Brian Hartline Updates: Balancing New Roles Key This Spring

COLUMBUS — Ohio State offensive coordinator and receivers coach Brian Hartline met with reporters on Monday following the fourth practice of spring ball. He talked about balancing his duties as coordinator and receivers coach and much more. The highlights of everything he had to say can be found below.

On Max Klare: The TE position is a great opportunity to create mismatches in the pass game and run game. To have somebody that dynamic should be a bonus. Right now, the spring is being spent on self-development. Klare has a good feel for what he’s good at but is focused on what he can improve on.
How is the balance going between OC and coaching the WRs: There is good veteran leadership in the room. The coaches did a good job of getting a jump on the freshmen and getting them up to speed. Devin Jordan does a great job helping that room. Being organized outside of receiver meeting times for him keeps him engaged with the WRs. “On the field, yeah, I’m trying to watch a lot of things.” It’s a balancing act. He keeps assessing himself in that regard.
Where has Jeremiah Smith grown the most as a leader: He’s a by-example kind of guy, but he’s growing more as a speaker. Even conversations between him and Smith, you can see the maturity. More outspoken now because when he first walked in he didn’t speak at all.
On the RB depth: Carlos Locklyn will have a great plan there. It’s a longer season, so you need to have depth. “I know we feel really good about the guys we have here.” The younger guys will need to provide depth.
On preparing last year for 16 games: That’s why Ryan Day is the best head coach in America. They focused on that right away last year and it paid off all year long. “There’s no guarantees in sports” you just try to increase your odds on being in the right position at the right time. Day had great perspective on it and kept the assistants on track.
On the QBs, what has stood out: First off, just right now this year, “I’m impressed with the way they have grown day to day.” Nowhere near where they want to be this year but they’re all spending extra time on their own. They are well prepared and you can feel that. The communication pre-snap and post-snap has improved. They all have better command of the position. Tavien St. Clair is learning every day. “I appreciate the way spending extra time to be prepared for the day-to-day activities.”
Mylan Graham missed last spring and it can have a ripple effect, but you have to make up for it. He has made great strides. He’s chasing consistency. He’ll make a play, but the guy who always makes that play “is THAT guy.” “It’s not if, it’s how often.” He’s bigger. He’s never late. He has put a good foot forward this spring.
On Tyler Bowen: Excited about this offensive staff. There’s not a whole lot of change that needs to be happen, just enhancing.
The WR room is really healthy. How good the younger guys are will really dictate how good the WR room is. The freshmen are all doing well. There’s a lot of care from the young guys. They put in extra work trying to uphold the standard of the room. When you catch them on a mistake, they understand what they did wrong.
On communicating with the QBs: You want clarity. The message needs to be the same between the QB coach and the OC.
Why are you more prepared to call plays now than two years ago? “Yeah, it’s been two years.” Individually he’s grown a little bit. The staff here is awesome and he’s comfortable in his skin now. If you’re not around last year’s staff and you didn’t grow, you were wasting your time.