Ryan Day may end up taking a big gamble after Chip Kelly decided to leave Ohio State for the NFL
Ryan Day now has to hire his third offensive coordinator at Ohio State within the last year. Chip Kelly’s decision to take the offensive coordinator job of the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL doesn’t come as a surprise. The Buckeyes landed on Kelly after they hired Bill O’Brien, only for him to become the […]
Ryan Day now has to hire his third offensive coordinator at Ohio State within the last year.
Chip Kelly’s decision to take the offensive coordinator job of the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL doesn’t come as a surprise. The Buckeyes landed on Kelly after they hired Bill O’Brien, only for him to become the head coach at Boston College.
Now, it is back to the drawing board for Day and he has to make a big decision once again on the job. When Kelly was given the job, Day gave up play-calling duties for the first time as the head coach in Columbus. That is going to be one of the more interesting parts to watch in this job search and where it goes.
Ryan Day may end up taking a gamble with the offensive coordinator hire
Brian Hartline is currently the wide receivers coach and co-offensive coordinator. When Hartline was named the offensive coordinator in 2023, Day opted to keep the play-calling duties still. It took a veteran coach and longtime friend like Kelly to come along for Day to feel comfortable enough to move back from calling plays.
Hartline is going to be a candidate to fill in as the full-time offensive coordinator just because he has paid his dues. Hartline interviewed for the West Virginia head coaching job and will continue to get interest from the outside due to the work he’s done with wideouts in Columbus. For the long-term plans of keeping Hartline, it may be time to give him his shot at calling plays.
The former OSU standout just wrapped up his eighth season as a coach with the Buckeyes. Hartline has worked his way up and has proven his worth on the recruiting trail. After the National Championship win, Day’s job has never been more safe in Columbus. That factor also plays into the chances of someone like Hartline getting the job.
Ohio State will take a look at all avenues in landing their next coordinator. Outside names will come about and Hartline is the clear inside name to watch. Hartline has never been a playcaller, so there is some rein there. However, if it were to work out, it would mean big things for a potentially Julian Sayin-led offense in 2025.
