Ohio State's Hartline admits 'last week was tough' balancing USF job

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Ohio State's Hartline admits 'last week was tough' balancing USF job

Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline is opening up about the challenges of balancing two different coaching jobs while the Buckeyes prepare for a College Football Playoff run.

The new head coach at South Florida, Hartline admitted Dec. 8 that balancing the new position during the week Ohio State played in the Big Ten championship was not easy.

“Frankly, I would say last week was the hardest week,” Hartline told reporters. “Just with the amount of things moving and being pulled away.”

Hartline’s hiring was made public three days before the Buckeyes lost to Indiana in the Big Ten championship 13-10. Playing against the No. 2 scoring defense in the country, Ohio State scored its lowest point total of the season. After the Dec. 6 loss, Day backed his offensive coordinator, confirming that Hartline would continue to call plays for the Buckeyes in the playoffs.

Ohio State offensive coordinator Brian Hartline and coach Ryan Day leads warmups prior to a game against Michigan on Nov. 29.

Hartline said he would feel a lot better about the weeks ahead than he did the week of the announcement.

Appearing on “The Jim Rome Show,” on Dec. 8, Hartline was pressed on whether the balancing act between two jobs is realistic.

“My process is just making sure if I can’t create more hours in the day, I have to do a really good job of maximizing those,” he said. “… I know it can be done.”

Hartline said he has the full support of Day and the coaching staff and would reside at the South Florida campus for the week to “get things off the ground,” before returning to Columbus.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: OSU OC Brian Hartline says balancing act with new USF job was ‘tough’

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