TAMPA, Fla. — University of South Florida football fans are celebrating their new head coach.
The university announced they have hired Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline as the Bulls' new head football coach, with many calling it the best possible outcome after initial concerns about the program's direction.
Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams talked to fans celebrating that USF had landed one of college football's most sought-after assistants to replace Alex Golesh, who departed for Auburn University last week.
"I was a little depressed at the beginning of last week when I heard about Golesh leaving, and I thought, well, that's the end," said Seth, a 1983 USF alumnus who drives four and a half hours from Palm Beach County for nearly every home game. "Now with the new offensive coordinator from Ohio State, everyone is saying, and I truly believe that it couldn't have been any better. We couldn't have had a better hire."
Seth, who operates Grand College Tours and has been a season ticket holder for years, is just one of many people celebrating.
The emotional rollercoaster for USF fans began when Golesh, who had led the Bulls to a 9-3 record this season after inheriting a struggling program, announced his departure. Many feared the momentum built over the past two seasons would be lost.
"I was sad, because Golesh really did bring this program up," said Vansh Patel, a USF student. "We were like 1-10. I believe we were, what, like 9-3 now this season. So it sucked, because Golesh brought such a huge momentum boost to the team."
Now that disappointment has turned into excitement.
"To bring in Hartline now, who I believe is better than Golesh, just because of his experience, I think we'll be a dangerous team," Patel said.
Fans are particularly excited about Hartline's championship pedigree and recruiting prowess. The Ohio State coordinator helped the Buckeyes win the 2024 College Football Playoff National Championship and has been instrumental in developing NFL-caliber talent.
"He's had so many recruits, big recruits, you know, like Emeka, Jeremiah Smith," Patel said. "I think for USF, he can bring a lot to the program, especially a lot of maybe like four, five star recruits."
Patrick, a longtime fan who worked in USF athletics for nine years, believes Hartline represents the type of hire that can elevate the program to its former heights.
"Bringing an offensive-minded guy from Ohio State who recruited a lot of key wide receivers who are now in the league, I think that's going to bring a new level of players to USF," Patrick said. "Going back to those old days when we were number two in the nation, we definitely want to get back to that. And I think this is the right coach to come in and do the job."
The hiring has fans optimistic about USF's ability to compete for top talent, particularly given Hartline's success recruiting and his NFL connections.
"We could go to the American, we could go into the playoffs," Patel said. "There's a lot of potential with this new coach."
There is also the shock factor that USF was able to land such a high-profile candidate.
"I personally thought he would go to Penn State, just because Penn State's a huge program," Patel said. "But I don't know how we did it. Shout out Robert Higgins, new CEO, they're doing great."
As USF prepares for the Cure Bowl against Old Dominion in Orlando, fans see the Hartline hire as validation of the program's progress and a sign of bigger things to come.
Patel is disappointed that the Bulls didn't receive a more prestigious bowl invitation after beating Florida and posting a 9-3 record. The coaching hire has overshadowed those concerns.
"We deserve a better bowl game than Old Dominion," Patel said. "But next year, we're going to America, and then the playoffs. That's the goal."
Hartline will coach Ohio State in Saturday's Big Ten Championship game before officially joining USF.
Bulls fans are already looking ahead to what they believe will be a transformative era for the program.
You can find more information about tickets to the Cure Bowl here.
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