The University of South Florida’s next head football coach will come with championship pedigree, straight from the staff of No. 1-ranked Ohio State, the defending national champion.
That's according to multiple outlets — including ESPN, CBS Sports and On3 — that are reporting Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline will take over the Bulls’ program.
As of Wednesday, there have been no official announcements from any of the parties involved, and the Buckeyes are preparing for the Big Ten Conference championship game Saturday against No. 2 Indiana.
ALSO READ: Golesh jumps from USF to Auburn. Bulls begin search for a new football coach
If the reports are accurate, Hartline would replace Alex Golesh, who left USF on Sunday after three seasons to take the head coaching position at Auburn.
The current expectation is Brian Hartline will coach with Ohio State through the CFP, sources tell @On3sports.
— Pete Nakos (@PeteNakos) December 3, 2025
Has been in the facility today helping Ryan Day close out the 2026 class. https://t.co/Sqt2SPK5XJ
Reports on Hartline come on the start of early signing period, an important recruitment time for college programs.
According to On3, Hartline is considered one of the top recruiters in college football.
Hartline, an Ohio State graduate, began coaching at his alma mater in 2017 after retiring from the NFL, where he played wide receiver. In a short time, he worked his way up from a quality control position to leader of Coach Ryan Day’s offense.
Hartline, 37, began coaching at his alma mater in 2017, working his way up from a quality control position. He was promoted to interim receivers coach in 2018, then took over the roll fulltime in 2019. He added passing game coordinator to his duties in 2022, then became OC in 2023.
Day’s offenses have been among the best in the nation, ranking in the top 3 nationally in scoring three times and top 10 in total offense four times. Ohio State was No. 1 in the nation in total offense and scoring offense in 2021.
In addition, Hartline had tutored some of the best receivers in country, including Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith‑Njigba and Emeka Egbuka, now a Tampa Bay Buccaneers rookie.
Sources: Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is expected to become the next coach at South Florida. He’s OSU’s play caller and built a reputation as the country’s top developer of wide receivers. pic.twitter.com/U0227G4LDo
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 3, 2025
Olave, Wilson and Jameson Williams, who spent two seasons with Ohio State before transferring to Alabama, were all first-round NFL picks in the 2022 draft. Smith-Njigba was a first-rounder in 2023 and Egbuka was this year.
Also, K.J. Hill, who broke the school record for career receptions with 201, and teammates Parris Campbell and Terry McLaurin were coached by Hartline and then selected in the draft.
“Brian has been successful in every football capacity for which he has been engaged,” Day said in Hartline's online bio. “He has progressed incredibly well from college to NFL receiver, and then from quality control coach to wide receivers coach and now to his roles as a coordinator.
“He has also developed his receivers at an unprecedented level and he has recruited as well or better than anyone in the country.”
This year, Ohio State (12-0) averages 438.5 yards per game, led by redshirt freshman Julian Sayin at quarterback, freshman running back Bo Jackson, and a pair of superstar receivers in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.
Golesh left the Bulls in far better shape than when he arrived in 2023. Prior to his arrival in Tampa, the Bulls had won just four games over the prior three seasons. Over his tenure, USF went 23-15, with two bowl victories. The Bulls just finished the regular season 9-3 (6-2 in the American Conference) with a third bowl bid coming.
