USF Bulls name Brian Hartline as next head football coach

Merely days after former USF Bulls football head coach, Alex Golesh leaves Tampa Bay for the head coaching gig at Auburn, South Florida announces the hiring of Brian Hartline as the seventh head coach in program history.

Hartline, who most recently served as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, is highly regarded as one of the best recruiters and talent developers in the nation. USF is currently ranked #67 in 2026 recruiting class by 247sports.com, so expect that ranking to go up before the end of recruiting season.

Hartline, an Ohio State alum, played in the NFL for seven season, including six with the Miami Dolphins, making him very familiar with arguably the best recruiting grounds in the nation.

After his stint in the NFL, he returned to Ohio State in 2017 to begin his coaching career as a graduate assistant. He was named the wide receiver’s coach shortly thereafter. In 2020, he named the "National Recruiter of the Year" by 247Sports. The following year, he was promoted to passing game coordinator while still holding his WR coach title. In 2023 he promoted to offensive coordinator, but took a backseat in 2024 to Chip Kelly. However, for the 2025 season he was back in the saddle as the OC.

He’s been credited with producing top talent and multiple first round selections, such as Buccaneers standout rookie, Emeka Egbuka. Also, Marvin Harrison Jr, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, and Garrett Wilson came up under his tutelage.

University of South Florida CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins has announced the selection of Brian Hartline earlier today, 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. 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 will coach OSU in Saturday’s Big Ten Championship game against Indiana before being introduced to Bulls Nation and media.

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