Ohio State Football: 3 possible replacements for Wilson at OC

The Ohio State football team lost its offensive coordinator Kevin Wilson yesterday. Here are some possible replacements.

The Ohio State football team and head coach Ryan Day is in need of a new offensive coordinator after Kevin Wilson accepted the Tulsa head coaching position yesterday. Wilson has been trying to get a head coaching gig for a while now as he was a finalist for the Colorado State job a few years back.

We should find out at some point today if Wilson will stick around for the playoffs and I think he should. What better way for Wilson to sell recruits to Tulsa than saying he won a national title in his last season as a Buckeye?

But the search must go on for a possible replacement. Here are three names to keep an eye on as this unfolds.

1. Brian Hartline, Wide Receiver coach, Ohio State

Hartline is the most obvious candidate for this job. He was rumored to have been a favorite for the Cincinnati head coaching position last week and he has been one of the best position coaches in the country for the last five seasons.

Ryan Day will no doubt still call plays. But giving Hartline more responsibility and the added title might be enough to keep him in Columbus for the foreseeable future. And that would mean more five-star receivers will be headed the Buckeyes’ way.

2. Justin Frye, Offensive Line coach, Ohio State

This is another obvious candidate as Ryan Day sought Frye out last year from UCLA. He was the offensive coordinator his last season with the Bruins, so he has the experience. This could be a situation like Michigan where they have co-offensive coordinators. Matt Weiss takes care of the passing game while Sherrone Moore is in charge of the run game for the Wolverines.

Could Frye handle the run game and offensive line duties with Hartline in charge of the passing game/wide receivers? That sounds very much like the logical plan for Ryan Day to incorporate.

3. Josh Gattis, Offensive Coordinator, Miami

Ok, this one is out of left field, I know. But hear me out. Gattis is a Big Ten guy through and through having spent time at both Penn State and Michigan. He was a huge reason for Michigan’s offensive success last season and his concepts still remain in the Wolverines’ offense this season.

Gattis can recruit and has an excellent offensive mind, especially when it comes to the run game. Meshing his run game philosophies with Ryan Day’s passing game could be a match made in heaven. Gattis left Michigan last season after Jim Harbaugh sniffed around the NFL. Gattis did not like that.

Could he come back to the Big Ten with a hefty pay raise and the prestige of being the offensive coordinator with the Ohio State football program? All though highly unlikely, it’s intriguing to say the least.

Another name to keep an eye on is former Florida head coach Dan Mullen. Might be a nice spot for Mullen to get back into coaching, he also is a former Urban Meyer disciple.