The power of love.
The philosophy still seems counterintuitive for first-year USF football head coach Brian Hartline, raised as a deadly serious, chip-on-the-shoulder player. Love? No, football was about hate. He hated to lose much more than he loved to win.
But when he matured as an assistant coach, as he became a key member of Ohio State's national-championship brain trust, Hartline learned the truth. The power of love wasn't weakness. It was strength.
"You're protecting your family,'' said Hartline, outlining his core philosophies as the Bulls continue with workouts leading to the spring game on April 19 at Corbett Stadium. "You're not running out there because you hate some guy. You're running out there for the person that you love. That resonated so much with me. The hate of an opponent is not as powerful as the love of your teammate.
"When you spill blood and sweat together, you're going through things that people can't fathom or understand. You're protecting your quarterback because you love the guy. You'll protect him with your life. That mentality isn't easily attained. But once you have it, you can do anything. Instead of the shallowness of hating somebody else, you learn about the power of a positive mindset.''
Interesting guy, that Brian Hartline.
He grew up in one of America's ultimate football towns — Canton, Ohio — where his mother was a nurse and his father owned a cooling/heating company. He played his high-school ball at Fawcett Stadium, adjacent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
The household was fiercely competitive. The father drummed Vince Lombardi quotes into the family's sensibilities — There's only one place, and that's first place — and his mother was a high-level bowler who was disgusted by defeat.
"All of that rubbed off on me,'' said Hartline, who played as a Buckeyes wide receiver in two national-championship games.
No one confused Hartline for an Olympic-level track-and-field athlete, yet there he was as a high-school senior, capturing a pair of state titles in the hurdles. He was athletic enough, but that wasn't the difference.
"I was always looking for an edge,'' Hartline said. "I feel like there's always a way to get an edge or an advantage. As a hurdler, I felt that angles always beat speed. If two guys have the same speed, the victory goes to the guy who has the right steps and angles. It's all in the details — your time over the hurdle, the way you finish over the back hurdle, your start. I always thought route-running was very similar.
"If I run a 40 in a certain time, how do I run a route like that (at that speed)? Because as soon as I don't run a route like that, then my 40 is not worth anything. The whole inner clock, inner dialogue on maximizing one's ability, I just think it's fascinating.''
Chad Palmer, his high-school coach, once said Hartline did the best job of reaching his total speed potential than any athlete he had seen. He beat faster people because of technique and strategy. That's why his detail-oriented Ohio State receivers were so proficient at blocking on the perimeter. It's all in the details.
"That's the mentality we're chasing at USF,'' Hartline said. "Whether it's play-calling, giving guys the correct angles or the right leverage on a block, we want our guys to have an advantage. Instead of having to overcome poor leverage or a poor scheme or a misfit, all they have to do is execute. That's what happens when everything else is perfectly aligned.''
That's also a perfect analogy of why he left Ohio State for USF. By all accounts, Brian Hartline was going to be somebody's head coach. He had choices. USF's program aligned with Hartline's vision. He saw USF as a program with no limits.
"You're at USF because you've got great players and the potential to uncap what the program is really capable of,'' Hartline said. "I'd hate to be going to a place where the potential is capped. With what we have here — the on-campus stadium (coming in 2027), the program's performance, the players in this state and the support from our administration — I just think the sky's the limit. I'm definitely in the right place.''
Interestingly, even as he's instantly identifiable by USF's fan base, Hartline describes himself as an "introvert,'' someone just fine in the embrace of his family — wife Kara and their three children, sons Brayden and Kameron and daughter Brooklyn. In Ohio, the family lived on a farm that included 10 acres of rented land that produced corn and soybeans, a chicken coop and an outdoors lifestyle.
As a head coach, Hartline said he knows there's an undeniable public side to his life. He understands the social obligations of every head coach's job description, but he mostly values deep relationships. Once you're in Hartline's circle, you're probably there for life.
Hartline said he believes self-awareness and self-confidence are among his best qualities. After his junior season at Ohio State, Hartline bet on himself and entered the NFL Draft (against the wishes of others). He became a fourth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins and played seven NFL seasons as a wide receiver, finishing with 344 receptions for 4,766 yards and 14 touchdowns. In 2012, he set the franchise's single-game record with 253 receiving yards.
After his NFL career, Hartline explored business and broadcasting opportunities, never intending to coach. But after being coaxed to help at Ohio State, after realizing the impact he could make with young people on and off the field, he was hooked.
He likes a chippy team, filled with players who have something to prove. Toughness, attention to detail and discipline are favored qualities.
Bulls offensive coordinator Tim Beck, most recently the head coach at Coastal Carolina University, said Hartline is well-equipped to handle the first-year challenges.
"Brian Hartline is full of energy, passion and love,'' Beck said. "He loves doing this. He loves football. He loves being around these young people.''
There's that word again.
Love.
"I believe in three main things,'' Hartline said. "When you're building something, the people are No. 1. Your process is No. 2. If you don't like the outcome, change the process. Identifying what's important and fixing it. And that is No. 3, the purpose. Your purpose can take you to levels you didn't know you were capable of.
"We will be motivated by love, not fear. We're going to do it by loving our brother, not by hating our opponent. That's how this thing is going to be built. The power of love is always better than the power of hate. That's what motivated me to get into coaching. Our guys are living their dreams every single day. I don't take that lightly. We will create and sustain a real family atmosphere because of our authentic love of football and each other.''
Hartline said "time is now for USF football'' and the same could be said about the head coach. He's building an exciting, physical brand of football that fans will enjoy watching. Limits? Nope. Hartline doesn't see any as USF pursues its goals.
And it's all powered by love.
–#GoBulls–
