Penn State remains the biggest head coaching vacancy in major college football as more than 50 days have elapsed since the school parted ways with James Franklin, and still no candidates have been named as the likely successor in 2026.
But one young, up and coming coaching star out of the Big Ten could be gaining ground in Penn State’s search if the bettors are on the right path.
Ohio State star recruiter and offensive coordinator Brian Hartline has seen his odds to become the next coach at Penn State rise dramatically by almost 20 times in the last day, according to the latest figures from the prediction market Kalshi.
Hartline, listed at just 1 percent as recently as 24 hours ago, has seen his odds surge to more than 21 percent in the last day as he continues to be named on various big boards as a Penn State target.
Hartline is a proven winner
A former Ohio State wide receiver himself, Hartline returned to his alma mater in 2017 to work with the offense and saw his reputation rise rapidly as one of college football’s most respected young assistants and recruiters.
Hartline is currently receiving $2 million this season to work for Ohio State, right behind defensive coordinator Matt Patricia ($2.5 million), and the same amount Chip Kelly received in the role last season.
Hartline has held roles in orchestrating Ohio State’s productive passing offense and in recruiting and developing star players, especially at the wide receiver position.
Players like Marvin Harrison, Jr., Chris Olave, Garrett Wilson, Emeka Egbuka, and current NFL receiving leader Jaxon Smith-Njigba are some of the more prominent wide receivers Hartline is credited with attracting to Ohio State and getting into the NFL.
Jeremiah Smith, Carnell Tate, and Brandon Inniss are three more such players who Hartline helped recruit and who today comprise the core of a passing attack that is undefeated and the favorite to be the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Would he be a realistic possibility?
Hartline is currently at a major functionary of a program that just won the national championship and is a betting favorite to win another as the presumptive top-ranked team in the playoff field.
Moreover, he has a strong connection to his alma mater, where he has solidified his reputation as one of the most consistently-successful young recruiters and talent developers.
Those should be traits that Penn State is interested in bringing to its program, but there is a stronger consensus that the school is more interested in a more experienced figure. Hartline just turned 39.
Still, some recent comments he made could suggest he has had an eye for something else.
What Hartline has said about other jobs
Hartline notably indicated in recent years that he would be open to a head coaching position either in college football, or perhaps more likely, in the NFL.
“I want to be able to win a national championship,” Hartline said in an interview with Ohio State site Eleven Warriors in 2023.
“It would have to be a top program that paints that vision, that it can get done there. It’s that or the NFL. For me, all the marbles have to be on the table. It has to be the pinnacle, or I may not have as much interest.”
He added: “If the pinnacle is not an option, a Super Bowl or a national championship, that’s hard for me. I want all the marbles to be on the table.”
Penn State would certainly count as a program that has all its marbles on the table, boasting championship pedigree, a strong recruiting base, passionate fans, and is in a position to put itself in the playoff field.
But could it be the right time for Hartline to make such a drastic career move?
Where the Penn State search is now
While Hartline has appeared in sporadic reporting and speculation around the Penn State head coaching position, most of the current focus is around two other names.
BYU head coach Kalani Sitake was the favorite to take the job, that is until it was reported that he intends to stay at his current post instead.
Louisville coach Jeff Brohm and current interim head coach Terry Smith are the two leading candidates to replace James Franklin coming out of Rivalry Week.
Brohm is the favorite at 34 percent, while Smith is right behind at 21 percent, according to the latest numbers listed on Kalshi.