South Florida hires Brian Hartline as head coach

Three days after experiencing a head coaching vacancy, the South Florida Bulls filled it.

South Florida announced Brian Hartline as its seventh full-time head coach. Hartline replaces Alex Golesh, who was hired by Auburn on Sunday after three seasons as a 23-15 record. USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins confirmed Hartline was the team’s priority in the coaching search.

“Brian Hartline was our clear-cut first choice to lead our football program into the most exciting era in program history, and I am so fired up to have him leading the Bulls,” Higgins said in a statement. “A relentless recruiter, outstanding developer of talent and a gritty competitor, he comes from a championship background and is obsessed with instilling championship excellence in his players and teams. He is ready to lead our program to the next level. He knows the state of Florida, having spent six seasons of his professional playing career in Miami, and has successfully recruited the state and the Bay area for a long time. We are so excited to welcome Brian, his wife Kara and their children Brayden, Kameron and Brooklyn to the Bulls family.”

Hartline, a former Ohio State and Miami Dolphins wide receiver, enjoyed a stellar football career, producing two 1,000-yard seasons at the NFL ranks. He played his final down with the Cleveland Browns in 2015 and quickly moved to the coaching world, onboarding as an offensive quality control coach at his alma mater. Hartline continued in various roles at Ohio State from 2017-25, serving as the wide receivers coach since 2018 and adding an offensive coordinator role in 2023.

This year under Hartline’s reign, Ohio State’s offense ranks 13th in scoring and 24th in total yards, checking in at first nationally in third down conversion rate and fourth in fewest penalties. Hartline guided a national championship run in 2024 behind the nation’s No. 13 scoring offense, winning all four College Football Playoff games by double-digits. The undefeated Buckeyes are once again a lock for the CFP, currently preparing for a Big Ten Championship Game on Saturday night vs. undefeated Indiana. Hartline will coach that contest prior to his opening press conference in Tampa. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day also confirmed in a Wednesday press conference that the team plans to have Hartline on staff for its playoff run.

Hartline was a renowned recruiter and developed a litany of star receivers during his time at Ohio State, including Parris Campbell, Terry McLaurin, K.J. Hill, Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Marvin Harrison Jr., Emeka Egbuka, Jeremiah Smith, and Carnell Tate.

South Florida represents Hartline’s first-ever head coaching gig and first coaching opportunity outside of Columbus, OH. Hartline inherits a USF program that produced a 9-3 regular season record this year, featuring the nation’s fourth-ranked scoring offense and second-ranked total offense at 43 points and 502 yards per game, respectively. South Florida prepares for its third-straight bowl win in a matchup that will be announced Sunday, Dec. 7. Defensive line coach Kevin Patrick will serve as the interim for that game, and Hartline will debut in the 2026 opener vs. FIU.

“I’m honored and excited to join the University of South Florida as its new head football coach,” Hartline said in a statement. “Becoming a first-time head coach at a place like USF is a dream come true for me and my family. I look forward to leading the team to new heights, both on and off the field. Bulls Nation, we’re going to need your support and commitment to help us get to where we all want to be: never-ending championship excellence, building something that lasts, and serving our university, our community, and our fan base with integrity and passion. I can’t wait to get to work with our team and the entire USF community. Go Bulls!”