When the history of University of South Florida football is written some time in the distant future, Wednesday’s hiring of coach Brian Hartline might rank along with the hiring of inaugural coach Jim Leavitt as one of the most important moments.
Heck, if things work out as South Florida officials hope, Hartline’s hiring could be an even bigger moment than when Leavitt was hired to start the program back in 1997. In their eyes, Hartline’s arrival is a watershed moment for the program — and they just might be right.
A Promising New Era Begins
Maybe Hartline is the guy who can put South Florida football over the top and maybe — just maybe — the guy who will stick around for the long haul. In theory at least, it’s the perfect marriage. Hartline has blue-blood pedigree after serving as Ohio State’s offensive coordinator for three years and being a member of the Buckeyes’ coaching staff since 2017.
At 39, Hartline is relatively young, full of energy, and widely known as one of the nation’s top recruiters in addition to being a great offensive mind. At least on paper, Hartline looks like the kind of coach who can take what Alex Golesh (who bolted to Auburn a few days ago) started, build on it, make the Bulls into a national power, and stay in Tampa for years.
In its relatively short history, USF has seen Golesh and Willie Taggart take the program to the cusp of greatness only to leave for greener pastures before they could finish the job. So why should Hartline be any different? Why won’t he stay for only a few years and then jump to a blue-blood program?
It’s because he’s coming along at just the right time — when USF officials no longer want their school to be a breeding ground for the next great coach somewhere else. It’s because Hartline is arriving at a moment when USF leadership has decided to go all-in on making the football program a national power.
Investing in a Football Powerhouse
Even before that realization fully crystalized, plans already were in the works for a new 40,000-seat on-campus stadium scheduled to open in 2027. The state-of-the-art stadium is projected to cost $348.5 million, and the Bulls will no longer have to share Raymond James Stadium with the NFL’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Only a few weeks ago (while Golesh still was firmly in place), USF unveiled plans for another addition to the stadium project: the TGH Center for Athletic Excellence, a 150,000-square-foot training complex that will house USF’s football operations, also set to open in 2027. Only a few weeks before that, USF hired Pro Football Hall of Fame linebacker Derrick Brooks as Chief Operating Officer for the athletic department.
That’s not a figurehead role. Brooks is a genuinely smart, influential presence, and his name and personality already are providing a big fundraising boost for all of USF’s athletic programs. But football is USF’s marquee sport and its biggest moneymaker. Brooks has been paired with USF Chief Executive Officer Rob Higgins, and their mission is simple:
They’re expected to make USF football into a national power.
And the school is throwing an enormous amount of support behind them. Just last week, USF’s Board of Trustees approved an internal loan of up to $22.5 million and a $16 million increase in student-athlete revenue-sharing payments for the 2026–27 school year.
That kind of NIL war chest will put Hartline on an even playing field with the big boys. As USF moves into its new financial structure, it’s safe to assume that Hartline’s salary will be higher than the approximate $2.5 million Golesh was making. School officials moved quickly and decisively to land Hartline. No other candidates were seriously considered. Jimbo Fisher and a couple of other names were mentioned in the media, but USF wasn’t looking for a reclamation project. It needed a guy who’s on the rise to take over a program on the rise.
In Hartline, USF got its guy — and it’s giving him everything he needs to succeed. If he does, USF will have everything in place to make him want to stick around for the long term.
USF is in the process of constructing its new on-campus stadium with a capacity around 40,000 and a scheduled opening for the 2027 NCAA season.
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