The USF Bulls wasted no time picking their new head coach. Brian Hartline, the wide receivers coach and offensive coordinator at Ohio State, will be the new head football coach of the USF Bulls.
All you need to do is look at Hartline’s resume and look at the wide receivers he has developed and sent to the NFL. He has recruited and helped develop wide receivers like Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, KJ Hill, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jameson Williams, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison, Jr., and Emeka Egbuka.
This season, Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Innis have all been developed and will become high NFL draft picks. Smith is also a candidate for the Heisman Trophy this season.
Hartline also comes to USF with a reputation as one of the top recruiters in the country.
Hartlines replaces Alex Golesh, who left to take the head coaching position at Auburn.
CEO of athletics Rob Higgins had this to say about the hiring of Brian Hartline. “Brian Hartline was our clear-cut first choice to lead our football program into the most exciting era in program history, and I am so fired up to have him leading the Bulls. A relentless recruiter, outstanding developer of talent and a gritty competitor, he comes from a championship background and is obsessed with instilling championship excellence in his players and teams. He is ready to lead our program to the next level. He knows the state of Florida, having spent six seasons of his professional playing career in Miami, and has successfully recruited the state and the Bay area for a long time.”
USF is one of the best jobs in the group of five and is currently building an on-campus football stadium, which is expected to open in 2027. They also have one of the highest NIL budgets in the AAC.
The program is on an upward trend as the Bulls are coming off their best season since 2017, and have played in three consecutive bowl games.
Hartline played wide receiver at OSU from 2005-08 and played seven years in the NFL with the Browns and the Dolphins. He returned to the Buckeyes in 2017 as a quality control coach in time for the 2018 season. During his time as a coach at OSU, the Buckeyes have gone 147-19, winning nine Big Ten titles, one national championship, and numerous top-ten finishes.
Hartline, in a statement issued by USF is excited to get to work in Tampa. “I’m honored and excited to join the University of South Florida as its new head football coach. Becoming a first-time head coach at a place like USF is a dream come true for me and my family. I look forward to leading the team to new heights, both on and off the field. Bulls Nation, we’re going to need your support and commitment to help us get to where we all want to be: never-ending championship excellence, building something that lasts, and serving our university, our community, and our fan base with integrity and passion. I can’t wait to get to work with our team and the entire USF community. Go Bulls!”
It was important for USF to get a head coach in place quickly, as national signing day approaches.
Hartline is expected to remain with the Buckeyes through their playoff run, which officially starts Saturday night against Indiana in the Big Ten Championship game.
This will be the 39-year-old’s first head coaching job. He is expected to sign a six-year deal. All eyes have been on Hartline as the next up-and-coming assistant coach poised to take over a program. He will now get that opportunity at South Florida