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Who do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?

Published

7 months ago

December 4, 2025

Who do the Ohio State Buckeyes hire as the next offensive coordinator?

On Wednesday, news broke that Ohio State offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline would be departing for the vacant head coaching position at USF. The news is disappointing, but it was a move many Ohio State fans and staff expected to happen sooner or later. Hartline has been with the program since 2017 and is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier recruiters. He has been nothing short of sensational for the Buckeyes, consistently landing elite prospects not only at wide receiver but across multiple positions.

It is impossible not to feel a deep sense of respect and admiration for Hartline and to wish him tremendous success at USF. Yet his departure leaves a significant question hovering over Columbus: Who steps in to fill the void at offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach?

It is still very early, but here are five candidates who could succeed Hartline as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator.

Ex–Las Vegas Raiders Offensive Coordinator Chip Kelly

This one almost feels too easy to connect. Kelly served as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator last season and played a central role in the Buckeyes’ national championship run. His success in Columbus drew the attention of the NFL, and he ultimately signed a three-year, eighteen-million-dollar deal with the Las Vegas Raiders, one of the richest OC contracts in the league. Things unraveled quickly in Vegas, though, and after a 2–9 start, he was dismissed in late November.

Kelly knows the program inside and out and has a strong relationship with head coach Ryan Day. If the timing and circumstances line up, it is easy to picture him returning to Columbus.

Ohio State Co-Offensive Coordinator and Tight Ends Coach Keenan Bailey

If the Buckeyes prefer to promote from within, Keenan Bailey is an extremely logical option. He has been working closely with Hartline throughout the 2025 season and has been instrumental in shaping the offense. Bailey began as a recruiting analyst at Notre Dame in 2014 and has steadily climbed the ladder at Ohio State since arriving in 2016. Known for his work ethic and his ability to connect with players, he has been key in developing tight end production with Cade Stover in 2023 and Max Klare in 2025.

Ryan Day offered high praise for Bailey at Big Ten Media Days in 2023, noting that Bailey has earned trust throughout the building because of his energy, consistency, and genuine connection with players. Bailey would make plenty of sense as a full-time playcaller.

Ohio State Offensive Line Coach Tyler Bowen

Tyler Bowen is another strong internal candidate. He currently leads an offensive line that has been outstanding in 2025, allowing quarterback Julian Sayin to be sacked only six times during the entire regular season. Bowen also brings prior playcalling experience and a remarkably diverse résumé that includes roles at Maryland, Towson, Penn State, and Fordham, along with NFL experience as the Jaguars’ tight ends coach.

He also has a recruiting background that should not be overlooked, especially when considering Hartline’s departure. Bowen was responsible for landing players such as Theo Johnson, Brenton Strange, Olu Fashanu, and Tyler Warren at Penn State, all of whom went on to become NFL starters. That track record could be significant as Ohio State looks to maintain its recruiting edge.

UCLA Offensive Coordinator Jerry Neuheisel

Jerry Neuheisel is a compelling name who will appear in many OC discussions this offseason. After taking over playcalling duties in Week Four, he helped UCLA surge with three straight wins over Penn State, Michigan State, and Maryland, sparking real excitement around the Bruins. He was also spotted speaking with Ryan Day following UCLA’s recent loss to Ohio State in Columbus.

This would be an intriguing pairing. Neuheisel is young, creative, and full of potential, and he could thrive with the level of talent Ohio State brings in year after year.

North Texas Offensive Coordinator Jordan Davis

Jordan Davis is one of the hottest offensive names on the market this year. He orchestrated the nation’s top total offense and top scoring offense at North Texas, and with head coach Eric Morris taking over at Oklahoma State, Davis may also be ready for a new opportunity. His background is loaded with quarterback development, having worked with Patrick Mahomes at Texas Tech, Cam Ward at both Incarnate Word and Washington State, John Mateer at WSU, and Drew Mestemaker this year at North Texas.

Davis could be a fascinating match with Ryan Day, and his arrival might push the Buckeyes’ offense to an even more explosive level.

Contact/Follow us @BuckeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Ohio State news, notes, and opinion. Follow Phil Harrison on X.

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Is another team ready to take over the top of the Big Ten from Indiana and Ohio State?

Published

5 hours ago

July 9, 2026

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Is another team ready to take over the top of the Big Ten from Indiana and Ohio State?

After years of unchecked dominance from the SEC, the Big Ten Conference cemented its place as the best in college football in the 2025-2026 season.

The Indiana Hoosiers completed a remarkable 16-0 season by winning a National Championship, beating Ohio State in the conference championship game, dominating Alabama in the Rose Bowl, then blowing out Oregon in the College Football Playoff semifinal.

That completed a Big Ten trifecta, with the Michigan Wolverines winning a championship in 2024, then the Buckeyes following it up by beating Notre Dame to win the title in 2025. While the SEC might have better depth overall, it’s no question that the top of the Big Ten is as good or better than anyone.

SEC, BIG TEN ARE DOMINATING COLLEGE FOOTBALL THANKS TO MASSIVE ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER CONFERENCES

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti after defeating the Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Jan. 19, 2026. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)

And a new program might be ready to take their turn at the top of the Big Ten: those same Oregon Ducks.

One of the most predictive measures of a team’s strength from year to year is how much production they return from the previous season. It makes sense; the more key players that stay with the team, the better it is for continuity and development.

The Big Ten, oddly enough, has several teams that return much of their production on both sides of the ball. ESPN’s Bill Connelly ran the numbers, finding that teams like Maryland, Nebraska, Minnesota and UCLA all ranked in the top 10 nationally in returning value. Though given how these teams played in 2025, that’s less important. Number 12, though? The Oregon Ducks.

And that carryover production is coming from a team that lost just two games all season, both to Indiana. They handled a very good USC team, 42-27, overcame miserable conditions to outlast the Iowa Hawkeyes on the road, beat the rival Washington Huskies, and most impressively, shut out an elite Texas Tech team 23-0 in the College Football Playoff. And they bring back the players responsible for 66% of their overall production, including star quarterback Dante Moore.

Oregon Ducks quarterback Dante Moore (5) warms up prior to the 2025 Orange Bowl and College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Sam Navarro / Imagn Images)

Just behind them at 65%? USC, heading into a pivotal season under Lincoln Riley.

Here’s where Oregon has the advantage, however. They bring that percentage back from a team that was significantly better than USC. It’s no surprise then, that per Connelly’s SP+ projections, Oregon is expected to be the No. 2 team in the country, by efficiency on offense, defense and special teams.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR A BIG 12 WINNER NOT NAMED TEXAS TECH OR BYU, CONSIDER THE HOUSTON COUGARS

What about the other Big Ten schools, though?

USC is the biggest wildcard. They sit at No. 13 in the SP+ projections, thanks to an elite offense and a defense that’s expected to be solid, if unspectacular. But their special teams projections are all the way down at No. 100 in the country, thanks to a series of disastrous mistakes in 2025. Special teams, though, should be the easiest area to improve upon. So if the Trojans can make some adjustments, they could exceed the eight game win expectancy.

Ohio State and Indiana, the two most recent champions, have a bit of a tougher hill to climb, though their roster composition is far from disastrous. The Buckeyes bring back 60% of their production, while Indiana is at 56%, even with several huge departures. That ranks at No. 31 and No. 52, respectively. Important, but not enough to push either team out of the top 5 in the national projections. And Ohio State sits at No. 1, thanks to consistently elite recruiting and key players like Julian Sayin and Jeremiah Smith returning.

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning attends Oregon Pro Day on March 17, 2026, at the Moshofsky Center in Eugene, Oregon. (Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

But if there is an upset brewing at the top of the conference, Oregon might be the place to look. The question then becomes, can they put it all together against a difficult schedule? The Ducks play USC on the road, host Nebraska, travel to Illinois, play Ohio State on the road, host Michigan and have their rivalry game against Washington at Autzen.

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It won’t be easy, but don’t be surprised if at the end of the season, Dan Lanning and the Ducks are right back in the mix.

Ian Miller is a writer at OutKick.

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Woman missing for more than 2 weeks found dead in Ohio

Published

15 hours ago

July 8, 2026

Press Room

Woman missing for more than 2 weeks found dead in Ohio

July 8, 2026 / 7:40 PM EDT
/ CBS Pittsburgh

A Kentucky woman who had been missing for more than two weeks was found dead in her vehicle in Ohio, authorities said.

The body of Debra Wireman was found in her vehicle on July 3 in Clermont County, Ohio, the Flemingsburg Police Department in Kentucky said on Facebook on Wednesday. Investigators were called to the scene after a report identifying the vehicle as belonging to a missing person, police said. The remains were identified as Wireman’s by the Clermont County Coroner’s Office on July 7, according to law enforcement.

Debra Wireman, a Kentucky woman who had been missing for more than two weeks, was found dead in her vehicle in Ohio.

(Photo Credit: Flemingsburg Police Department)

Police in Kentucky said the Clermont County Sheriff’s Office in Ohio is investigating the woman’s death. No additional information will be released by Flemingsburg police “out of respect for Debra’s family and the integrity of that investigation.”

“While this is not the outcome any of us hoped and prayed for, we are thankful that Debra has been found and that her family can now begin to receive the closure they deserve,” police added on Facebook.

Wireman, according to police, was last seen on June 17 at around 4:30 p.m. in Aberdeen, Ohio, while traveling toward Maysville, Kentucky. She was driving a white 2020 Kia Forte with front-end damage. Police said family and friends were “concerned for her welfare.”

“The overwhelming response from our community, neighboring agencies, the media, and countless individuals across the region demonstrated the very best of people coming together in the hope of bringing someone home safely,” Flemingsburg police said.

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