Ohio State quickly replaces Brian Hartline with new WR coach after Cotton Bowl loss

The Ohio State Buckeyes have been eliminated from the College Football Playoff.

That just means that the offseason work has kicked off for Ohio State, as they look to build off of their 12-2 season.

A big item for head coach Ryan Day is finding an offensive coordinator to replace Brian Hartline, who is leaving the Buckeyes to become the head coach at USF. After Ohio State’s 24-14 loss against the Miami Hurricanes, Hartline’s time with the Buckeyes has officially ended.

But the Buckeyes moved quickly as on Thursday morning, Ohio State moved to hire Cortez Hankton as their next wide receivers coach.

The Buckeyes will still be searching for their next offensive coordinator, but hiring Hankton is a big move for Ohio State to retain their status as “Wide Receiver U” even with Hartline moving on from the program.

Hankton was previously the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at LSU. He had taken that role after a successful run as a receivers coach at Georgia, where he also served as the pass game coordinator for the Bulldogs.

Hankton has coached prominent NFL stars during their college careers such as Malik Nabers, George Pickens, Ladd McConkey and Brian Thomas Jr.

What's next for Ohio State this offseason?

Hiring a position coach with the pedigree and track record that Hankton possesses is very important for Ohio State. While Carnell Tate is likely heading for the NFL as a first-round pick, the Buckeyes will hope to return superstar wide receiver Jeremiah Smith in 2026.

Additionally, Chris Henry Jr. stayed committed to the Buckeyes even as Hartline announced his departure right before National Signing Day. A huge first order of business for Hankton will be meeting Smith and Henry – getting the talented tandem to buy into his vision as Hartline’s successor.

As Ohio State transitioned from legendary head coach Urban Meyer to Day, Hartline’s recruiting helped the Buckeyes remain dominant at the receiver position. High-profile NFL players including Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Emeka Egbuka, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLaurin and Marvin Harrison Jr. are all top-flight receivers that were coached by Hartline.

Now, Hankton will have an opportunity to be a part of the fabric that makes Ohio State a legendary breeding ground for receivers.

Up next, Day will be searching for an offensive coordinator to replace Hartline, who served as the team’s OC and receivers coach. Day had served as the team’s offensive play caller during their CFP loss against Miami, but could hand off the call sheet to a new coordinator as he did with Hartline and Chip Kelly last season.

Starting the offseason with hiring Hankton seems like a great place for the Buckeyes to start, as the 44-year-old position coach has actual NFL experience as a wideout and has already coached some of the NFL’s brightest stars.

Ohio State will hope that Hankton will maintain that pedigree with the Buckeyes.