Brian Hartline officially introduced as USF’s new head football coach

Brian Hartline introduces on USF campus

FOX 13's Aaron Mesmer has the latest after a big day for Brian Hartline, the new USF head football coach, who was introduced during a press conference on Monday.

TAMPA - The University of South Florida officially introduced Brian Hartline as the seventh head coach of USF Football on Monday.

Hartline is replacing Alex Golesh who was tapped by Auburn University.

Rob Higgins, CEO of USF Athletics, presented Hartline to the USF community and the city of Tampa during the ceremony.

USF introduces Brian Hartline as new head coach

USF officially introduced Brian Hartline as the head coach of the football team during a press conference on Monday.

Hartline says that the decision to come to USF was easy because Florida is a second home for his family.

"I always felt like Florida was my second home. Our family have always felt that way. So when assessing opportunities, USF is always towards the top of the list, frankly," Hartline said. "I believe in really three main things, I think, when you build things. People is number one. People are number one. Your process is number two. If you don't like the outcome, change the process. The people are probably great. You already identified that. Fix that. And then it’s the purpose. Your purpose can take you to levels that maybe you didn't know you were capable of."

Hillsborough Commissioner Ken Hagan says that he believes Hartline will take USF to a new level.

"I was blown away by his passion and how determined he was to not only coach this team and take to new levels, but also to be a part of the community. He stressed that three or four times during his speech this morning. And so, I think when you have folks like Coach Hartline and Rob Higgins, as the CEO of Athletics, it's a new day here at USF," Said Hagan. "Of course, Rob's putting together his team with Derrick Brooks and others, and it really is an exciting time here for USF and for Tampa Bay. And this entire USF corridor is going to be completely transformed in the next two to three years."

Hartline Brings National Success to Tampa

The backstory:

Hartline steps into the role at USF while continuing his current duties as offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach at Ohio State through the Big Ten Championship and the College Football Playoff.

Top-ranked Ohio State faces No. 2 Indiana in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The game kicks off at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Ohio State’s 2025 offense—under Hartline’s direction—has been among the nation’s best, ranking 13th in scoring (37.0 ppg) and 24th in total offense (438.5 ypg). With Hartline serving as co-offensive coordinator, the Buckeyes captured the 2024 College Football Playoff Championship.

During his three seasons overseeing or co-overseeing the offense, Ohio State has posted a 37–4 record. Across his eight seasons on staff, the program is 92–11, winning an impressive 89% of its games. Hartline has also been part of eight Big Ten Championships as both a coach and player.

Previous Story: USF names Ohio State offensive coordinator as new head football coach

Track Record of Elite Player Development

Hartline has built a reputation for developing top-tier talent:

• Coached four straight Big Ten Receiver of the Year winners, including 2025 honoree Jeremiah Smith.
• Produced five NFL first-round draft picks since 2022: Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Jameson Williams, and Emeka Egbuka.
• Named 247Sports National Recruiter of the Year in 2020.

A New Era for Bulls Football

What they're saying:

As Hartline prepares to take the helm at USF, the program said it is gaining a coach known for high-powered offenses, elite recruiting, and championship experience at the highest level of college football.