After finding success in Columbus, Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline decided to take the next step in his career and move into a new role. USF is confirmed as his next destination, and fans are eager to see what he can bring to the program as their Head Coach. However, the transition has not been entirely smooth for Hartline, as he faces challenges balancing his responsibilities between Ohio State and USF.

“Frankly, I would say last week was the hardest week with the amount of things that were moving, being pulled away, all these things,” Brian Hartline said in the interview. “Once we get through this week, we’ll have a little bit of time to get back to take a breath, get organized, and then we’ll operate from a bit far. I feel a lot better moving forward than I was last week. Last week was tough.”

The playoff tension has risen in the OSU camp, especially after the 10-13 defeat to Indiana in the Big Ten Conference. So, it’s natural that Brian Hartline felt a little bit of pressure. Even though he is confirmed to be the next USF head coach, he was allowed to coach the OSU offense in the playoffs, unlike a certain someone. Ryan Day reaffirmed his faith in the OC, even saying that he believes Hartline will “be locked in and doing his job.”

Luckily for Hartline, the Buckeyes will play in the quarterfinals of the playoffs. That means he will have time to settle down in his new role, a much-needed breather for anyone who is stuck between two programs. His job at Ohio State isn’t finished, as the program is on a run to become a back-to-back CFP champion following Georgia’s 2021 title.

OSU was on the verge of ending this regular season unbeaten. If they had done it, it would’ve given a clear message to everyone in the playoff bracket that the Buckeyes are the real threat. But Indiana managed to showcase that the Buckeyes were not invincible with an upset. For head coach Ryan Day, that loss showed the flaws inside his team.

What went wrong for Brian Hartline and Ryan Day against Indiana?

The Indiana–Ohio State matchup carried major implications. It was an unbeaten-versus-unbeaten showdown with a higher playoff seed on the line, a Big Ten Championship at stake, and a Heisman quarterback battle between Julian Sayin and Fernando Mendoza. The Hoosiers ensured they left Indianapolis with a victory that defined their season. On the other side, Ryan Day couldn’t sleep after the loss.

“I’ve watched it all a bunch. Didn’t sleep well last night. Have a sick feeling in my stomach over the game, so do these guys here,” Day said.

The head coach also noted that because Ohio State had been winning so dominantly throughout the season, the team’s weaknesses were never truly exposed. It wasn’t until the Indiana game that the Buckeyes were pushed hard enough for those flaws to surface, including a lack of movement in the run game, poor execution in the passing attack, and two stalled offensive drives.

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Even with the loss, Day expressed full confidence in Brian Hartline, despite Hartline juggling responsibilities between Ohio State and USF.

“Certainly, being a Buckeye and all the time he spent here and what he’s poured into this place matters to him,” Day said.

Now the Buckeyes will look past that loss and prepare to face the winner of the Miami-Texas A&M game on December 31st.