With opportunity knocking, Brian Hartline is attempting to answer the door.
After being named Ohio State's interim wide receivers coach on July 26 in the wake of Zach Smith's firing, Hartline inherited an experienced, uber-talented receiving core — including the likes of returners Parris Campbell, K.J. Hill, Terry McLaurin, Johnnie Dixon, Austin Mack and Binjimen Victor.
A season-opening date with Oregon State is now less than three weeks away and Hartline's receivers haven't missed a beat. In fact, with Hartline in charge, they're said to be even better.
But that should come as no surprise, not only because of Hartline's knowledge of the wide receiver position, but also due to the decorated success that first-year position coaches at Ohio State have recently enjoyed.
Hartline joined Urban Meyer's program as a quality control coach in early 2017 after an impressive seven-year career as an NFL wide receiver.
Here's three other coaches who have found immediate success with the Buckeyes, producing a blueprint that Hartline wants to follow.
RYAN DAY, QUARTERBACKS
Ohio State hired Ryan Day as its quarterbacks coach in 2017 and much like Hartline, Day also inherited a talented group, one that included quarterback J.T. Barrett — you may have heard of him.
Upon his hire, Day spoke highly of Barrett, saying, "It's like dealing with a pro. So when you show up to work every day, you better be prepared and you better give him a good plan. He's out here working to get better every day just like everybody else."
The two's relationship continued to blossom and Barrett continued to produce, as the fifth-year senior set career highs with 35 touchdown passes, 240 completions, a 64.7 completion percentage and 12 rushing touchdowns.
BILL DAVIS, LINEBACKERS
Davis, who was hired as an analyst in 2016 before replacing Luke Fickell as the team's linebackers coach in 2017, spent his first year as a position coach with two future professional linebackers in Jerome Baker and Chris Worley, as well as Dante Booker, a current fifth-year senior.
When the Buckeyes brought on Davis, questions swirled about his ability to recruit. Coming in as a 24-year NFL coaching veteran, recruiting was something he never had to worry about.
During a 2017 interview, Davis said, "What a great group of young men we have here. They’re fun to work with and it’s been exciting to see the big bright eyes and wide open guys that are more of an open book that you find in the NFL."
| DATE | OPPONENT | OPP. RUSH YARDS | RESULT |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8/31 | Indiana | 17 | 49-21, W |
| 9/9 | Oklahoma | 104 | 16-31, L |
| 9/16 | Army | 259 | 38-7, W |
| 9/23 | UNLV | 176 | 54-21, W |
| 9/30 | Rutgers | 117 | 56-0, W |
| 10/7 | Maryland | 50 | 62-14, W |
| 10/14 | Nebraska | 44 | 56-14, W |
| 10/28 | Penn State | 91 | 39-38, W |
| 11/4 | Iowa | 243 | 24-55, L |
| 11/11 | Michigan State | 64 | 48-3, W |
| 11/18 | Illinois | 89 | 52-14, W |
| 11/25 | Michigan | 100 | 31-20, W |
| 12/2 | Wisconsin | 60 | 27-21, W |
| 12/29 | USC | 57 | 24-7, W |
He was then asked about stopping the quarterback's option to run at the college level and said, "That conversation about the quarterback running doesn’t exist in the NFL.”
However, the linebackers under him showed the ability to do it, holding the quarterback position to negative rushing yardage on nine occasions last fall. The highest rushing total a quarterback produced was 50 yards — Army's Ahmad Bradshaw in a 38-7 Buckeye win.
Baker, Worley and Booker combined for 159 tackles and 6.5 sacks.
Sure, many placed much of the blame of OSU's two losses on Davis' three stud linebackers. In those two games, the Buckeyes surrendered 104 rushing yards to Oklahoma and — look away if you're queasy — 243 at the hands of Iowa.
But still, Davis' linebackers and the Buckeyes ended the year giving up just 105.1 yards per game, good for sixth in the nation, while holding their opponents under 100 yards on the ground eight times.
LARRY JOHNSON, DEFENSIVE LINE
Another position coach who had success in his first year is undoubtedly Larry Johnson, who joined the Buckeyes in 2014. He inherited one of the most feared defensive line units ever in Joey Bosa, Noah Spence, Adolphus Washington and Michael Bennett.
All four of those names are now playing professional football.
That trend has never halted with Johnson in this position. Between Ohio State and Penn State, he's now coached 14 players who were named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year or Defensive Lineman of the Year in the last 22 years, including the Defensive Lineman of the Year four years running: Bosa in 2014 and 2015, Tyquan Lewis in 2016 and Nick Bosa in 2017.
When he was hired, Johnson said, "I’m a relationship guy and I think in order to get the best out of your players you have to develop relationships. I’m also a teacher. I like to teach the basic fundamentals of football. I want guys who are fundamentally sound and have the ability to play fast and to play relentless.”
It's obviously worked for Johnson, who many players look to as a mentor as well.
Hartline has seemingly taken a similar approach to his position. He brings a different level of energy to this year's group of wideouts and it's contagious.
It's a group that, collectively, racked up 2,982 receiving yards last season. As a team, Ohio State posted a total of 3,679.
When you mix together Hartline's wisdom at the position and the receiving corps' plethora of talent, only good things come out in the wash.
With history on his side, Brian Hartline has a great shot at becoming the next great position coach at Ohio State. All he has to do is answer opportunity's call.
