USF names Ohio State offensive coordinator as new head football coach

USF students excited about new head coach

There’s a new head football coach at the University of South Florida. FOX 13's Blake DeVine reports.

TAMPA, Fla. - There’s a new head football coach at the University of South Florida.

On Wednesday, University of South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins announced that Brian Hartline will lead the Bulls football team.

Hartline was named the seventh coach of USF football after Alex Golesh was tapped by Auburn University.

Dig deeper:

Hartline was a standout receiver for Ohio State. He spent seven seasons playing in the NFL, including six with the Miami Dolphins, before returning to his alma mater to coach.

READ: USF football believes in 'bounce-back' mentality

Hartline, who is in his third season coordinating the Buckeyes’ offense, helped Ohio State post a 92-11 (89%) record in his eight seasons as a member of the full-time coaching staff while being part of eight Big Ten Championship teams as a coach and player.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - NOVEMBER 16: Offensive coordinator Brian Hartline of the Ohio State Buckeyes looks on prior to the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Wrigley Field on November 16, 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty I

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Ohio State has ranked among the top five recruiting classes in the nation in each of the last seven seasons and Hartline helped the Buckeyes’ current 2026 signing class rank No. 5 in the nation according to 247Sports.

What they're saying:

"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. "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."

"Coach Brian Hartline is a proven winner who has experienced success at the highest levels of college football," said USF Board of Trustees Chair Will Weatherford. "He shares our vision for winning championships, developing student-athletes and providing them with a world-class experience and positioning our university on the national stage.  We could not be more excited to bring Brian and his family to Tampa Bay and for him to lead the next chapter of USF Football.  Our best days are ahead!"

"We are thrilled to welcome Coach Brian Hartline and his family to the University of South Florida," said USF President Rhea Law. "His championship-level experience aligns perfectly with our commitment to excellence with our football program.  We look forward to building on our momentum and reaching even greater success under Coach Hartline’s leadership."

"I’m honored and excited to join the University of South Florida as its new head football coach," Hartline said. "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!"

Local perspective:

Wednesday night, there was added excitement on USF's campus. Students such as Elyse Worthington shared high hopes for the Bulls' new head football coach.

"He’s from Ohio State. That’s a really good school that wins a lot of their games," she said. "I’m definitely excited to have him here at USF."

The former Miami Dolphins wide receiver is widely regarded as a relentless recruiter of talent. Zain Jibril, a sophomore at USF, believes the new coach will provide an immediate spark after the Bulls lost Golesh to Auburn over the weekend.

"I mean Auburn's an SEC school; he wanted to go to the SEC," he said. "Now, we've got Brian Hartline and our recruitment's going to be way better than Auburn."

Just off campus at Paddy Wagon Irish Pub on University Square Dr, the staff said sales surge when the Bulls are better at football. Michael Hendry, a senior at USF, has noticed larger crowds at his favorite bar this season.

"You get the pop afterward, it brings everyone in," he said. "It's just exciting, USF has a very passionate fan base for a program that's really been built up."

With Hartline set to sign a six-year deal along with an on-campus stadium being built at USF, Hendry can’t wait for the future.                   

"The way the program has been moving the past couple years, it's been nothing but an upswing, and I'm excited for it," he said.

Back on USF’s campus, expectations remain sky-high for the football program.

"I'm thinking College Football Playoffs next year, we got to start big," Jibril concluded. "If not CFB, I expect to win a bowl game and conference title."

What's next:

Hartline will coach the Buckeyes in Saturday’s Big Ten Championship game against Indiana before being formally introduced to ‘Bulls Nation’. 

More information on the event, which will be open to the public, will be announced soon.