Ryan Day Replaces Highest Paid OSU Coach With Former NFL WR Who Confirms Pay Cut in New Contract

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Ohio State had to part ways with Brian Hartline, who’s now cashing in as South Florida’s highest-paid head coach. With Cortez Hankton stepping into those shoes, Ryan Day and company didn’t skimp on the contract. Even so, it still falls short of the deal Hankton had at his previous stop.

Hankton will pull in a $900,000 base salary in his first season as Ohio State’s wide receivers coach, according to a copy of his contract obtained by The Dispatch.

Day made it official on January 1, signing Hankton to a two-year deal as the successor to Hartline, the Buckeyes’ wide receivers coach since 2018 and offensive coordinator in 2025. The contract includes a future raise, with his base salary set to increase to $1 million in 2027.

“His experience recruiting and developing some of the best wide receiver talent in the country speaks for itself,” Day said in Hankton’s welcome speech. “I think he is going to integrate into our program’s culture and values, which are at the core of who we are, very well.”

LSU’s passing attack thrived under his watch, ranking top-two in the SEC twice over four seasons, including a No. 1 finish in 2023. His receivers’ room featured elite talent, highlighted by Kyren Lacy’s SEC-leading touchdown total in 2024 and Malik Nabers’ rise to a unanimous All-American and No. 6 overall NFL Draft selection.

A Texas Southern product, Hankton left as the program’s all-time leading receiver. Undrafted out of college, he carved out a seven-year NFL career with five teams, including the Jaguars and Vikings, before taking his talents to the United Football League.

Yet, Day could not match Hankton’s offer with Hartline’s. Back in Columbus, the now-South Florida head coach earned $1,600,000. After stepping into the 2025 season, Day granted him a $400,000 raise, rounding out his contract to $2,000,000.

The Buckeyes’ deal for Hankton comes with a pay cut, as Hankton made $1 million last year at LSU in Baton Rouge. Still, the new wide receivers coach is eligible for performance bonuses that could add up to 47% of his base if Day’s squad wins both the Big Ten and the national championship in a single season.

Hankton is off to a fast start, proving Day’s hire was spot-on. He landed his first Power 4 wide receiver recruit, Kyle Parker, who followed him from his previous program.

Meanwhile, since his departure from Ohio State, Hartline is already cashing in the biggest check in South Florida’s history.

Brian Hartline hits a record after jumping out of Ryan Day’s squad

Hartline will earn $3.5 million annually, making him the highest-paid coach in program history. He signed a six-year deal worth just over $21 million in December, as reported by The Oracle.

Day’s former coach’s compensation includes a $500,000 base salary and $3 million in supplemental pay. As the Hartline era is history, Hankton might face his first test under Day.

The Buckeyes stumbled in the Big Ten title game against Indiana and exited the CFP first round against Miami, with an offense that often looked flat and disjointed.

Hankton’s not here to tear things down, but the Ohio State wide receiver room has plenty of turnover for 2026. Jeremiah Smith sticks around, but Quincy Porter and Mylan Graham are heading to Notre Dame.

Unlike Hartline, who never touched the transfer market, Ryan Day’s new coach has plenty of portal chops. Hankton brought in six receivers at LSU from 2023-2025, including 2025’s top guys, Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas, among others.

This immediate recruiting success demonstrates the ‘portal chops’ Day was banking on to reshape the Buckeyes’ offense.

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