Brian Hartline says he is 'pretty comfortable' he could call plays right now

Another season without a national championship means changes are coming for Ohio State. Head coach Ryan Day has considered giving up play calling, with Brian Hartline possibly taking over. Hartline was recently promoted to offensive coordinator while continuing his wide receivers coach role.

Offensive coordinator is the highest position Hartline has held on a coaching staff and has never held play-calling duties. When asked if he would feel comfortable doing so, Hartline was confident he would do well. The offensive pieces Ohio State has at its disposal rivals anyone in the country.

“Pretty comfortable just because of the surrounding party that I have,” Hartline said. “I think Coach Day has always done it at an elite level. We’ve always produced, from a production standpoint offensively, at an elite level. But the support staff I have around me really empowers me. My confidence comes from having them. So, I would be very confident.”

CJ Stroud is out, heading to the NFL after two great seasons in Columbus. Hartline will be involved with a quarterback battle this spring, with Devin Brown and Kyle McCord battling it out. The latter spent last season as the backup but both will enter spring ball with a clean slate.

As for wide receivers, Hartline will have nobody but himself to thank. He has been one of the best positional recruiters in the country, bringing in top pass catches on a consistent basis. At the moment, Marvin Harrison Jr. stands out as the start. But plenty of five-star prospects hang in the balance, ready to break out for the Buckeyes.

Calling plays is a whole different ball game compared to developing wide receivers though. Especially when the pressure is on at a place like Ohio State. Day has not been able to get College Football Playoff national championship quite yet, even with some impressive performances in the semifinals.

Hartline could have the opportunity to bring some new life into the program, especially as the offensive coordinator. However, nothing is official yet. There is still a good chance Day continues to call plays for the Buckeyes during the 2023 season.

That’s what spring practice is for. Ohio State has a ton of offensive pieces to put together, including the play caller. If Hartline is called upon at some point, he seems ready to go. With all the talent available on the field at once, it’s hard for anyone to not be confident.