Ryan Day’s $2M Right-Hand Man Could Bolt From Ohio State for Another Gig

Ohio State might be on the verge of another major coaching shake-up. After losing both Jim Knowles and Chip Kelly this offseason, Ryan Day’s staff is already looking very different heading into 2025. But if things don’t go just right, Day could be waving goodbye to another big name, and this one would hurt even more. Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline might be entering his final season in Columbus, no matter what happens on the field.

Hartline, who built his reputation as arguably the best wide receivers recruiter in college football (he recruited Jeremiah Smith), was once handed the keys to the Buckeye offense. But that promotion didn’t stick. Chip Kelly’s arrival last year pushed him into the backseat, and though he’s back as OC in name and has a $2 million contract, the pressure to deliver is mounting. 

As former NFLer George Wrighster said on College Football with Sam, “I believe that regardless of what happens this season, this is Brian Hartline’s last year at Ohio State because he interviewed for Tulsa’s head coaching job last year and he did not get it.” He pointed to Hartline’s near-hire at Tulsa last offseason and added, “If he does really well this year at offensive coordinator, what’s going to happen? He’s gone. He’s going to get a head coaching job somewhere.”

It’s a lose-lose situation for the Buckeyes if things don’t fall just right. Hartline has ambition, and Ohio State isn’t the best place to nurture those ambitions into reality. “If he doesn’t do a great job and gets demoted again, how do you think that’s going to go over?” Wrighster asked rhetorically, painting a clear picture. “He’ll say, ‘Alright, cool. I can’t take my lumps and learn at Ohio State because that’s not what you do there.’” In other words, Hartline wants room to grow, and he’s fully aware that OSU isn’t built to be a developmental job. He can’t make mistakes here and learn from them. They are always in it to win it.

Even for someone who turned Ohio State into a WR factory, the margin for error is thin. Wrighster added, “If you don’t have a place to grow, take your lumps and all of that stuff, then it ain’t going to work.” It highlights a mindset that doesn’t align with a pressure cooker like Columbus. And if Hartline doesn’t feel supported this season, the writing’s already on the wall.

Ohio State fans have already seen elite staffers walk out the door. If Brian Hartline joins that list in 2025, it’ll be because he was boxed in. And if he does take the leap to head coach somewhere else, the Buckeyes might have to reload their offensive think tank just as quickly as they restock their talent.

The play-caller pressure cooker

Brian Hartline has spent the past few years building the best wide receiver room in college football, stacking five stars and sending future NFL stars down a pipeline from Columbus. But for all his recruiting magic, 2025 is about something much bigger: proving he can actually run the offense. This season, Hartline steps into full offensive coordinator duties under Ryan Day. College football analysts and insiders are watching closely, questioning whether his coaching acumen matches his eye for talent.

“I don’t think Ryan Day fully trusted him two years ago,” said Josh Hope on Locked On Big Ten. “We saw Day start to hand over play-calling, but then he reeled it back. That says a lot.” And now with Chip Kelly gone to take the reins of the offense for the Raiders, there’s no one standing between Hartline and the responsibility anymore. Gone are the zone reads and quarterback keepers that Kelly built. Hartline’s offense is expected to look more aggressive and built on the air-raid principles he helped dominate with, except now, he’s the one drawing up the blueprint.

It’s a sink-or-swim year. If Hartline thrives, he could fast-track his way to a head coaching job, building on the momentum he already had when he interviewed for Tulsa last cycle. But if the offense stalls or stumbles, he could find himself demoted for the second time in three years. For a coach as ambitious as Hartline, this year is more than a promotion. It’s a trial by fire.