The start of the Early Signing Period has turned out to be more chaotic than some would have thought, and it isn't even fully because of recruits making last-minute flips. Instead, the coaching carousel continues to turn, and USF made its move, and it was one no one was expecting.
ESPN college football insider Pete Thamel reported that USF is expected to hire Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline to be the Bulls' next head coach. USF just lost head coach Alex Golesh to Auburn after three seasons of solid success, and clearly wanted someone who would be a flashy hire.
Sources: Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is expected to become the next coach at South Florida. He’s OSU’s play caller and built a reputation as the country’s top developer of wide receivers. pic.twitter.com/U0227G4LDo
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 3, 2025
This is a huge move by the Bulls, as Hartline was being considered by Penn State for their head coach vacancy, but it seems like Hartline wants to trade snow for palm trees.
The Brian Hartline hire will jump start USF's recruiting
Not only does Hartline bring the experience of coaching at a major program like Ohio State with him, but he will also bring a lot of recruiting expertise to Tampa. Hartline is known as one of the best recruiters and developers of wide receivers in the country, so the Bulls could be set up to get some major recruits if they choose to follow Hartline.
Now, Hartline won't join the Bulls for a little bit as he is still planning to fulfill his duties at Ohio State as the offensive coordinator through the College Football Playoff. That could hurt the Bulls when it comes to recruiting a bit and in the transfer portal, but the good news is that players know where Hartline is going and could still head to Tampa early.
This is the hire that Bulls fans were hoping for after Golesh left for Auburn. This could seriously put USF in great contention for years to come in both the American Athletic Conference and for a chance at the College Football Playoff.