Iowa's Top Target for OC is Brian Hartline

Submitted by SFBayAreaBlue on November 1st, 2023 at 8:16 AM

According to sources familiar with the situation, Iowa's OC Brian Ferentz will be stepping down and seeking different employment following this season. 

Kirk Ferentz was non-committal when asked whether or not he too would leave Iowa after this season. Assuming that he's gone, that means Iowa will be looking for a new Head Coach that has Big Ten experience and comes from the offensive side of the ball.

Brian Hartline is the obvious top candidate there. 

But OSU doesn't want to lose Hartline and his top tier recruiting results.  So there is a growing faction in the OSU AD who quietly want to push out Ryan Day because of the embarrassment he has brought to the school. 

Day has been feeling the pressure of not being able to beat Michigan and is on the Hot Seat despite otherwise stellar results and high rankings.  He feels like he can't beat physically tough teams, and his best will still not be good enough for the spoiled Buckeye fans.  This is what led to his outburst following the Notre Dame game.

And now that the Raiders job has opened up, Ryan Day can go there and be in complete control as a coach/GM.  Sources said that the timing of the Raiders job opening up and Harbaugh about to sign a lifelong contract at Michigan means that Day could announce his leaving for the NFL before the game in Ann Arbor. Or if he loses the game, he might be "fired" the following Monday.  But of course it will look like a mutual parting. 

I'm hearing from several people that if Day loses the game and an entire recruiting class doesn't get a single pair of gold pants that Day will be gone before the bowl season, even if OSU backdoors its way to a playoff spot.  Nothing would be more embarrassing to Buckeye nation than losing to the Wolverines twice in one year and 4 times in 3 years. 

 

 

/s sources say

Football

lilpenny1316

November 1st, 2023 at 8:43 AM ^

While there's a lot of /s in this, Hartline to Iowa would be good for three reasons.

  1. OSU would lose their second best recruiter (Larry Johnson is #1 IMO).
  2. Iowa's offense would be in better hands.
  3. It takes away another potential high profile candidate from MSU's coaching search.

Let's get it done in the non- /s world please.

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Dean Pelton

November 1st, 2023 at 8:49 AM ^

Yeah this is parody but nothing would surprise me anymore. You could tell me that Stallions (Keyzer Soze) is in play for the Raiders and I would not bat an eye. 

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trueblue262

November 1st, 2023 at 8:57 AM ^

If I had a million dollars I would put every penny of it on the fact that Hartline will never go to Iowa for an OC position. Not happening. Better chance of Gattis being head coach at UofM before that happens

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bronxblue

November 1st, 2023 at 8:58 AM ^

I swear the Stalions situation has renewed my belief in the axiom that "trust me bro, I know people" is the default position for message board reposts.

Brian Hartline is not going to leave a much better gig to coach the same role in Iowa.  It's like MSU fans wishcasting for Urban.

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Red is Blue

November 1st, 2023 at 9:04 AM ^

Day is apparently good at investigation ( or has ties to someone in that realm).  With Michigan apparently down one super sleuth, maybe Day can come in and fill that role?

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theWritist

November 1st, 2023 at 9:33 AM ^

Is this timing good or bad? We need Kirk to stick around until the end of the season so that if Jim jumps to the NFL after UofM wins it, we can get to Whittingham before anyone else...

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Team 101

November 1st, 2023 at 10:05 AM ^

Reminds me when my friend thought the Lions could get Bill Parcells to be their coach. 

Hartline will stay where he is until there is a place to put a runner on third base.  He intends to be that runner.

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bighouseinmate

November 1st, 2023 at 10:15 AM ^

Sarcasm or not, this would actually be a great move for Hartline assuming he had it stipulated that he was the HC in waiting for when Ferentz finally retired (assuming also that it’s only 1-3 years and not a dozen).

-One, Hartline isn’t going to ascend to HC of OSU anytime soon, even if day is fired or moves to the NFL.

-Two, it gives Hartline a chance to move out from under the shadow of Day and his offense, to make his own mark as an offensive genius.

-Three, I can think of a whole lot of worse places to go as a coach in CFB (EL anyone?)

-Four, it’s give Hartline a good chance at getting his HC career going a little earlier which could be turned into a HC career at a big time program or NFL HC career at a younger age. 
 

I don’t think it’ll happen, though, for numerous reasons. 

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s1105615

November 1st, 2023 at 10:24 AM ^

I am genuinely annoyed by this post.  I kinda like Iowa and a legit rumor of Hartline leaving OSU would have been welcome news.  Don’t toy with my emotions like this.

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mGrowOld

November 1st, 2023 at 10:27 AM ^

This post reminds me of the days when the board was absolutely SURE MSU was going to fire both Dantonio & Izzo because they were big meanie-heads and were responsible for all sorts of nefarious dirty-deeds.   I mean we must've gone three solid months (cant remember which year) with post after post after post just like this one where the OP explained why they were surely going to be fired and fired soon.

If memory serves I managed to piss off quite a few people here because in every one of those threads I would say "no they're not".

Anyways, guess what OP.  Unless Day manages to lose to someone else in the B1G, then us, then his bowl game he aint going anywhere.  He's a excellent coach with an amazing overall record.  But just like Harbaugh is an excellent coach, he never beat Urbz.  Day is similarly struggling with Harbaugh.

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Wolverine 73

November 1st, 2023 at 10:53 AM ^

Hartline is not leaving OSU for Iowa unless it’s to replace the Ferentz who is head coach, and even then I suspect not.  He likely sees himself as the next OSU head coach.

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MaizeBlueA2

November 1st, 2023 at 4:39 PM ^

I disagree. OSU makes rash decisions...they would've absolutely fired Harbaugh in 2020, even with no better option on the table.

I don't think Day is getting fired, because they're currently #1 in the CFP and even with a loss to Michigan, they'll be in the CFP.

But if they were legitimately "bad" (less than 10 wins)...he would be out and it wouldn't matter who comes next.

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jhayes1189

November 1st, 2023 at 6:51 PM ^

Definitely a step down from OSU unless they are setting him up as a head coach in waiting. 
 

If he became head coach and finally brought Iowa to a place where wide receivers consistently catch footballs, and he wins games, he could be a legend. 
 

I also have to imagine that defensive coordinator is ready to jump ship to a team with a complementary offense if they don’t make the right hire 

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