,” Hartline said. “I would say as a receiver coach, probably not a guy that would fit my room.”
That Hartline has such a stance is certainly eyebrow-raising. After all, he inked one of the best receiver hauls in the country this signing class.
Ohio State signed four-stars Carnell Tate, Noah Rogers, Bryson Rodgers and Brandon Innis. That’s a load of talent, particularly if very little in the way of NIL served as an enticement.
Hartline said Ohio State’s approach to NIL in the recruiting process is handled by each position coach. But he’s not one that’s prioritizing NIL in recruiting.
“Each coach handles it,” he said. “And how coach (Ryan) Day wants to handle it, that’s fine. But I’m OK saying that’s probably not the right fit for us in our room.”