Brian Hartline had no training wheels in Ohio State’s spring game.
Ryan Day is all-in on preparing Hartline to be this year’s offensive play caller, and as such, the wide receivers coach had full control of the Buckeyes’ offense on April 12, one that notably beat its defensive counterpart, 50-31.
Day liked what he saw from Hartline in his new role this spring.
“I was not on the headset on purpose because I just didn't want that kind of distraction for him,” Day said after the spring game. “I thought he did a good job. But we'll keep growing. We'll keep learning from it. And then we also have the preseason scrimmages that we'll have here. Once we get to the preseason, continue to learn. Try to get him in more and more situations.”
Hartline’s first opportunity to dial up Ohio State’s offense came in the spring of 2023, but Day ultimately retained play-calling duties that season before hiring Chip Kelly to run his attack in 2024. This season, however, there’s a clear commitment to hand the reins to Hartline as Day sticks with the CEO role that proved bountiful in the Buckeyes’ national title run last year. Hartline’s also improved as a schemer over the past two years.
“I guess, selfishly, individually, maybe grown a little bit,” Hartline said on March 24. “But I don't know, it is different. I couldn't tell you why. I think that the staff around me is awesome. Not that I wasn't then, but (I feel) really comfortable in my skin. And I think being around Coach Day, Coach (Keenan) Bailey, Chip Kelly – I mean, pick ‘em – Justin Frye, if you're not around and you're not learning, you're not growing, then you're kinda wasting your time. Tried not to waste a day of that.”
This year’s Ohio State coaching staff is one for Hartline to lean on, too. Bailey has built what might be the best tight end room in the country entering 2025 and is now co-offensive coordinator. New offensive line coach Tyler Bowen is the Buckeyes’ run game coordinator and was the OC at Virginia Tech for the last three years. Carlos Locklyn is one of the nation’s best running backs coaches.
“I would say that we've done a great job of putting together a great offensive staff,” Hartline said. “I think that everyone provides really good value. And I think that I'm really excited about it, frankly. We're all gonna keep growing and learning and getting our quirks out and how we do things. But we're working on ways to enhance. It's not a whole lot of change that needs to happen, just enhancing. And then finding consistency.”
One area where Hartline said he grew this spring was in his split of time between his receiver coaching duties and offensive install and play calling.
“It's definitely a balancing act,” Hartline said. “I'm not saying I'm a pro at it yet, but I can feel myself when I'm getting pulled one way or the other. And as long as I can keep self-assessing myself, I think our goals and what my goals are can be accomplished.”
Hartline added that veteran leaders in his position room have done a great job stepping up and upholding the Buckeyes’ best-in-nation receiver standard. A lot of them are good at evaluating themselves and seeing where they need to grow, he said.
Ohio State’s offensive numbers in the spring game under Hartline’s coordination were impressive. The Buckeyes averaged 7.1 yards per play, which would have been good for third in the nation in 2024. Quarterbacks Julian Sayin, Lincoln Kienholz and Tavien St. Clair combined to go 40-of-57 (70.1%) for 449 yards and four touchdowns.
“Even for him to do it for the first time out there was a good process for him,” Day said. “There's some things in there that we've got to talk about, but overall, I think he had a good plan. And you could tell that he had thought through some of the scenarios in his head because he had the call ready to go.”
Day still sees room for Hartline to grow in his play calling, namely in his consistency getting plays in as quickly as possible. But he’s remained organized and prepared, and that’s what Day has reiterated is most important.
“You find yourself in situations where you're thinking or watching the game as opposed to getting off the next call,” Day said. “That's all part of the process. But I thought he had a good rhythm today. I thought he had a good plan. Things moved pretty smoothly overall.”
