The Ohio State Buckeyes promoted Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator after Chip Kelly left to become the highest-paid NFL offensive coordinator with the Las Vegas Raiders. While play-calling duties belong to Hartline for now, his future is believed to be even brighter than that.
Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated was recently asked in a mailbag if Hartline would ever leave Ohio State to coach in the NFL or work at another program. Breer believes that if Hartline left the Buckeyes, it would be to work in the NFL, but getting him to leave Columbus could prove difficult.
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“I think if Hartline were to leave, it’d be for the NFL, and it might be a little harder for NFL teams to lure him now that he’s a play-caller at Ohio State. He’s in a very stable situation, has a reputation as one of college football’s top assistants…I do know he loves pro football, but also is aware of the volatility of jobs at that level.”
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer on Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline
Hartline, age 38, is an Ohio native who played wide receiver for the Buckeyes before making his way to the NFL. Following his career as a player, he joined the Buckeyes coaching staff in 2017 as an offensive quality control assistant. A year later, he took over as wide receivers coach and he still holds that position today.
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As wide receivers coach, Hartline has helped significantly in the development of NFL stars such as Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave and Marvin Harrison Jr. He’s now working with wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who is already viewed as a future top-five pick in the 2027 NFL Draft who is pro-ready right now.
Breer noted that the Philadelphia Eagles offered Hartline the opportunity to become their pass-game coordinator when he had only served as the Buckeyes’ wide receivers coach. However, it could be worth staying at Ohio State as he could eventually succeed Ryan Day as head coach.
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