A Big Ten offensive coordinator has emerged as a candidate for the Penn State coaching job as the search continues.
Nittany Sports Now can confirm Lions247 and Blue-White Illustrated’s reports that Ohio State OC Brian Hartline is a candidate for the job.
Hartline is a risky option, but an intriguing one.
He’s risky because he hasn’t been a head coach before and doesn’t have much experience as an offensive coordinator. He’s intriguing because of his record as a position coach, his national championship ring and the fact that he’s still in his 30s.
As with any candidate, there are pros and cons to hiring Hartline.
THE HARTLINE FILE
Brian Hartline – Ohio State Athletics
After his six-year NFL career ended in 2015, Hartline got into coaching, starting his career at his alma mater. After spending the 2017 season as an offensive quality control assistant, he became the receivers coach in 2018, a job he’s held ever since. Hartline has become quite possibly the best position coach in the country.
Marvin Harrison Jr. Garrett Wilson. Chris Olave. Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Emeka Ebuka. Jeremiah Smith. All of these guys have been developed by Hartline, and all but Smith— who is still in college and might end up being the best of them all— have made an impact in the NFL. Hartline’s success coaching the receivers led to him twice being promoted to offensive coordinator, first in 2023 and then over this offseason.
This year, he has Ohio State rolling. The Bucks are averaging 36 points per game and first-year starting QB Julian Sayin is a Heisman candidate.
Young assistants like Dan Lanning (Oregon) and Kenny Dillingham (Arizona State) have killed it at their first head coaching jobs. There’s plenty of reason to believe Hartline would do the same, especially since he’s proven he can recruit and recruit in Pennsylvania (Harrison Jr.)
But…
THE RISKS
Brian Hartline – Ohio State Athletics
There would be risks involved with Penn State hiring Hartline. For one, he’s never been a head coach before, which means he’s inexperienced in running a program, and also inexperienced in putting a coaching staff together.
Since Hartline’s boss, Ryan Day, is an offensive-minded coach, it’s also fair to wonder how much of Ohio State’s offensive success is due to Hartline and how much is due to Day.
Penn State will see that offense first hand this weekend in Columbus, when it takes on the No. 1 team in the country. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on FOX.
Stay tuned to NSN for more updates on the Penn State coaching search.
