Brian Hartline will leave Ohio State for USF head-coaching job

Former NFL receiver Brian Hartline and long-time Ohio State assistant Brian Hartline has finally gotten a team of his own.

Via Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports, USF will hire Hartline as the program's next head coach.

Hartline, an Ohio native who played at Ohio State from 2005 through 2008, was a fourth-round pick of the Dolphins in 2009. He spent six seasons in Miami, before wrapping up his career in 2015 with the Browns.

After serving as an offensive quality control coach in 2017, he has coached the team's stellar collection of receivers since 2018, adding the title of offensive coordinator in 2023. (He shared that job with Chip Kelly in 2024.)

Hartline, 39, played in 104 regular-season games with 73 starts. He caught 344 passes for 4,766 yards and 14 touchdowns.

His pupils have included Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Jeremiah Smith.

Last year, Hartline interviewed for the head-coaching job at West Virginia. Now at USF, Hartline (if successful) will likely climb the ladder to bigger and bigger jobs, with the eventual possibility of someday becoming the head coach at his alma mater.

Hartline will stay with Ohio State through its upcoming playoff run and, possibly, second straight national championship.