Brian Hartline has developed a strong reputation for recruiting and developing wide receivers at Ohio State.
Brian Hartline’s professional career began as a fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, but after 344 receptions for 4,766 yards across 104 games, he’s carved out a role as one of the nation’s top wide receiver coaches. After sharing the title with Chip Kelly last season, Hartline is set to be promoted to the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator role.
While Kelly called plays last season, Hartline has developed a stout reputation throughout his time at Ohio State working with first-round talent like Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr. since joining the coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 2017. 247Sports named him National Recruiter of the Year in 2020 after landing a recruiting class that included five-star receivers Smith-Njigba and Julian Fleming.
The 108th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, Hartline only started two games as a rookie with the Dolphins but averaged 16.3 yards per reception and scored four total touchdowns. He set a career-best with 1,083 receiving yards as the team’s top receiver in 2012. Hartline signed a five-year contract with $12.5 million guaranteed the following offseason before his second 1,000-yard season and a career-best four receiving touchdowns in 2013.
Hartline was named Ohio State’s pass-game coordinator in 2022, but head coach Ryan Day was the team’s play-caller until Kelly arrived. With Kelly joining Pete Carroll’s staff on the Las Vegas Raiders, incoming Buckeyes believe Ohio State made the right choice in promoting Hartline.
“I love this move,” five-star Ohio State commit Chris Henry Jr. said. “Coach Hartline knows how to develop receivers better than anyone, and now with him as offensive coordinator, I know he’s going to put us receivers in the best position to dominate for sure.”
