Podcast Summary: The Bill and Doug Show - "Brian Hartline, Ohio State OC and WR Coach, Takes South Florida Head Coaching Job: Reaction"

Date: December 3, 2025
Hosts: Doug Lesmerises & Bill Landis (Blue Wire)

Episode Overview

In this emergency episode, Doug and Bill react to the breaking news that Brian Hartline, Ohio State’s Offensive Coordinator and star Wide Receivers Coach, has accepted the head coaching job at South Florida. Drawing on decades of Buckeye coverage, the hosts break down the implications for Ohio State’s program, recruiting, playcalling responsibilities, and Hartline’s career trajectory. The podcast addresses immediate questions about postseason continuity, staff replacements, recruiting fallout, and broader lessons for elite programs navigating the coaching carousel.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Brian Hartline Accepts South Florida Job—But Stays for Playoff Run

• Hartline will finish Ohio State’s current season before leaving for South Florida, akin to Tom Herman’s Houston move in 2014 (03:00).
• “As Ryan Day said on Wednesday, the timing isn’t great, but that’s not Brian’s fault… it’s the calendar and the way this works.” — Doug Lesmerises [03:00]
• The magnitude of balancing both roles is acknowledged—could be two months of “having two jobs.”

2. Playcalling: Ryan Day’s Role and Impact

• Ryan Day is expected to increase hands-on involvement with the offense in the postseason, a trend even before Hartline’s departure (03:30).
• “Ryan Day can probably take back as much as he wants, at least in the preparation, because Brian Hartline has a million things going on.” — Bill Landis [03:54]
• The lineup and mechanisms for offensive leadership were largely set, so postseason impact is minimal; questions are bigger for next season.

3. Long-Term Implications: Who Replaces Hartline?

• Primary future concerns: new playcaller, new receivers coach, and maintaining recruiting momentum (04:33).
• Keenan Bailey, current tight ends coach, is floated as the likely internal candidate to become receivers coach, praised for versatility and trust from Ryan Day (09:24).
• Speculation over outside possibilities: mention of Mike Shanahan (Indiana), Ross Douglas (Oregon), and the importance of making a solid, rather than just convenient, hire (21:25).

4. Recruiting Fallout

• Hartline is widely considered the best receivers coach and recruiter in the country.
• Recruiting particularly at the WR position is “almost all position coach-based now,” according to OSU recruiting director Mark Pantoni (28:53).
• Immediate recruiting impact: already one receiver (Kaden Dixon-Wyatt) flipped, others wavering, spotlighting Hartline’s influence (27:56).
• The transfer portal offers a critical fallback; high-level talent still wants to play at Ohio State (23:14).

5. Buckeye Program Resilience

• OSU’s brand power, culture, and head coach leadership deemed more determinative than any single assistant’s departure.
• “I will view any Ryan Day hire with more of an eye toward, well, I don’t know, guy probably knows what he’s doing. This is Sabanesque… the ship keeps sailing.” — Doug Lesmerises [13:32]
• Both hosts cite instances of previous key staff departures, some poorly handled (Tim Beck/Ed Warinner era), but the overall program has consistently rebounded.

6. Hartline’s Move—Right Fit and Career Trajectory

• South Florida deemed a smart stepping stone for Hartline, aligning with his Florida recruiting ties, career goals, and program potential.
• “Frankly, I didn’t think it made a lot of sense for some of the other jobs he was talked about for… But this job... I do think is the correct kind of job that can be a stepping stone to something bigger for him.” — Podcast Guest [05:23]
• Hartline’s NFL background, alumni cachet, and recruiting prowess position him for rapid advancement if successful in Tampa.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Buckeye Stability (Culture Over Assistants):
  “Assistant coaches are middle managers. It’s the head coach and it’s the players... This does not mean that Ohio State won’t be able to recruit receivers anymore.” — Doug Lesmerises [07:34]
• Hartline’s Recruiting Legacy:
  “What was Brian Hartline put on this earth to do? Get the number one receiver recruit in the country… to Ohio State instead of Miami, and Brian Hartline did it.” — Bill Landis [24:37]
• On Replacing Coaches:
  “You cannot get somebody to be the receivers coach who will be as good as Brian Hartline. It’s impossible. You can’t do it. But can you get somebody who’s pretty darn good? Yes, you can. You’re Ohio State.” — Bill Landis [19:18]
• Future Job Prospects:
  “If he does well at South Florida for a year or two, I think he potentially positions himself as the number one candidate for the next opening at Miami, Florida State, or Florida.” — Bill Landis [17:12]
• Institution Over Individual:
  “Ryan Day said Ohio State is bigger than anybody. That was expressed to him by Jim Tressel and Urban Meyer… Ohio State was good before Ryan Day took the job and it’ll be good after he leaves.” — Podcast Guest [30:03]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Hartline Takes South Florida Job—Initial Reactions: [01:36-04:37]
• Impact on Play Calling and Staff Duties: [03:30-04:37]
• Hartline’s Fit at USF & Career Move Analysis: [04:42-05:31]
• Main Conversation on Coaching Transition: [05:59-15:55]
• Evaluating the Loss, Buckeye Resilience & Analogies: [11:41-13:32]
• Recruiting Impact & Pantoni Comments: [27:25-29:33]
• Advice for Buckeye Fans—Don’t Panic: [19:44-21:21]
• Hartline's Recruiting Legacy—Securing Jeremiah Smith: [24:18-25:27]

Conclusion & Takeaways

• Hartline’s departure is a loss for Ohio State, but far from catastrophic. The hosts stress OSU’s unique program resilience, strong talent pipeline, and depth of coaching candidates.
• Ryan Day and the staff anticipated postseason succession plans, minimizing immediate negative impact.
• OSU will feel a short-term recruiting effect at receiver, but the broader appeal of the Buckeye program and portal options offset panic.
• Hartline’s move to South Florida is shrewd both personally and professionally, positioning him for possible rapid ascent in college football’s coaching ranks.
• As Doug and Bill emphasize, institutional strength and strategic hiring matter most; fans should trust in Ohio State’s proven model.

For ongoing updates, listener questions, and bonus content, Doug and Bill encourage fans to follow their Substack and podcast feeds.