Ohio State Buckeyes may have another Brian Hartline worry on their hands thanks to recent move by an SEC program
Now isn’t the best time for the Buckeyes to deal with this with the College Football Playoff coming up.
The Ohio State Buckeyes just beat the Michigan Wolverines to move to 12-0, and now the real fun begins. Ohio State is looking to repeat as national champions, and the road to doing so will first take them to the Big Ten Championship on Saturday against the Indiana Hoosiers.
When it comes to the college football calendar, the timing near the end of the regular season doesn’t always align with how coaching hirings and firings unfold. While the Buckeyes are playing their most important games, they could also be dealing with another program trying to poach one of their own.
Buckeyes OC Brian Hartline could be a name for the open Kentucky Wildcats head coaching job
Kentucky decided to move on from Mark Stoops after 13 years, adding the Wildcats to the growing list of SEC programs searching for a new head coach. Hartline has already been a hot name for the vacancy, appearing on multiple “hot boards” around the Kentucky beat.
With Kentucky facing a large buyout after firing Stoops, hiring a coordinator and first-time head coach who won’t command a massive salary may be the direction it goes. According to On3’s Pete Nakos, Hartline is a top name to watch for the job.
Hartline has been with the Buckeyes since 2017 and has served as either co-offensive coordinator or offensive coordinator for the last three seasons, in addition to his role as Ohio State’s wide receivers coach. The 39-year-old is in his first year as the primary play-caller in Columbus after taking over for Chip Kelly. He has been terrific in that role, helping guide quarterback Julian Sayin to an early breakout season with 30 passing touchdowns to just five interceptions.
If all goes to plan for the Buckeyes, they’ll be playing four more games this season. With National Signing Day approaching and the transfer portal window opening soon, Kentucky will want to move quickly to fill the head coach vacancy. Hartline isn’t the only name being floated — Oregon OC Will Stein is another strong candidate to watch.
Hartline is an Ohio native, and Kentucky has traditionally recruited the state well. The expectations in Lexington aren’t sky-high, and Hartline could likely build a strong offense there rather quickly. To this point, there have been no reports of Hartline speaking with Kentucky, but on the surface, it makes plenty of sense for him to have interest — and vice versa.
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