It's a move that cements confidence in one of the most promising young coaches across the country in college football-Ohio State will indeed promote wide receivers coach Brian Hartline to offensive coordinator. In an official statement from Ohio State on Wednesday, Hartline finishes his improbable, meteoric climb from being an assistant of the wide receivers coach to a significant position shaping up one of the best attacking sides in the nation.

Meteor-like Rise

Brian Hartline, 36, has been at Ohio State since 2017, joining the program first as a quality control coach before quickly working his way up. Labeled as an elite wide receiver recruiter and developer of talent, the promotion of Hartline was highly anticipated with great excitement in the Ohio State community. From former Buckeye and NFL player to huge part of the staff, the rise has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Hartline's coaching at Ohio State started very humbly, but it certainly took off. He was the interim wide receivers coach in 2018, and under head coach Ryan Day, he got the job permanently in 2019. In 2022, further recognition of his prowess came with him being named the passing game coordinator in addition to his wide receiver duties.

Impact on the Field

Under Hartline's tutelage, Ohio State has had a few first-round NFL draft picks at wideout in Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, and Jameson Williams, who took a graduate transfer to Alabama for his final year of eligibility. That tidbit speaks not only to his development capabilities but to his recruiting skills to get elite talent to Columbus.

It couldn't happen at a much better time because the Ohio State offense has consistently been one of the best within college football in the past year, ranking nationally in the top ten for both total yardage and scoring. With Hartline taking over as offensive coordinator, there's some anticipation that Ohio State will remain in chokehold mode on the offense with former offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson taking off to take his first head-coaching job in Tulsa.

The Strategic Move

Brian has done a phenomenal job in every football capacity he has been in, Coach Ryan Day said. He figures things out quick, and he is more than ready to transition now as offensive coordinator. A decision by Day to elevate Hartline also showed a strategic move to keep a key talent developer inside the program-particularly in an era when coaching staff mobility can disrupt team continuity.

That would also come with some play-calling responsibilities, although that is not yet cemented. In the case that Day would choose to let the play calls, Hartline might be a natural fit based on his intimate familiarity with Ohio State's scheme and his rapport with the players.

Expectations and Challenges

Not all that is easy, though: Hartline steps into a role with the bar very high, considering Ohio State has had one prolific offense after another of late. Further, some of those key positions will be manned by new players in 2025, which also means Hartline must show his adaptability and some creativity.

But Hartline's résumé says he is ready for the jump. How he has related to his players, adapted on the fly, and competed at every turn is some of the reason he's been able to win over his fellow assistant coaches and the opposing sidelines. Familiarity with this program's culture and systems will go a long way toward the Buckeyes' competing with everyone else.

On Deck

It all now falls squarely on Hartline's shoulders as Ohio State goes into spring practices. How he will gel with incoming talent, including Jeremiah Smith and a possible new quarterback in Julian Sayin among others, remains important. A whole community of Buckeyes are abuzz with anticipation that this promotion by Hartline might bring another era of dominance to offense.

Ultimately, Brian Hartline's promotion to offensive coordinator speaks not just to his hard work and dedication but also to Ohio State sending very clear signals toward nurturing and promoting from within. The Buckeyes are on the quest of maintaining their gridiron legacy of excellence, and Hartline will go a long way in deciding what shape one of the most paramount programs in college football will take in these changing times.