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December 10, 2018Two days after getting his first commitment as the Ohio State Buckeyes new head coach,1 Ryan Day made his first big move on his coaching staff as well, removing the interim tag off Brian Hartline, making him the full-time wide receivers coach, the head coach announced on Saturday.
“Brian is a terrific young coach and mentor to our players and I am thrilled he is on our staff permanently now,” Day, who takes over as Ohio State head coach January 2, said. “Brian was displaying outstanding leadership qualities when he was a quality control coach, and his efforts coaching the wide receivers this season are a huge reason we are Big Ten champions and headed to the Rose Bowl.”
Though he technically doesn’t take over for Urban Meyer until after the Rose Bowl, Day has gotten a head start on securing his staff as Meyer’s successor. It will be the first of at least one more change in the coaching staff before the 2019 season kicks off next fall. With Meyer’s retirement and Day taking over, there’s still a spot to fill on the offensive side of the ball.
It’s a well-deserved promotion for Hartline, even if it took a little longer than some people thought it should. Since joining Ohio State’s coaching staff in early 2017 following a seven-year NFL career, returning to a program he once played for from 2005-08, the 32-year-old has climbed the ranks quite quickly. He served as the Buckeyes’ quality control coach during the 2017 season before taking over for Zach Smith on an interim basis this past July.
Following the ugliness that took place involving the entire Smith situation and investigation, Hartline not only took advantage of the opportunity but flourished while doing so. Whether it was on the field, off the field, or on the recruiting trail, the wide receivers coach performed well in all areas.
He’s a Buckeye, through and through. Born and raised in northeast Ohio, played at Ohio State, returned to the program following his NFL career. His value both on and off the field is a plus for the coaching staff, especially with his playing experience. Those types of things can’t be taught. Now, he will be part of the Buckeyes for much, much longer if things go the way they should.
On the field
While a throw-first, air-it-out quarterback like Dwayne Haskins helps the wide receivers, the group has made the most of their opportunity and then some. Part of that is due to Hartline’s experience both at the college level and in the NFL. He can give first-person advice that not many coaches can. There’s a reason the former wide receiver has won six Big Ten championships in six seasons with the Buckeyes (four as a player, two as a coach).
Led by three fifth-year senior co-captains, Ohio State’s wideouts have had quite a season. Whether it’s in short-yardage plays or the long ball, the group has made plays all over the field.
Ohio State’s wide receivers this season became the first in school history to have four players with at least 1,000 career receiving yards. While part of that is due to the fact that they are led by a number of seniors, it also speaks to just how well they have played as well.
Such a special group. pic.twitter.com/9mkdK39Axc
— Josh Poloha (@JorshP) December 2, 2018
In terms of their performance this season, all of them improved on their numbers from 2017. Heading into the Rose Bowl, Parris Campbell has totaled 79 catches for 992 yards and 11 touchdowns, K.J. Hill has caught 65 passes for 811 yards and six touchdowns, Terry McLaurin has 34 receptions for 669 yards and 11 touchdowns, and Johnnie Dixon has totaled 40 passes for 642 yards and seven touchdowns.
Although Hill is just a junior, there’s a chance that he could forego his senior season to enter the NFL Draft. Losing that group of seniors following the Rose Bowl will be quite a blow, but with guys such as Austin Mack, Binjimen Victor, and Chris Olave returning, among others, there’s still plenty of talent there.
In all, the receiver unit caught 291 passes this season for 4,211 yards and 43 touchdowns. Those totals that alone broke the school single-season marks of 287 receptions (set in 2017), 3,707 yards (2014) and 42 touchdowns (2014).
To add to their statistics, the wide receivers have also been tremendous blockers as well. Whether it’s on running plays or just blocking downfield for one of their other receivers, the group has been known to dominate in the blocking game, something that may go unnoticed by the average fan but definitely hasn’t to Hartline.
Back in October, he mentioned that he wanted his group to improve every day.
“I truly come in every day, and really, when I go home at night, I’m always thinking about how I can get these guys better constantly,” Hartline said. “And on my way in, I’m always making sure I perform at the highest level, because the things I do have ramifications throughout the week, and I just have that approach.”
He has done just that and then some.
Recruiting
On-field success is the most important, but to help you get there, you have to be able to recruit the most talented players in the country as well. In his first season leading the wide receivers, Hartline did both. It’s one of the biggest reasons why he was promoted by Day.
While his group had so much success on the field this season, the former Buckeye made sure that success won’t let up while he was on the recruiting trail. One of the biggest questions regarding Hartline as a coach was his experience on the recruiting trail, or lack thereof. Joining the Buckeyes’ coaching staff immediately following his NFL career, he didn’t have the connections with high school coaches and recruits that almost all coaches have. With that said, he has more than made up for it over the last 1.5 years.
After taking over for Smith, he was able to keep five-star Garrett Wilson — the No. 2-ranked wide receiver in the 2019 class — in the fold, while also receiving a commitment from four-star Jameson Williams, the 24th-ranked receiver in the class. Even after Meyer announced his retirement, the two remained committed. It was partially due to the fact that Hartline reached out to both of them immediately. The other reason was that receivers want to play for Hartline because he played at the highest level, every football player dreams about.
“He has good [NFL] experience, and that’s all you could ask for,” Wilson, who will enroll with the Buckeyes in January, told Lettermen Row’s Jeremy Birmingham. “All of the Ohio State receivers want to be in the shoes he was in.
“That makes it impossible to not listen to him.”
Hartline was also able to receive a commitment from Jaxon Smith-Njigba — the No. 59-ranked receiver in the 2020 class — even after Meyer announced that he will retire.
“I’m excited for him,” he said of Hartline. “He’s one of, if not the best, at what he does and you can see it through his guys.
“I’m happy that I’m going to be a part of that.”
His success on the field has been evident, but Hartline’s success on the recruiting trail is one of the main reasons why Day not only decided to give him the full-time job, but the reason Ohio State’ wide receivers group has a very bright future going forward.
Reactions
It says a lot when current players have nothing but positive things to say about new involving one of their coaches. There’s a reason many didn’t stick up for Smith when all that went down. Ohio State players didn’t hold back when applauding Hartline for getting the full-time gig.
- Cleveland, Ohio St. Ignatius four-star linebacker Tommy Echenberg committed to Ohio State. [↩]