A few days ago, Ryan Day suffered a massive setback when his offensive coordinator, Brian Hartline, accepted a job at USF. However, the plan was for him to coach the Buckeyes through the playoffs. But then Ohio State suffered its first loss in months, falling to Indiana, and suddenly Hartline’s remaining time in Columbus feels shaky.

As per insider Jon Rhoades, Hartline “may no longer be with Ohio State throughout the college football playoffs.” Crucially, the reporter also confirmed that this decision is not related to the 13-10 loss against the Hoosiers.

So what could be more significant than that, which led Ryan Day to take this decision? Ohio State’s defense did its job, holding Indiana to just 13 points. The real problem was the offense. The Buckeyes kept stalling in the red zone, scoring only once on four trips. Up front, things only got worse. A unit that had allowed just six sacks all season suddenly gave up five, plus eight tackles for loss. Lastly, Brian Hartline’s play-calling didn’t help either.

Fans were quick to question the heavy use of “13 and 14 personnel” near the goal line, loading up tight ends instead of spreading things out and letting those elite receivers make plays. Ohio State had two drives inside Indiana’s 10 and came away with nothing. But it is still one game. Ryan Day is not the type of a head coach who makes decisions on a whim.

The real reason is probably the time Hartline may have to invest in figuring things out at USF. The No. 2 Buckeyes will have a bye in the first round. That means they are not playing a game for at least three weeks. In the meantime, Hartline may have to make roster decisions at the Bulls.

Lane Kiffin faced a similar situation when he took up the head coach gig at Florida Atlantic in 2017. Nick Saban let him coach a game, but he was let go before their national championship game.

The Brian Hartline replacement list is already ready

Ohio State’s OC throne just lost its king. But let’s face it, it’s the Buckeyes. Ryan Day wouldn’t take much time in finding a replacement who can adjust fast to the offense. It’s definitely a déjà vu after last year’s coordinator shuffle, but it’s necessary. Let’s start with Chip Kelly. Fresh off being fired from the Raiders, he waltzes back to Columbus like he never left. Last year as OSU OC, he orchestrated a natty, the No. 1 PFSN Offensive Impact Grade (89.1), and a 14-2 heater. The man knows Day’s roster inside out.

Kelly is like the no-brainer hire to keep the machine humming. Next, we have Keenan Bailey. Bailey’s been Day’s tight ends whisperer since 2019, earning mad respect from players and staff as the next big thing. Ryan Day has consistently praised Bailey, calling him a “really sharp young man” and “probably the most unsung hero on our staff, the hardest worker in the building”. So the confidence is definitely there. Brian Daboll comes next. This can be a very flashy hire because Daboll has left his mark, with the pros being that he is the former Giants HC and former Bills’ OC.

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Daboll is the QB sculptor who forged Josh Allen into MVP gold. Despite a Giants HC flop, his play-calling is elite. So Day needs to pull another Matt Patricia on him. Next, it’s Andy Kotelnicki. Penn State’s OC Kotelnicki, post-James Franklin’s pink slip, could jump ship if Matt Campbell cleans house. He built Kansas fireworks, then unleashed Penn’s dual-threat rushers like Kaytron Allen (89.9 RB grade). He will be paired perfectly with Bo Jackson’s rise at Columbus.