Brian Hartline is one of the hottest commodities in college football right now, and for good reason. His recruiting prowess and the ability to identify talent make him even more attractive. And that’s exactly why he is now edging closer to a top-tier head coaching gig at Penn State. When Penn State’s AD started eyeing Hartline as a potential replacement for James Franklin, his stock soared even higher. That’s when PSU’s desperation started on finding the perfect fit to save the program from its ongoing crisis. A lot of names like Curt Cignettis, Matt Rhule, etc, were lurking around. But the Nittany Lions took a staunch action for just Brian Hartline.

And if you still have doubts, consider what Natty-winning ex-Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel has said about Hartline’s ability to be a playcaller. “I’m not sure that I thought that right off the bat would be Hart,” Tressel said on The Script podcast on the Buckeyes. “The one thing you knew, B. Hart was competitive. That dude was competitive. And recruiting is competitive. Yeah. And no one’s going to outwork B. Hart.” Hartline’s recruiting magic shines brightest in how he attracts and develops elite receivers year after year.

Take Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate, for instance. Both were high-profile recruits who burst onto the scene as freshmen. They owe a lot to Hartline’s coaching and developing style for their rapid rise. As a sophomore this season, Smith has accumulated 505 yards on 40 carries and has even entered the end zone 7 times. And then we have junior Carnell Tate, who has racked up 476 yards on 28 carries. Tate even scored 4 TDs for the Buckeyes this season. Hartline brought in and molded these types of players. His ability to close top-tier recruits and develop them into NFL-ready stars is legendary.

Ohio State’s WR room has become the gold standard largely because of him. So far, for the 2026 class, the Buckeyes have filled the WR room with five-star commits, Chris Henry Jr, four-star Kayden Dixon-Wyatt, Jaeden Ricketts, and Jerquaden Guilford. Then on the three-star front, they have Brock Boyd. Their 2026 recruitment national ranking stands at no. 9. The 2027 recruiting class saw just 3 commits as of now, but 5-star WR Jamier Brown holds the top position. This very much sums up Tressel’s comments, saying, “he got involved with the great staff here at Ohio State and listened closely and took his competitiveness into the recruiting and into the coaching.” 

Hartline’s coaching philosophy hinges on making receivers well-rounded athletes who can thrive no matter the system. He’s coached recent Ohio State stars like Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who exploded into first-round NFL draft picks. In fact, Wilson was even awarded Offensive Rookie of the Year honors in 2023. So it’s pretty obvious how a recruiting wizard like Brian Hartline, who is even making waves as the offensive coordinator, would be an asset for programs like Penn State that significantly leaned on James Franklin’s recruitment.

Penn State’s desperation ends at Columbus

Penn State football is leaving no stone unturned while finding its perfect savior amid James Franklin’s firing. Enter Brian Hartline, a name buzzing around college football circles as a hot candidate to step in. The buzz got real when a Penn State private jet landed at Ohio State’s airport. It sparked widespread speculation that Hartline was pitching himself as the perfect successor.

Hartline fits the Nittany Lions’ requirements almost perfectly. Hartline’s got an impressive resume running Ohio State’s offense as their offensive coordinator, and before that, he was their wide receiver coach. This year, the OSU offense is ranked 23 nationally in points per game, averaging 36.8. They’re also churning out 421.5 yards per game, landing at 46th overall.

The team’s third-down conversion rate is impressive at nearly 78%, a sign of clutch execution. On top of that, he brings the pro-level experience right from the NFL. Hartline spent seven seasons in the league, six with the Dolphins and one with the Browns. He racked up 4,765 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns. “It’s a package that will be hard for anyone to compete with — but only if he’s willing to leave Columbus,” Adam Bittner of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said. “An open question, given his bright scarlet ties there.’’

Given his roots in Columbus, it will be slightly difficult for Hartline to leave OSU. But in college football, you never know.