Ohio
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.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former Ohio State wide receiver Emeka Egbuka is defending former Buckeye Carnell Tate.
Tate has received some scrutiny after he was selected as the first wide receiver in the 2026 NFL Draft, despite not having been Ohio State’s top receiver target in college. Appearing on the “Up and Adams” show May 6, Egbuka shut down the narrative that meant Tate would not find success with the Tennessee Titans.
“I mean, we can see the correlation,” Egbuka said. “That was the same talk that was about me when I was coming out of the draft. At the end of the day, it’s all semantics. If you can play football, you can play football, and Carnell Tate can play football.”
Selected with the No. 20 pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Egbuka finished his final college season with 1,011 receiving yards, more than 300 fewer than Jeremiah Smith in his freshman year. Egbuka led the team in receptions with 81 compared to Smith’s 76 catches.
With Buccaneers wide receivers Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr. playing fewer than 10 games during the 2025 season due to injuries, Egbuka led the team in receiving yards with 938. He finished fifth in 2025 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year voting.
Tate, the No. 4 overall pick in this year’s draft, was called a “talented player” by New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers during Bleacher Report’s draft night coverage on April 23, but Nabers questioned Tate’s selection.
“I don’t see him being a number one,” Nabers said. “He hasn’t been the number one on the team he’s been on. You have to be a number one on the team that you’re coming from to be a number one receiver on the team you’re going to. … You can’t be the second.”
Green Bay Packers edge rusher Micah Parsons, also on the broadcast, quickly dismissed Nabers’ statement by bringing up that former Buckeyes receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba was a second option while in college.
“You said you got to be number one on the team that you’re coming from. … [Jaxon Smith-Njigba] was not number one. Bro, you got to understand that the number one [Ohio State] player will be the number one pick in the draft next year. … Give him a chance to fulfill the role,” Parsons said.
Tate finished the 2025 season with 875 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, second to Smith with 1,243 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
-
News54 seconds agoVideo: Why Trump’s Feud With the Pope Worries Republicans
-
Politics7 minutes agoVideo: Tennessee Republicans Aim to Break Up State’s Lone Democratic District
-
Business13 minutes agoWhy Stocks and Bonds Are Responding Differently to the Iran War
-
Science19 minutes agoThe Longevity Secrets Helping Athletes Blow Past the Limits of Age
-
Health25 minutes agoHantavirus Response Shows How Trump Cuts Have Compromised U.S. Preparedness
-
Culture37 minutes agoIn Her New Memoir, Siri Hustvedt Captures Life With, And Without, Paul Auster
-
Lifestyle43 minutes agoA Fashion Revolution at the Met
-
Education49 minutes agoToday, In Short