> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # New USF head coach Brian Hartline promises a championship level program - URL: https://www.bayareaexaminer.com/new-usf-head-coach-brian-hartline/ - Published: 2025-12-09T15:38:47.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-21T15:45:48.000Z - Description: The new era of USF football was started on Monday morning. - Author: Collin Sherwin - Tags: #Migrated-1792597384348, #Import 2026-10-21 15:44 On Monday morning, Brian Hartline was introduced as the seventh head coach of the South Florida Bulls. ![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/77/a9/77a9bb8f-d0f1-45b5-8fed-5feacd465ef5/content/images/2026/10/800a517b-dbf5-4299-8dcb-6cb3a7c33fbd_4433x2955-jpeg.jpg) Vanessa Wenzl | Bay Area Examiner “Welcome to the most exciting chapter of USF football yet,” USF CEO of Athletics Rob Higgins said. “We thankfully found the right leader and the right leader chose us.” Hartline will take over in 2026 following the departure of Alex Golesh to Auburn. The Bulls posted a 9-3 record in the 2025 regular season under Golesh, but USF is looking for more during Hartline’s tenure. “We will win at the highest level. We will chase championships,” Hartline said Monday. Before Hartline came to the podium, a hype video played narrated by new USF Chief Operations Officer and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Derrick Brooks. The video flashed clips of the Tampa Bay Rays winning American League pennants, the Lightning winning Stanley Cups and the Buccaneers winning Super Bowls. “Champions have made this place home and now it’s time for another chapter,” Brooks said in the video. Championships are a bold goal for USF. Throughout the Bulls’ 28 years of football, they have resided in three conferences — the Big East, Conference USA and the American Athletic Conference. USF has never made a conference championship appearance. Hartline is no stranger to championships. He won a national title as the co-offensive coordinator at Ohio State in January. He won four straight Big Ten championships as a receiver at Ohio State from 2005 to 2008 and four more as an assistant coach with the Buckeyes. “People can change people’s lives,” Hartline said. “I’m looking forward to doing that here.” Hartline is the first head coach Higgins has hired since taking over in September. “Two months ago I accepted my dream job. Now I stand in front of you accepting our dream coach,” Higgins said. The hiring process was swift. USF closed the deal with Hartline roughly 60 hours after Golesh officially left. “We were prepared for every scenario as this season unfolded,” Higgins said. “He was our first call and 60 hours later we got our dream coach.” USF went through a coaching change during one of the most hectic coaching cycles in recent memory. Twenty-seven Division I teams changed coaches during this cycle, including USF’s conference foes North Texas, Memphis and Tulane. “We beat out a lot of blue bloods around the country. This cycle from a coaching standpoint was unlike any other. Faster and more openings than you’ve ever seen, and for us to land our dream candidate speaks to where we are as a university and a community,” Higgins said. “We have all the recipes for a destination, not a pit stop, and our plan is to build it hand in hand with him.” Hartline will continue to coach Ohio State as the Buckeyes pursue their title defense. Ohio State fell to Indiana 13-10 in the Big Ten Championship on Saturday in Hartline’s first game juggling both roles. “I’m going to feel a lot better moving forward than it was last week,” Hartline said, noting the moving parts that came with the news made preparing for the Hoosiers difficult. Hartline has already begun assembling USF’s coaching staff. “I’m focused on hiring the right staff. We’ve done a really good job to this point — a lot of it’s not public — but we’ve done a really good job there.” One member of the staff made public Monday was new defensive coordinator Josh Aldridge, who served as East Carolina’s defensive coordinator last season. Aldridge helped the Pirates lead the American in scoring defense. This season was Hartline’s first as Ohio State’s primary playcaller. The Buckeyes are averaging 34.9 points per game. When asked if he plans to call plays for USF next season, Hartline said it’s “all up for discussion,” adding that he would wait until the entire staff is in place to make the decision. Hartline said he will use the rest of his time in Tampa Bay this week to meet his future players in person. He has already been in contact with USF quarterback Byrum Brown, who has one year of college eligibility remaining. The transfer portal opens Jan. 2. The mentality Hartline brings to USF football is simple: “We’re going to do it for the love of our brother. Not the hate of our opponent.” The rumors are over, the introductions are over and now it’s time for Hartline to get to work and lead USF football — an exciting reality for Bulls fans who have long desired to see USF compete at the highest level.