Nervous Miami Hurricanes football fans can now breathe a little easier. Earlier in the week, plenty of eyebrows were raised when On3's Pete Nakos came out with a report suggesting that offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson was a name to watch for Ohio State.
Chip Kelly is off to the NFL to join the Raiders, meaning there was an opening for Ryan Day. Go ahead and wipe Dawson's name off the board, as the Buckeyes have made their decision. Rather than bring in some outside help, Day has decided to promote Brian Hartline to the position. With that, it has been confirmed that Mario Cristobal won't be losing his OC with spring ball around the corner:
Ohio State plans to name Brian Hartline as its new offensive coordinator, sources tell @cbssports/@247sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) February 5, 2025
Hartline has continued to do elite work as a receivers coach, including most recently with guys like Jeremiah Smith, and as a recruiter. Now set for a promotion.… pic.twitter.com/v8O3y6oADQ
Ohio State naming Brian Hartline OC is amazing news for Miami football
Although it seemed unlikely that Dawson was going to leave Coral Gables, the fact that we don't have to worry about this anymore is a nice feeling. Now, Miami, Cristobal and Dawson can fully focus on spring ball and getting the new-look offense into a rhythm.
It's a bit of a bummer that star quarterback Carson Beck is likely expected to miss each practice session due to his elbow injury, but the good news is that he's set to be at 100 percent for the start of fall camp. We saw what Dawson was able to get done with projected No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward.
What will he be able to do with Beck running his offense? Fans can't wait to find out. It's looking like it could be a season to remember for Miami, as this squad is poised to not only win the ACC, but go on a deep College Football Playoff run. Corey Hetherman will be working overtime to improve the team's defense, while Dawson will have the offense looking sharp once again.