The Ohio State football program is in hot pursuit of back-to-back national championships. They are still undefeated and are the top-ranked team in the country. The Buckeyes are fighting distractions outside the building, as rumors swirl around Brian Hartline's future.
Hartline's name has been thrown around as a possible candidate for the Penn State head coaching job after the firing of James Franklin. Even if Hartline doesn't end up taking that job, his name will be brought up for several of the other job openings across the country.
Despite Hartline only being in his first year as a play-caller, he is getting strong consideration for these jobs because of his recruiting ability. Former head coach Urban Meyer believes he's ready to go and be a head coach as soon as next season.
Former Ohio State football head coach Urban Meyer believes Brian Hartline is ready to be a head coach
While speaking with Kellyanne Stitts of WSYX, the ABC and FOX affiliate in Columbus, Meyer endorsed Hartline as a head coaching candidate when asked if he's ready to be a head coach.
Despite eight Power 4 schools looking for head football coaches, including Penn State, LSU, and Florida, Urban Meyer is not interested in getting back into coaching.
— Kellyanne Stitts (@KellyanneStitts) October 31, 2025
I also asked if #Buckeyes OC Brian Hartline is ready to be a head coach and he said yes.
"big Brian Hartline… pic.twitter.com/mGSHKAubiq
"I do. I'm a big Brian Hartline fan. Always have been. I just think his experience, I'm glad he stayed here. He had a chance to leave, and he learned from us and learned from Coach Day, so I think he's ready."
Hartline has no head coaching experience, so it would be shocking to see him get one of the bigger jobs in this cycle. He has only called plays this season, and that seems to be going well. Julian Sayin has a chance to win the Heisman Trophy because of his play-calling, and maybe that's enough.
Hartline has some things off the field that might give some pause to some programs. He was involved in an ATV accident that involved alcohol in April of 2023. He's still relatively young, so some athletic directors at other programs might worry that he needs to mature before he's ready to be a head coach.
Regardless, it's highly unlikely that the Ohio State Buckeyes will be able to hold on to him past next season. He will be a head coach at some point, and they have to be ready to replace him.