“I think it’ll continue to go on this trajectory it is now. I believe it was receiver-U before Hartline got there, and it ultimately will be receiver-U after he left,” Tate said on the Rich Eisen Show yesterday. “He (Brian Hartline) played at the highest level, so everyone was trying to do what he did, and he was just pouring all his experience down to us. Then it was my dream school. Ultimately, if you want to go first round as a receiver, you go to Ohio State.”

Brian Hartline was a standout wide receiver at Ohio State under former head coach Jim Tressel and played an integral role in Ohio State’s 2008 BCS Championship. In the 2009 NFL Draft, the Dolphins selected him in the fourth round, and he spent six years with the team.

The former OSU OC retired and was exploring career options. He had a knack for business, inherited from his father, who ran a heating and cooling company. So, he poured his savings into business, investing in different ventures. Realistically, Hartline had bought several convenience stores in Canal Winchester and was also exploring media opportunities as an analyst. But one phone call changed everything.

“I had no idea I wanted to be a coach,” Hartline said. “I wanted to do anything but football. That shows you how good I was at that.” Hartline’s younger brother, Mike, was an intern with the Buckeyes, and he first invited Brian to participate in a practice that all former players were doing. The timing was also right as it was just six months after he had joined the Browns and was cut within no time. What harm would it do to play some ball, right?

“Why don’t you come back and throw the pads on?” Mike recalled his conversation with Brian. “He started helping those young receivers talk ball right there on the field. He couldn’t help himself.”

In no time, Urban Meyer recognized Hartline’s talent and smooth communication ability. From then on, Hartline has become a household name and now heads a D1 program. And when he looks back on all of it, he had only imagined managing convenience stores. But now that Brian Hartline has moved away from Columbus, is OSU still in capable hands?

New WRs coach’s resume justifies his position at Ohio State

Ohio State has brought in a new WRs coach, Cortez Hankton, who also brings an exceptional track record. Cortez has the experience to serve as the WRs coach at Georgia’s national title-winning roster from 2018-2021, where he also handled pass game coordinator duties. Thereafter, he has also coached elite WRs like Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas and led the LSU Tigers’ back-to-back top-3 offenses in the country. His former players attest to his brilliance.

“They’re (Ohio State) getting everything they need,” Former LSU player Zavion Thomas said. “From an off-the-field standpoint, he’s always somebody you can pick up the phone and call when you have off-the-field problems. On the field, his resume is impressive. He turned me into a whole different receiver. He’s going to give his 100% on and off the field. He’s always going to be there.”

While Cortez Hankton is more than equipped to handle OSU’s elite WR room, the foundations he is getting from Brian Hartline will make his job easier. Hartline was one of the best recruiters in college football and helped the program land 14 top-100 WRs, more than any other school in the nation between 2018 and 2022.

How will Cortez Hankton benefit from the pre-established Hartline system?

The Ohio State staff always planned on how to approach recruits visiting Columbus. Every coach received topics to cover with recruits, and they evolved as the coaches made second or third visits. The first visit is usually focused on making the family and the recruit familiar with OSU’s standards and the receiver room. Beyond that, Hartline used his own approach, having conversations with each prospect tailored to them.

“It’s like trying to coach every kid the same way. You shouldn’t do that. You can be fair, but it’s not going to be the same,” Harline said about his recruiting process. “Everyone’s different. Everyone has different needs. Everyone has different focuses. So your ability to connect with those and identify those, I think, kind of puts you on the right path.”

Of course, every coach will have a different approach in recruiting and training. But Cortez will be getting the strategy to land 5-stars every year using Hartline’s recruiting blueprint. If top recruits come, the OSU WR room still has Billy Fessler as the pass game coordinator from the Harline era, along with other coaches who will provide that continuity. In all, OSU is still in excellent hands after Hartline’s departure.

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