The Ohio State football team got a shock when Brian Hartline was announced to be the expected new head coach of USF. It was not a place that he was linked to, so it was surprising for Buckeye fans to hear him be hired for that position. It looks like Hartline will stay with the Buckeyes through the CFP, though.
Even so, it was unclear what this was going to mean for Ohio State's 2026 recruiting class. Several recruits had their LOI's signed early in the day, but there were a couple of big fish on offense who hadn't sent it in yet. Everyone was waiting to see what Chris Henry Jr. was going to do.
Even before this announcement, Oregon was trying to make a big push for the five-star receiver. Henry Jr. had rebuffed them before, but this news was feared to have changed everything. It looks like he will be signing with the Ohio State Buckeyes after all.
Chris Henry Jr. announces commitment to the Ohio State football program despite fears of flip
Henry Jr. has now decided that he will be with the Buckeyes, even without Hartline. He has been committed to the Buckeyes since 2023, so this was expected. Still, there was a feeling that he might be swayed once Hartline decided to take a head coaching job elsehwere.
Keeping Henry Jr. is huge for Ohio State. They get the crown jewel of the class. He is someone who will likely get playing time right away next season, opposite of Jeremiah Smith. That's how good a player he is. He will fight with a talented, yet unproven, group of receivers.
Ryan Day clearly had developed a strong relationship with Henry Jr. That is what held the day, even with Hartline moving on to become a head coach. Day has done a great job keeping this class together for the most part. They will likely be flipping some prospects later today, as well.