USF to hire Brian Hartline, one of the architects Ohio State’s ‘WRU’

One of college football’s most heralded assistants has gotten his first head-coaching job.

Ohio State offensive coordinator at wide receivers coach Brian Hartline is expected to be hired as the next head coach at South Florida, according to multiple reports on Wednesday, Dec. 3.

He’ll replace Alex Golesh, who left the Bulls to become the head coach at Auburn three days earlier.

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According to Yahoo Sports, Hartline has signed a six-year deal with South Florida and will remain with Ohio State for the upcoming College Football Playoff.

Hartline has been at Ohio State since 2017 and has been instrumental in the Buckeyes’ rise as an offensive powerhouse centered around college-turned-NFL stars at wide receiver. Among the players Hartline has coached are Jeremiah Smith, Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka and Garrett Wilson. Over the past four years, five wide receivers that Hartline coached have been taken in the first round of the NFL draft.

A former Ohio State wide receiver himself, the 37-year-old Hartline is in his third season as the Buckeyes’ offensive coordinator. He shared the title last season with Chip Kelly when Ohio State won the national championship.

This season, with Hartline as the sole offensive coordinator, the No. 1 Buckeyes are averaging 37 points per game heading into Saturday’s Big Ten championship game against No. 2 Indiana. It’s the 13th-highest mark among 136 FBS programs.

South Florida is 9-3 this season and went 23-15 in three seasons under Golesh. Given the size of the school, the program’s location in a talent-rich state and the opening of a new stadium in the next few years, South Florida is widely considered one of the best jobs outside of the Power Four conferences.