In a move that caught the college football world off guard this spring, a name synonymous with Ohio State’s origins was suddenly thrust into a Division I head coaching role. Meet Rob Harley, a descendant of the very man who put Ohio State football on the map.
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The former Buckeye safety is now the interim head coach at Northern Illinois, after Thomas Hammock was hired by the Seahawks. He had initially joined the Huskies as their defensive coordinator a year ago. But at that time, there was no reason for him to think that he would be replacing Hammock in 2026.
It is unusual for head coaches to leave their programs in the spring, which left NIU in jeopardy. The Huskies immediately promoted Harley to protect the roster, the program announced in a statement. Though it is a huge career gain for him, it is going to be far from easy.
Harley now has to navigate NIU’s first-ever season in the Mountain West Conference. The competition is going to be tougher than what they’re used to. Plus, the fact that he’s been with the program for one year is also something to be concerned about. While his short tenure at NIU presents a challenge, Harley’s extensive and varied coaching resume suggests he’s prepared for it.
The new interim head coach didn’t plan on entering this profession. After his playing career at Ohio State, Rob Harley became a local broadcaster and scored some opportunities with the Big Ten Network and ESPN3. However, it didn’t make him feel “close enough” to football. That brought him to take up a volunteer coaching position at Ohio Dominican University, which kick-started his career.
Harley caught his first break at the Div-1 level at Michigan State, where he was a graduate assistant and worked on defense and special teams. His success at Michigan State opened the door to a role at FIU, where he built a reputation for creating an opportunistic defense. He caught the eye of Pat Narduzzi, leading to his most significant stint at Pittsburgh. In 2020, the defense led the country in sacks and tackles for loss. Following that, Arkansas State hired Harley as its defensive coordinator. He spent four seasons there before arriving at NIU.
Northern Illinois interim head coach is Rob Harley, a former Ohio State player who is the great-great grand nephew of legendary OSU HB Chic Harley
— Marcus Hartman (@marcushartman) February 18, 2026
Rob Harley played at Ohio State from 2001 to 2005. He was part of the undefeated 2002 National Championship-winning team and left the program as a three-time letterwinner. He is the great-great-grandnephew of Charles ‘Chic’ Harley, an all-time OSU icon. The OSU stadium was built in 1922 because of him, as the Ohio Field couldn’t hold the fans that came to OSU after it got national attention.
Rob Harley was able to live the legacy of Chic at OSU
Chic Harley is regarded by veteran fans as the reason why OSU is the nationally prominent, elite program it is today. He played from 1916 to 1917 and was then enlisted in the war. Harley returned to Columbus to play the 1919 season. This history underscores the importance of the Harley name within the program. He helped the program begin its winning streak by contributing to two back-to-back Western Conference Championship wins.
The younger Harley was born eight years after Chic Harley passed away. But he grew up on stories of his ancestors’ legacy in Columbus. When Chic used to come back to campus to attend games during the 30s, fans would crowd High Street just to see him. Nearly a century after the icon left Ohio State as a player, Rob was able to be a part of this legacy as a player.
Rob may actually be known better as ‘Chiclet,’ a nickname bestowed on him by former head coach Jim Tressel. Though he never got to be part of OSU after his playing days, he still had his run-ins with the program. Rob Harley has coached against Ohio State as a rival. He even beat the Buckeyes in the 2012 Big Ten Championship game while at Michigan State. That loss knocked Ohio State out of contention for the BCS Championship.
Now the interim head coach of an underdog MWC program, his performance will be under a microscope. If he records a brilliant first year at the position, he can even be declared the head coach of the Huskies.