Joel Klatt just floated an Ohio State coach to replace James Franklin at Penn State, and Buckeye Nation will want no part of it
Just a month ago, the thought was that when the Penn State Nittany Lions rolled into Columbus in November, it would be a key game for the Ohio State Buckeyes. While it’s still an important matchup, it’s no longer the top-three showdown it looked like it could be at the beginning of the season. Penn […]
Just a month ago, the thought was that when the Penn State Nittany Lions rolled into Columbus in November, it would be a key game for the Ohio State Buckeyes. While it’s still an important matchup, it’s no longer the top-three showdown it looked like it could be at the beginning of the season. Penn State has lost three straight games, and James Franklin has been relieved of his head coaching duties.
Penn State is one of the bigger programs in college football in terms of brand power, and that job is a massive opening. For now, Terry Smith is serving as the interim coach for the remainder of the season. Some floated the idea that former Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles could take over, but that didn’t happen. Several names have already been mentioned for the position, and Buckeye Nation won’t like the latest one.
Joel Klatt floats Brian Hartline as the next head coach at Penn State
“The guy that’s maybe under the radar that’s not a head coach right now, and that has seen it — like a Dan Lanning, like a Kirby Smart — he’s been around it, he knows what it takes, he just hasn’t been a head coach yet. It’s Brian Hartline at Ohio State, and I know Buckeye fans are screaming right now for me bringing up that name,” Klatt said recently.
To get ahead of it, Klatt was clear that he was just speculating and didn’t have any inside information. Penn State will surely take its big swing first, likely targeting Indiana’s Curt Cignetti, and hope he’s the guy. But Brian Hartline would fit the mold of a Lanning-type hire — a young, energetic coach capable of taking a program to the next level. What Hartline has accomplished since joining the Buckeyes’ staff in 2017 is nothing short of excellent.
After wrapping up his NFL playing career, Hartline spent just one season as a graduate assistant before being promoted to wide receivers coach in Columbus in 2018. Since then, he’s helped the Buckeyes produce a steady stream of first-round receivers, including Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Emeka Egbuka.
West Virginia showed interest in Hartline last year, but the 38-year-old didn’t end up as a finalist for the job. Since then, Ryan Day has handed Hartline play-calling duties following Chip Kelly’s exit after last season.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if the Nittany Lions at least inquired about Hartline’s interest, though that’s more likely to play out in the offseason. So far this year, Hartline has done a solid job in his first season as play-caller, with the Buckeyes averaging over 420 yards of offense and 36.8 points per game. This isn’t the first — and won’t be the last — time Hartline’s name comes up for a head coaching job. It’s certainly the biggest one yet. For now, it’s all speculation, but that could change.