Ohio State’s Brian Hartline Named FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach Of The Year

The Buckeyes’ wide receivers unit combined for 267 catches for 3,922 yards and 38 touchdowns this fall.

Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline was named the 2021 FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach of the Year on Wednesday afternoon.

@OhioStateFB’s @brianhartline selected by prior winners -- 2021 FootballScoop Wide Receivers Coach of the Year https://t.co/dJTQL2w325

— FootballScoop (@FootballScoop) January 5, 2022

“To put it simply, the Ohio State wide receiver room was the best of its kind in college football,” FootballScoop’s Zach Barnett said. “Take any position group on any team, and they all measure up short to the damage the Buckeye wideouts did to opposing secondaries in 2021.

“Ohio State boasted an embarrassment of riches at the position – to the almost comical point where Jameson Williams, now known as the best receiver on Alabama's team, left Ohio State because he wasn't seeing the field enough in Columbus.

“That's because the Buckeyes rolled out three All-America caliber players with each series.”

That includes sophomore Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who set school records with 95 catches for 1,606 yards this season, as well as senior Chris Olave (65 catches for 936 yards and a team-high 13 touchdowns) and junior Garrett Wilson (70 receptions for 1,058 yards and 12 touchdowns).

When Olave and Wilson opted out of the Rose Bowl, Smith-Njigba matched his school single-game record with 15 catches for a school and all-time bowl record 347 yards. But that’s not all, as freshman Marvin Harrison Jr. also caught six passes for 71 yards and three touchdowns in the 48-45 win over Utah.

There’s also sophomore Julian Fleming and freshman Emeka Egbuka, who started at wide receiver and kick returner in the Rose Bowl, as well. Altogether, the group combined for 267 catches for 3,922 yards and 38 touchdowns this fall.

The 35-year-old Hartline - who starred for the Buckeyes from 2005-08 and just finished his fourth season as Ohio State’s wide receivers coach – was selected for the honor by previous winners.

Other finalists for this year’s award included Utah State’s Kyle Cefalo, Western Kentucky’s Josh Crawford, Mississippi State’s Steve Spurrier Jr. and Alabama’s Holman Wiggins.

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