Ohio State Football: The Hartline Factor

Although Carnell Tate is a lifelong Ohio State football fan, the Tennessee Volunteers made a very strong push to land a commitment from the five-star receiver. Some felt the inroads made by the Vols and the relationships those in the program had cultivated with Tate made them the leader as late as the end of May.

This set off a storm of activity by the trolls on Tennessee fan message boards. Their reasoning as to why Tate should join their favorite college football program ranged from how could he not want to play in head coach Josh Heupel’s high-powered offense to the Big Ten having second-rate defensive backs.

They convinced themselves there was no way Tate could choose the Ohio State football program over their beloved Volunteers. The orange and white trolls had it all figured out…except for one thing they did not consider: The Hartline Factor.

Ohio State passing game coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline hasn’t been with the program for very long, but his impact on it is immeasurable. Since taking over as receivers coach in 2018 for the dismissed Zach Smith, Hartline has transformed that position group to what many consider the best in the country. He’s also turned into a monster recruiter who is ranked among the best in college football.

Hartline was 247Sports’ National Recruiter of the Year in 2020 and currently sits at the top of those rankings for this recruiting cycle after reeling in three of the nation’s top-ten receivers last week (including Tate). He was the primary recruiter for Jaxon-Smith Njigba and has twice reeled in the number one receiver in the country-Julian Fleming in 2020 and Emeka Egbuka in 2021.

Hartline also helped land heavyweights C.J. Stroud and J.T. Tuimoloau, the nation’s number one player in the 2022 cycle. If there is a theme among players he has recruited it is they find Hartline relatable. He communicates well and is able to connect with recruits.

Making a connection with recruits is all fine and dandy, but if you aren’t developing players, that connection won’t make a difference in luring high-level recruits. Hartline develops receivers. He just might be the best in college football at developing players at this position.

Although he turned K.J. Hill into OSU’s all-time leader in receptions and the first Buckeye to eclipse 200 catches in his career (201) in the short time he coached him, only recently have we started to see Hartline’s prowess as a developer of elite receivers.

First, we had the Rose Bowl where Smith-Njigba was unstoppable to the tune of 15 receptions for an all-time bowl record 347 yards. That same game served as a coming out party for true freshman Marvin Harrison, Jr., who had three touchdown catches.

A few months later came what is the real attention-getter for potential recruits. Two of Hartline’s products were taken back-to-back in the first round of the NFL Draft. He also worked with another first-round pick, Jameson Williams, for a few seasons before he transferred and broke out with Alabama last year. Putting guys in the NFL. That will get a potential recruit’s attention quicker than pretty much anything and Hartline is doing just that.

So, putting guys in the NFL leads me back to the message board trolls of the Tennessee Volunteers. Remember, these guys were convinced Josh Heupel’s high-powered offense was the only place for Carnell Tate, the nation’s number three receiver.

Here is what you need to know: Heupel has not had a receiver drafted above the third round since 2012 and has never had a receiver taken in the first round. When you compare that to The Hartline Factor, it isn’t hard to figure out why Tate is choosing to play for the Buckeyes.

Ryan Day recognized the impact of The Hartline Factor and gave him a promotion and raise earlier in the offseason. The Buckeyes need to do everything possible to hang onto him for as long as they can. The Hartline Factor is worth its weight in gold…or Buckeye leaves.