The Pros and Cons of Hiring Ohio State's Brian Hartline at Penn State

Hartline is a lifetime Buckeye and sharp offensive mind being targeted by multiple programs as a potential head coach.

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline calls plays during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Penn State has embarked on one of college football’s most high-profile coaching searches to replace James Franklin, who was fired Oct. 12. Athletic Director Pat Kraft promised a nationwide search for the coach he said possesses a “vision of championships.”

Penn State is hiring a football coach for the first time since 2014, when Franklin replaced Bill O’Brien. It’s a situation no one thought Penn State would be in this year, but there’s certainly talent to choose from.

We’re scouring the list of candidates for the opening at Penn State. In the latest edition of our profile series, we spotlight Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and whether he’s a fit for the Nittany Lions.  

Related: The pros and cons of hiring Mike Elko at Penn State

Brian Hartline at a glance

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and co-offensive coordinator Keenan Bailey watch warm-ups prior to the NCAA football game against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Ohio Stadium. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• School: Ohio State 

• Age: 38

• Hometown: North Canton, Ohio

• Head coaching experience: None

• Where he has coached: Hartline has spent all eight seasons of his coaching career at Ohio State, where he has been a quality control assistant, receivers coach and offensive coordinator. 

What to know about Brian Hartline

Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline motions during spring football practice at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center in Columbus. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Hartline was a standout wide receiver at Ohio State from 2005-08 before being selected in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL Draft by the Miami Dolphins. Hartline amassed 4,766 yards and 14 touchdowns on 344 receptions in his seven-year professional career. He joined the Buckeyes’ staff in 2017 as an offensive quality control coach and earned a full-time role at Ohio State in 2018. 

Hartline has worked with wide receivers for his entire career at Ohio State. He has been vital in recruiting and developing five NFL first-round picks (Emeka Egbuka, Marvin Harrison Jr., Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave) as well as NFL standout Terry McLaurin. He was On3’s 2022 receivers coach of the year.

This season Hartline took over play-calling duties in Ohio State’s offense, which features future first-round NFL Draft pick Jeremiah Smith at receiver and Heisman Trophy candidate Julian Sayin at quarterback. Receiver Carnell Tate is projected as a top-10 draft pick as well.

Why Brian Hartline would fit at Penn State

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba talks to Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Brian Hartline prior a game vs. the Washington Huskies. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Many have compared Hartline to other coordinators-turned-head coaches like Dan Lanning at Oregon, Kirby Smart at Georgia and even Ryan Day at Ohio State. All were among the best assistants in the country when becoming first-time head coaches at high-profile programs. That has worked out in each case. 

While it’s a gamble, hiring Hartline would bring fresh energy and a new approach to Penn State, particularly on offense. Hartline, whom Urban Meyer hired at Ohio State, has recruited and developed the best collection of receivers in the country. In a video for Big Ten Network, Meyer illustrated how Hartline has developed the nation’s best receiver in Smith.

Additionally, Hartline is an exceptional recruiter at Ohio State. According to 247Sports, Hartline is the eighth-ranked recruiter in college football for this cycle. He was No. 6 in 2023 and 247Sports’ national recruiter of the year in 2020. 

Hartline would represent a new offensive vision for Penn State, one needed after the setbacks of 2025. He could be immediately successful in the transfer portal and quickly stock a roster of offensive talent that would keep Penn State competitive in 2026. 

Further, Hartline has worked for perhaps the best operation in college football. He would arrive at Penn State hard-wired to run a professional organization, hire an experienced staff and perhaps even retain defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

There's no doubt that @OhioStateFB's Jeremiah Smith is elite.

He's also coached by an elite coach.@CoachUrbanMeyer breaks down WR play, and shares how Brian Hartline has helped develop the nation's WR1 👇 pic.twitter.com/GWHoL5EAfW

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) October 30, 2025

Why Brian Hartline might not fit at Penn State

As noted above, Hartline is a gamble. He’s in his eighth season as an assistant, first as a play-caller, and hasn’t even run an FCS program, much less a $130 million annual operation. He also hasn’t coached anywhere but Ohio State, which limits his perspective. What if the Ohio state playbook (on field and off) doesn’t work in State College?

Further, there’s the timeline issue that impacts other playoff coaches, notably Mike Elko of Texas A&M. Ohio State likely will be playing into mid-January, through the transfer-portal window, and Hartline doesn’t seem like the coach who would abandon his alma mater during a championship run to build another roster. Can Penn State afford to wait for Hartline?

Bottom line

They're probably nervous in Columbus about losing Hartline, particularly to Penn State. He's a tempting risk/reward candidate with a sky-high ceiling. If Penn State can’t poach coaches like Elko or Missouri’s Eli Drinkwitz, Hartline should be among the next options. In fact, he should be near the top of Kraft’s list in general.

Hartline is a potential home-run hire and a risk Kraft and Penn State just might want to take.