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Following an offseason filled with turmoil and uncertainty, the Ohio State wide receivers helped Heisman Trophy finalist Dwayne Haskins break nearly every imaginable single-season passing record in school and Big Ten history, all under the tutelage of Brian Hartline, who served as the interim position coach.
On Saturday, the university confirmed what many had anticipated, that Ryan Day — newly designated Buckeye head coach for 2019 — has not only retained the former OSU and NFL WR, but elevated him to the position permanently.
Brian Hartline, who coached a receiver unit this season whose cumulative statistical numbers alone would be school single season records for receptions, yards and touchdowns, has been elevated to permanent wide receiver’s coach by Ohio State coach Ryan Day.
— Jerry Emig (@BuckeyeNotes) December 8, 2018
After six years in the NFL, Hartline was serving as a graduate assistant when Zach Smith was fired, and was the obvious choice to take the job on a temporary basis. However, following a season when OSU quarterbacks have thrown for 4,849 yards thus far, Day made Hartline the first coach to publicly be retained for next season.
In a statement, Day said, “Brian is a terrific young coach and mentor to our players and I am thrilled he is on our staff permanently now. Brian was displaying outstanding leadership qualities when he was a quality control coach, and his efforts coaching the wide receivers this season are a huge reason we are Big Ten champions and headed to the Rose Bowl.”
Day, Hartline, Urban Meyer, and the rest of the Buckeye coaching staff will be together one last time on Jan. 1 when the No. 6 Ohio State Buckeyes take on the No. 9 Washington Huskies in Pasadena, Calif. in the Rose Bowl.