There might not be a bigger name in the assistant pool right now than <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/coach/brian-hartline-14544/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Brian Hartline</a>. <a href="https://www.on3.com/teams/ohio-state-buckeyes/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ohio State</a> just promoted him to offensive coordinator while continuing as the program’s wide receiver coach. Nobody has produced a better position room than him over the past few years, straight-up dominating in recruiting.



Hartline does have high career aspirations. He might be performing well at the place he played college football but admitted the NFL is where his heart is. The competitiveness and being an “all-star league” of top college guys draws him to the NFL.



“In my soul, I’m an NFL guy,” Hartline <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YULSg_LVnZg&ab_channel=Bussin%27WithTheBoys" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said</a> via the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast. “I love the NFL. I think it’s the all-star league of college football. I don’t care where you’re from, what school. Small, big. Like, it’s the best players in the world. There’s no better other players. 



“I love the degree of separation being so small. So, I love my alma mater, Ohio State. My heart is in the NFL. One day, I think I will want to coach there. That’s the reality of it. “



As for exactly when Hartline would be willing to make a move to the NFL? He isn’t exactly sure. There is a big family aspect playing in Colombus that could keep him in the college game for some time.



“When? I don’t know,” Hartline said. My in-laws are here. My wife is from here. There’s a big foundation that’s been built here.”



<h2 id="h-brian-hartline-looking-to-build-a-team-as-head-coach">Brian Hartline looking to build a team as head coach</h2>



Hartline dove into what he loves about coaching and discussed building a team. He has been able to do so at Ohio State with the wide receivers. However, Hartline would like to produce similar results with a larger quantity.



“I love coaching receivers,” Hartline said. “When I started, I’d be a receiver coach for the next 12, 20 years. Leave me alone and I am good. And then that kind of grows… You start thinking about it. I love building the receiver room. That was an awesome opportunity. Choosing it, developing it. I’d like to do that on a team. I’d like to be a head coach and try to do that team-wide, not just position based. Kind of doing that now offensively. But I like dealing with people and I like building a team.”



Hartline has been team-building for years with the Buckeyes, with Tuesday being the latest example. Another blue-chip wide receiver <a href="https://www.on3.com/college/ohio-state-buckeyes/news/mylan-graham-commits-to-ohio-state-2024-five-star-wide-receiver/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">committed to Ohio State</a>, with five-star <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/mylan-graham-155645/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Mylan Graham</a> adding to the <a href="https://www.on3.com/college/ohio-state-buckeyes/football/2024/industry-comparison-commits/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">2024 recruiting class</a>. The number of blue-chip receivers since Hartline took over is <a href="https://twitter.com/mzenitz/status/1643401336350810114?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">now at 18</a>.



Give him the opportunity to build an entire roster at a high-level program and they will blossom in recruiting.



<h2 id="h-anything-but-the-pinnacle-unexceptable">Anything but the ‘pinnacle’ unexceptable</h2>



Hartline does know one thing. Once he does become a head coach somewhere, he wants to make sure the “pinnacle” is an attainable goal. So in college, winning a national championship. Moving to the NFL and that’s getting a Super Bowl ring.



If he does not believe those can be attained, Hartline does not sound like he will leap for a job. Winning seems to be the only thing important to the Ohio State offensive coordinator.



“Where it ends up, I couldn’t tell ya,” Hartline said. “But that intrigues me for sure. I want to be able to win a national championship in college. So, it would have to be a top program to paints that vision that that can get done there. Or the NFL. All the marbles have to be on the table, be the pinnacle. Or maybe I don’t have as much interest. If the pinnacle is not an option — Super Bowl or national championship — that’s hard for me. I want all the marbles on the table.”



With the recent OC promotion, Hartline will surely have some head coaching opportunities ahead of him in the near future, if he seeks them. But unless the right opportunity falls his way, you can expect <a href="https://www.on3.com/db/coach/ryan-day-133992/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ryan Day</a> to have his ace assistant standing by him.

Brian Hartline by Getty Images

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Brian Hartline details ambition as a coach, future plans

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