COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Brian Hartline ran routes for the scout team at Ohio State in 2016 -- his first year out of football. When not on the field, Hartline was constantly giving pointers to his alma mater's wide receivers.
Head coach Urban Meyer noticed and soon offered Hartline a job. Hartline said no.
Several months later, Meyer again contacted Hartline, who had finished a seven-year NFL career as a receiver with the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns. Hartline wasn't doing much. He lived in town. He liked sports media and did some radio and television, but soon found himself leaning into the criticism too much.
"If you know so much, why don't you try to help?" Hartline asked himself.
He agreed to join the Ohio State staff as a quality control assistant in 2017.
"It was hard to get me back in, but once I did, I fell in love," Hartline, Ohio State's wide receivers coach, told ESPN. "Obviously, I haven't left since."
Five years after walking back into the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, Hartline has become one of the most important assistants in college football, especially among non-playcallers. Current Buckeyes coach Ryan Day has finally made Ohio State a quarterback destination, while Hartline's wide receiver room is regarded as the nation's most talented and will be on display against Wisconsin on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC).
In 2021, that receiver room produced three All-Americans in Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Wilson and Olave went No. 10 and No. 11 in the 2022 NFL draft, while Jameson Williams, a former Ohio State wideout who transferred to Alabama, went No. 12.
Hartline also has emerged as one of the nation's top recruiters, signing ESPN's No. 1 or No. 2 wide receiver recruit in Wilson (No. 2 in 2019 and No. 17 overall player), Julian Fleming (No. 1 in 2020 and No. 1 overall) and Emeka Egbuka (No. 2 in 2021 and No. 30 overall). Ohio State signed six other ESPN 300 wide receiver recruits in those classes, including current contributors Smith-Njigba and Marvin Harrison Jr. The Buckeyes signed three ESPN 300 receivers in the 2022 class and have three more committed for 2023.
"It's crazy," Fleming told ESPN. "Year after year after year, we're bringing in top and top and top guys. We're never really missing a step, especially with him here."
ESPN spent time with Hartline to explore what has led to his rise and where he could go next, and also looked at five other invaluable assistants -- at Kentucky, BYU, Florida State, Iowa State and Miami.
Brian Hartline, Ohio State
Ten days before Ohio State's highly anticipated season opener against Notre Dame, a geometry debate interrupted the Buckeyes' wide receiver meeting.
Hartline, flanked by signs that read "BE DIFFERENT" and "BE GREAT," had been reviewing a concept called "click." When the Z receiver, who lines up off the line of scrimmage, goes in motion, Hartline wanted him to keep his shoulders perpendicular to the line. The more the receiver turned toward the defense, Hartline explained, the deeper the middle linebacker would position himself to guard against longer routes.
"Don't you mean parallel?" one of the players asked.
"No, perpendicular," Hartline responded, while demonstrating. "Here's the O-line's shoulders, and here should be my shoulders."
"So you're running parallel," several players said, as laughter grew in the room.
"Yes," Hartline said. "Perpendicular and parallel. We're running parallel to the line of scrimmage, but our shoulders are perpendicular. You good on that? Nice. Good s---."
The vibe in Ohio State's receiver room is both fun and instructive. Hartline runs his meetings with energy, pace, knowledge and humor. He zips through football terminology while dropping certain phrases -- "haul ass" is a favorite -- and addressing players in shorthand: Jax, Marv, Mek, Jule.
Hartline is exactly where he wants to be, doing the only job in coaching he ever wanted to do. Perhaps most significant, he's helping wide receivers in ways few coaches did for him during his career.
"That's why it came so organically for me," Hartline told ESPN. "My motivation really was this room. The Ohio State wide receiver room was my passion."
Hartline looks completely at ease addressing the Buckeyes receivers. His ability to connect with top recruits also is unquestioned. Yet he claims to be an introvert.
The 35-year-old would just as soon keep to himself, hang with family or hop in his lawn tractor for a good, long mow. Sitting in the dining area of the Woody Hayes Athletic Center, he said, "It changes when I enter this building."
"It was almost like he was a replica of Mike Vrabel," said Mark Pantoni, Ohio State's longtime player personnel director. Pantoni was referring to the former Buckeyes defensive lineman who joined the staff in 2011 before becoming the Tennessee Titans head coach seven years later. "A former player who had a lot of success in college and the NFL, a guy who had earned a lot of money but just wanted to work and give back, out of love for the game, not for anything else. It was very impressive early on. And then, just from a recruiting sense, his ability to connect with the guys right away.
"He stepped right in and and just immediately made a splash."
Hartline quickly developed a keen eye for recruits, beyond nationally elite prospects such as Wilson and Fleming. He and Pantoni sensed what Smith-Njigba could become and offered him a scholarship even though his recruiting rating lagged.
Pantoni was initially lukewarm on Harrison after watching his junior film, but Hartline, who had watched practices, insisted that Ohio State push for the wideout. When Harrison began his senior season of high school in Philadelphia, he had developed considerably. This year, he leads Ohio State with 342 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
CJ. Stroud connects with Marvin Harrison Jr. for a 30-yard touchdown.
"That was one where Hart was dead on," Pantoni said.
"We have honest conversations, and rarely are we misaligned," Hartline added. "At Ohio State, you have the ability to get more guys than some schools, but you still have to pick the right ones."
Hartline enjoys the human development side of coaching. He views wide receiver play as "a chess, not checkers game," where the best grasp the cerebral elements of how to move their bodies correctly before attacking defenses.
Extremely talented wideouts, like the ones Ohio State recruits, can sometimes overcome errors and produce on their natural gifts alone. Hartline is there to check them on that.
"I remember playing, how often I would get told, 'Good job,' just because I was productive," Hartline said. "But in my head, I'm thinking, 'You've gotta be s---ting me. That was a s---ty route.' To me, it's making sure that they know that, but also, I'm trying to develop them into their own coach, because frankly, I don't trust a lot of the coaches out there. I saw firsthand the amount of bad coaching that happens."
Hartline witnessed examples of bad coaching at pretty much every level he played.
"That was a large motivator for me to get into coaching," he said. "I just couldn't believe the nepotism of hiring this person or that person because it's your boy. I understand it now from a coaching perspective of surrounding yourself with people you trust. But a lot of that was disheartening when it came to someone trying to coach me. It used to drive me crazy. My body's on the line, I'm working my ass off, and you don't know what you're talking about.
"So the young men here, 'I want to coach you to be a great athlete, but I want to make sure you take everything with you, because who knows who your next coach is.'"
Hartline's receivers say he takes a customized approach, understanding each player's capability level isn't the same. He also uses data to explain why a play works or fails, or what more could have been done by the receivers.
The goal is to separate production from correct and incorrect execution.
"I want to be the best player in the country, so he holds me to that standard," Smith-Njigba said. "I'm not perfect, but he pushes us to perfection. When I look back at my old film, I feel like I'm way better, and he has a big hand in that."
The NFL often comes up in Ohio State's wide receiver room. Buckeye receivers watch NFL game clips and player interviews, or hear stories from Hartline, who played from 2009 to 2015 and had 344 receptions for 4,766 yards with 14 touchdowns.
For this meeting, he began with a story (not to be shared) about his second season in the league. The group then watched an interview of Las Vegas Raiders star Davante Adams, submitted by Harrison, son of the Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver with the same name. Adams described how he has a three-point plan for every play, depending on where his defender lines up.
"That man's probably doing it better than anybody in the NFL, and it's not because [he runs a] 4.25," Hartline told the group. "It's real s---."
Hartline downplays how much his own NFL experience has helped in recruiting, but knows he can relate to what Ohio State's players are going through. He learned firsthand the benefit of being surrounded by great receivers and has tried to create a similar dynamic at Ohio State.
"The people I got to learn behind, like Chris and Garrett, and coming into this year, Jaxon, Julian, Marv, we all excelled to get each other better," Egbuka said. "Even the young guys, they're learning quickly, but they know it's a rule of excellence and there's a certain standard we're held to. We're pretty high up in the argument of Wide Receiver U, and I don't think many would dispute that."
A three-star recruit at Ohio State who became a fourth-round NFL draft pick, Hartline wants to compete on both fronts as a coach. The Buckeyes wide receiver room he walked into as a player more closely resembles the one he oversees now.
Ohio State produced first-round draft picks at receiver in 2004 (Michael Jenkins), 2006 (Santonio Holmes) and 2007 (Ted Ginn Jr. and Anthony Gonzalez). But after Hartline and teammate Brian Robiskie (second round) in 2009, the Buckeyes wideouts were shut out of three of the next four drafts, and didn't produce another first-rounder until this year. Smith-Njigba is the first wide receiver and the No. 5 overall prospect on Mel Kiper's Big Board for the 2023 draft.
"I remember every year, the leading receiver at Ohio State, they were all first-rounders, that was the standard," Hartline said. "As my dad always said, 'If they're going to keep score, you might as well win.' That was part of our motivation when we got started -- have the best room in the country, not opinion-based but statistical-based.
"Don't get me wrong, lasting long in the NFL is more important than how you get there, but shoot, if we're going to keep track, let's get there at a high level, too."
Hartline wants first-round picks, but he often talks to the receiver group about the added importance of landing a second NFL contract. Ohio State's receivers learn about federal and state tax figures, and Hartline provides financial management advice.
"He talks about taxes and percentages of NFL players who go bankrupt, just how to manage your money, what to invest in, what not to invest in," Egbuka said. "Given where he's been, it's priceless information that he wished he had when he was going into the league."
Hartline entered coaching to do exactly what he's doing at Ohio State. But his ambition naturally has grown with his coaching résumé.
He would never make a jump specifically for an "ego title" as an assistant. He's open to becoming a head coach but has specific, non-negotiable criteria: a job where he can recruit top players and compete for titles, and a place he wants to live (sorry, big-city programs, the introvert probably isn't interested). He also has no interest in a starter job or one where he can learn and be better the next time.
"A perfect situation, to be frank," Hartline said. "People talk to me and say, 'Hart, your funnel [of jobs] is really small,' and I say, 'I know.' If you can't win your conference, if you can't compete for national championships, I have no interest. That criteria can change over time, but I'm living my dream right now, this is amazing, and everything that I want to be able to accomplish is potentially here at Ohio State."
Hartline looks at Oklahoma coach Brent Venables as a potential model for his own career. Venables became one of the nation's most respected assistants at Clemson, and passed on several head-coaching opportunities until Oklahoma came calling.
"Hart, he's a special coach and person," Pantoni said. "He's got all the ability in the world to be a head coach, if that's what he chooses to do. But at the same time, he loves this place so much. It means a lot to him to coach here."
Now let's take a look at five other essential assistant coaches (non-playcallers) around the country.
Vince Marrow, Kentucky
Titles: Tight ends coach, associate head coach, recruiting coordinator
Background: A tight end at Toledo, Marrow spent four seasons on NFL rosters and later had stints as both a player and coach in the World League. He spent a year coaching tight ends at Toledo and another as a high school head coach in Ohio before heading to Nebraska where he coached for the XFL's Omaha Nighthawks before becoming a graduate assistant for Nebraska. Marrow grew up with Kentucky coach Mark Stoops in Youngstown, Ohio, and joined Stoops at Kentucky in 2013.
Why he's so valuable: Marrow has been Stoops' right-hand man as they've built Kentucky into a consistent winner in the SEC. They capitalized on their connections to Ohio and the school's proximity to a state that still produces a good number of Power 5 prospects. Marrow is the lead recruiter for most of Kentucky's prospects from Ohio, and the program has hit big on players, such as Lynn Bowden Jr. and Benny Snell Jr., and current starters, such as defensive Tyrell Ajian and Carrington Valentine, and tight ends Brenden Bates and Keaton Upshaw. "You got Ohio sitting right there," Marrow told me this summer. "It's the fourth-producing state for NFL players, it's the third- or fourth-producing state for D-I football players. How do you not go there? You've got to have connections, but there's a lot of players there, and we have strong connections." Kentucky has rewarded Marrow with several significant raises, and this year he's earning $1.1 million, a once-unthinkable salary for a non-coordinator.
Ed Lamb, BYU
Titles: Safeties coach, special teams coordinator, assistant head coach
Background: Lamb began his playing career at Ricks College (Napoleon Dynamite shoutout) before transferring to BYU, where he played defensive end on the 1996 team that went 14-1 and won the Cotton Bowl to finish No. 5 nationally. After an early coordinator stint at Idaho, he worked under Jim Harbaugh for two seasons at the University of San Diego. Lamb then got to oversee his own program at Southern Utah, leading one of the worst programs in the FCS to a conference title in 2010 and its first-ever FCS playoff appearance in 2013. He made two playoff appearances before joining the BYU staff in 2016.
Why he's so valuable: Lamb has been a huge resource for BYU head coach Kalani Sitake, who had not led a program before returning to his alma mater. They have worked closely together on recruiting strategy, BYU's successful walk-on program and other macro elements of the program, which has gone 23-4 since the start of the 2020 season. Lamb has coached both the linebackers and safeties for the Cougars and also oversees special teams, a clear strength for the team during his tenure. For some, assistant head coach is just a title to get a raise, but Lamb truly assists Sitake with many of the macro elements that have led to BYU's recent surge.
Odell Haggins, Florida State
Titles: Defensive tackles coach, associate head coach
Background: Haggins played defensive line for Florida State in the 1980s and has had an integral part in the program ever since. After a three-year NFL career, he joined the FSU staff under Bobby Bowden in 1993, when the program would win the national title. Haggins initially coached tight ends and offensive line before switching to defensive line, a group he has coached since 1996. He became FSU's associate head coach in 2014, a post he has held with three head coaches (Jimbo Fisher, Willie Taggart, Mike Norvell).
Why he's so valuable: Florida State has gone through major changes -- and turmoil -- since Bowden retired after the 2009 season, but Haggins is the strongest thread to the program's past. He's in his 29th year at FSU, the longest-tenured assistant at the same program in the country. Inducted into FSU's Hall of Fame in 2018, Haggins carries tremendous respect within and outside the program, and has stepped in during challenging times, twice serving as interim head coach and going 4-2. His recruiting success has earned him national recognition for much of his career, and he has coached 20 defensive linemen selected in the NFL draft.
Nate Scheelhaase, Iowa State
Titles: Running backs coach, wide receivers coach, run game coordinator
Background: The former Illinois quarterback started 48 games for the Illini and twice served as a team captain. He began his coaching career at his alma mater before joining Matt Campbell at Iowa State in 2018. Scheelhaase initially coached running backs and then wide receivers before being given both groups prior to the 2021 season.
Why he's so valuable: Few assistant coaches anywhere oversee two positions, and Campbell's trust in the 31-year-old Scheelhaase shows in his work assignments. Scheelhaase is a rising star in coaching and has worked with All-America running backs David Montgomery and Breece Hall, and All-Big 12 wide receivers Deshaunte Jones and Xavier Hutchinson. He has been part of the most successful stretch in Iowa State's history, including a No. 9 finish in 2020. Scheelhaase is an excellent recruiter who projects as a future coordinator and head coach. The longer ISU can keep him, the better.
Alex Mirabal, Miami
Titles: Offensive line coach, assistant head coach
Background: As a high school teammate of Mario Cristobal's, arguably no one in coaching knows the Miami head man better than Mirabal. He spent the early part of his career as a high school coach in the Miami area before joining Cristobal at Florida International as assistant head coach, working first with the tight ends and then the offensive line. He then coached offensive line at Marshall before rejoining Cristobal at Oregon, which became an offensive line-driven program behind Outland Trophy winner Penei Sewell, All-America selection T.J. Bass and others.
Why he's so valuable: I tried to avoid including first-year assistants on this list, but Mirabal is a worthy exception. Few head coaches have a more trusted aide than Cristobal with Mirabal, and their long-term connection with each other and with the city of Miami will serve the program as it attempts to return to the championship stage. Mirabal and Cristobal are also fully aligned on what goes into offensive line play and how the group can become a foundational group for the entire program, as it did at Oregon during their tenures. Miami hasn't had an offensive lineman drafted since 2017, and the position, like the program, needs a jolt that Mirabal should help provide.