When Ohio State faces Miami in its College Football Playoff opener, Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day will be the one calling offensive plays against the Hurricanes, taking over duties from offensive coordinator Brian Hartline.
Hartline took the head coaching job at South Florida on Dec. 3, and Day said he will have Hartline focus on coaching the team’s receivers in the Cotton Bowl as he balances his responsibilities.
“We wanted to take (play-calling) off of Brian’s plate because he’s got so much going on with what he’s trying to do,” Day told reporters Monday. “It’s such a strange calendar and the timing is brutal, but he’s handled it really well. It’s a lot on his plate to manage.
“We’re kind of taking it day to day. Going into the game, it’ll be a group effort. (Tight ends coach) Keenan (Bailey) will be very much involved. Ultimately it will be my decision what calls go into the game.”
It will not be a new role for Day, who as head coach called Ohio State’s offensive plays until handing those duties over to offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Chip Kelly last season.
With Kelly’s departure for the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, Hartline was promoted from his position as receivers coach. He led the Buckeyes this season to rank 17th nationally in scoring at 34.9 points per game.
The Big Ten championship game, however, saw the Buckeyes muster only 10 points in a 13-10 loss to Indiana on Dec. 6.
