Sources: Buckeyes' Hartline accepts USF HC job

Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline has accepted the head coaching job at South Florida, sources told ESPN.

Hartline has agreed to a six-year deal, per sources, and brings his pedigree as one of the country's top recruiters and developers of wide receivers.

Hartline, 38, is a former star player at Ohio State and played seven seasons in the NFL with Miami and Cleveland. He has recruited and developed five first-round picks at wide receiver at the school since 2022, making the school a destination for the country's top talent at that position.

Hartline will replace Alex Golesh, who took the head coaching job at Auburn. South Florida is set to move into a new on-campus stadium in 2027, a key investment piece to unlock a program that has long percolated with more promise than results.

Hartline has been picky about jobs throughout his career, as he rose up the ranks at Ohio State, his alma mater. He started there in 2017, working his way up to become the sole offensive coordinator and playcaller this season for the top-ranked Buckeyes.

Ohio State again has what's regarded as the country's top crop of wide receivers this season, including Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate.

No. 1 Ohio State is headed to the Big Ten title game this weekend and the expectation is that Hartline will remain with the Buckeyes for the remainder of the postseason.

The wide receivers that Hartline has tutored during his time at Ohio State include the five first-round picks from OSU -- Marvin Harrison Jr., Chris Olave, Emeka Egbuka, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Garrett Wilson. All were picked in the top 20. He also recruited and developed Jameson Williams, who left for Alabama before becoming a first-round pick. Other notables include Terry McLaurin, Parris Campbell and KJ Hill.

In his first year calling plays, Hartline has helped OSU play exemplary complementary football. The Buckeyes have the country's best defense, and the offense is ranked in the top 25.

OSU has brought along quarterback Julian Sayin to become one of the front-runners for the Heisman Trophy in his first year as a starter, as he has completed 78.9% of his passes for 30 touchdowns and just five interceptions.

This is the first notable hire for USF athletic director Rob Higgins, who was brought on in September and presented an aggressive vision for the future of USF football.