Brian Hartline isn’t easing into his first year at USF. He’s drawing a hard line on what the Bulls should be, and he’s doing it fast.
Speaking with On3’s Peter Nakos, the former Ohio State offensive coordinator made it clear that South Florida’s ceiling, in his mind, is not just bowl eligibility or occasional progress. It’s the American Conference title, every year.
“There was some success here the last couple of years, but nowhere near where it should be,” he said. “The expectation should be to win - the floor here should be a constant chase for the American Conference championship.
"I think we’ve been transparent about what those expectations are day-to-day, through the summer, through recruiting, and into the fall. We have 50 new guys on the roster - a completely different roster than last year.
I’m excited about the guys who came in and the guys who chose to stay. I think we have the right guys, and now it’s our job to maximize what they’re capable of.”
That’s a significant standard to set, especially with a roster that has been turned over almost entirely. Hartline said the Bulls have 50 new players, and only receiver Bryson Rogers and EDGE C.J.
Hicks followed him from his previous stop. That means the foundation he’s trying to build in Tampa is coming from scratch more than from carryover.
The quarterback room will matter plenty in that effort. Luke Kromenhoek, Michael Van Buren, and KJ Cooper are the options Hartline has heading into 2026, and if one of them separates from the pack, USF could end up being more dangerous than many expect after the coaching change.
Hartline’s message goes beyond one position battle, though. The way he talked about the program suggested a bigger reset in tone and expectation, one aimed at keeping the Bulls from slipping back into the lower tier they occupied before Alex Golesh left for Auburn after taking SEC interviews late in the season.
The idea now is simple: raise the floor, then keep climbing.
And if Hartline hits the level he’s promising, the conversation around USF could eventually move beyond the American. It’s still speculation, but the path to Power 4 chatter is at least visible. The Bulls could be in the mix for that kind of discussion in a few notable seasons, and there’s even an argument that they’re already close to the bottom tier of the Big 12.
A move to the ACC would bring another layer of value, especially with potential in-state rivalries against Florida State and Miami. For now, though, all of that lives in the future. Hartline’s immediate task is much more basic and much harder: turn lofty talk into real wins.
That’s the challenge, and it’s a big one. But the progress Golesh made showed how quickly a program can change once the right push is in place. Hartline is now the one trying to make the next leap.
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